Our Staff

Meet the dedicated professionals who bring Mainspring’s mission to life every day.

Dina Parisi MAOL

Head of School

Elise Summa MA, BCBA

School Behavior analyst

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Stephanie Murphy

Campus Operations Coordinator

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Melissa LaBarrere

Expert Educator

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Angie Gibson

Student Engagement Professional

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Lee Rivera

Student Engagement Professional

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Anjelica O'Shea

Teacher

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Ekeshia Crum

Transition
Teacher

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Kelsie Gurley

Teacher

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Liz Morelli

Vocational 2 Teacher

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Luisa Cima

LIFE SKILLS TEACHER

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Nicole Donovan

primary teacher

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Morgan McSwain

Student Engagement Professional

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Ameera Jackson

Teacher

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Veronica Walker

Student Engagement Professional

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Travis Klein

Student Engagement Professional

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Kassy Goodwin

Teacher

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Donna Vieitez

Student Engagement Professional

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Jordhan Dawkins

Student Engagement Professional

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Donavon Mann

Teacher

Employment

We strive to recruit the most qualified candidates for our academic and support staff. Our employees receive competitive salaries, and full-time employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, short-term disability, and discounts on Mainspring Academy tuition. All employees are also eligible for supply and professional development stipends. 

Please visit our Employment Page to view current openings and apply for a position at Mainspring Academy.

STAFF SHOUT-OUTS

Did a Mainspring staff member or coworker go above and beyond to help this month? Shout them out! Your comment may appear in our monthly Staff Newsletter!

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Dina Parisi

Dina originally joined Mainspring as a founding board member and consultant during the school’s formation. She accepted the position of Director of School Operations in 2015, during Mainspring’s inaugural year, where her primary focus was school finance, vendor contracts, and human resource management. Through her experience as a parent and administrator, Dina has become an expert in McKay and Gardiner scholarship compliance and management, helping many families and several other private schools become better educated in properly utilizing scholarship funds. In 2018, due to her proven track record and continued passion for Mainspring, Dina was asked to take over as Head of School. Since this time, she has run two successful end-of-year campaigns and a successful capital campaign that allowed Mainspring to move into a customized space better suited for the needs of our students.

Dina, a Florida native, has always been interested in working in the non-profit sector. Dina attended Louisiana State University where she was a student ambassador for the EJ Ourso School of Business’s inaugural technology campaign, for which she was the campaign’s top fundraiser. After graduating in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in English literature and minor in business administration, Dina worked in several fields, including the airline industry and healthcare industry. In 2005, Dina had her first child, Luke, who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. It was through her experience as a parent of a child with special needs that Dina’s passion for the non-profit sector was reinvigorated. In 2010, after spending five years as a stay-at-home mom, Dina volunteered to start a non-profit parent group for her son’s private special education school. She led committees that put on several successful fundraising events for this organization, allowing it to purchase a playground, sensory equipment, and put on many fun events for the students and families. During this same time, Dina completed coursework at the Florida Institute of Technology in applied behavior analysis.

Dina holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, with a concentration in Non-Profit Management from Lewis University, as well as a graduate certificate from Jacksonville University in Executive Leadership.   In addition to her business studies, Dina has completed coursework with the Florida Institute of Technology in Applied Behavior Analysis.  Her professional interests include special education advocacy, non-profit management and collaboration, leadership and change management.  In her free time, Dina enjoys spending time with her three children and husband.