We are committed.

David has been the President of Accelerated Academy since its start in 2015. David's vision is to provide students with  more than an education. His heart is to develop students into quality people and incredible employees. He says it best himself, “I believe my mission in life is very clear; fear the Lord, lead my family, and mentor others to live a meaningful and productive life."

Merten joined the team in February 2024 and currently serves as Chief Operating Officer. In this role, Merten oversees day-to-day operations and drives strategic initiatives that streamline processes and foster sustainable growth. With a proven track record in operational excellence, Merten is dedicated to cultivating innovation and ensuring that the company remains agile and forward-thinking.

Emily was born and raised in North Carolina but has called Louisiana home since 2013. She is a proud graduate of Louisiana State University, where she earned a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies. Since joining Accelerated Academy in 2016, Emily has been dedicated to helping others reach their goals while creating opportunities along the way. Her passion lies in making a positive impact, and she finds joy in bringing smiles to those around her. Outside of work, Emily cherishes time with her husband and children, always embracing the moments that matter most.

Nathan joined the Accelerated Academy team in August 2024. He is from Rochester, Minnesota and has over 15 years of experience in marketing, sales, and operations. Prior to Accelerated Academy, Nathan held leadership roles across various industries, including serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Sparkhound and Chief Operating Officer at Elevator3. He is passionate about driving growth through innovative strategies and leveraging data-driven insights. In his free time, Nathan enjoys entrepreneurship, staying active, and spending time with his family.

Fun Fact: Nathan helped launch a niche athletic apparel brand and loves exploring emerging market trends!

Ben joined the Accelerated Academy team in July 2023. Ben is from Fayetteville, North Carolina and has a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in Business Management. Prior to Accelerated Academy, Ben was a financial advisor for 7 years with Series 7, 6 and 63 securities licenses and CFP, ChFC and RICP designations.  He also has an extensive background as an employee benefits broker. In his free time, Ben enjoys being with friends and family, golfing, swimming, boxing, and staying active.

Fun Fact: Ben knows the alphabet backwards and once made Samuel L Jackson laugh!

From Baton Rouge, La., meet Carley Bissel. She has always aspired to work in the dental field in some fashion. After graduating from Louisiana State University in May 2019, she joined the Accelerated Dental team. Not only does she love her coworkers, but she thrives on helping students better themselves and meet their goals. She truly enjoys seeing the student's journey from start to finish!

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She enjoys spending time with her tight-knit family, friends, Husband Luke, and her dog, Stevie and her cat, Liz. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, biking, gardening, and cooking.

Meet Abby. Born and raised in Louisiana, she proudly calls Baton Rouge, LA her home. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 2018 with a Degree in Kinesiology. Abby loves to spend time outside with her husband, Dan, her friends, and her sweet dog, Gretchen.

Ashley joined Accelerated in June of 2017. As the Director of Operations, she is dedicated to fostering excellence in dental education across our multiple locations nationwide. Her role encompasses strategic oversight of curriculum development, faculty management, and operational excellence aimed at preparing students for successful careers in dentistry.

Outside of work, Ashley thrives on spontaneous adventures. She and her family love to be on the move, traveling with their three dogs, with the camper in tow. Her ultimate happy place is out on the water, saltwater fishing in the lakes of South Louisiana.

Patricia started with Accelerated Academy in April of 2017 as an Enrollment Representative. Her dream at the time was to be in pharmaceutical sales but quickly realized Accelerated was a special place.

Patricia “Patty” loves to see Accelerated grow and to celebrate all the hired graduates that come through.

Her favorite pastimes are spending time with her family and getting lost in a book.

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Misty joined Accelerated Dental in 2021 as a Communications Manager. Misty grew up in Oklahoma where she acquired her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She moved to Louisiana in 2018, married her husband Jeanluc and gained a stepdaughter, Abigail. She is a dog mom as well. Misty has a passion for helping others succeed in all walks of life. She loves the hardworking, fun culture ADAA has and watching instructors and students succeed each semester.

When not working, you can find her in Denham Springs, LA  spending time with her family and playing with her spoiled fur-kids, Cash and Pixi.

Brittany joined the Accelerated Academy team in 2023! She enjoys feeling like part of a true team, and her favorite part of working at Accelerated are the personal relationships she has built.

In her free time Brittany enjoys homesteading, bread making, cooking, and spending any extra time she has with her family, and spending time on her family farm!

Kristi joined ADAA in 2020 in the Operations Department. She works diligently to ensure all operation details are complete in order for each school to run smoothly and effectively. Kristi loves being a support to the operations department, instructors and students. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has 15+ years of experience working as a registered nurse.

Outside of work, Kristi enjoys spending time with her husband, Russell, and their three children. They live in Baton Rouge, LA and their days are filled with long walks, reading, and supporting their children's activities.

Keith joined the Accelerated Academy team in June 2023 as our Compliance Renewal Specialist. Keith is from Chalmette, LA, attended LSU, and has over 25 years of management experience in retail and delivery services. He has been married for over 21 years and has 3 kids and 3 cats. When he is not working at Accelerated Academy, Keith enjoys reading, going to the movies, and backyard gardening. He also loves fishing and the outdoors.

Fun Facts: Keith grew up on a shrimp boat. His favorite place to travel is Scotland. He broke his ankle while visiting India, and Walt Disney World is his happy place.

Kathryn is from Baton Rouge, LA and graduated in 2007 from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor in Science in Biological Sciences. After being an Environmental Scientist with the LA Department of Environmental Quality and a 13-year career as a real-estate Broker and Property Manager, she joined Accelerated Dental in October of 2021 as a Communications Manager.

She loves the fun and family first culture of ADAA. Her favorite part about working at ADAA is being able to problem solve and support students and instructors so they can have a successful experience.  She and her husband, Manny, reside in Baton Rouge, LA with their extremely spoiled cat named Jagger.  When she is not in the office she enjoys going to LSU and Saints football games, entertaining, and traveling with family and friends.

Taylor joined Accelerated Academy in June 2023 as an Admissions Representative. She is from New Orleans, LA and has been in the sales industry for over 7 years. Taylor got her bachelor's degree and her Masters in Business Administration from LSU. She is married with a son and 2 Australian shepherds. When not working at Accelerated Academy, she enjoys hanging out with her family and being outdoors.

Angie joined ADAA in 2019 in the Licensing Department. She brings a steadfast determination to bring Accelerated Dental to new places so we can help future dental assistants achieve their goals. As a graduate of Louisiana State University in 1993, Angie has 15+ years in the mortgage industry and another nine in office administration and marketing.

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When not working, she can be found entertaining friends and family, traveling with her husband, Keith, and supporting her children. Her daughter, Madeleine, attends Mississippi College and is very active on campus; her stepdaughter, Leigh Evalyn, attends Southeastern University, and her stepson, Gus, has an active YouTube channel. Angie and her family reside in Baton Rouge, attend Healing Place Church, are supporters of her Alma Mater and sorority, ZTA, and are active in their community. Angie’s why in life is “To be a safe haven to those seeking direction and to equip them to take action.” She brings support, wisdom, and love to anyone who meets her.

With a dynamic career spanning 10 years in dentistry and 5 years in marketing across industries like finance and homebuilding, Whitney brings a unique blend of expertise to her role as Affiliate Marketing Manager and thrives on crafting authentic connections and driving growth.

Whitney is passionate about partner relationships and building an organic footprint in the dental field. An idea junkie with a knack for strategy, she loves blending creativity with bold moves. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, attending church, trying new restaurants, cheering on LSU baseball, and most of all, spending time with her husband and their newly welcomed son in 2024—her greatest adventure yet.

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Abbey joined Accelerated Academy in April of 2023. She is originally from Chalmette, LA and grew up in Walker, LA. Prior to joining Accelerated, Abbey was a Certified Pharmacy Technician for almost 4 years and even taught a pharmacy technician class at her former high school! She has a boyfriend and a spoiled Golden Retriever pup names Daisy at home! Her favorite part of working at Accelerated is being able to help guide students throughout their time with Accelerated Academy and watching them succeed in their new career!

Autumn joined Accelerated Academy in May of 2021. She loves the fun, loving, family atmosphere of her

job. Her favorite part about working at Accelerated is being able to help guide students into their new careers

and seeing them become successful.

She and her husband, Cody, reside in Denham Springs, La with their 4 beautiful children and 2 spoiled dogs.

When she’s not in the office she enjoys fishing, boat riding, traveling and staying busy with the kids hobbies such as competition cheer and baseball.

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Lauren joined Accelerated Academy in July 2023 as an Admissions Representative. Lauren is originally from Denham Springs but lived in Powder Springs, Georgia, for 7 years. Before joining Accelerated Academy, Lauren worked as a dental assistant for 5 years. She has a fiancé and two dogs at home. When she is not working at Accelerated Academy, Lauren enjoys shopping, trying new restaurants, traveling, and reading.

Lindsay joined Accelerated Academy in October 2024 as an Admission Representative. Lindsay is originally from Houma, and now lives in Baton Rouge with her Husband and two dogs. Before joining Accelerated Academy, Lindsay worked in the Public school system with children with behavioral and emotional needs for 4.5 years. When she is not working, she enjoys playing beach volleyball, pickleball and fishing with her husband and two dogs! Lindsay dreams to have enough land one day to rescue abandoned dogs!

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Brittany joined Accelerated Academy in 2024 as an Admissions Representative. Originally from Walker, Louisiana, Brittany now resides in Denham Springs. With eight years of experience in sales and client relations, she previously worked as a client specialist in the Air Conditioning industry. At home, Brittany has a pitbull named Leia, who is named after Princess Leia from Star Wars. Outside of work, Brittany enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her dog.

Melody joined Accelerated Academy in January 2025 as an Admissions Representative. Melody is originally from Louisiana but grew up in Oregon. Before joining Accelerated Academy, Melody worked in property management for 2 years. She is married with 4 kids, a dogs and 2 cats. When she is not working at Accelerated Academy, Melody enjoys spending time with family and kids, reading, and traveling.

Aubrey joined Accelerated Academy as an Admissions Representative in January 2025. Before that, she spent four years as a dental assistant and later transitioned into a role as a training coordinator, where she honed her skills in communication and organization. Outside of work, Aubrey enjoys traveling, playing the harp, and embracing new experiences.

Misty joined our team in June 2019 as one of our financial representatives. She enjoys serving our students to help them be able to afford our program and set them up for success to be debt free once they graduate. Misty was born and raised in Louisiana. Misty and her husband, Robert, reside in Walker, Louisiana. They have three beautiful children, Colton, Alexis, and Kalli along with two spunky dogs, Turbo and Ella. Misty attended Southeastern Louisiana University where she received her Bachelors in Business Administration. When she's not working, Misty enjoys attending church and spending time with her family. Fun fact, Misty loves the Crossfit life.

Fallon joined the admissions team in November of 2021. She took a leap of faith and made a huge career change to come to Accelerated Academy because the company culture was everything she has ever been missing in a job / work environment.

She is a mom of the most vivacious 4 year old little girl who is her absolute world. When she is not playing Barbie dreamhouse or chasing around their golden retriever, Sadie, she enjoys doing anything outdoors or at the gym. Carbs, wine, and good conversation are her weaknesses.

The best part about her job is knowing that she has the opportunity to help people every single day in different ways; whether it be helping them begin their new career path or just making their day a little brighter with a phone call. Life is all about all the little things coming together to make a bigger difference, so she is thankful for the opportunity to be a positive influence in our students lives.

Ashlee, a seasoned professional from Walker, LA, joined Accelerated Academy on December 11, 2023, bringing 12 years of experience in staffing, specializing in interviewing and recruiting. She enjoys spending quality time with her husband of 13 years, Joey, and their three children, Brody, Aubree, and Harper, along with their beloved dog. An avid animal lover, Ashlee is actively involved in her children’s sports activities, which include baseball, basketball, football, and cheerleading, reflecting her commitment to family and community.