ELITE Faculty & Staff - Fort Worth Academy

Academic Leadership

Shannon Elders, Head of School

Ed. D., Leadership and Learning in Organizations, Vanderbilt University
HBX, Harvard Business School CORe: Credential of Readiness
M.S., Speech-Language Pathology, University of Central Arkansas
B.A., Speech-Language Pathology, Harding University

Shannon has served as Head of School of Fort Worth Academy since 2017. Prior to FWA, she served as Upper School Head at Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee. Shannon’s experience along with her various roles in school leadership continue to inspire her love of learning and empowering those around her. Shannon currently serves as a member of the finance committee of the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, Secretary of the Texas Private Schools Association, and Chair of the Board of Directors for Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, TX.

Shannon and her husband, Skip, have two adult children, Tommy and Kennedy.

Shannon’s favorite part of working at Fort Worth Academy is seeing students experience pure joy in learning.

Bridget Belyeu, Head of Lower School

Lauren Parker, Head of Middle School

B.S., Middle School Science Education, Texas Christian University
M.Ed., Middle School Education, Texas Christian University

Lauren is an alumna of FWA, member of the 9 year club, a current FWA parent, and has been teaching science at FWA since 2015. Prior to returning to FWA, Lauren taught in public schools for 8 years. She is a regular conference presenter and collaborates with a variety of organizations to bring real-world science to her classroom. Lauren loves the PBL approach at Fort Worth Academy and how it allows students to engage with the material they are learning in an authentic way. Outside of school, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and their two boys, at sporting events, traveling, and reading.