Consultant Bio

Mr. Tom Beard is in his 31st year in public education in central Florida. After serving as a substitute teacher for a year, Mr. Beard moved into the classroom where he has sponsored clubs, coached teams, chaperoned international travel and taught almost every class in the social science curriculum. Beyond that traditional classroom, Mr. Beard co-created the Law & Order Academy & Student Court. Summers are also busy for Mr. Beard as he works for the College Board both as a reader/early table leader and a consultant for AP Seminar. Mr. Beard has his Bachelors of Arts in International Affairs from The Florida State University and a Masters in Social Science Education from the University of Central Florida. Mr. Beard’s professional development has included: The Justice Teaching Institute, We the People conference, US House of Representative Fellow, US Supreme Court Fellow and studies at Exeter College at the University of Oxford.

Outside of the classroom, Mr. Beard coached basketball for eighteen years, serving at all levels of high school coaching. Coach Beard was an assistant on the 2010 & 2011, back to back state champion teams. Coach Beard is currently the head coach of Lake Nona Tennis, where they have won multiple Metro, District and Regional championships, as well as State Championships in 2022, 2024 & 2025. Coach Beard has won multiple Metro Conference Coach of the Year, the 2022 & 2025 Dairy Farmers Florida Coach of the Year and the 2023 Florida Coaches Coalition Tennis Coach of the Year.