Board of Trustees

The El Buen Pastor Early Childhood Development Center is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 and is governed by a Board of Trustees. Board of Trustee members are elected to provide their expertise, insight and passion for the Center. They are charged with the responsibility of making sure that El Buen Pastor ECDC is following its mission and making sure that we provide the best possible care for our families. Board members are past students and parents, current parents, and supporters. They are a dedicated group of people who volunteer to take on this role. We appreciate the time and effort that they give to the Center to ensure that we are a quality program.

Meet our Board of Trustee Members

Norma Romero

Chairperson

Linda Lyra

Vice Chair

My name is Norma and I am an insurance underwriter. I have been serving on the board for over 17 years and been Chairperson of The Board of Trustees for 12 years. I believe that the children are our future and that every child deserves a good foundation of education. I serve on the board to not only ensure that the children in our Center have quality care and education, but to use my knowledge in the community as well. I have become and advocate for improvements to early childhood care in the community using The Center as an example of accredited centers serving a wide range of families, including low income.

When I was a young mother, The Center was there to help me with their generosity and warmth as I was looking for emergency child care for my daughter. Through that one act of kindness, a relationship was formed and led me to dedicating myself to helping people find child care that is afforable and that they can trust.

Dalila Gonzalez

Secretary

Nery Gonzalez Jr.

Voting Member

Alejandrina Valdez

Voting Member

Hello! My name is Alejandrina and I am a Special Education Educator. I have a Master’s of Arts in Counseling and have been serving on the El Buen Pastor ECDC board since 1998. As a young child, I witnessed my Dad volunteering with EBP ECDC and giving back to the community. I wanted to continue his legacy of volunteerism by dedicating my time to the same organization that he held so close to his heart. I hope that my passion to give back and create social justice can be passed down to my son so that one day he will have a legacy of social and emotional awareness embodied in the art of serving our community.

Laura Candelas

Voting Member

My name is Laura and I have a Master’s of Arts in Social Work and currently work as a social worker. I have been serving on the Board of Trustees for about 15 years and look forward to continuing my service. My children were enrolled at El Buen Pastor ECDC from the ages of 1-4. It was easy to see how much they loved their teachers, the nutritious meals, and their classroom friends. At that time I decided to volunteer as a board member. The Center is such as special place that provides quality childcare for the Austin Community that years later I still continue to serve.

Ana Lyra

Voting Member

My name is Ana and I have served on the board for 6 and half years. As an alumni of The Center, I learned firsthand the quality of education that is provided here. Due to the excellent care and program here I was able to read at the age of 4 and set the foundation for the rest of my educational career. I was able to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas and currently work as an engineering technician. Because of my experience of being an alumni, I see the importance that quality early childhood education played in my life and want to be able to help give others that same opportunity. I enrolled my own two children in the Center and I couldn’t be happier with their social, emotional, and cognitive capacities they acquired from their time at the Center.

Alexandra Romero

Voting Member

I have been on the Board of Trustees since 2009. I love the Center’s dedication to education and creating a stimulating environment for their children. I worked part of my way through college as a preschool teacher and developed a new respect for what teachers, especially early childhood teachers, go through. While teaching wasn’t my calling, I work closely with educating the community of the importance of early childhood education.

I’m excited to see what kind of doors our NAEYC accreditation can open for us. We have been around for a long time, but we are always evolving to fit the needs of our families. Don't be afraid to contact us! We are here to help.

Raul A. Gonzalez

Voting Member