SPRINGSPIRIT
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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

  • Our Team

  • Our Community

  • Our Board

  • Our Partners

  • Our Core Values

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  • Our Story

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    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

    Kenny Baldwin
    President/Founder
    Rachel Owens
    (Chief Operating Officer)
    Jeanne Grube
    (Controller)
    Yesenia Merchan
    (​
    Operations)
    Brian Dennison
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    Pitner Campus Director
    Juan Ramirez
    Assistant Director at Pitner Campus
    Ana Mendoza 
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    Campbell Campus Director
    Marc Laney
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    Senior Director of Development 
    Kakki Lange
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    Development Manager

    Jay Davis
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    Corporate Development 

    Pitner Campus Team

    Juan Ramirez 
    Assistant Director a Pitner Campus
    Katie Whalley
    Development Coordinator
    Laura Smith 
    Director of Education
    Susan Hall
    Education Manager for Pitner Campus



    ​​Carin Thorn
    Education coordinator/Early Literacy
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    Connally Mooring 
    Mentoring and Literacy Coordintor 
    Blanca Gallegos 
    Whole Child Program
    Kevin Witt
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    Athletic Director
    Gabriel Castillo
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    Competative Baseball Coach 

    Michael Kidd
    Recreational Sports Coordinator/ Youth Ministry 

    Campbell Campus Team

    Ana Mendoza 
    Campbell Campus Director 
    Sergio Razo 
    Recreational Sports Manager for Campbell Campus
    Adrian Lucero
    Recreational Sports Coordinator
    Elmer Villa
    ​Competitive Soccer Coordinator 

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    ​Lizandro Salaza
    r
    Competitive Soccer Coordinator 


    Said Perez 
    ​Adult 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.
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  • Our Board

    Carlos Abello
    ​​Mike Gilbert
    ​Mark McAdams
    Steve Scott
    Kenny Baldwin
    Jay Graham 
    Brooks McGee
    Aimee Snoots 
    Melissa Baldwin
    ​Mark Hamilton
    ​Stephen McNair
    Richard Spitzer
    ​Lance Berkman
    ​Bill Herman
    Philip McRae
    Steve Stephens
    Ryan Bishop 
    ​Doug Hodo
    ​John Meredith
    Trey Strake
    Keith Booke
    Howard House
    ​Jeff Miers
    Drew Taggert 
    David Buck 
    ​Eric Hudson
    ​David Milich
    Leslie Teel
    Steve Buckley
    Will Huthnance
    ​David Miller
    Ken Theut
    Linda Castaneda
    Sean Keenan 
    ​Michelle Mouton
    Brian Thompson 
    David Cecil
    Steve Kim
    ​Mary Tere Peresquia
    Beth Tilney
    Gus Comiskey 
    Duncan Klussmann
    Tony Pilegge
    Marlen Trujillo
    Jeff Dietert
    Peggy Kostial 
    ​David Pluchinsky
    ​​Tim Tully
    Bill Dor'e
    Bob Kurtz
    Jon Prather
    Jesse Tutor 
    Gary Edwards 
    Dan Lang
    ​Paul Primavera
    Luke Vammen
    Christina Feder
    Mark Lange
    Luis Rojas 
    Trey Vick
  • Our Founding Partners

    • Founding Partners

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

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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
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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 !
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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.
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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.

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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.
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Connally Mooring
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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. 
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Michael Kidd
Hometown: Brownsville, Texas
Nickname: Kidd 
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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!
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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 
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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.
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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


Email: ​​rachel.owens@springspirit.org
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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!

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Lizandro Salazar
Houston Restaurant Rec: Tiny Boxwood's
Dream Vacation: Venice, Monaco, Greece
Things I love: soccer, futgolf, kayaking, cycling
Favorite Quote: Truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.
Why I Love SSB: I love the staff!