In our next installment of staff profiles, we’re shining the spotlight on our development director Jazmine Leon-Wing. She came to the DDCE last September and we are happy to have her on board! Not only is she an experienced development officer, she is also a shining example of the value of education pipeline programs.

Her road to the Ivy League began when she enrolled in Prep for Prep, an education and leadership development program that places high- performing minority students from under-resourced schools into elite prep or boarding schools.  She later attended Philips Academy, an independent boarding high school, where she worked hard and landed some prestigious internships. After graduation she earned her B.A. in sociology from Yale University and later received her M.B.A from Columbia University.

After college, Jazmine moved to Austin when her husband got accepted into the McCombs School of Business. During her time here in the capital city she worked as the director of finance for KIPP Public Charter Schools, a non-profit organization of college preparatory public charter schools in Austin. She later came to the Forty Acres to lead corporate and foundation relations efforts for the Jackson School of Geosciences.

Now she is spearheading fundraising efforts here in the DDCE. Among her many responsibilities she manages corporate foundation relations, maintains relationships with university donors and creates financial proposals. One of several Frontline Gift Officers, Jazmine and her team manage relationships and continue dialogues with alumni in Texas and across the country. She also leads development efforts for UT Charter Schools, which includes UT Elementary School and 21 others.

It’s safe to say she wears many hats—but she says that’s one of the perks of her job. No day is the same, and she’s putting her people skills to work in meetings, networking functions and big events.

In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, particularly at East Side Yoga. She also finds time to volunteer with Community Austin Yoga, an organization that brings yoga to the recovery community, the prison population, as well as underserved neighborhoods.

Given her passion for helping others—and her impressive career trajectory—it’s clear that Jazmine is a natural fit for the DDCE!