Ellen and Montse: A Transformational Year
Over the past twelve months we’ve shared stories of some of the matches your support has made possible. As 2017 comes to a close, we followed up with one of these matches to learn more about [...]
Over the past twelve months we’ve shared stories of some of the matches your support has made possible. As 2017 comes to a close, we followed up with one of these matches to learn more about [...]
They were matched at the beginning of the summer, just as school was ending. Big Sister Teri and her Little Sister Nancy have wasted no time, however, in becoming good friends and spending [...]
Little Brother Jeremiah could hardly contain his excitement when he finally got to meet his Big Brother Chris three years ago. Despite his enthusiasm however, Jeremiah was not completely ready to [...]
Recognizing the role of mentors in your own life is a step toward understanding BBBS’ mission and impact. Having benefited from mentoring himself, Joe Gomez is now seeking to “pay it forward” as [...]
Bigs often say that they get as much, if not more, out of their mentoring relationships as the Littles they mentor. A part of that can be attributed to the pleasure of watching their Littles grow [...]
Sometimes it’s something as simple as going ice skating that reveals and releases the inner potential of a child. Big Sister Audrey made that discovery when she took her Little Sister Lizzet to [...]
Together they’re going to break the cycle. Little Sister Montse is going to be the first in her family to finish high school, with her Big Sister’s help. It’s a goal that has faced more than one [...]
They’ve only been matched for a short time, but Jess and Rebekah are already busy enjoying their time together. “As a Big Sister, I was looking forward to building a special relationship, being a [...]
Olivia is an Austin professional who has become a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters for a second time. She has also become a BBBS Game Changer. “When I got involved with BBBS of Central [...]
Every child has a dream. Having the resources to make that dream a reality however, is not a part of every child’s life. Sophia is a 9-year-old girl who dreams of working with animals. “When I [...]
“If it weren’t for her, I know that I would have ended up in an environment that I should not have been in.”
Little Sister
“My son is consciously making the right choices now to set himself up for whatever he decides to do.”
Family
“As a Big, I can commit to a consistent volunteer opportunity where I feel like I’m giving back to my community, and I’m rewarded with a meaningful relationship with an awesome Little who has so much to offer as well.”
John, Big Brother
“With my Big Sister’s help I am doing better in school.”
Little Sister
“As a Big, I’m able to pay it forward by providing my Little with some of the opportunities that I’ve been lucky to have in my life – companionship, encouragement, confidence and trust. “
Jeremy, Big Brother
“It’s a privilege to be able to help kids recognize the potential within themselves and illuminate the opportunities they have in their lives.”
Jeremy, Big Brother
“My Big Brother appreciates me for who I am.”
Little Brother
“I love reading with my Big Sister.”
Little Sister
“My Big Sister is always there for me when I need her.”
Little Sister
“Becoming a Big is by far one of the best decisions I’ve made. My Little is constantly surprising me with her eagerness to try new things. Having the opportunity to mentor and see her grow has been not only rewarding, but also lots of fun!”
Reyna, Big Sister
“Whenever something is bothering me, I can talk with my Big about it.”
Little Sister
“Having a Big in our lives has helped my whole family.”
Natasha, Mom of a Little
“My Big Brother has taken me to visit several colleges and I’m excited to start applying.”
Little Brother
“Children are our future. I like helping them realize their potential.”
Donor
“My husband is gone a lot on military assignments, and I wanted our daughters to have another responsible adult in their lives that they could have fun with and talk to if they didn’t feel comfortable talking to me.”
Family
“My Big Brother has helped me discover new things.”
Little Brother
Sponsors
“I can tell my Big Sister anything and she listens without judging me.”
Little Sister
Sponsors
“I love seeing the difference that mentoring makes for our children and our community.”
Jamie Avila, Board Member
Sponsors
“Thanks to my amazing Big Sister, I knew from early on how important my education would be.”
Little Sister
“As a Big, I get to spend time with my Little doing things I loved doing as a kid – exploring, going out to eat, cooking, visiting book stores, and being there as another ear and voice as she tries to navigate her world.”
Audra, Big Sister
“My son’s relationship with his Big Brother has had a big impact.”
Family
“My Big makes me feel important.”
Little Brother
“Now, oh my gosh, how my daughter has changed. She just has a better outlook on life.”
Family
“Together we can make an even greater difference.”
Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette, Ph.D., President of Huston-Tillotson University
“Being a Big Brother has enriched my life.”
Ben, Big Brother
“My son has a stronger focus on his future as a result of his match.”
Family
Sponsors
“My relationship with my Big Brother is very important to me.”
Little Brother
The Executive Board is a group of community-focused leaders invested in improving the lives of Austin youth. Their main responsibilities involve raising funds to support our agency, reviewing and approving agency policies, and generating awareness of, and support for, BBBS.
April Justice, Board Chair
Charles Schwab
Vice President
Blake Absher
Broadway Bank
EVP, Austin Market Executive
Becky Bonham
Hargill Growers Gin & Grain
Real Estate Developer
Lara Burns Boyda
Urbanspace
Chief Operating Officer
Rajal Dhruva
ATX Life Coaching
Certified Life Coach
Denver Dunlap
Denver Dunlap Real Estate
Owner/Broker
Heather Granato
Molecula
Vice President of Customer Success
Art Guerra
Guerra Underground
Owner
Scott Haigler
RSM US LLP
Office Managing Partner
Shellie Hayes-McMahon
Annie’s List
Director of Operations
Pamela Malunat Hurley
Philanthropist
Lynette Perkins
Bohemian Innovation, LLC
Chief Executive Officer
Evan Spaulding, Treasurer
The Spaulding Group
Financial Executive
Albert Swantner
Mobile Tech RX
Chief Technical Officer
Jason Vitanza
Shadow IT Services
Chief Technology Officer
Composed of high-visibility individuals and organizations, the Advisory Council provides BBBS with a lasting influence and cross-community reach. Convening at least twice per year, the group provides input on strategic issues as needed, influences others to support our mission and contribute resources, and recruits new members for our Executive Board.
Darrell Bazzell
The University of Texas at Austin
Senior Vice President and CFO
Kyndel Bennett
Cayetano Development, LLC
Chief Executive Officer
Clayton Christopher
Entrepreneur
Hector De Leon
De Leon Washburn & Ward, P.C.
Founder
Chris Ellis
Endeavor Real Estate Group, Ltd.
Managing Principal
Gary Farmer
Heritage Title Company of Austin, Inc.
President
Kerry Hall
Texas Capital Bank
Executive Managing Director, Regional Banking
Amy Jones
O’Connell Robertson
President
Nyle Maxwell
The Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships
Dealer Principal
Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette
Huston-Tillotson University
President
Dick Rathgeber
Rathgeber Investments
President
Lawrence Speck
Page Southerland Page, Inc.
Senior Principal
Carl Stuart
Registered Investment Advisor
Tom Taylor
Taylor Investments
Principal
The Foundation Board’s purpose is to oversee all aspects of BBBS’s Scholarship Program, including managing the endowment and distributing scholarship funds to institutions.
Carlos Barbosa
Wells Fargo
SVP/Loan Supervisor-Middle Market Commercial Banking
Loraine Brown, Foundation Board Chair
Vino Veritas Ventures
Founder & Owner
Rajal Dhruva
ATX Life Coaching
Certified Life Coach
Shellie Hayes-McMahon
Annie’s List
Director of Operations
Pamela Malunat Hurley
Philanthropist
Guillermo Martinez III, PhD
Austin Community College
Interim Vice President, Student Affairs
Karl Spencer
University of Texas at Austin
McCombs School of Business
Office of the Dean
Administrative Associate
.
The Big Impact Group is a diverse collective of dedicated men and women who volunteer their time, talents and energy to support BBBS of Central Texas’ mission, further its programs, and establish themselves as future leaders for BBBS by engaging constituents, recruiting volunteers. and raising funds.
Jenny Alperin, Engagement Committee Chair
RosePOP Parties
Owner & Event Planner
Ashley Cureton
Texas Assoc. of Counties
Wellness Consultant
Alejandro Espinoza
JB Goodwin Realtors
Real Estate Agent/Broker
Scott Gilman
Center for Biological Diversity
Online Fundraising Director
Nicholas Johnson, Vice President
OpenJAUS, LLC
Chief Technology Officer
Brandon Jones
The University of Texas at Austin
Assoc. Director for Student Learning & Development
Jessica Keigley
Google
Cloud Sales Recruiter
Sarah Lozano
The University of Texas at Austin
Graduate Student – Plant Biology
Emily Mailman
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Natural Resources Specialist
Niyoshi Mehta
Miracle Foundation
Director of Global Programs
Brooke Mountain
NetSuite + Oracle
Account Executive
Rena Muñoz
Hawk Contracting Services, LLC
Owner
Chris Muyshondt
Dell Seton Medical Center
Trauma Tech
Amanda Nastoupil
Accruent
Talent Development Leader
Ali Nichols
Bound
Customer Success Manager
Tobias Perkins
Austin Fire Department
Inventory Control Specialist II
Kellyn Platek
KIPP Texas Public Schools
Manager, Teacher Career Pathways
Lauren Roche, Treasurer
Google Cloud
Professional Services
Stefan Sinclair
TheWaveVR
Software Development Engineer
Jenna Sliter
Yeti
Creative Operations & Resource Manager
Karen Vilches, Recruitment Committee Chair
Noonday Collection
Office Manager & Exec Asst. to CEO
Jared Wynne, President
WIN
Co-founder & Editor-in-Chief
Yagiz Yildiz, Fundraising Committee Chair
Dell
Principal Electrical Engineer
We’ll set up a Match Introduction meeting to get your match started!
Join other prospective mentors to learn the essentials for being a great volunteer Big
We will be there to provide ongoing support for your match
We’ll set up a time to get to know you so we can find the best match for you!
Complete the Volunteer Application (following Step 1), which includes references and a thorough Background Check
Learn more about the commitment and if it’s right for your child. You can reach us at 512-442-4646 or via email: info@bigmentoring.org.
Complete the online enrollment application.
We will visit with you in your home or in our office. Help us get to know your child so we can find the best match for him or her.
We’ll search carefully for a Big for your child. Try to be patient. It takes time to find a great match.
Learn about a potential Big and move forward if you approve the match.
We will introduce you and your child to your new Big. They will start spending time together and getting to know each other.