Meet Our Staff

John joined EFS in January 2012. Former President of a major subsidiary of Transamerica Corporation, he brings exceptional skills in business, strategy and management to Educational First Steps. For the last ten years, John served as an educator, enlightening young minds in the areas of science and technology at the Lamplighter School. John received his Bachelor of Science degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his Master of  Business Administration degree from Stanford University and its Public Management program. After years in the business world, John’s young children inspired him to change careers and he became a teacher at Lamplighter. During the decade he spent at Lamplighter, John grew in his passion for the education of young children. The Executive Director position at Educational First Steps provides him with an opportunity to apply both his business and education experience and skills for the betterment of young children.

Linda Bardales  •  email
Education Director

Linda Bardales serves as the Education Director for EFS. She supervises the Education Trainers and also conducts trainings in English and Spanish. She is the Site Coordinator for the ''Touchpoints'' team at EFS. Linda also manages the college scholarships and the on-line CDA trainings for our teachers. Linda is a Master Trainer on the Texas Trainer Registry.

James L. Richardson, Jr. •  email
Development Director

James L. Richardson, Jr. became Development Director in July 2011. Jim is a founding member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – Dallas Chapter. He was National Fund Raising Director for the United States Olympic Committee and most recently with the SPCA of Texas and Texas Voice Project for Parkinson Disease.

Shannon Hendricks  •  email
Program Director

Shannon brings more than 15 years of experience in early childhood education to EFS. She has a B.S. in Education with an emphasis on early childhood development. Shannon oversees the Program Specialists and maintains relationships with EFS assisted centers and community agencies. She has worked as an educator, facilitator and field trainer.

Kym Shaw  •  email
Tarrant County Director

Kym spent many years as a Program Specialist for EFS and was promoted to Tarrant County Director in the spring of 2010. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Management and an Associate's Degree in Child Development. Kym has more than 20 years experience in child care working as a teacher, an assistant director and director of childcare centers and also an after school coordinator.

Donna Bush  •  email
Director of Finance and Human Resources

Donna started working part-time for EFS in June as our bookkeeper. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a degree in Finance. She moved to Dallas in 1985 and worked for nine years as a National Bank Examiner for The Comptroller of the Currency. Since 2000, she has performed accounting functions at her husband’s law firm. They have four children and two black labs. “It’s chaos, but fun chaos,” comments Donna.

PROGRAM DEPARTMENT

Samantha Moya  •  email
Program Manager

Kathy Calderon •  email
Program Manager

Maria Banda  •  email
Program Specialist

Dawn Bills  •  email
Program Specialist

Christie DeWeerd  •  email
Program Specialist

Gustavo Monsante  •  email
Development Officer

Darla Robinson •  email
Program Specialist

Amber Anthony •  email
Program Specialist

LaWanda Rather • email
Program Specialist

Valeria Price •  email
Tarrant County Program Specialist/Trainer

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Charlotte Mims  •  email
Education Trainer

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Abby Perry  •  email
Executive Assistant

Karla White •  email
Development/IT Coordinator