Savannah Keith Gress
RYSE Kids – MICRO Fall 2025
Published March 12, 2026
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series today, we introduce Savannah Keith Gress, Founder and CEO of RYSE Kids based in Charlotte, NC. RYSE Kids helps families cut through misleading school ratings and navigate K–12 school options with accurate, research-backed information and confidence.
Q: What problem are you trying to solve and what influenced you to start your company?
A: I started RYSE because I was tired of watching families work incredibly hard to find a great school for their kids, only to be disappointed in the end. I’ve seen families move to more expensive neighborhoods, drive long distances, and make real sacrifices based on information that ultimately turned out to be misleading. While most families know school choice is overwhelming, many don’t realize that widely used school ratings often misrepresent how well schools actually support students academically. As a result, families either choose schools where students are falling behind or overlook strong options because of low ratings. Education research clearly shows that better, more meaningful information exists, and RYSE was created to bring that clarity directly to families.
Q: What does the road ahead look like for your company?
A: Families today are expected to make major decisions for their children using information that is hard to access, confusing, and often misleading. From choosing a school to understanding their child’s academic progress to finding opportunities outside the classroom, parents are often left to figure it out on their own—frequently between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. RYSE is building a trusted co-pilot that helps families understand the full landscape of options for their children and identify great opportunities with clarity and confidence. We want RYSE to be the place families can turn when things feel overwhelming—where information finally makes sense and good options become easier to see. Our vision is simple but powerful: to shift families from guessing and second-guessing to making informed, values-aligned decisions that truly support their children’s growth.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about starting your own company?
A: What I’ve enjoyed most has also been the most challenging: the personal growth that comes from building something meaningful and learning alongside it. Starting a company requires trusting yourself and your idea, even when you know there’s still room to grow, and believing in the direction you’re headed. Along the way, I’ve developed new skills I never expected to, including building much of the RYSE platform myself using AI tools. The journey hasn’t always been comfortable, but that discomfort has pushed me to grow in ways I’m proud of. What truly makes it rewarding is working directly with families and hearing how RYSE helps them feel clearer and more confident. Those moments of connection and feedback make the work feel deeply worth it.
Q: What other passions do you have besides your business?
A: Outside of my work, I have a deep love for being outdoors and hiking in the backcountry, especially with my husband. There’s something really grounding about getting beyond cell service and focusing on the basics—moving forward, taking care of what you need each day, and letting your mind slow down. Those trips create space for long, unhurried conversations that are hard to come by in everyday life. We always come back feeling more connected to nature, to each other, and to ourselves. These trips help us reset and remember how we want to spend our limited time in this brief and beautiful life.
While visiting Charlotte, Savannah recommends:
- I regularly pinch myself that we live just 20 minutes from the U.S. National Whitewater Center. It’s the perfect place to spend a full day outdoors—playing and having fun with friends or family ziplining, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, etc. My kids, husband, and I especially love summer days there, when we can play all afternoon and then relax into the festival-like atmosphere of a live concert in the evening.
- I’d also recommend visitors explore Charlotte’s historic West End to connect with the city’s rich history and vibrant community by stopping at places like Archive Coffee and Pauline’s Tea Bar Apothecary. For dinner, we love wrapping up the day at one of the many great spots at Camp North End and soaking in one of the fun events happening there year-round.
Support RYSE Kids and Savannah by:
- The best way to support RYSE is to share it with Charlotte families who are choosing a school or relocating to the area. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful, especially when families are making decisions for their kids because trust is paramount. At RYSE, we work hard to ensure that all of the information we share is well-researched and accurate because we know families’ trust has to be earned.
- If you’re connected to parent communities, early childhood centers, or organizations that serve families, making an introduction can help RYSE reach people at exactly the right moment, so they can avoid common missteps that often lead to regret in the school-choice process. We want to support as many families as possible in understanding their educational options and choosing a great fit for their child!