Heather Fahnestock is a visionary education leader and the CEO of Waterview Learning Academy and Anatis Paradigm, committed to reimagining how students learn and thrive. With more than two decades in education and thirteen years in leadership, her mission centers on delivering innovative, holistic, and empowering learning experiences that prepare students for real-world success.

Her journey began in traditional classrooms, where eleven years of teaching revealed the limitations of standardized, one-size-fits-all education. In response, she founded Waterview Learning Academy in 2013, a non-traditional, project-based school built on experiential and real-world learning. Under her leadership, Waterview became the top-ranked high school in Wilmington, North Carolina, recognized for cultivating critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.

Expanding her impact globally, Heather launched Anatis Paradigm, an instructional framework that equips educators to create student-centered, holistic classrooms. The model emphasizes academic, social, and emotional development, empowering educators to move beyond conventional teaching methods.

Heather’s multidisciplinary background spanning business, elementary education, educational leadership, and computational neuroscience uniquely positions her to design learning models that are both innovative and neurologically informed.

Her contributions have earned international recognition, including North Carolina Educator of the Year for Schools of Choice, Global Recognition in Education, and White Page International honors. Through her work, Heather continues to inspire educators and students worldwide.