Kim Phillips, Co-Founder

Kim is a mother of five grown children with 18 years of homeschooling experience behind her. She holds a BA degree from UC Riverside, and a teaching credential from High Tech High School of Graduate Education, with an emphasis in project based learning. Her background as a homeschool program developer, charter school administrator and teacher has given her a unique perspective into the specific needs of the homeschooling community. Her passion is empowering people, and creating spaces for homeschooling families to thrive.  In her spare time, she likes to explore new coffee shops and make new friends. 

Terry Wolfram, Co-Founder

Terry Wolfram focuses on operations and finance at Thrive. With a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard, he has been an entrepreneur across a number of different industries and enjoys seeing ideas take form that have a positive impact on people’s lives.  He is a proud father of four kids and in his spare time enjoys coaching middle school football and spending time with his family.  

Linda Tansey, Administration

With a passion for nurturing both young minds and flourishing families, Linda oversees student registrations and billing, and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Thrive’s meaningful mission and vision.

A proud Ohio native and Xavier University alumna with a degree in Marketing, Linda's journey is deeply rooted in her love for learning and commitment to excellence. Beyond her professional pursuits, Linda finds great joy in her role as a mother to her son and daughter and grandmother to four grandchildren.

Rochelle Laskey, Regional Lead

Rochelle has been with Thrive since our very first day and has been instrumental in helping to build and shape a program that serves the homeschooling community. She is currently a Program Lead for 3 campuses,and serves as a Regional Lead, overseeing and mentoring Thrive Program Leads. As a homeschooling mother and educator, Rochelle is equipped to help empower students and their families in their homeschooling journey. Rochelle has an extensive background in educational leadership and youth ministry, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from Regents University. 

Kristen Popham, Regional Lead

Kristen Popham serves as our Program Lead in Prescott Valley and our Regional Lead for Northern Arizona. She is also developing and overseeing the Thrive High School program. She is a former teacher and homeschooling mom of four, blending her passion for education with her commitment to nurturing her children's growth. Armed with a Masters in Education from Georgetown, Kristen brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Thrive Communities. Beyond academics, Kristen finds joy in spending quality time with her family, fostering strong bonds and creating cherished memories. She is an avid baseball enthusiast, often found cheering on her kids at their games. Kristen also has a deep appreciation for outdoor activities, whether it's hiking through scenic trails, camping under the stars, or simply enjoying nature's beauty from their kayaks.

Sophia Dastrup, Regional Lead

Sophia Dastrup came to us first as a Thrive parent, and quickly stepped into a teacher role. Her outstanding leadership skills were apparent to us all, and she is now Program Lead over two campuses and Regional Lead mentoring other Program Leads. With a background in Business Administration and a passion for homeschooling, Sophia is a wonderful addition to our team. Her family of five is passionate about travel and adores spending time in the great outdoors. She enjoys playing and coaching a variety of sports. She's been homeschooling her own children for the past 5 years, and has enjoyed opportunities to travel and learn with her children.

Kristal Gardner,  Art Content Lead

Kristal's role at Thrive involves creating a scope and sequence for Art lessons, overseeing teachers and providing leadership direction for all Thrive campuses in Art. She brings over 20 years of classroom teaching experience, and holds a BS in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood from Northern Arizona University. Kristal is passionate about inspiring a love of learning in children and finds great joy in making education fun and engaging. As the Art Content Lead at Thrive, she is excited to share her expertise and creative insights with fellow educators. In her spare time, Kristal enjoys writing stories, reading, playing games and spending quality time with her family.

Bridget O'Grady,  History, Science and Literature Content Lead

Bridget O'Grady brings over 20 years of educational experience and a Master’s degree in Special Education to her role at Thrive Communities, where she has been a key contributor since January 2024. Initially joining as a teacher, Bridget’s dedication led to her expanded roles as Program Lead and Content Lead for History, Literature, and Science. Bridget's role at Thrive as Content Lead involves creating a scope and sequence for History, Science and Literature lessons, overseeing teachers and providing leadership direction. Her career includes a notable period homeschooling her son, which has enriched her approach to education. Bridget is excited to continue her growth and impact within Thrive Communities.

Ryan Wolfram, Technology Lead and Chief of Fun

Ryan is responsible for building all of the processes that allow Thrive to operate efficiently, such as the iPad app students use to check in every day, the enrollment-management system, processes to integrate with state funding programs, and more.

Ryan graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science from Duke University.

When he’s not coding, Ryan’s role is the Chief of Fun (yes, that’s an official title) where he brainstorms fun initiatives for Thrive to implement across its campuses.