Meet Our Leadership Team

Michael J. Miller

Executive Chairman
Joined Kiddie Academy in 1984

With over four decades of experience in the child care and franchise industries, Michael has guided Kiddie Academy to become a national leader and innovator in education-based child care. While his responsibility is the overall management of the company, he primarily focuses on the continual enhancement and development of the Kiddie Academy brand experience.

As the son of Kiddie Academy’s founders and the father of two Kiddie Academy graduates, Michael has been involved in the family business from the inception which has provided him with significant experience and guidance in all aspects of Kiddie Academy. He is currently Executive Chairman of Essential Brands, Inc.’s (Kiddie Academy’s parent company) Board of Directors. He holds a B.S. degree in business administration with a concentration in finance from Towson University.

Joshua Frick

President
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2001

Joshua leads the growth of Kiddie Academy. With a strong background in franchising and real estate development, he helps provide overall strategic leadership and guidance in all aspects of the business and maintains ancillary oversight of all departments.

Joshua became President of Kiddie Academy in January 2020. He joined the company in 2001 after working in commercial real estate. Since joining Kiddie Academy, he has served as a Real Estate Manager, Director, and Vice President for our Real Estate team. In 2017, Joshua was promoted to Chief Development Officer. Joshua has over 22 years of franchising and real estate development experience. He attended York College of Pennsylvania where he earned a B.S. in marketing and holds a Certified Franchise Executive certification from the International Franchise Association.

Susan Wise

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Joined Kiddie Academy in 1989

Drawing upon her in-depth knowledge of Kiddie Academy, Susan is responsible for the financial stability of the company. She provides overall financial and strategic leadership while maintaining direct supervision of the Accounting department. Susan is also responsible for the implementation of the company’s financial plans, policies, and accounting practices.

Susan has been with Kiddie Academy since 1989, making her the longest tenured member of our executive team aside from Executive Chairman Michael Miller. Starting more than three decades ago in a data entry position, she has grown with the company. Susan has been involved in the Accounting, Education, Operations, and Marketing departments and, as Chief Operating Officer, was instrumental in expanding the company’s Technology department.

Casey Miller

Executive Vice President
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2013

Casey is the grandson of Kiddie Academy founders, George and Pauline Miller, son of Executive Chairman Michael J. Miller, and a Kiddie Academy graduate himself. He has a unique perspective on the brand, having lived it from a very young age. As a third-generation leader of the company, his deep understanding of the business, culture, and vision will allow the Kiddie Academy legacy to continue.

He became Kiddie Academy’s Executive Vice President in January 2020 after serving as Director of Franchise Development. He focuses on company vision, strategy, culture, and Franchisee onboarding. Since joining the company in 2013 after graduating from Loyola University Maryland with a degree in business management, Casey has worked in many departments including Operations, Construction and Franchise Development and has earned his Certified Franchise Executive certification from the International Franchise Association.

Jeff Brazier

Chief Development Officer
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2016

With deep roots in business development and marketing, Jeff leads all development activities for Kiddie Academy, including franchise development, finance, real estate, and construction

Jeff was promoted from Vice President of Franchise Development to Chief Development Officer in January 2020. He became a member of the Kiddie Academy team in 2016. He has a B.S. in sports management from Towson University and earned his master’s degree from California University of Pennsylvania.

Patrick Dandino

General Counsel
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2018

Patrick joins Kiddie Academy after holding senior legal positions with leading franchise organizations in the restaurant, retail and hospitality sectors. He also previously served as a government relations director for the International Franchise Association in Washington, D.C., and has collectively over 35 years’ experience in the franchising industry. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from DePauw University and earned his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Greg Goodwin

Chief Technology Officer
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2014

Greg oversees all technical aspects of Kiddie Academy, provides Franchisees the tools and resources they need, and keeps us ahead of the curve with state-of-the-art technology solutions.

Greg Joined Kiddie Academy in 2014. He has over 20 years of experience developing technology solutions within the education industry. Greg holds a M.S. degree in advanced information technologies and a B.S. degree in business information systems from Stevenson University. In 2019, Greg was recognized as one of the Baltimore area’s top young business leaders when he was named to The Daily Record’s VIP List – Very Important Professionals Successful by 40.

Kevin Murphy

Chief Operating Officer
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2005

With more than 40 years of education experience, including serving as the head of one of Maryland’s top private schools, Kevin oversees the Kiddie Academy Operations, Learning & Development, and Education departments.

Kevin joined the Kiddie Academy team in 2005 as a Franchise Business Consultant. In 2009, he was named Vice President of Operations, a role he held until 2018 when he was promoted to COO. Kevin attended Washington College where he earned a B.A. in philosophy and Loyola University Maryland where he earned his M.Ed. in supervision and administration.

Nicole Salla

Chief Marketing Officer
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2017

Drawing on more than 25 years of corporate and agency marketing experience, Nicole has evolved the Kiddie Academy marketing program to significantly grow brand awareness, drive marketing innovation, and support Franchisees in their strategic marketing efforts.

Nicole joined Kiddie Academy as Vice President of Marketing in 2017 and was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer in January 2020. Nicole has a B.A. in English literature from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a M.S. in business management and marketing from the University of Maryland University College. She holds a Certified Franchise Executive certification from the International Franchise Association.

Broc Silberzahn

Vice President of Franchise Development
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2013

Broc has a strong foundation in the franchise industry, including over two decades in the education field. He works closely with franchise candidates, providing a thorough overview and guidance on how to become a Kiddie Academy Franchisee.

Broc became a member of the Kiddie Academy team in 2013. He was promoted from Senior Director of Franchise Development to Vice President of the department in January 2020. He has a B.A. in political science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Deborah Bowers

Vice President of Real Estate
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2013

Debbie is responsible for managing our team of Directors of Real Estate and oversees the real estate development cycle for Franchisees, minimizing the time to secure a site.

Debbie was promoted to Vice President of Real Estate in 2022 and had been the company’s Director of Real Estate since 2020, after serving as a Real Estate Manager for seven years before that. Before joining Kiddie Academy, Debbie was a successful Real Estate Broker in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Chris Commarota

Vice President of Construction
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2000

With over 30 years of construction management experience, Chris oversees Academy development and opening activities, including the entitlements process, site planning, design, and construction project management.

Chris joined Kiddie Academy in 2000. He holds a degree in business administration from the University of Baltimore.

Kevin Shaffer

Vice President of Finance
Joined Kiddie Academy in 2015

Kevin oversees the finance team and supports Franchisees with obtaining lender financing and providing operating analysis.

Kevin joined Kiddie Academy in 2015. Previously, he led finance and operations initiatives for a variety of franchise and educational service businesses for nearly 20 years. Kevin is a Certified Public Accountant who earned a B.S. in accounting from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University.