ACE Academy — Nurturing Leaders, Inspiring Educators

This belief continues to guide their legacy today through support of the Seventh-day Adventist education system as part of its Legacy Programs. ACE Academy, powered by the foundation, champions this goal of supporting SDA educational leaders and fostering vibrant learning communities across the country. Through ACE Academy, the foundation invests in SDA principals and educational leaders, equipping them with not only professional development tools and trainings but also experiences that help them engage with their work, encouraging personal fulfillment and confidence. To date, ACE Academy has completed three cohorts of both trained coaches and enrolled SDA educational leaders whom these coaches’ support.

This year, ACE Academy played a significant role in the SDA Church’s North American Division Educators’ Convention, where nearly 6,000 SDA teachers and educators gathered to connect, learn, and grow professionally together. Aiming to inspire and celebrate, ACE Academy, in partnership with the SDA Church’s NAD hosted 13 EdTalk speakers at the event, each exploring different perspectives on the theme of “Leadership. It all comes down to …” This TED Talks-style series featured leaders, educators, and artists — including Grammy-winner Laura Story, NAD president G. Alexander Bryant, ACE Academy Director Toakase Vunileva, and the foundation’s CEO, David Daniels — who each shared their reflections on leadership within SDA schools, inspiring attendees to leave feeling more connected to their mission and values in education.

“We believe education is supposed to be fun,” said Vunileva, reflecting on the energy ACE Academy wanted to bring to the convention. This energy clearly resonated. Rebecca Runnals, a teacher and principal from Tyler Adventist School was especially moved: “The EdTalks were my favorite sessions. … Dr. [Carlton] Byrd spoke about how we need to model as leaders. He mentioned how important it is to walk the walk.” For Texas Conference Associate Superintendent Robyn-Anna Grimsley, the experience was one “that [she] would pay to repeat,” describing it as “innovating, inspiring, and motivating.”

The heart of ACE Academy’s work is reimagining what it means to lead within the SDA education system. With a commitment to growing alongside its leaders, ACE Academy aims to better equip existing educators while inspiring new ones through collaborative trainings and professional development opportunities that evolve to meet the needs of SDA educators and the students they serve. The foundation is proud to continue the vision of their founders in supporting ACE Academy as they continue to innovate what leadership looks like in the SDA educational space.