Austin, TX, Release: November 1, 2019. For Immediate Release
The Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Central Texas is pleased to announce the appointment of Taylor Vogelsang as President effective immediately. Vogelsang previously held the position of Director of Programs of Junior Achievement of Central Texas.
“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Junior Achievement of Central Texas than Taylor Vogelsang,” said Joe Cestari, Junior Achievement of Central Texas’s Board Chair of the Board of Directors and Vice President of Integrated Engineering Services. “Taylor is a proven leader with management skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. Her vision for bringing Junior Achievement to more students is exactly what Junior Achievement of Central Texas needs as the organization enters its next chapter of expanding the reach of JA.”
Taylor first joined Junior Achievement in 2013 in Tampa, Florida. During her time there she was the Programs Manager overseeing multiple counties. In 2016 Taylor was named Junior Achievement’s Rising Star, one of three in the nation. In 2017 Taylor accepted the position of Programs Director in the Junior Achievement of Central Texas office. Her role as a leader in the organization blossomed along with her vision of what Junior Achievement looks like in Central Texas.
“We have connected with so many students, schools and community partners but there is more for us to do,” Taylor said. “The opportunity ahead for Junior Achievement of Central Texas is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring more of our programs to more young people in Central Texas.”
“Having worked with her during this transition, I know that Taylor is the right leader at the right time for Junior Achievement of Central Texas,” said Jen Smith, Vice-Chair of the Junior Achievement of Central Texas Board and Corporate Partner at DLA Piper, “I’ve had the distinct privilege of working with the Junior Achievement of Central Texas staff, and I know their passion and hunger for getting Junior Achievement programs to more young people will only grow stronger under Taylor’s leadership.”
Junior Achievement of Central Texas is a local arm of a global non-profit, Junior Achievement that was Founded in 1919. Junior Achievement is the worldwide leader in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness education that helps young people realize their full potential.
Contact info:
Name: Taylor Vogelsang, President of Junior Achievement of Central Texas
Organization: Junior Achievement of Central Texas
Company URL: www.jacentex.org
Address: 206 E Main St, Round Rock, TX 78664
Phone: 1.512.710.5437
Getting to know Taylor
Where did you go to college? Texas A&M University
Where does your JA story start? My JA story starts at twenty-one. I was fresh out of college and working at Junior Achievement in Tampa. My parents did a great job instilling in me a sense of work ethic and managing my money, but this was the first time I had to balance everything on my own. After my first few months on the job, I took home a worksheet from our 8th grade JA Economics for Success program, sat on my living room floor surrounded by bills and set my first real budget. I may not have been a JA kid, but I am a JA Adult.
What benefits have you seen in the students that you serve? The biggest change I see in our students really is confidence. Yes, they learn about how to build a budget or start a business, but throughout their JA experience, I get to watch students come out of their shell, build self-confidence and really see that they are capable of anything.
What is some advice you would give your high school self? Step out of your comfort zone, you don’t have to know what you are doing, be open to trying new things. If you shy away from things that intimidate you, you will miss out on a lot.
