Agora's administrative staff is comprised of professionals dedicated to making our virtual academy a very real learning experience. Here are some of the people who work behind the scenes to keep Agora responsive to your needs.

Head of School

Sharon Williams is an educational leader with a passion for excellence. She has 19 years of experience in education and an intense desire to remove barriers and improve the instructional experience for all students. Sharon started her career in education as a teacher with Teach For America. There, she served in the Houston Independent School District teaching elementary students, and was responsible for providing an educational atmosphere where students had the opportunity to fulfill their potential for intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual, and psychological growth. Sharon was instrumental in organizing and implementing an instructional program that resulted in students achieving academic success in accordance with Texas state academic standards. She also spent several years sharing best practices with her colleagues, and conducting professional development sessions in mathematics and reading to a large urban school district. And Sharon is no stranger to the online model, having served as an elementary teacher, lead teacher, director of curriculum and instruction, and middle school principal at the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School. Sharon was also part of the small team that launched Agora in 2006 and helped create the community that Agora is today. Outside of Agora, Sharon continues a long time commitment to the development of youth, serving as a youth group advisor and youth sports coach. She earned her dual major in philosophy and religion from the College of William and Mary,  a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix, and earned her principal certification through Drexel University. 

School Directors

K-6 Director

April Nix has 23 years of experience in education, including teaching and leadership opportunities in both private and public schools. She taught with a passion for implementing technology programs and integrating them into all core subjects. April is committed to high expectations and academic achievement for every student. She holds a Pennsylvania Teaching Certificate, K-8, as well as a Pennsylvania Principal Certificate, K-12. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in early childhood and elementary education from Liberty University, and a master’s degree in educational leadership and technology from Kennesaw State University.

Middle School Director

Amy Rupp is in her fourth year at Agora and her fifth year in online education. Previously, she taught for six years in public and private brick-and-mortar schools in Kentucky, Virginia, and Maryland. Mrs. Rupp received her Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and will complete a master's degree in educational leadership and policy (administration) from Shippensburg University in the spring.

High School Director

Jane Swan has 10 years of experience in secondary education, working as: Agora's high school director since September 2008; Agora's high school English department chair; and as English teacher for Twin Valley School District from January 2000 to September 2008. Jane has been interviewed for and contributed to a DVD production accompanying a book on co-teaching by Richard Villa, and has contributed to a book about instructional strategies by Lisa Duncan. Jane received her Bachelor of Arts in English from De Sales University, her Master of Science in education from Wilkes University, and her principal certification from Cabrini College.

Other Administrative Staff

Operations Manager

Tim Kreider is in his second year with Agora. Before coming to Agora, he managed the scoring department of McGraw-Hill's assessments division for five years. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Richmond and a master's degree in human development from St. Mary's University.

Finance Manager

Mary Markert joined the Agora team in February, 2011.  Before moving into the finance role for Agora, she served as Regional Finance Manager for K¹², where she was responsible for financial forecasting and analysis for several K¹²-managed schools.  She brings more than 12 years of financial reporting, planning, analysis, and auditing experience to Agora, having served in various financial positions at AST Computer, Abbott Laboratories, and Coopers & Lybrand. Mary has a BS in math/computer science from the University of Illinois, and an MBA in finance/accounting from the University of Chicago.