Welcoming our New Board Members

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas is pleased to welcome three newly elected members to BBBS’ Executive Board of Directors: Zachary Carroll, Brandon Christensen, and Karen Vilches.

“BBBS is honored to welcome Zachary, Brandon, and Karen to our Executive Board,” Leah Meunier, CEO of BBBS, said. “We are so grateful for their generous gifts of time and talent.”

Zachary is a Partner and Audit Practice Leader in the Austin office of RSM US LLP. He and his wife grew up in New Braunfels but spent about a decade in Dallas with RSM prior to moving to Austin in 2016.

RSM has a longstanding history of supporting BBBS. Zachary credits this to RSM’s emphasis on stewardship, supporting communities, and developing people. He hopes to continue RSM’s history of corporate philanthropy with a special focus on our organization.

“I’m extremely fortunate to follow in the footsteps of several tremendous Executive Board members,” Zachary said. “I hope to build on their contributions by helping to further drive resources to and awareness of the organization that will enable it to further its impact; invest in the management team to help them achieve their professional goals; and elevate our governance practices along the way.”

Brandon is an Enterprise Account Manager at SHI International Corp., a technology products and services provider. After serving in the Air Force from 1990-1995, Brandon moved to Austin to pursue a career in tech sales.

Brandon first got involved with BBBS via our annual Bowl for Kids event about 20 years ago. As an amateur bowler with a love for fundraising, Brandon has participated in Bowl for Kids since 1999, and later joined the Bowl for Kids Host Committee.

Encouraged to get more involved, Brandon enrolled in our mentoring program. He became a Big Brother to Little Brother Javon, who was 6 years old at the time. Javon is now 18 years old, and the two still get together to hang out.

“As a board member, I’m looking forward to helping drive new initiatives and programs to increase awareness and drive more donations,” Brandon said. “And as always, helping to recruit new Bigs!”

Karen is an Executive Assistant at Kojo, a construction technology company, and a part-time jewelry welder at Love Weld, a permanent jewelry brand company. After graduating from UTSA in 2012, she moved to Austin to start her post-college life. She became a Big Sister in July 2019 and joined Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Big Impact Group in the spring of 2020.

Karen and her Little Sister Syriana were selected as BBBS’ Big/Little Sister Match of the Year for Central Texas and for the state of Texas in 2022.

“Although my Little and I are no longer officially matched, we continue to see each other on a weekly basis,” Karen said. “It’s one of the most important relationships in my life! Since becoming a Big, and now simply a friend, I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without BBBS and Syriana in it!”

“And as a board member, I’m excited about many things, all of which aim to create a deeper connection to the agency and amplify my impact and contribution to the mission of BBBS in a significant way,” Karen said. “I look forward to getting to know the board, learning more about how the agency works, and being a link between my community and this agency for which I care so much!”

Each of our new board members has a unique personal and work background, but they all have a heart for giving back to the community, and especially for kids.

“I look forward to a year of growth and innovation as we work together to serve the children and youth who need us the most in the most comprehensive way possible,” Leah said.

Our Board will continue to champion our mission, bringing new supporters, and strategic partners to the BBBS family.

“As we welcome our newest Board members, we would also like to recognize the dedicated service of our outgoing members – Becky Bonham, April Justice, Evan Spaulding, Lynette Perkins, and Scott Haigler,” Leah said. “They will be missed but their contributions will live on at BBBS and in the community for years to come. Our Board of Directors exemplifies a culture of caring for the generation that will lead our community in the future.”

We are excited to welcome these new members to our Executive Board and we look forward to the special contributions they will make to our work in Central Texas.