Meet the Team

Ana Cardenas

Data & Impact Manager

…

Ana joined the SAISD Foundation as a Data Specialist in 2021. As an economically disadvantaged and first-generation college student, she decided to shift careers to help students like herself.  She graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and brings over six years of experience in data analytics.  Quickly adding value to the work of the SAISD Foundation, Ana was promoted to Data and Impact Manager in 2022.

She has lived in the district for the past 5 years, and is excited for her baby girl to one day be an SAISD student. She enjoys exploring parks with her family and discovering new restaurants. 

Judy Geelhoed

Executive Director

…

Hired in 2009 to support a dedicated Board of Directors re-launch the SAISD Foundation and rally private support to increase educational excellence in SAISD schools, Judy has served as its Executive Director since that time.  Judy earned her MEd in Counseling Psychology from James Madison University and an MA in English Literature from St. Mary’s University. Prior to supporting K-12 education, she launched the Service Learning Center at St. Mary’s where she served as Director and adjunct faculty in the Psychology Department for ten years and earned national recognition.  Judy has a background in program development and evaluation as well as fundraising and grant writing.  She has served as an evaluator for TEA funded after-school programs in San Antonio, national and international grant programs, and K-16 service-learning education programs in Texas.  Judy and her husband Mike have called San Antonio home for the past 30 years and their sons (twins) attend UT Austin.

Carrie Smith

Alumni and Community Engagement Manager

···

Carrie Smith joined the SAISD Foundation in 2021 as the Alumni and Community Engagement Manager. A native of San Antonio, Carrie’s roots in SAISD run deep. Her grandparents made the South Side their home in 1942. Her parents graduated from Highlands High School in 1964 and and her great-aunt, taught English at Hot Wells Junior High (now W. B. Connell Middle School) in the 1960s.
 
Carrie says, “education and community have always been a part of me. I graduated from Hardin-Simmons University with a B.S. in Education and always wanted to teach. Life took me in a different direction, and I spent my career working in community management positions. It will be my honor to serve SAISD and the neighborhood schools my parents attended in the heart of the Alamo City.”
 
Carrie is excited to see your faces, to hear your stories and learn when your history in SAISD began! She leads our alumni engagement efforts including the launching in 2022 of the new Alumni Professional Network, our Book Buddies and our Remote Mentor program supporting our newest SAISD alumni.  
 
Carrie, her son and their dog, Marvin, love to go on adventures together including camping, visiting the Texas coast, and bike-riding the many trails in San Antonio.

Stephanie Smith

Office and Scholarships Manager

…

Stephanie Smith

Office and Scholarships Manager

…

Stephanie joined the SAISD Foundation in 2016. She is the first point of contact for the Foundation and is available to assist Monday-Wednesday from 9 am-3 pm. Stephanie supports the foundation with bookkeeping, donor database entry, and donor stewardship. She also manages the 100+ scholarships awarded annually to our newest SAISD Alumni.

 A San Antonio native, Stephanie is a graduate of Trinity University and a former elementary school teacher. Her passions include books, quilting, reading to students in SAISD schools, and her grandson.

Meli Villalvazo-Dick

Development Associate

···

Meli joined the SAISD Foundation in 2017 as an intern in college. After working for a local charter school the past four years, she is back at SAISD Foundation as the newest member of the team. A San Antonio native, Meli lived in the district for almost three years and has a passion for youth and supporting inner city students in their pursuit of academic success.
 
Meli graduated from UTSA with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and enjoys knowing that despite not being in the classroom, she can still make an impact in the world of education.

Meli also serves on the board of a non-profit in Boerne that provides water, medical, and educational aid to the people of Uganda. She also volunteers as their sponsorship program coordinator. 
 

In her free time, Meli enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and being outdoors with her husband, Abram and little boy, AJ.