Rachel Sims has over 15 years of experience in strategy and operations, developing and directing student-centered programs in the nonprofit world and in education. She was at the helm of a summer residential STEM program for under-resourced students for eight of those years and was instrumental in scaling it nationwide. While planning the path forward is one of her strengths, she is drawn to situations that necessitate walking by faith and breaking with tradition. In the past few years, Rachel has also worked with a group of artists, acting as a liaison for communities and local businesses in the creation of large-scale murals. She was most recently the Director of Advancement Strategy and Operations for Golden Gate University and continues to consult with Jeremiah for college leadership up and down the west coast. Rachel holds a bachelor’s in business management from UC Berkeley and a master’s in educational administration from San Francisco State University. She enjoys taking the boys to the lake, pilates, and cooking and eating all kinds of food.

Jeremiah J. Sims, Ph.D., is a first-generation college student, born in Oakland and raised in Richmond, CA. Like many poor black and brown students, he faced trying circumstances, but was able to eventually excel academically. He credits his Heavenly Father, his faith and his community for his academic success. Jeremiah is an author, speaker, trainer and executive coach, primarily for college leadership up and down the west coast. He is an alumni of the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a B.A. in Rhetoric, with honors, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in Education: Language, Literacy, and Culture. In his spare time, Jeremiah enjoys spending time with his family, mild hikes and target shooting. Jeremiah and Rachel moved to Redding, CA in 2020, where they are raising six amazing boys: Judah, Malachi, Zion, Freedom, Jehu and Justice.

Amanda Scadden is a lifelong learner and educator with 10+ years of experience across K-12 environments. Her passion for thinking outside the box, especially when it comes to life in the classroom, truly began while studying at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and earning a master's degree in Mind, Brain, Education. Since then, she has found a renewed sense of joy in pursuing creative solutions to problems in the education space and is currently working as a guide at Acton Academy, a learner-led school model. Some of her favorite creative expressions outside the classroom include early morning coffee while journaling, diving on the sand volleyball court, laughing with friends, and leading a women’s community group.

Lindsey grew up in Washington in a family that loved to hike. The immersion in nature as a child led her to getting a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from the University of Washington where she could dive deeper into learning about the wonders of the natural world. Lindsey took a class in science education and fell in love with inspiring others through teaching. She left Seattle to become a backcountry ranger in Mt. St. Helens followed by another season with the Forest Service as a ranger in the Sierras Nevadas. Lindsey also has experience teaching environmental science to underserved teens in the Central Valley and working as a survival skills instructor in the Bay Area. She loves collecting feathers on hikes and finding hidden swimming holes

With a bachelor of arts in International Studies and a graduate certificate in International Development, Jessica has extensive experience working with people from around the world. From working on government contracts to refugee care in the Middle East to founding a homeschooling co-op, Jessica has been constantly looking to bring solutions to problems around her.

Jessica is motivated by a calling to change the world by preparing this generation to be world changers, leading the way into radically restorative and sustainable solutions for all lives on this planet. Jessica and her husband, Matthew, founded Acton Academy Redding in 2017.