Our Team
OPERATION TEAM
Founder & Executive Director
Christina Collazo
Director of Operations
Raney McKool
Interim Development Director
Heather Parsons
CHILDREN PROGRAMS TEAM
ECE Coordinator &
Lead Early Childhood Education Teacher
Marce del Toro
ECE Teachers
Ivett Garcia
Lupita Garcia
Anna Morales
Marizza Rodriguez
ADULT PROGRAMS TEAM
Lead ESL & Citizenship Instructor
Amber Miller
ESL Instructor
Carol Consla
Elaine Eidelberg
Brennan Gage
Donna Shepperd
Technology Instructor
Janet Couvillion
Our Board of Directors
Christian Arredondo is a software engineer and entrepreneur who is passionate about improving accessibility for others in areas such as education, professional opportunities, health, and exercise. In 2016 he cofounded a health & fitness tech company that went on to manage the Houston Food Bank’s employee wellness program. In 2017 Christian competed in the annual Houston civic hackathon, where his team was one of three winning teams after developing a web application that combines free resources from Houston’s two public library systems. As a first-generation Mexican-American, Christian identifies strongly with the community that Todos Juntos serves and aims to utilize his background and experience in technology to help drive Todos Juntos’ mission. He earned his B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Erica V. Ekwurzel, CFRE, MPAff, is founder of CivicAIM, a philanthropic consulting practice focused on increasing the capacity of grant makers. With experience as a professional fundraiser, research scholar in philanthropic strategy, grant making program officer, and consultant focused on social impact, Erica brings extensive perspective to her work. Erica holds a BA from Austin College and a Master of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. She is a member of the National Network of Consultants to Grant makers and is a 21/64 Certified MultiGenerational Philanthropy Advisor. When not on land building strong philanthropic ties and impact to the Texas community, you can find Erica, with passport in hand, traveling to beach destinations and scuba diving exploring the depths and wonders of the sea with her family.
Dr. Pritesh Gandhi, M.D., MPH, is an internist, pediatrician and community advocate who focuses on community-based, poverty-reduction initiatives and social determinants of health. Dr.Gandhi is the associate chief medical officer at People’s Community Clinic, an East Austin safety net clinic and federally qualified health center (FQHC). He is a clinical assistant professor in population health and pediatrics at Dell Medical School and has focused on poverty-reduction for his entire career, initially as a Fulbright fellow in India focusing on child health in urban landfills. Gandhi holds degrees in international relations and economics from Tufts University and he completed his M.D. and MPH at Tufts School of Medicine.
J.R. Johnson (Secretary; Finance Committee) is an attorney with Kelly, Hart & Hallman, where his practice is focused on resolving business disputes in state courts, federal courts, and in arbitration. J.R.’s interest in SSP was inspired by his mother, who spent decades working to promote early childhood education centers in Dallas. He earned his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.
Dr. Megan Olshavsky (Board President) is the Director of Measurement and Evaluation for fellow Austin nonprofit Any Baby Can. She has a long history of volunteerism and, since recently having her own child, has come to deeply appreciate the importance of parent education, early childhood education, and a supportive community. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology, with an emphasis in Behavioral Neuroscience, from the University of Texas at Austin.
Aman Patel is a Technology Consultant for Deloitte Consulting where he works with local state agencies to drive large-scale technology implementation projects. Aman’s passion for providing education, advocacy, and empowerment to children in underprivileged communities is inspired by his mother: They have worked together to support organizations focused on children’s rights and combating poverty in India for over 7 years. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Paula Salinas has been a local attorney for over 30 years, focusing on Probate, Guardianship and Estate Planning. She earned her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.
Dan Sharphorn is the General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for the University of Texas System. He manages all of UT System’s legal affairs and the attorneys within the Office of General Counsel and serves on the Chancellor’s executive management team. He also works directly with all 14 UT institutions to serve their varied legal and business needs. Before joining the UT System in 2007, Dan served in the General Counsel’s Office of the University of Michigan for 20 years. He earned J.D., M.S.W., and M.A. degrees from the University of Michigan and a B.S. degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Creating a better tomorrow for Central Texas. TOGETHER.
There are numerous ways you can help out so that, together, we can make Central Texas a more prosperous, just, and thriving community.