Veteran educator and equity-driven leader will begin July 14th 

SAN ANTONIO (June 25, 2025) — Following a national search, nonprofit executive and seasoned educational leader Cathy Jones, Ph.D. has been selected as the next CEO of UP Partnership by the organization’s Board of Directors. Jones will assume her role on July 14, bringing with her more than two decades of experience in advancing regional systems leadership, school improvement, community-driven impact and opportunities for young people in education. 

“After a thorough, robust candidate vetting process diligently undertaken by our search committee, Cathy rose as the top candidate due to being a highly respected regional leader and lifelong educator, as well as a champion for transformational partnerships between schools, nonprofits, and public agencies,” said Elaine Mendoza, UP Partnership Chair of the Board. “She brings the right mix of vision, experience, and values to lead UP Partnership into its next chapter.” 

Dr. Jones most recently served as Executive Director of Austin Partners in Education, where she led student-focused tutoring and mentoring initiatives to strengthen college and career readiness. Her career began in the classroom, and she has held roles ranging from elementary teacher and mentor to assistant superintendent in Central Texas school districts. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to student opportunity and sustainable change. 

“I am honored to join UP Partnership at this pivotal time,” said Jones. “I look forward to building relationships with the more than 100 Future Ready institutional partners and the San Antonio community to advance the Future Ready vision and ensure that every young person in Bexar County has the support and opportunity they deserve to thrive.” 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Angelo State University, a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Texas State University, and a doctorate in Educational Administration from The University of Texas at Austin’s Cooperative Superintendency Program. 

The CEO search committee in charge of vetting and selecting the candidate was chaired by UP Partnership Board Secretary Bobby Blount, along with Mendoza; Board Treasurer Tom Moreno of Texas Partners Bank; and board members Christopher Martin of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County; Shari Albright, Ed.D. of the Charles Butt Foundation; Jeff Goldhorn, Ph.D. of Education Services Center Region 20; Sarah Baray, Ph.D. of Pre-K 4 SA; Roland Toscano of East Central ISD; and Simon Salas of Good Samaritan Community Services.  

“We were intentional in our search for a leader who could elevate our bold vision with heart, experience, and a strong collaborative spirit,” said Bobby Blount. “Dr. Jones checks all those boxes and more.”  

Dr. Jones will succeed Emily Calderón Galdeano, Ed.D., who served as UP Partnership’s Interim CEO since October 2024 and will support a seamless transition. Calderón Galdeano will continue to serve as the organization’s Chief Impact and Strategy Officer. 

Jones’s full biography can be found linked here. 

More about UP Partnership: Founded in 2009, UP Partnership’s mission is to ensure all young people in Bexar County are ready for the future. We are a San Antonio-based nonprofit social impact organization that coordinates data, aligns pathways and promotes policy change that can help to unlock the full potential of young people ages 0-24 years in our region. Our mission is ambitious, challenging, and achievable when we organize our efforts across the area. Learn more about UP and the Future Ready Bexar County Plan – a strategic plan to guide shared action, language, goals, metrics, and practices that drive progress – at uppartnership.org. 

More about Future Ready Bexar County:  

In April 2022, UP Partnership launched the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, which currently has more than 100 institutions signed on as official partners. This plan identified pillars that are necessary for improving outcomes among young people in our community – healing, access, voice and systems supports. The Future Ready Bexar County Plan has a collective North Star goal of increasing postsecondary and credential enrollment of Bexar County’s high school graduates from around 50% at the launch of the plan to 70% by 2030. For more information on the Future Ready Bexar County plan, please visit: FutureReadySA.org.