Captain Planet Foundation Board
Laurel Springs School
Co-Founder (retired)
Marilyn Gordanier, speaker, author, and co-Founder of Laurel Springs School, has more than thirty-five years’ experience in the field of distance learning. In her capacity as an educator, Marilyn founded the Laurel Springs Distance Learning Program; the first online schools in the United States, Japan and Korea. Since its founding, Laurel Springs Distance Learning Program has become the premier provider of personalized education for over 85,000 students in grades K-12.
Under her directorship, Laurel Springs High School received the United Nations Global 500 Award and the President’s Youth Environmental Award. Marilyn was nominated for a Nobel Earth Prize and is a keynote speaker at numerous national and international educational and U.N related environmental conferences. She currently serves as the president of the United Nations Global 500 Environmental Forum. She was invited to join the Clinton Global Initiative – America, STEM Education Team and serves as Educational Chair for the Captain Planet Foundation. Marilyn recently joined the board for USA COR (United States Association of the Club of Rome), Solar Energy Light Fund and the Ideation Charter School. Marilyn joined Watershed, the Vatican Symposium of Restoration of Clean Water. She founded Educate Girls Now which ensures girls in Afghanistan receive a quality education, food, and shelter.
Marilyn co-authored the books Towards Corporate Environmental Excellence, and A Parent’s Guide to Distance Learning. She has been devoted to children and families with the idea that within each individual is an endless source of inspiration, caring and learning. In founding Laurel Springs School she has created the curriculum and mission for families to succeed at distance learning. She believes children’s life experiences are part of their education, and Laurel Springs School considers life and learning to be one and the same.