School of Rock Company

School of Rock is the world's largest and most trusted multi-location music school with tens of thousands of musicians going through our classes, workshops, camps and performance programs every day. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, School of Rock now has over 365 locations in 16 different countries, helping aspiring musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop tools they need to thrive in life. Our leadership team members combine business savvy, a passion for music and a drive to help children succeed.

School of Rock mission statement
SCHOOL OF ROCK IS A GROWING,
PASSIONATE COMMUNITY
DEDICATED TO ENRICHING LIVES
THROUGH PERFORMANCE-BASED
MUSIC EDUCATION
CORE VALUES
At School Of Rock
01
GROWING PASSIONATE COMMUNITY
BELONGING

We foster diversity, equity and inclusion by celebrating individuality and demonstrate respect for all.

COLLABORATION

To build an enduring brand means we all pursue our common purpose and are willing to extend a helping hand.

OPTIMISM

Always assume positive intent from others, cheer on one another and amplify positivity.

02
DEDICATED TO ENRICHING LIVES
SAFETY

Always secure our students' physical and emotional well-being while behaving with professionalism

INTEGRITY

Honor your commitments, respect our intellectual property and always be honest and transparent.

REWARD

We promote career growth and offer financial opportunity in an environment of lifelong learning.

03
PERFORMANCE-BASED MUSIC EDUCATION
DEVELOPMENT

Acquire new life skills by succeeding as an ensemble and taking constructive risks.

CREATIVITY

We believe unleashing power of teamwork expands horizons and unlocks individual expression.

PROFICIENCY

METHOD™ is our differentiator. The patented music education system we employ ensures students master technique and theory.

Become a Franchisee

School of Rock boasts more than 65,000 students and over 365 locations worldwide. We attribute our success to unwavering focus on our mission: we are a growing and passionate community dedicated to enriching lives through performance-based music education. Our amazing franchisees across the world are our partners in this mission. Through franchising, you have the opportunity to become a pillar within your community, shape the next generation of musicians, and run a successful and profitable business.

Own a School of Rock
MEET THE LEADERSHIP TEAM

Our leadership team is comprised of a group of experienced executives who are either musicians themselves or deeply passionate about music and music education. Together, they combine business savvy, a passion for music and a drive to help children succeed.

President of School of Rock, Stacey Ryan
Stacey Ryan
PRESIDENT
Stacey joined School of Rock as an Independent Consultant in 2015 and worked her way up the ranks, from VP of Operations to Chief Operations Officer, and now President since 2024. Stacey oversees the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of School of Rock worldwide. After graduating from Rutgers University, she began her career in education at Huntington Learning Centers, where she grew her center and region into the top performer in the nation. Stacey then developed and implemented a new department within Operations at Goddard Preschools. Here she redefined quality, raised standards, and drove results by implementing operations to support and grow the top and bottom locations. Even as a child, Stacey was always passionate about music. Her enthusiasm for music and commitment to childhood education drives her success at School of Rock. Stacey's favorite musical artists include The Beatles, The Struts, and Rodrigo y Gabriela.
Sam Dresser
CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER
Since joining School of Rock in 2013, Sam has held various roles, from overseeing technology and the help desk team to now ensuring that all of our music programs, curricula, and teaching tools are world-class as our Chief Innovation Officer. Sam plays an integral part in crafting the roadmap to School of Rock's patented curriculum and leads projects that execute on that vision. While pursuing his music degree in Jazz Studies at DePaul University in Chicago, he began working at Apple retail stores. After completing his degree, Sam spent almost 10 years at Apple focusing on customer experience, management, and training. He grew up in a musical household, has always had a passion for music, and has been able to bring all of his passions together at School of Rock. Sam's favorite musical artists include Sonny Rollins, Foo Fighters, The Beatles, and Stevie Wonder.
Anthony Padulo
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
As School of Rock's Chief Development Officer, Tony oversees School of Rock's global franchise sales and real estate efforts, as well as managing our New School Opening efforts, franchise renewals, and resale programs. With over 40 years of experience in Franchise Development, Tony has served in various leadership positions during his 22 years at Dunkin’ Brands, including leading international development for 10 of those years. During that period, Tony launched Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins in excess of 30 new countries. Tony has also served as EVP, Global Development for BrightStar Care, the premier in-home care provider, VP of Franchise Development for Goddard Systems, and Senior VP of Development at AAMCO Transmissions Inc. He has also had senior development roles with BP Oil, and ReMax Realty, one of the leading real estate companies worldwide. A graduate of Loyola College in Montreal, Canada, Tony came to the US in 1987. Tony's favorite musical artists include Tina Turner, Adele, Fleetwood Mac, and Alicia Keys.
Alexandra Kendall - VP of Marketing at School of Rock
Alexandra Kendall
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
Alexandra joined School of Rock at the beginning of 2020. She is responsible for the company's marketing strategies both domestic and international, leading a passionate and data-driven team. Her team provides a comprehensive brand support system, helps craft local-level marketing support for individual schools, and works with Franchise Development to grow the brand's footprint. Before joining School of Rock, Alexandra built a world-class digital marketing presence and infrastructure from the ground up at the Fortune 500 homebuilding company KB Home. She is a classically trained vocalist with a performance background that includes a bluegrass band and regional opera houses. Alexandra's favorite musical artists include Gary Clark, Jr., Rolling Stones, Sam Cooke, and The Dip.
Eric Schmidt
Eric Schmidt
VICE PRESIDENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Eric currently serves as School of Rock's Vice President of Information Technology, overseeing technology and the technical support team. Prior to joining School of Rock, Eric spent over 20 years in the medical device industry, focusing on Information Technology and Business Intelligence. Most recently, he served as the Director of Information Technology and Director of Business Intelligence/IT Applications for Arjo ($870M) and Getinge ($2.5B). Eric holds a BS in Network and Communications Management and graduated summa cum laude from DeVry University. Eric’s passion for music started when he was 10 years old and grew into a love for both musical performance and luthiery. In his free time, he enjoys building exacting replicas of iconic rock guitars. Eric's favorite musical artists include John Mayer, Metallica, Rival Sons, Dead Sara, and many old school blues guitarists.
Vice President of Domestic Franchise Operations Jim Love
Jim Love
Vice President of Domestic Franchise Operations
Jim joined School of Rock in 2006, serving as General Manager/Music Director for one of the original Philadelphia-area locations. In 2018, he moved into the role of Director of Operations. In addition to managing the 7 company-owned schools and providing support to the 44 franchise units in the Northeast, he served as Master Franchise support to Brazil and Latin America, as well as directly supporting School of Rock’s franchisees in Australia and Canada (Ontario). Jim now oversees the administrative functions of School of Rock’s domestic operations. Jim holds a degree in Music Education and has been a professional musician and educator for thirty years. His favorite music artists are Led Zeppelin, Rush, the Misfits, Ghost, and Miles Davis, plus a special nostalgic affinity for KISS.

Recent Press

School of Rock guitar student performing at Rock in Rio 2024

School of Rock partners with TrueFire, a leading platform in online music education, to enhance music education worldwide.

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