Leadership
Brett Hardin, PhD
Brett has over 30 years of experience in educational non-profits, public education, and independent schools. He was previously the High School Principal at Paideia School, a co-ed, nonsectarian, independent school in Atlanta serving 1000+ students PreK through 12th grade.
During his tenure at Paideia, Brett has worked across all areas of an independent school: administration, faculty, admissions, finance, development, and buildings and grounds. He is an alum of Leadership Atlanta and served on the board of Intown Collaborative Ministries, a non-profit working to prevent and reverse homelessness and hunger in intown Atlanta.
Prior to Paideia, Brett worked for the Georgia Council on Economic Education, where he led professional development for K12 economics teachers statewide. He has also taught High School economics and U.S. history in Atlanta Public Schools and Cobb County.
Having competed in college and High School athletics as a runner, Brett coached cross country and track, as well as Academic Bowl. He began his teaching career in Washington, D.C., working for the Close Up Foundation, a nonpartisan, civic, education organization serving over 22,000 High School juniors and seniors annually.
Brett has a B.A. in History from Wesleyan University in Connecticut, an M.S. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from Georgia State University.
Brett is married to Lisanne Farach Hardin, also an educator, and they have three children.
In his free time, Brett can be found on the sidelines of his kids’ ultimate frisbee, basketball, and soccer games. He enjoys hiking, outdoor concerts, board games like Catan and Mahjong, and reading historical and economics non-fiction.
Head of School
Nicole Hale Bettis
Nicole serves as Director of Education for early learners from eight weeks through six years old, leading curriculum development and supporting Montessori growth across the Nido, Toddler, and Primary levels. Guided by a vision of education as a living, interconnected ecosystem, she supports guides in preparing environments that honor the natural development, independence, and wholeness of every child.
With over 18 years of experience, Nicole’s practice bridges developmental psychology, creative expression, and authentic Montessori methodology across all stages of development. She holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and an M.A. in Humanistic Psychology, an American Montessori Society (AMS) Early Childhood credential, an AMS Montessori Inclusion Endorsement (MIE), and certification as an AMS Curriculum Coach, alongside completing her AMS Infant/Toddler credential. Her leadership in the field extends to adult education, where she serves as an instructor for adult learners at the Montessori Teacher Education Institute of Atlanta.
Additionally, Nicole earned a Certificate in Early Education Leadership (CEEL) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and operates as a Positive Discipline parent educator. Deeply rooted in constructivist educational theories, inclusive pedagogy, and evidence-based approaches to emergent literacy, she is dedicated to cultivating a lifelong love of learning, strong reading foundations, and compassionate classroom communities. Nicole lives in Carrollton with her husband, their two children, and their husky, Kodak, finding daily inspiration in fiber arts, bird watching, and the natural rhythms of the world around her.
Director of Education, Montessori
Larisa Wilson
Larisa Wilson is an interdisciplinary educator with over 13 years experience helping students solve real world challenges. Her journey started as a researcher in chemical ecology and behavior at The Georgia Institute of Technology, where she built a successful research laboratory by creating a culture of undergrads that could lead the trajectory of the work. Following an M.S. in Biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Marine Biology from University of California at Los Angeles, Larisa's passion for scientific research became overshadowed by her love for teaching youth how to solve problems.
In 2016, Larisa joined The Mount Vernon School's Innovation Diploma program, a 4-year "school within a school" model where learners solve real world problems with a focus on design thinking practices. The end goal of this program is for students to solve problems for external clients such as Chick-fil-a and Mercedes Benz, as well as nonprofits and local businesses. Since then, Larisa became known as the science teacher that transformed the middle and high school sciences at The Mount Vernon School.
Larisa has also designed and facilitated several courses rooted in Problem Based Learning, a student-centered approach to learning where students work collaboratively to drive the learning in order to solve an open-ended problem.
In 2023, Larisa joined Terra School at Serenbe as the Director of Education for the Upper School. She will focus on learners ranging from seven to eighteen years old, overseeing curriculum design and development for this age group.
Outside of work, Larisa takes great joy in being a mother to her three-year-old son, Dean, and nine-year-old step daughter, Blakely. She works alongside her loving husband to create a fulfilling and beautiful life on their property, Tommy Lee Cook Farm. Larisa is excited about the opportunity to live, work, and pursue her passions closer to home.
Director of Education, Elementary, Middle, High School
Lisanne Farach Hardin
Lisanne brings over 20 years of experience in education, spanning K12 to university levels, with a focus on communication and educational leadership.Throughout her career, Lisanne has nurtured collaborative communities. In her leadership roles, Lisanne has: served as a junior high school administrator, supporting and managing 25 faculty and 190 students, led PreK-12 parent education for over 1,500 parents, and built a school-wide program around the entrepreneurial mindset. She has designed professional development and student-life programs, such as Breakouts for Extreme Collaboration, Belonging Symposia, and Field Follies, while also driving school-wide design thinking.
Lisanne earned a B.A. in Speech Communication from The Pennsylvania State University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership for Higher Education (adult learning) from Georgia State University. She also earned certifications in Systems Thinking from Cornell University, Startup Bootcamp from Global Silicon Valley, and PreK12 teaching from Georgia State University. In her free time, she and her husband, Brett, enjoy hanging out with their three children, Russell (17), Carolina (19), and Alejandra (23).
Senior Director, Community & Partnerships
Audrey Kirsch
Audrey joined our team in 2021 and brings over 15 years of public and private educational experience to Terra. She holds a Master of Education in Applied Cognition and Development from the University of Georgia, alongside a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of the Pacific. Audrey has experience in co-teaching, team teaching and small group instruction with a passion to support every child's unique growth.
Audrey holds certifications in Elementary Education, Special Education, Middle School Reading, Play Therapy and Orton-Gillingham. She is currently enrolled in a Dyslexia Therapist (CALT) certification program specializing in dyslexia intervention and structured literacy practices globally recognized through the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC).
Audrey lives in Serenbe with her husband, Rob, and their twins, who attend Terra Middle School.
K-5 Learning Specialist & Curriculum Director of Grades 1-3
Rhonda Sutton, EdD
With over 35 years of dedicated experience in education, Rhonda brings a tremendous depth of knowledge to our community. Her background includes serving as a professor and Chair of the Reading Department at East Stroudsburg University, as well as working as an elementary school principal, a K12 English Language Arts supervisor, and a classroom teacher across grades K6 in both Pennsylvania and New York City.
Rhonda is also a proud grandmother of a Primary Studio learner, giving her a firsthand connection to the magic of our learning environment. Her passion lies in creating learning spaces where vision is clear, curiosity is sparked, and learners feel empowered to take meaningful action.
Curriculum Director, Grades 3-5