Management Team
Tina Long, Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer
Tina Long is Exalt Education's Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer (CAO). In her capacity she supervises principals and academic leaders while overseeing all major functions of running a school, including the implementation of the academic model, compliance, operations and finance. Ms. Long is passionate educator and advocate for all children.
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Prior to joining Exalt Education, Ms. Long served as a School Administrator for Arthur Academies, one of the highest performing charter school networks located in the Pacific Northwest. In 2010, Ms. Long co-founded Knova Learning, a public charter school in Portland, Oregon. She served as the school's principal for two year before relocating to Arkansas to serve as Director of Academic Programs for Exalt Education and work directly with Little Rock Preparatory Academy. In 2012 Tina Long led Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock as the Founding Principal.
Mrs. Long graduated with a BS in Psychology from Portland State University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Warner Pacific University.
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William Thomas, Assistant Superintendent
William Thomas grew up in Northeast Arkansas and moved to Little Rock to start his career with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). After graduating, Mr. Thomas worked eight years nurturing young minds as an K-5 school teacher, and EAST Lab Facilitator.
Mr. Thomas earned both a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He then served as a K-8 Academic Coach where he spent six years refining curriculum development and mentoring fellow educators. During this time he also served as the ELL Coordinator and District Testing Coordinator.
Eager to make a direct impact on school administration, Mr. Thomas assumed the mantle of High School Principal for three years. Here, he implemented innovative strategies to elevate student achievement, improve school culture and empowered teachers to integrate the arts in their daily curriculum. Over the next six years, Mr. Thomas has served as a K-8 Principal, District Curriculum Director, LEA and Superintendent. Currently, Mr. Thomas is excited to serve as the Assistant Superintendent at Exalt Academy.
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Randy Zemke, Chief Financial Officer
Randy Zemke is the Chief Financial Officer at Exalt Education, where he has over 30 years of experience in financial leadership and strategic advising. In his role, Randy oversees the preparation and management of key financial reports, including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and budgeting. He is also a skilled manager of accounting staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment. Randy regularly advises the Board of Directors on financial strategy, ensuring that fiscal decisions are aligned with the school’s long-term goals
and mission.
Before joining Exalt Education, Randy held senior roles as a controller and CFO, providing financial leadership to a range of organizations. His experience spans both nonprofit and for-profit sectors, working with entities ranging from $4 million to $40 million in annual revenue. He has also completed various consulting assignments, helping businesses streamline operations, improve financial performance, and achieve sustainable growth. Randy's expertise includes banking, payroll, and insurance, which continues to play an integral role in his current position.
Randy earned a degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Wisconsin and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). Beyond his professional achievements, Randy has dedicated over 20 years as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, displaying his commitment to community service and mentoring. His passion for education is reflected in his daughter’s own career—she is a tenured teacher in Memphis after completing her two years as a corps member with Teach For America. Outside of work, Randy enjoys playing golf and attending church, further deepening his connection to his community and faith. His broad experience and dedication to both financial stewardship and education drive his commitment to supporting the continued success of Exalt Education.
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Darryle Hinton, Principal
Darryle Hinton serves as the Principal for Exalt Academy. Darryle K. Hinton is in his 6th year as Principal of EASW. He has been in education for more than 30 years and is very happy to be a part of the team at EASW. Mr. Hinton holds an undergraduate degree from Arkansas Baptist College, and a graduate degree from Grand Canyon University. Additional studies were also done at UALR, Philander Smith College and Oral Roberts University. Mr. Hinton is excited about the great things that are happening at EASW and is excited to work with the amazing students and staff at EASW. Mr Hinton is married with 4 adult children and 11 grandchildren.
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Jesse Wilson, Principal
Jesse Wilson brings over 10 years of dedicated experience to his role as Principal of Exalt Academy Middle School. With a passion for fostering academic excellence, nurturing student growth, and creating a positive school culture, Mr. Wilson is committed to ensuring every student reaches their fullest potential.
Prior to his tenure at Exalt Education, Mr. Wilson served as an Assistant Principal at Exalt Academy, where he played a pivotal role in implementing the positive behavior plan and enhancing student engagement initiatives. His leadership was instrumental in achieving significant improvements in standardized test scores and reducing disciplinary incidents.
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Mr. Wilson holds an Education Specialist Degree in Educational Administration. He also holds a Master's Degree in Middle Childhood Education and a Bachelor's Degree in English. Driven by his belief in the importance of collaboration between educators, parents, and the community, Mr. Wilson is dedicated to building strong partnerships to support student success. He actively engages with stakeholders to foster a supportive and inclusive school environment where every student feels valued and empowered to thrive.
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As Principal of Exalt Academy, Mr. Wilson is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, and academically rigorous learning environment where students are inspired to explore their interest, develop critical thinking skills, and become lifelong learners. He is excited to lead the Exalt community towards continued excellence and achievement. Outside of his professional pursuits, Mr. Wilson enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and playing with his dog Duke.
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Linda Mooney, Director of Finance
Linda Mooney joined Exalt in September of 2018 as Director of Finance to manage all things finance and compliance for the school. Linda Mooney began her extensive accounting experience as a Staff Account with Pulaski Bank and Trust, then became a Senior Staff Accountant with Fairfield Communities (Wyndham Vacation Resorts). She then went on to be a staff accountant and internal auditor for 15 years at Saline Memorial Hospital. Overall, Linda Mooney has 20 plus years of financial accounting and budget preparation experience. Linda now has four children. She has lived in many parts of the country and now resides in Benton, AR.
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Rita Cerda, Admin Support and Asset Management Coordinator
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Keila Patton, Executive Assistant/Staff Recruitment Coordinator
Keila joined Exalt Education in 2022 to provide operations assistance to the team. She is the liaison with inside and outside vendors, takes care of all the purchasing, and supervises the building maintenance team. She provides support to the Exalt Academy Board of Directors. She came to Exalt with over 20 years of experience in administrative support, ten of those employed with the state of Arkansas. Keila hails from a very small town in Arkansas, but has called Little Rock home for many years.
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Lindsey Cosio, Development Director
Lindsey Cosio is Exalt Education’s Development Director. In her role, she leads fundraising efforts for Exalt Academies through events, sponsorships, grants and partnerships. Additionally, Lindsey develops and maintains relationships with key community stakeholders as well as develops brand awareness within the greater Little Rock community to further advance the mission of and support for the organization.
Lindsey graduated from the University of Central Arkansas in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Speech Communication with an emphasis in Marketing and Spanish. In 2018, she received her Master’s of Science in Community and Economic Development from the same institution. In her professional career, Mrs. Cosio has spent time recruiting students and managing grants for educational institutions. Before working with Exalt, she spent several years managing fundraising events and corporate sponsorships for a local nonprofit, where she raised over $4 million for music education that served kids across the state.
In her free time, Lindsey enjoys reading, spending time with her four children, and serving on her church’s praise and worship team.