Board of Governors
ACA is governed by a Board of Governors which facilitates the broad vision and philosophy of the school. This team works together to protect the classical and Christian vision of ACA and pave the way for continued growth and success. To contact the board please send an email to bog@auburnclassicalacademy.com
Members include:
- Mr. Adam Long (Chair)
- Mr. Jermile Brooks (Vice-Chair)
- Mrs. Brooke Bacak (Secretary)
- Mrs. Bethany Mazzola (Treasurer)
- Mrs. Paula Deist
- Mr. Ashley Miller
- Mr. Kurt Sasser
Adam Long is a software engineer and business intelligence leader, who currently leads an analytics and reporting team in the financial sector. Prior to his business intelligence career, he worked as a software consultant building custom applications for fortune 500 companies. He has a software engineering degree from Auburn University and an MBA from the University of Florida. He and his family are members and volunteers at Cornerstone Methodist Church. In his spare time, he volunteers with the Auburn University New Venture Accelerator as their Developer-in-Residence coaching and mentoring student entrepreneurs. Adam and his wife, Brandi, have three children. They have been an ACA family since 2016.
Jermile Brooks and his wife Haley have three boys who have attended Auburn Classical Academy since their kindergarten year. Jermile is a graduate of College of Charleston and holds a B.S. in Physical Education with an emphasis in Sports Medicine, in addition to a Master’s Degree from Clemson University. He has been a certified athletic trainer and has worked with various collegiate institutions and professional teams throughout his career including, Clemson University, Auburn University, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, and the New York Knicks. In 2016 he entered into medical device field where he is currently an executive sales representative. Jermile is also a graduate of Highlands College with a Certificate of Ministry Leadership. He and Haley lead the pre-marital ministry at Church of the Highlands, in addition to an outreach team that serves the Our House community through the Auburn Dream Center.
Brook Bacak is a mother of three children, the oldest of whom is an ACA graduate. Brooke and her husband, Jason, moved to Auburn in 2020, when Jason accepted a position teaching 8th-grade math at Auburn Junior High School. Brooke is an adjunct professor at Auburn University. Before joining the faculty, she worked in Washington, D.C., serving as policy and legal advisor to several Republican
members of the U.S. Senate. She also served as an assistant dean at the University of Alabama School of Law. Brooke holds a J.D. from the UA School of Law and a B.A. in public relations from Auburn
University. The Bacaks are members of First Baptist Church of Opelika.
Bethany Mazzola is a homeschooling mom with a daughter enrolled at ACA. She has a BA in economics from Covenant College and an MBA from Eastern University. After spending 8 years teaching English in China, she moved to Opelika from Lhasa, Tibet and married Jack Mazzola. In her free time she enjoys learning more about classical education and catching up on the wonderful books her children get to enjoy in their classical schooling. Bethany attends Grace Heritage Church in Auburn with her family.
Paula Deist is a homemaker and mother of two children who are both graduates of ACA. She and her husband Jeff relocated their family to Auburn in 2014. Additionally, she is a part-time consultant to the food industry with expertise in new product development and quality assurance. She earned a B.S. in Dietetics/Clinical Nutrition from San Francisco State University and is a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists. She is of Roman Catholic faith and parishioner at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Auburn. Her interests include gourmet cooking and playing tennis.
Ashley Miller is a licensed real estate agent. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Secondary Education – Science. He and his wife, Anna, were married in 2005 and have made Auburn their home with their four children. He and his family attend University church of Christ (non-denominational) in Auburn, where Ashely has served as a deacon since 2012. They are active in bible classes and attending worship services at their church, and are strong supporters of Bible-based education in an environment that honors God and teaches from a Christian ‘world-view’.
Kurt Sasser serves as Chief Engagement Officer for Advancement at Auburn University and Director of the Auburn Alumni Association. In his role, Kurt is responsible for growing and fostering meaningful connections with alumni, friends, and key stakeholders. Prior to joining Auburn Advancement’s Senior Leadership Team, Kurt served as an associate director of philanthropy in the Harbert College of Business and was previously director of development for Student Affairs at Auburn. Kurt’s private sector experience includes working at Delta Air Lines in Global Sales where he oversaw a corporate and agency portfolio. Kurt is a two-time graduate of the Harbert College of Business, earning his bachelor’s degree in 2011 and master’s degree in 2016. A native of Sheffield, AL, Kurt attended Covenant Christian School K-12 where he graduated in a class of 16 students and is a product and a proud supporter of Kingdom Education. Kurt and his wife, Kelly, have two children, Adalynn and Shepherd