Our Leadership Team

Great people are core to our mission. Our team includes experienced leaders in the fields of education, business, specialized learning needs and social entrepreneurship who are passionate about our work. Together with our advisory, school and therapy teams, we bring the best to our students, families and communities.  

Erik Heyer, founder and CEO, is a respected education leader, business manager and social entrepreneur.  In 2006, Mr. Heyer established The Siena School in Silver Spring, MD. The Siena School has quickly become one of Washington, D.C.’s leading private schools for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. The school and its staff have earned several honors, along with accolades from area educators, community leaders and the media, including The Washington Post, Washington Diplomat and WUSA–Channel 9. Previously, Erik was on the founding team and management committee of Victory Schools, a national leader in the charter school and public education reform movements. In 2003, he was awarded a Broad Fellowship in the Broad Foundation Superintendents Academy, one of the nation’s most prestigious educational leadership training programs. He began his career in finance with Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, before joining New Mountain Capital, a leading private equity investment firm. Mr. Heyer holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.S. in systems engineering with high honors from the University of Virginia. He has served on governing boards of the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center, the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, and Calvert Education Services, one of the nation's oldest homeschooling organizations.

Marina Major, executive vice president, oversees all financial, operational and development functions, including our efforts to replicate Auburn nationally.  She joined the founding team after 10 years with British Schools of America, a leading provider of British style international education based here in Washington DC. Ms. Major served as both its CFO and COO and was responsible for starting up four schools in the U.S. and increasing enrollment from 27 students to over 1,900 around the country. Ms. Major had oversight and responsibility for all BSA operations and served on the school’s board of directors. Previously, she was Director of Administration and International Operations for Micro Analytics Inc., a leading logistics software developer and was responsible for company-wide operations at BT Office Products, where she worked directly for the executive board on corporate development initiatives. Ms. Major received a B.B.A. from the College of William and Mary, majoring in marketing with a minor in Spanish, holds a certificate in accounting from the University of Virginia, and is currently a CPA in the State of Virginia.