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Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Shari Albright
Chair,
Charles Butt Foundation
Charles Butt Foundation
Executive Committee
Shari Albright received her BA in Education and MA in School Psychology/ Educational Administration from Trinity University before she received her Ed. D. in Educational Leadership from Teachers College of Columbia University. She brings to the role of Chair of the Department of Education a background in elementary and middle school teaching, elementary and high school leadership and educational non-profit leadership. Shari is committed to fostering 21st century, global education for students that have traditionally been under-served in our communities. Shari lives and works in the District.
Carlos Maestas
Chair Elect and Development,
Key Ideas
Key Ideas
Executive Committee
Carlos Maestas believes storytelling is the best way for organizations and people to move others to action. He is the founder and chief storysmith at Key Ideas, a Texas-based storytelling firm that helps organizations sharpen and share their messages. Carlos has directed storytelling projects across four continents and six countries, including Taiwan, India, Liberia, Mexico, Russia, and the United States. In Liberia, he shared stories of the Ebola outbreak and the recovery from two brutal civil wars. In Moldova, he shared stories of children susceptible to human trafficking aging out of orphanages at 16. Carlos was a key storytelling partner for the Human Service Council of New York and launched a multi-year Just Pay campaign to fight for equal pay for the human service workforce. In 2024, NYC announced over $741 million in long overdue raises for human service workers.
Carlos has interviewed thousands of people in his career, and since Key Ideas launched in 2002, it has won multiple awards and received five Lone Star EMMY nominations. Local and national organizations frequently hire Carlos to lead their teams through a workshop called “Storytelling that Moves People.” During the workshop, Carlos covers characteristics of authentic storytelling and how to apply them, so your stories build trust with your audience. The workshop also covers ways to lead and motivate your team through storytelling and the value of sharing your personal story. A stand-up comedian who once opened for Saturday Night Live alum Dennis Miller, Carlos has an MBA from The University of Incarnate Word and a BA in Marketing from UTSA. He is currently a PhD student at Our Lady of the Lake University. His book on Storytelling, Mommy Lied to God, launched in the Summer of 2020, and quickly became an Amazon bestseller. In January 2024, San Antonio City Councilwoman Dr. Sukh Kaur (District 1) appointed Carlos to the Brooks Board.
Carlos is the Chair-elect of the SAISD Foundation board and serves on marketing advisory committees for the DoSeum and the San Antonio Food Bank. Carlos is married to a career educator, and he and his wife have three kids.
Michael Grundon
Treasurer,
Firstmark Credit Union
Firstmark Credit Union
Executive Committee
Michael Grundon, is Chief Financial Officer at Firstmark Credit Union. He joined Firstmark in 2016, and as a member of the senior executive team, he oversees the credit union’s financial operations. Mike has over 30 years of financial management experience. He resides in San Antonio with his wife. Mike is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BS in Business Administration earned in 1987. Over the years, he has volunteered time with worthy causes such as the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Junior Achievement, Salvation Army, and youth sports administration.
Connie Gonzalez
Secretary and Communications,
Brooks
Brooks
Executive Committee
Chief Strategy Officer Connie Gonzalez is responsible for establishing strategic direction to further advance Brooks’ growth, expanding on the success of the last 20 years. In addition, she leads business development, public affairs, community engagement, and project management initiatives. Connie is also the Executive Director of Brooks Gives Back, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that serves as the vehicle by which all members of the Brooks community can invest in nonprofit initiatives impacting people in the neighborhoods surrounding Brooks, which has distributed more than $250,000 since 2019.
Deborah Amini
Development,
Community Member
Community Member
Executive Committe
Deborah Amini has been a resident of San Antonio since 1962, having graduated from its public school system in 1968. She received her BA in Educational Psychology from The University of Texas in Austin in 1972 and her Masters in Educational Psychology from the same institution in 1976.
She spent three years working at St. Jude’s Children’s Psychiatric Hospital in Austin before going to work for the Edgewood Independent School District as a psychologist at the Jose Cardenas Center for Developmental Disabilities.
Mario Barrera
Governance and Human Resources,
Norton Rose Fulbright
Norton Rose Fulbright
Executive Committee
Mario Barrera graduated magna cum laude with his BA from Pan American University and his J.D from The University of Texas School of Law. He is a labor and employment partner at the firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Mario has conducted both employment investigations and training seminars for a variety of clients. Mario is licensed to practice in Texas and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Federal Circuit, the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mario and his wife live in the District.
Erika Robinson
Programs,
Trinity University
Trinity University
Executive Committee
Erika D. Robinson serves as the General Counsel of Trinity University, a nationally recognized liberal arts institution in San Antonio. Robinson also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Tulane School of Law in New Orleans in the University’s Title IX Certificate and Specialization Program.
She has provided strategic advice and counsel to K-12 school districts, higher educational institutions, and school leaders. In addition to her legal experience, Ms. Robinson has multifaceted competencies as a diversity and inclusion practitioner.
Board of Directors
Desiree Alonzo-Curtis
Port San Antonio
Desiree Alonzo-Curtis, a San Antonio native, is the Assistant Airport Director of the Airport Operations for Port San Antonio and supports the oversight of Kelly Field’s civil operations and airport development, specifically the integration of applied technologies that emerge from the Tech Port strategy. She is an accomplished Aviation leader with over 14 years of experience in the areas of General Aviation, Airport Operations, Airport Security, and Facility Maintenance. She is also a speaker at industry-leading events both in the U.S. and Internationally.
She earned her Bachelor’s in Professional Aeronautics with minors in Aviation Safety and Management in 2006 and her Master’s in Aeronautical Science with specializations in Aeronautics and Space Studies in 2010 from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. Her goals in education continue and she is currently working towards earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Leadership Studies. Along with her professional and educational background, her passion for community service includes volunteering with the Archdiocese of San Antonio Catholic Youth Organization as a coach and was a past Parish board member, South Central Chapter of AAAE At-Large Board Member, and the FBI San Antonio Citizens Academy Alumni Association Vice Presiden.
Ernest Bromley
Pescador Public Strategies
Ernest Bromley, an SAISD alumnus from Thomas Jefferson High School, is the Managing Partner at Pescador Public Strategies. He also is the former Chairman/CEO of Bromley Communications, LLC and part of the agency’s founding in 1981. As CEO, director of research, executive vice president and president, Ernest helped develop the agency’s research, Hispanic marketing approach, and lead the agency to be the premier Hispanic marketing communications company, changing the American marketplace. Prior to the agency, he taught economics at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a Master in Business Administration from UTSA.
Jose Ramon Campos
CommonWealth
Coffeehouse & Bakery
Coffeehouse & Bakery
José Ramon Campos, co-owner CommonWealth Coffee House & Bakery, grew up on the northside of San Antonio where his parents settled after moving here from Mexico City. He attended Southern Methodist University and spent a semester abroad in Nantes, France. An experience that has since shaped his outlook. Graduating with degrees in Economics with Finance Applications and Political Science, he has returned to San Antonio and settled in the Tobin Hill area. The entrepreneur also focuses his time revitalizing homes in the urban core.
Richard Carranza
IXL Learning
Richard Carranza currently serves as Chief of Strategy and Global Development at IXL. He is a long-time educator and public education administrator serving most recently as the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He previously served as the superintendent of the Houston Independent and the San Francisco Unified School Districts. He began his career as a high school bilingual social studies and mariachi music teacher, and then as a principal, both in Tucson, Arizona. When on a middle school mariachi trip to San Antonio, he fell in love with the heart and culture of the city. Richard and his wife Raquel have chosen San Antonio as their home.
Emmanuel Casasola
BioBridge Global
Emmanuel currently serves as the Executive Director, Global Quality for BioBridge Global. BioBridge Global is a non-profit organization with three distinct operating subsidiaries that focus on donor-to-patient solutions with its foundation centered around South Texas Blood and Tissue. Emmanuel has been with the organization since 2017 and leads a team of ~60 quality professionals who support BioBridge Global and help ensure that the culture of quality is maintained. Emmanuel was born in Mexico City but grew up in San Antonio, TX where he received a BS from the University of the Incarnate Word. Emmanuel has been a quality leader for 20 years in food safety, environmental sciences, and recently in the health and biotech industry leading carious organizations through ISO, FDA, USDA, CLIA, EU, and TGA assessments and compliance inspections. Emmanuel is passionate about community involvement and civic engagement which led to his selection to LeadershipSA in 2022 for the 47th class. LeadershipSA is a leadership program that is co-sponsored by the Greater Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in San Antonio.
Julian Casillas
Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP
Julian Casillas, a San Antonio native, is an attorney at Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP, where he represents various taxing entities, including Bexar County, the City of San Antonio and SAISD. Julian is also a member of the San Antonio Young Lawyers Division and the Order of the Alamo.
Elaine De Los Santos
Community Member
Elaine De Los Santos is a proud Thomas Jefferson High School alumni. She attended St. Edward’s University in Austin on a four-year athletic scholarship and earned her BBA in Management.
Elaine has worked in the insurance industry her entire career. She has worked at Allstate & USAA. She currently is a Casualty Examiner.
Elaine is passionate about giving back to her community and stays active at St. Luke Catholic Church as a core member of the Women of the Well ministry and was a past ACTS director.
Believing that education is the key to success and that every child should have access to a higher education, Elaine previously served on the Healy Murphy Center board. She also served on Rey Feo 73, Augustine Cortez’s Royal court and helped raise money for college scholarships.
In her spare time, Elaine enjoys biking, playing with her two fur babies, spending time with family and friends and traveling the world.
Brian Dillard
VIA Metropolitan Transit
Brian Dillard is currently the Vice President of Technology & Innovation at VIA Metropolitan Transit. He began his career in public service in 2018 as the Smart City Administrator for the City of San Antonio. Prior to joining the local government sector, Brian was a Cybersecurity consultant in the private sector following a career as a member of the United States Air Force where he served ten years of Active Duty.
Brian is a third-generation Eastside San Antonio native and an alumnus of Sam Houston High School.
Katie Ferrier
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
Katie Ferrier currently serves as VP of Public Policy, Education & Workforce Development at the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Ferrier serves employers, educational institutions, and community-based USA organizations and strives to create a climate of shared ideas, information and relationships to encourage greater collaboration and collective solutions in order to improve the region’s talent pipeline.
Letty Gonzales
Generations Credit Union
Letty Gonzales leads all Marketing, Member and Employee Engagement efforts, including community involvement and staff engagement initiatives. Her 25 years of experience includes Retail, Private and Commercial Banking. Gonzales is a graduate of Leadership SA Class 44 and the SA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Alexander Briseño Leadership Development Program. She serves on the Boards of San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Boysville, Inc., and volunteers with countless community-serving organizations.
Tyler Jones
Frost
Tyler Jones is Vice President of Corporate Banking at Frost Bank. Tyler uses his knowledge and experience as a trusted advisor to help develop and foster relationships in his community. Over the years, he has spent time volunteering with United Way of Williamson County (Resource Development Committee), Junior Achievement, and Salvation Army.
Laura Saldivar Luna
Piñata Possible
Laura Saldivar Luna (she/her/ella) is a believer in the limitless potential of humanity and the power of living life fully expressed. She and her husband David are the proud parents of two hilarious kids, Paloma and Lucas, and three rambunctious corgi pups, Benny, Clyde, and Dale.
Laura founded and leads a transformational coaching practice, lovingly named Piñata Possible, which is dedicated to helping humans access powerful breakthroughs in their lives and leadership.
Sparked by the dream, and sustained by the encouragement of her parents, Laura was the first member of her family to graduate from college. She attended Georgetown University in Washington, DC and the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, graduating with dual degrees in English and Spanish.
Laura spent 17 years as an educator and executive with Teach For America, a career which included exciting experiences like teaching high school in a rural town on the Texas-Mexico border; becoming the founding executive director of Teach For America in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas; and leading human capital strategy as Teach For America’s national chief people officer.
As a speaker, writer, and coach, Laura loves using transformational tools to create new possibilities. Her unique approach to coaching embraces the bliss within tension and finds power in paradox. She is passionate about the magical intersections between achievement and allowing, planning and emergence, input and intuition, and the known and unknown.
Community care of the collective and honoring the wisdom within nature are both very important to Laura. She sits on the board of directors for the San Antonio Report, a nonprofit digital news organization dedicated to creating a more informed community, and she is the newest member of the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Commission.
Laura restores her alignment and finds joy in practicing laughter, yoga, dancing, journaling, traveling, and sharing gratitude with others. If you afford her the opportunity, she will talk your ear off about her obsession with colorful pens, Disneyland, and why a cup of hot tea is one of her most important daily rituals.
Tony Magaro
SWRI
Anthony Magaro, CCP, SPHR, CBP, GRP, SHRM-SCP is the Vice President of Human Resources at Southwest Research Institute. He has served as a college adjunct faculty member teaching courses in Human Resources, Compensation, Organization Design and HR Law. He is a faculty member of the World at Work (American Compensation Association) faculty training HR professionals in base pay management, the regulatory environment of compensation, use of compensation market data, FLSA and international management of human resources.
Tiffany O'Neill
Holdsworth Center
After moving from Arizona to open and lead the first BASIS charter school in Texas, Tiffany O’Neill fell swiftly in love with the Lone Star State. Since then, Tiffany has consulted with other charter networks on school start up and turnaround and worked with Teach For America- San Antonio to manage internal operations and lead strategic external relationships including those with school districts, community partners, local officials and the media.
Tiffany currently works for the Holdsworth Center where she works directly with superintendents and their leadership teams to develop robust internal leadership pipelines- with a focus on the role of principal.
Ron Thomas
Community Member
Ron Thomas received a B.A. and an M.Ed. from Trinity University and has been involved in education for over 45 years. While working in SAISD, Ron served as a teacher, counselor, and principal at both the elementary and secondary levels. He has extensive experience organizing and implementing preservice teacher field experience programs, mentoring/tutoring programs in inner-city school districts, and school/university partnerships.
Stephanie Ward
St. Mary’s University
Stephanie G. Ward, Ph.D., is the Vice Provost for Vocation & Career, leading the Career & Professional Development Center at St. Mary’s University. She joined St. Mary’s University in 2004 after completing her Ph.D. at the University of Houston and she has never looked back. Being a Rattler is in her blood and she believes it is a privilege to be here. Her love is being in the classroom with students engaging in thoughtful exploration of what it means to pursue a meaningful business career while challenging students to learn more than they thought they could. Being able to help a student exceed his/her potential is what drives her.
Kris Wickerham
H-E-B
Kristopher Wickerham has been a proud H-E-B Partner since 2010. He is currently the Talent Development Career Programs Leader, where he and his team design and deploy enterprise-wide development pathways for Partners.
Before joining H-E-B, Kris was a Texas public educator for 17 years, serving communities in the classroom, central office, and as a campus principal. His wife, Kathy, is an SAISD campus principal and they are proud, longtime SAISD residents.
Christine Wong
Texas A&M University –
San Antonio
San Antonio
Christine Wong is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. She received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies, M.A. in Community Counseling, and Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Christine enjoys teaching counseling techniques and internship courses. Her research interests include first generation college students and their success. She resides in the SAISD district with her husband and daughter.
Kedrick Wright
Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc.
Kedrick Wright is a Program Manager with planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. (LAN). Wright supports LAN’s program management business.
Wright is responsible for managing a range of project types including new construction and renovations to improve the learning environments for LAN’s educational clients. His work includes program development, project planning, procurement, construction administration, closeout, and operational handover.
Wright has nearly 20 years of architectural, construction and program management experience. Prior to joining LAN, he was most recently the San Antonio Independent School District Deputy Chief Operations Officer where he led bond planning and construction, capital improvements, and facilities development. During his time with San Antonio ISD, Wright provided leadership for a $1.3 billion bond program and a
$450 million bond program that worked to replace and modernize schools within the district. Prior to joining San Antonio ISD, Wright worked on capital programs for Sheldon ISD, New Caney ISD and Arlington (VA) Public Schools. Previously, he served in Houston ISD as the Senior Manager of Facilities Planning and Design. In this role, he oversaw a team of facilities planners, program and project managers and architects who helped replace or build over 40 schools across the city as part of the district’s $2 billion capital improvement program.
Wright holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental design (architecture) from Texas A&M University and a master’s in architecture from the University of Southern California.
Advisory Council
Charles T. Barrett
Joe Bernal*
Trish DeBerry*
Maria Ferrier
Pat Frost*
Leo Gomez
Charles Gonzalez
Debra Guerrero*
Sarah Harte*
Harriet Marmon Helmle
Derrick Howard*
Ed Kelley
Brandon Logan*
John T. Montford*
Victoria Moreno Herrera
Suzanne Peterson
Sonia M. Rodriguez*
Kate Rogers
Ricardo Romo
Manny Ruiz*
Julian Treviño
Laura Vaccaro
* Past Board of Directors
John Montford and Manny Ruiz also served as Past Board Chairman.
Charles Barrett, Joe Bernal, Maria Ferrier, Charles Gonzalez, Sonia Rodriguez and Ricardo Romo are SAISD Alumni and past Inspire Awards Honorees.
Meet the Team
Judy Geelhoed
Executive Director
Hired in 2009 to support a dedicated Board of Directors to re-launch the SAISD Foundation and rally private support to increase educational excellence in SAISD schools, Judy has served as its founding Executive Director for more than 15 years. Judy earned her MEd from James Madison University and an MA from St. Mary’s University. Judy has a strong background in program development, fundraising, and group facilitation. She has served as an evaluator for TEA-funded after-school programs in San Antonio and K-16 service-learning programs in Texas. Judy and her husband have called San Antonio home for the past 30 years and their twin sons graduated from UT Austin in 2023.
Ana Cardenas
Data & Impact Manager
Ana joined the SAISD Foundation as a Data Specialist in 2021. As an economically disadvantaged and first-generation college student, she decided to shift careers to help students like herself. She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and brings seven years of experience in data analytics.
She has lived in the district for the past six years and is a proud parent of an SAISD student.
Mary Flannigan
Finance & Programs Manager
Mary Flannigan joined the SAISD Foundation as a Finance and Programs Manager in 2023. Mary’s responsibilities include both internal and external facing duties involving partnership development and organizational development. She oversees the financial management, program operations, and human resource functions of the organization.
Mary is a respected nonprofit manager and brings with her over fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She is passionate about education and is dedicated to SAISD. Being a resident herself, she feels the district is the heart of the city.
Kimberly Garcia
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Kimberly joined the SAISD Foundation as a Digital Marketing Coordinator in 2023. She is a proud SAISD graduate of Travis Early College High School and a Texas State University alum earning her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications. At the SAISD Foundation, Kimberly creates a strong online presence, through our website and social media accounts. Kimberly has a passion for supporting students and teachers in their efforts to create exciting learning opportunities throughout their educational journey and loves to share stories and updates that come from the SAISD community.
Lourdes Gonzalez
Book Buddies Coordinator
Lourdes holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Library and Information Science. With professional experience in education, school and academic librarianship, and nonprofit community outreach, Lourdes is passionate about fostering connection, supporting communities, and sharing the power of books.
Deborah Silliman
K-12 Programs Coordinator
Debbie joined the SAISD Foundation in 2024 as a K-12 Programs Coordinator. With more than 15 years of experience working with K-12 and higher education, Debbie is excited to be supporting field trip initiatives that impact the school district where she and her family live, and where her child attends elementary school.
Debbie received a dual B.A. in Journalism and Fine Arts from Syracuse University, and her M.A. in Teaching English from The University of Texas at San Antonio. Debbie has a passion for public education and is strongly committed to the SAISD Foundation’s vision of supporting a district where all students and teachers thrive.
Carrie Smith
Alumni & Community Engagement Manager
Carrie joined the SAISD Foundation in 2021. A native of San Antonio, Carrie’s roots in SAISD run deep. Her grandparents made the South Side their home in 1942. Her parents graduated from Highlands and her great-aunt taught English at Hot Wells Junior High.
Education and community have always been a part of Carrie. She spent her career working in community management positions and now is honored to serve SAISD and the neighborhood schools her parents attended in the heart of the Alamo City.
Stephanie Smith
Office & Scholarships Manager
Stephanie joined the SAISD Foundation in 2016. She is the first point of contact for the Foundation and is available to assist Monday-Wednesday from 9 am-3 pm. Stephanie supports the foundation with bookkeeping, donor database entry, and donor stewardship. She also manages the 100+ scholarships awarded annually to our newest SAISD Alumni.
A San Antonio native, Stephanie is a graduate of Trinity University and a former elementary school teacher.
Meli Villalvazo-Dick
Development Associate & Scholarship Coordinator
Meli originally joined the SAISD Foundation Team in 2016 as an intern in college. After working for a local charter school district for almost five years, she rejoined the team in 2022 as a development associate. Passionate about education and providing expanded opportunities for all students in her hometown, Meli is grateful to work for such an impactful organization. When she’s not working, she’s most likely outdoors with her husband and two little boys.