Our dedicated board donates countless hours to TRUE Action's efforts. Thank you to this amazing group of people!
Staci graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2000 with a degree in Psychology. She obtained her teaching certificate the following year and taught first grade, second grade, and special education in low-income schools. She then received a Masters in Library and Information Sciences from Texas Women's University and worked several years as a school librarian. Staci now co-owns a landscaping business in Austin.
Staci believes that every child has the right to learn and deserves a quality education. Her goal is to provide students with a safe and nurturing learning environment where they will be motivated, challenged, empowered, and prepared to be lifelong learners and contributors to society. She sponsored Kalenga, GACS's School Director, throughout his university career and is now dedicated to GACS's success.
Nicole Merritt- Vice President
Nicole Merritt is an attorney in Austin, Texas. She received her J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2009; and her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas. Nicole's practice focuses on the rights of immigrants.
Nicole fundamentally believes that quality education is the only way to change the lives of generations of children born into impoverished societies. She is proud that her work with TRUE Action helps to further this principle.
Mandi Sepulveda- Executive Director
Mandi is a Landscape Designer in Austin, TX. She obtained a BA in International Relations and a Minor in Spanish at the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. During an internship with NATO in Brussels, Belgium, she became interested in gardening and sustainability and decided to continue her education in Landscape Design. Mandi has worked with several schools in the Austin area installing gardens and teaching others about sustainability. She has always believed that all children deserve a quality education and has taken small steps to making that happen with TRUE Action.
Tiffany Ornelas- Member
Tiffany studied Mexican politics at the Universidad a Guadalajara and received her Masters in Public Policy from University of Texas at Dallas. She worked as Field Officer at Peace Brigades International in Indonesia and then for Due Diligence Project assistant at Behringer Harvard. She is currently an International Civilian Peacekeeper helping to prevent genocide in South Sudan for Nonviolent Peaceforce. She has visited GACS and strongly believes in the power of education.
Leila Behjat- Creative Director
Leila is a German licensed architect who moved to Austin in the end of 2012 with her husband and two little girls. She has a strong tie to Zambia and Botswana through her Civil Year and recent design projects. Leila strongly believes in the crucial difference education can make. TRUE Action is a wonderful grassroots platform she was happy to get involved in.
Cori Seyhoon- Executive Secretary
Cori Seyhoon is a Doctor of Chiropractic, Speaker, and Wellness Coach and owner of Clearly Aligned in Austin, TX. She graduated from Columbia University in the City of New York in 2002 with a B.A. in Political Science. Her experience as a collegiate athlete (Varsity Women's Soccer) and passion for peak performance training led her to a brief career in the NFL where she was introduced to the benefits of chiropractic. She then pursued her doctorate at Texas Chiropractic College and graduated cum laude in 2008 and completed a diplomate program as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician in 2010.
Cori believes in the oneness of mankind and our innate responsibility to educate children for the betterment of society. She feels that TRUE Action is making a profound impact in the lives of many children and hopes that many more will improve through our concerted efforts to
Mackenzie Gandomi- Fundraising Director and School Liaison
Mackenzie's interest in education as a transformative measure to build a more advanced society led her to work at the U.S. Department of State at the bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in Washington D.C., and as a paralegal at the Tahirih Justice Center where she helped women and girls flee gender-based violence. She holds a B.A. in both Latin American Studies and Government from the University of Texas at Austin, and will earn her certificate in elementary bilingual education at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.