Heidi Gasca
Superintendent
Heidi Gasca, Superintendent/CEO of two California Distinguished Schools, passionately leads the Excel Academy Eagles with a steadfast commitment to integrity, longevity, and sustainability. Under her leadership, Excel Academy has flourished for 13 years, achieving soaring test scores and impeccable attendance rates in a culture that prioritizes accountability and community. Heidi’s unwavering dedication ensures that all students receive a high-quality, personalized education tailored to their unique needs. Heidi believes in the power of alternative education models to unlock each student’s full potential, ensuring they receive the support and flexibility needed to succeed.
From the moment she stepped into a classroom after graduating from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Communications, Heidi knew education was her calling. She earned her multiple-subject teaching credential from UC Irvine, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University and her Administrative Services Credential through the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Her career began in 1997 with Irvine Unified School District before she spent eight years in Capistrano Unified. In 2010, she transitioned into the charter school sector, where she has since held various leadership roles. Today, she leads Excel Academy, a thriving flex-based charter school serving 2,000 TK-12 students across San Diego and San Bernardino counties, supported by an incredibly dedicated staff.
A respected voice in the charter school community, Heidi is a proud member of the APlus+ Advisory Council and Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), Region 18. She actively participates in professional organizations such as Charter Schools Development Center (CSDC) and California Charter Schools Association (CCSA), contributing to charter school development and advocacy. She credits much of her professional growth to an incredible network of flex-based charter leaders throughout California.
Heidi is passionate about the power of positive leadership, drawing inspiration from thought leaders like Jon Gordon and Simon Sinek. She believes that life-long learning is one of the greatest gifts of a career in education. She is humbled and honored to represent the Board of Directors, staff, students and parents at Excel Academy.
Outside of her professional life, Heidi cherishes time with her husband, three daughters, family, and friends. She resides in Orange County, close to the Excel Academy administrative office in Irvine and enjoys shopping, good Mexican food, snow skiing and walking on the beach.
Joe Mills
Chief Business Officer
Joe’s dedication to education is deeply rooted in his upbringing—raised in England by two high school teachers, he learned early on the transformative power of learning and community. His drive and athleticism earned him a Division I tennis scholarship to the United States, where he relocated to pursue both his academic and athletic ambitions, ultimately earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics and an MBA.
Joe has dedicated his career to financial leadership within the education and non-profit sectors. His background includes overseeing finance operations for one of the largest child and family service agencies in the Los Angeles area, as well as providing strategic CFO services to charter schools. As Chief Business Officer at Excel Academy, Joe leverages his extensive financial expertise and passion for mission-driven work to support the school’s fiscal health, growth, and long-term sustainability.
Outside of work, Joe treasures spending quality time with his wife and two daughters. True to his roots, he remains an avid sports enthusiast and loves spending his free time outdoors or traveling with his family.
Heather Ferenc
Director of Education
From the time she was three, Heather could often be found setting up her stuffed animals at desks, pretending to teach them. Growing up in a family of educators, her passion for teaching naturally blossomed. She pursued that passion at Azusa Pacific University, earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, a minor in Spanish, a California multiple subject teaching credential, a Single Subject English teaching credential, and an Administrative Credential.
Heather was hired as an elementary teacher right after college and immediately fell in love with the role. In fact, she still stays in touch with some of her very first students to this day!
In addition to her teaching experience, Heather homeschooled her own two children for 11 years through public charter schools, gaining in-depth curriculum knowledge from kindergarten to high school. She has also served in various administrative roles at personalized learning public charter schools, including Principal and Director of Education. Heather is deeply passionate about supporting others on their unique educational journeys and thrives on creating engaging learning experiences for all kinds of learners. She truly believes that learning can thrive in any environment and counts her own children among her most effective teachers.
When she’s not focused on education, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, whether it’s discovering new restaurants, watching movies, or simply snuggling with her cats. She’s also a fan of biking, pickleball, reading, cooking, and traveling anywhere and everywhere—especially international trips with her husband and two adult children.
Lara Ulmer
Director of Special Education
Lara grew up in Dana Point, California and has spent the greater part of her adult life supporting students with diverse needs. While pursuing her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Widener University, she began working with a nonprofit organization providing social-emotional, behavioral and wraparound support to students in Cecil County, Maryland. This experience sparked a passion that led her to graduate work in Educational Psychology at UNLV. For the past 16 years Lara has served in various roles including School Psychologist, SELPA Liaison, and Special Education administrator. As the Director of Special Education she seeks to recruit, train, and support a highly skilled team of special educators to provide vital services to students with unique educational needs.
Jenny Craig
Director of Compliance & Special Programs
Jenny graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English with specializations in Diversified Liberal Arts and Education at UCLA. She then earned her multiple subject teaching credential and CLAD certification from California State University, Long Beach. Jenny started her teaching career teaching second grade and has been at Excel Academy Charter School since 2014. She has had various roles; a Teacher of Record, Curriculum Coordinator, Assessment Lead, and is currently the Director of Compliance & Special Programs. Jenny is passionate about education and believes all students have the ability to be lifelong learners when they are provided with the necessary support and guidance.
Lauren Hansen
Director of Communications & Board Relations
Lauren serves as the Director of Communications & Board Relations at Excel Academy, where she has been a dedicated team member for over a decade. In her role, she leads the communications department, overseeing all internal and external communications, marketing, advertising, and graphic design to keep the Excel Academy community informed and connected. Additionally, Lauren manages all Board relations and works closely with the Superintendent on key governance and leadership matters.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Biola University and brings a rich professional background to her role, including 10 years of experience in event planning and over five years in marketing and communications. Outside of work, Lauren loves getting creative across a mix of different artistic mediums, as well as spending quality time with her friends and family, including her energetic five-year-old twins.
April Saade
Elementary Principal
April's career in education began in the traditional classroom, where she taught for 9 years. During that time, April ran a school-wide intervention program, served on the SST team, and school leadership team. In 2005, she earned her Masters in Education Administration from Pepperdine University. Her thesis project involved researching and implementing intervention programs for at-promise students through both school, and community programs. As the Assistant Director of Intervention, April supported students in a multitude of ways: SST meetings, running academic intervention programs, the ELD program, SEL, 504 Plans, Crisis Team, & more. She is grateful that her time at Excel Academy so beautifully encompasses her passion for ensuring ALL students receive the attention and support they need to flourish; academically, emotionally, and behaviorally. Currently, April is the Elementary Principal and eagerly diving into strengthening Tier 1. As the principal she values the voices of all stakeholders: staff, parents, and students. Together we can Excel!
Lorrie Wood
Secondary Principal
Lorrie knew she wanted to be a teacher from a young age because the school setting provided an environment which sparked ideas and allowed her curiosity to flourish. In working across a variety of educational settings spanning elementary through college, she sees her calling to help ignite this same love for learning in all students. Her philosophy is that in the right environment every student can learn. She is also a strong advocate for the community college where she began her higher educational journey. She graduated from California State Northridge with a focus in the teaching program. She taught high school English while simultaneously pursuing both her credential and her Master’s degree in English.
Lorrie has enjoyed working with families as a Teacher of Record, a Curriculum Coordinator, a High School Coordinator, the High School Assistant Principal, and currently serving as the Secondary Principal. During her free time she enjoys spending time with her family camping, hiking, and reading a great book.
Jenn Sheehey
Virtual Education Principal
With over 20 years of experience in education—including 18 years in the charter school setting—Jenn has dedicated her career to supporting students and families through personalized learning. She has taught both middle and high school English in addition to serving as a Teacher of Record, Virtual Teacher, and Program Coordinator. Jenn holds Single Subject English, Multiple Subject and Education Specialist teaching credentials, a Master’s Degree in Special Education, and she holds certifications in College Counseling and Teacher Leadership.
Jenn's work is driven by a deep passion for helping families in distress, particularly children in foster care, and she is committed to creating inclusive, supportive educational environments for all learners. She previously homeschooled her two daughters, and her husband is a local firefighter. Together as a family, they love snowboarding in Mammoth and chasing their Husky pup!
