Mr. Fountain is a Subject Expert Teacher in Math, Physics, and Economics at BASIS Independent Bothell. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (Political Economics) from Stanford University, a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Washington, and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Math Education at Western Governors University.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌​​‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‌‍​​‍​‌​​‌‍‌‍​​​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Before becoming an educator, Mr. Fountain had a distinguished career in finance and was named to Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list in 2017. He is also a recognized codebreaker, having received honors in the Kryptos Mathematics Competition in both 2021 and 2022.

“More than just transferring information,” he says, “my objective as a teacher is to instill a sense of wonder in our students and a desire to learn.” He believes that helping students learn how to teach themselves—and to find joy in that process—is one of the most meaningful outcomes of a great education.

Mr. Fountain was drawn to BASIS Independent Schools for the opportunity to bring together his wide-ranging academic and professional background in a setting that values both disciplinary depth and interdisciplinary connections.

One of his favorite lessons introduces students to the idea of four-dimensional space through an exploration of Flatland, Edwin Abbott’s 1884 novella about a two-dimensional world. “I enjoy pushing students to think about things in new and interesting ways,” he says.

Mr. Fountain enjoys spending time outside of the classroom with his wife and their two children. His growing list of “random and weird hobbies” includes crossword competitions, visiting Michelin-starred restaurants, and reading award-winning science fiction. He loves spending summers living in Airbnb apartments across Europe.