Mandy currently serves as the Principal of Pinellas Virtual School in Florida, where she has spent years supporting students, families, and educators within advanced online learning ecosystems. Alongside her school leadership, Mandy has directed digital learning initiatives at both state and national levels and frequently presents at major education technology conferences across the US and internationally. Her extensive background in virtual education, institutional relationship-building, and digital innovation makes her uniquely qualified to spearhead SDA’s growth.

SDA’s decision to establish its primary US footprint in Florida is a direct response to the state’s massive shift toward school choice and customised education. Under Florida’s universal Education Savings Account (ESA) model—including the highly sought-after Personalised Education Program (PEP) and Family Empowerment Scholarships administered by Step Up for Students—families now have direct control over their public education funding.

With funding allocations ranging from $8,000 to over $9,500 per student annually, Florida parents are actively seeking high-quality, non-traditional curriculum options. SDA’s virtual programmes perfectly align with these flexible funding parameters, offering homeschool, private, and virtual school students an approved pathway to utilize their ESA funds for specialised, career-ready creative software training and certified digital design education.

Mandy joins SDA at a time when student interest in the multi-billion-pound sportswear industry is at an all-time high. Traditional art and graphics courses often fail to capture the attention of modern learners, but SDA’s contextualised curriculum focuses heavily on global subcultures—specifically football kit design and lifestyle sportswear.

By teaching students how to build actual factory tech packs, master complex sublimation graphics, and manipulate tonal patterns and vector lines, SDA provides a direct bridge from concept artwork to industry-ready product design. This project-based approach allows US students to build professional-grade digital design portfolios while they are still in school, opening immediate doors into the sports marketing, apparel, and creative tech sectors.

In her new role, Mandy will work closely with Emma Ledger, SDA’s Education Director, to build meaningful relationships with schools, districts, homeschool cooperatives, and state education partners.

Speaking about her appointment, Mandy Perry said:

“I’m looking forward to working with everyone and being part of the Spark journey. I have a passion for innovation, relationship-building, and finding new ways to make learning accessible to more people. With the explosive growth of flexible learning models like the Florida ESA and PEP scholarship framework, there is a massive opportunity to provide students with truly engaging, relevant education. SDA is growing quickly, and I’m excited to help build meaningful opportunities for students and educators across Florida and the wider US.”

Craig Buglass, CEO & Co-Founder of Spark Design Academy, added:

“We are delighted to welcome Mandy as our US Education Partnership Lead, a role we’ve been looking to fill for a number of months. Her experience, energy, and deep understanding of virtual learning models make her an excellent fit for SDA as we continue to grow. The US is a major opportunity for us, and Florida’s forward-thinking approach to school choice makes it the perfect starting point. Mandy will be central to building strong relationships and helping us bring SDA’s programmes to more students, schools, and partners.”

As SDA expands rapidly across the United States and into new international territories, the academy remains committed to building a global network of education leaders who can make premium creative and digital learning accessible to students everywhere.

Schools, districts, homeschool organisations, and education partners interested in bringing Spark Design Academy to their region can reach out directly to Mandy to explore collaboration and funding integration.

Spark Design Academy provides creative and future-focused learning programmes designed to help students build practical skills, confidence, and pathways into the creative and digital industries. Founded by sportswear industry legends Craig Buglass and Rob Warner, SDA works with schools, educators, and partners internationally to make high-quality, accredited sportswear design education accessible, engaging, and relevant.

For further information or to connect with Mandy regarding US school and ESA partnership opportunities, please contact Spark Design Academy at info@sparkdesignacademy.com.