About

Founder

Darby Carr

Darby Carr is the Founder and Managing Director of Penfield Advisors LLC, launched in 2024 after more than 25 years running education organizations through growth, turnaround, and ownership change. What the firm does is what that career was: carrying the P&L, launching and scaling virtual and hybrid programs, rebuilding go-to-market, and making operations actually run.

Results delivered

• Delivered 5x revenue and EBITDA growth in two years
• Sustained 22% CAGR over five years, taking revenue from $7M to $23M
• Grew enrollment from 900 to 5,000+ learners and lifted retention from 32% to 72%
• Carried $25M+ P&L responsibility and built teams from 50 to 250+
• Took operations into all 50 states and 33+ countries
• Ran ownership transitions, acquisitions, integrations, and platform migrations

Track record

As President of Virtual Services at Fusion Education Group, a $250M+ private equity-backed platform, Darby Carr built Fusion Global Academy from nothing into the largest and fastest-growing school launch in company history, moved 80+ campuses to virtual operations without material enrollment loss, and widened the course catalog by 25%.

As Senior Vice President at Nobel Learning Communities and President of Laurel Springs School, Darby Carr turned around and scaled an accredited online private school inside a $378M, 194-school organization, and sat on the executive team through a public-to-private conversion and multiple private equity transactions. Nearly a decade at K12 Inc. covered school launches — including growing Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School from 600 to 3,800 students in three years — a $40M+ operating budget, accreditation of 10 schools in 2 years, and international expansion. The career started on the founding leadership team of a Philadelphia charter school that opened its doors to 500+ students.

Board and senior advisory work includes Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff to the CEO of The Center for Education Reform, where the mandate was turning priorities into plans and driving them through the organization; Board Director at Apple Montessori Schools; and founding Board Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.