Our Mission.

SpringSpirit exists to provide pathways for youth to realize life opportunities through sports, education, and mentoring programs based on Christian principles.

  • Our Story

    Melissa and Kenny Baldwin
    Co-Founders and President
    The foundation of SpringSpirit began several decades ago in San Antonio as Kenny Baldwin, President and Founder, grew up and played baseball in a neighborhood much like the one SpringSpirit serves today. He was given the opportunity to attend Rice University on a baseball scholarship and then played professional baseball before spending twenty-eight years as a successful consultant in the oil and gas industry. Kenny credits his success to strong coaches, great teachers,  loving mentors, and faith leaders who encouraged him throughout his life. It is his greatest desire to create these same opportunities and relationships for other under-served youth through SpringSpirit Baseball.

  • Our Team

    Administration

    Jeanne Grube
    Accounting
    ​Yesenia Merchan
    Operations
    Juan Ramirez
    Administration/ Community Engagement
    Rachel Owens
    Chief Operating Officer
    Laura Smith
    ​    Pitner Campus Director
    Johnnie McCrory
    Assistant to Kenny Baldwin

    Development

    Alison Young
    Development
    Marc Laney
    Senior Director of Development 
    Kakki Lange
    Development Manager
    Katie Whalley
    Development Coordinator  
    Jay Davis
    Corporate Development

    Competitive Sports

    Education & Mentoring

    Connally Mooring 
    Mentoring and Literacy Coordinator 

    Brian Dennison
    Director of Special Projects and Education
    Blanca Gallegos
    Whole Child Program
    Carin Thorn
    Education

    Community Engagement & Rec Sports

    ​Sergio Razo
    Community Engagement/Rec Sports
    ​Michael Kidd
    ​    Community Engagement/ Rec Sports
    Juan Ramirez
    Community Engagement/Rec Sports 
    ​Ana Mendoza
    Community Engagement/ Rec Sports

    Ministry

    Michael Kidd 
    Youth Ministry 
    Said Perez
    Adult Ministry 
    Sophie White
    Youth Ministry

  • Our Community

    Spring Branch is a vibrant, growing and dynamic part of Houston. Among the local churches, schools, businesses, non-profits and mix of residents there exist many interested stakeholders that are working to see the community grow and thrive. There is a level of passion and commitment shared for the overall development of Spring Branch. The 1970’s marked a significant change in Spring Branch with the building of apartment complexes. During the 1980’s the City of Houston sought to build public housing in the area and was opposed by concerned homeowners and civic leaders. During that same decade, Houston’s economy declined rapidly and area apartments were vacated to families looking for inexpensive housing. The change in occupants is significant because it changed both the demographic and socio-economic status in the region. Beginning in 1980 to recent times, U.S. Census figures show a rapid and growing increase in the number of Latin American immigration to the community. The clear characteristics, noted both in the past and present, is the abundance of inexpensive multi-family housing and the excellent education provided by SBISD.

  • Our Board

    Carlos Abello
    ​Jay Graham
    ​Mark McAdams
    ​Steve Scott
    Kenny Baldwin
    Ira Green
    Brooks McGee
    Aimee Snoots
    Melissa Baldwin
    ​Mark Hamilton
    ​Stephen McNair
    Laura Sorrell
    ​Lance Berkman
    ​Bill Herman
    Philip McRae
    Richard Spitzer
    Keith Booke
    ​Doug Hodo
    ​John Meredith
    Steve Stephens
    David Buck
    Howard House
    ​Jeff Miers
    Trey Strake
    Steve Buckley
    ​Eric Hudson
    ​David Milich
    Keith Stubbs
    Linda Castaneda
    Will Huthnance
    ​David Miller
    ​Ken Theut
    ​David Cecil
    ​Steve Kim
    ​Michelle Mouton
    ​Brian Thompson
    Gus Comiskey
    ​Duncan Klussmann
    ​Mary Tere Peresquia
    ​Beth Tilney
    Jeff Dietert
    ​Peggy Kostial
    Tony Pilegge
    ​Tim Tully
    Bill Dore
    Bob Kurtz
    ​David Pluchinsky
    ​​Jesse Tutor
    Gary Edwards
    ​Dan Lang
    Jon Prather
    Luke Vammen
    Cristina Feder
    ​Mark Lange
    ​Paul Primavera
    ​Trey Vick​​​
    ​Chris Ferazzi
    David Light
    ​Luis Rojas
     
    Ed Fikse
    Tommy Mann
    ​Michael D. Rudin
     
    ​Terrence Gee
    ​Jason Martinez
    Reid Ryan
     
    Mike Gilbert
    Baker McAdams
    ​Steve Schwarzbach
     

  • Our Founding Partners

    • The Stoller Foundation strives to be HIS witness “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

  • Our Core Values

    • Teamwork: We rely on the talent and experience of every member of our staff to meet our mission goals.  We will work as one team to achieve our common and individual goals.  We will communicate openly, share ideas and support each other.
    • Respect for the Individual: We strive to create a workplace where employees learn from others and each person’s unique skills, gifts and experience are recognized.  We will demonstrate grace, compassion and patience with colleagues, volunteers and participants.
    • Integrity: We believe that trust is built on honesty and ensuring that our behaviors match our words.   We will act ethically, legally and according to our Christian principles in all situations.
    • Focus on the Family and Community:  We are committed to improving the lives of the families and youth of Spring Branch.  We will serve them willingly and with humility.  We will listen to the community in order to understand the specific ways in which we can help and we will deliver quality programming. 
    • Perseverance: We will be consistent and dedicated in our mission.  We will serve with a positive attitude and remain focused when we encounter obstacles.
    • Operational Excellence: We are committed to building a team of competent, caring individuals who will represent the values of SpringSpirit.  
Jeanne Grube
Hometown: League City, TX
Hobbies: Photography, and Puzzles
Dream Vacation: Anywhere with a beach
Houston Restaurant Rec: ​Ginger and Fork
Favorite Sports: Houston Astros 
Favorite Athlete: Jose Altuve 
Favorite Music: Country Music or anything by Kenny Chesney
Why I Love SSB: Using sports as a way to bring mentorship and ministry to the kids, as well as bringing the community together.  
Jay Davis
Hometown: Shreveport, Louisana
Hobbies: Golfing, and boating 
Dream Vacation: Greece 
Favorite Sports Team: LSU Tigers
Favorite Athlete: Joe Burrow
Favorite Music: Country 
​Why I love SSB: ​The families
Laura Smith
Hometown: Houston, TX
Hobbies: cooking, gardening, going to concerts, yoga, and traveling.
Favorite sports teams:  Longhorns and Astros.
Favorite Athlete: Serena Williams 
Favorite Music: Americana
Houston Restaurant Rec Good Company Seafood
Dream Vacation: Hawaii
Why I Love SSB: It is a place full of hope and promise !
Ana Mendoza
Hometown: Monterrey, Mexico
Dream Vacation: Italia
​Favorite Music: ​Likes All Music
Things I love: chips and salsa, Playing Mexican Lotto
Houston Restaurant Rec: Flora, North Italia, Caracol and many others.
Why I Love SSB: I love our mission to transform lives.
Alison Young
Hometown: Houston
Hobbies: CrossFit, gardening, cycling, baking/cake decorating, hiking, reading
Favorite Quote: "Everything will be all right in the end. If it is not all right, it is not yet the end." --Patel, Hotel Manager, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Why I Love SSB: It is spiritually and emotionally fulfilling to see that, every single day, we are making a real and profound impact on kids' lives.
Blanca Gallegos
Houston Restaurant Rec: Del Friscos
Favorite Athlete: Michael Jordan
Things I love: flipping homes, running, cycling, cooking, event planning, gardening, traveling
Favorite Quote: Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world.
Why I Love SSB: I love collaboration to uplift the community in a holistic way.
Connally Mooring
​Nickname: Conn
​Hometown: Houston, TX 
Houston Restaurant Rec: Island Grill
Favorite Sports Team: Dallas Cowboys or UT Football
Things I love: cooking, tennis, walks with friends, reading 
Dream Vacation: Australia 
Favorite Music: Whatever music is on the radio. 
Why I Love SSB: How motivated the entire staff is towards a common goal. 
Michael Kidd
Hometown: Brownsville, Texas
Nickname: Kidd 
​Things I love: playing/watching baseball, swimming, playing chess, traveling, and the Lord.
Dream Vacation: Rome, Italy or Varadero, Cuba
Favorite Music: Contemporary Christian, Christian Rap, Today's Top Hits
Favorite Sports Team: St Louis Cardinals, and Rice Owls
Houston Restaurant Rec: Chuy's or the original Carrabba's
Why I Love SSB: The freedom to live out our faith and serve our community through the life-changing pillars of sports, education, and ministry!
Sophie White
​​​Hometown: Houston, TX
Things I love: Reading, trying new coffee shops with friends, and going to sporting events. 
Houston Restaurant Rec: Tacos Dona Lena
Dream Vacation: Cancun 
Favorite Teams: Houston Rockets 
Why I Love SSB:  I love the community. The people we get to interact with is my favorite thing about working at SpringSpirit.
Johnnie McCrory
Hometown: Meridian, MS
Nickname: J
Dream Vacation: Europe 
Things I love: Crafts
Houston Restaurant Rec: Dario's 
Favorite Sports Team: Astros
Favorite Athlete: Altuve 
Favorite Music: Country
Why I Love SSB: The people 
Yesenia Herera-Merchan
Nickname: Yessie
Hometown: Houston, TX
Things I love: Trying new/ different food, Word games/ puzzles and watching my kids play ball. 
Dream Vacation: Turks and Caicos
Favorite Sports teams: NY Mets, Houston Astros, NY Giants, Houston Texans. 
Favorite Athlete: Jocelyn Alo, Jose Altuve, David Wright
Favorite Music: All types of music
Why I love SBB: It gives young athletes a platform and the motivation to strive to go to college or bettering themselves by acknowledging God first.
Rachel Owens
Hometown: All over! (military)
Houston Restaurant Rec: Good Company Cantina
Dream Vacation: Anywhere in the mountains.
Things I love: reading, and pilates 
Why I Love SSB: I The opportunity to make a difference in a child's life
Juan Ramirez
Favorite Athlete:  Ronaldo "Fenomeno" Nazario
Things I love: soccer
Dream Vacation: Switzerland
Favorite Quote: Motivation is what gets you started. Habits are what keeps you going.
My Mt. Rushmore: Mom, Dad, Andres Bautista (mentor), and my wife
Why I Love SSB: I love working with our kids!