Meet our Founder

Rinna Harris is the founder and Guide of Harris Academy, a personalized learning community serving learners in Grades 4–8 in Gilbert, Arizona. With more than 15 years of experience educating children, she is passionate about helping students develop confidence, independence, responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning.

Before founding Harris Academy in 2020, Rinna successfully owned and operated a Montessori preschool for over a decade, gaining extensive experience in child development, individualized learning, and mixed-age education. Today, she combines the best of mastery-based learning, learner ownership, and meaningful work to create an environment where students are known, challenged, and supported.

Rinna also serves as a microschool coach and Prenda Superguide, mentoring educators across the country as they launch and grow their own learning communities. In 2025, she became a contributing author in the book Education Unleashed, sharing insights on innovative curriculum development and learner-centered education.

Her diverse educational experiences in the Philippines, the Bahamas, and the United States have shaped her belief that every child deserves an education that honors their strengths, nurtures their potential, and prepares them to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Rinna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Brigham Young University and is the proud mother of seven children.

Featured In

• Education Unleashed (Contributing Author, 2025)

• Voyage Phoenix

• Prenda Superguide & Microschool Coach