Five new Board members join Mainspring
Press Release: September 8, 2023
The Board of Directors of leading local nonprofit preschool and family services provider Mainspring Schools unanimously voted to add five proven Austin leaders to its governing body.
Mainspring Schools, a South Austin nonprofit preschool and family services provider serving nearly 100 children and their families, has added five new members to its Board of Directors: De Shondra Booker, Chrissy Citzler-Carr, MJ Korpela,Dr. Jay McCullar, and Andy Swanson. Their 3-year terms began August 26, 2023.
ABOUT DE SHONDRA BOOKER
De Shondra Booker serves in the Office of Academic Advancement for Brentwood Christian School guiding families with academic assessments, academic recording, student aid, and college preparation. Her role includes identifying the progressions in high school curriculum offerings based on post graduate assessments. Helping students and families explore opportunities is a passion for her as she understands the need to "pass on" what has been given to her. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. De Shondra and her husband of 31 years have 1 daughter who is the apple of their eye.
ABOUT CHRISSY CITZLER-CARR
Chrissy was introduced to Mainspring by her fellow colleagues and is happy to join the Mainspring team and be part of all the great things going on at the school. Chrissy is currently the controller for a medical device company and covers all things financial and accounting. She is happy to jump in and help with providing new perspectives and leveraging her financial expertise as needed.
ABOUT MJ KORPELA
MJ is a Principal at MAYA Consulting, where she supports a national portfolio of public and private clients doing work in early childhood, family power building, child welfare, social justice, public education, and philanthropy.
Having also been a member of the Mainspring Community since 2014, MJ has previously played the role of parent, staff, volunteer, and advisory council member, and is deeply embedded in the early childhood, family, and non-profit community in Austin.
MJ comes with a deep appreciation for the many lessons Mainspring families and staff have to teach us all about ourselves and the world. She hopes to use her time in board service to elevate those voices, while simultaneously leaning into her experience in equity and community-centered program design, data-driven strategy development, and leadership coaching to support the program team as they continue to build on the incredible legacy that is Mainspring Schools.
ABOUT DR. JAY MCCULLAR
Dr. Jay L. McCullar is a distinguished educator and community leader, serving as a Humanities and Student Development professor at Austin Community College and as the Founder/CEO of J-4 Education Consulting.
Notably, from 2018 to 2022, he directed The Greater-Austin Area My Brother's Keeper Scholars initiative, which secured over $3 million to support 1200+ young men of color in their educational and career pursuits.
In addition to his roles at Austin Community College and J-4 Education Consulting, Dr. McCullar actively contributes to his community by serving on boards like LatinX Leaders Austin and volunteering with organizations such as Austin State Hospital, the Central Texas Food Bank, and Coats 4 Kids. With academic credentials including a Bachelor's in Psychology from Texas State University, a Master's in Liberal Arts and Humanities from St. Edward's University, and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University, he combines his passion for education with a commitment to community service, embodying these values as a devoted husband and father.
ABOUT ANDREW “ANDY” SWANSON
Principal at Centric Commercial specializing in industrial and office tenant representation and in the acquisition and disposition of commercial properties.
Has twenty-five years of commercial real estate experience in Austin and San Antonio. Has worked with a diverse set of businesses ranging from small/mid-size local companies to large, multinational enterprises.
Prior to Centric, was a market manager at Industrial Properties Corporation (IPC), responsible for overseeing a 3.2 million square foot portfolio of industrial space in Austin and San Antonio. During his tenure at IPC, he was actively involved in the development process for 1.2 million square feet of industrial buildings in Austin.
Current affiliations include Commercial Brokers Association (CBA), Rotary Club of Austin (RCA), Texas Real Estate Commission – Licensed Salesperson.
Graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
