Corporate Staff
Email: richard.rickey@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Richard N. Rickey, Founder & CEO
Mr. Rickey is the founder of Orenda Education. Early in his career he was the Director of Education and then Executive Director for a community health foundation that developed and provided health promotion curriculum and programs to numerous schools in Central Oklahoma. He later went into the health care field and served as a hospital Chief Executive Officer with Hospital Corporation of America and Behavioral Healthcare Corporation, a physician practice management company owner and most recently as a multi-facility healthcare executive overseeing hospitals and clinics in multiple states.
Mr. Rickey received a Master of Public Health degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of Oklahoma. He also received a Master of Arts degree from Southern Nazarene University and a B.A. from Eastern Nazarene College. Mr. Rickey recently served on the Board of Trustees for the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems and is a former board member of the National Association for Children's Behavioral Health.
Richard comes from a family of teachers and is involved with the Texas Charter School Association, the National Fatherhood Initiative, the Salvation Army and the American Heart Association. He has also coached youth basketball and baseball teams. He is the proud father of a daughter and a son.
Email: carla.silber@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Carla Silber, Superintendent/Chief Operating Officer
Before coming to Orenda, Carla served as Assistant Executive Director at the Not Your Ordinary School (NYOS), a charter school in Austin. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and earned her master’s degree in educational administration from Concordia University in Austin.
Her career path in public education has included six years in the classroom as a middle school and high school science teacher and five years in administration as Secondary Assistant Principal and Interim Executive Director at NYOS.
Carla handles the duties and responsibilities that include campus operations and academic results, along with oversight of the departments of special education, registration, testing and textbooks, among others. Reporting to Carla are the five Orenda campus Principals, Director of Special Education, and District PEIMS Coordinator.
She is married with two children and lives in Round Rock.
Email: margina.escobar@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Margina Escobar, Chief Financial Officer
Margina has more than 20 years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining Orenda in 2009, she worked for Round Rock ISD in the Secondary Education Department managing budgets and working closely with campus administrators & central office personnel to support the district’s secondary campuses. Mrs. Escobar also worked for JP Morgan Chase as a Compliance Specialist & Lead Teller assisting commercial clients, helping with employee audits, risk management, and policy & procedure training.
Mrs. Escobar received a Master of Public Administration degree from Texas State University and a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. In her role as CFO, Margina oversees all district financial & accounting matters including accounts payable & receivables, budget, debt service management, financial reporting, payroll processing, fiscal policies, and more.
Margina and her husband, Milton, reside in Round Rock and have two sons. They are actively involved with their church, House of Power Outreach, where Mrs. Escobar serves as Financial Director and Board Member.
Email: shelley.williams@orendaeducation.org
Shelley Williams, Director of Operations
No stranger to Orenda Education, Shelley Williams joined the district team as Director of Operations in 2023. Most recently, Shelley spent nine years as principal at New Horizons School. She has more than a decade of experience in the classroom, teaching a variety of subjects with Goldthwaite CISD. As Director of Operations, Shelley’s areas of responsibility includes district safety, health programs, facilities, and policy management.
Shelley has earned both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Tarleton State University and she is currently working on her superintendent certification. Shelley and her husband, Jason, have four children and a first grandson on the way. In her free time, Shelley enjoys theatre productions and binge-watching television.
Email: teresa.moreno@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Teresa Moreno, Director of Human Resources
Mrs. Teresa Moreno has 20 years of experience in various human resource functions including training & development, benefits administration, worker's compensation, employee relations, and recruiting. Terry has worked in the industries of banking, manufacturing, and most recently health care with Scott & White Healthcare System.
Teresa has her Professional Human Resource Certification (PHR) and is a member of the National Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), Austin Human Resources Management Association (AHRMA), and Williamson County Human Resources Management Association (WCHRMA).
Teresa is married and has two children. They reside in Round Rock, TX.
Email: misty.granderson@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Misty Granderson, Director of Special Education
Misty Granderson has been in education and with Orenda Charter Schools for more than 14 years. She has served many roles with Orenda including Teacher, Educational Diagnostician, and Campus Testing Coordinator. She has taught all grade levels within General Education as well as Special Education.
Mrs. Granderson received her Bachelor’s Degree, Educational Diagnostician Certification, Principals Certification, and her Masters of Education from Tarleton State University. Before beginning her role in education, she served as an Assistant Program Director for a Residential Treatment Facility where she worked with young people in crisis.
Misty and her husband, Quincy, reside in Temple. Both have volunteered and been active in many different youth organizations over the years. They have 3 children, one who is currently a student at Gateway College Prep.
Email: jessica.shugars@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Jessica Shugars, Director of Academic Programs
Jessica Shugars joined Orenda in August 2024 as Director of Academic Programs.
A graduate of Point Park University in Pittsburg, Jessica most recently served as a District Coordinator of Assessment and Data Management for a local ISD. She has experience in public education as a classroom teacher, leader and administrator. Jessica earned her master’s degree from Concordia University in Oregon and she is completing her doctoral program in Higher Education/Leadership with Northcentral University. When she is not corralling two toddlers, Jessica enjoys tennis, arts and crafts and baking.
Email: adam.price@orendaeducation.org
Phone: 512-869-3020
Adam Price, Director of Community Relations & Development
Adam Price is our Director of Community Relations and Development. He fosters key relationships within the organization’s stakeholders, leads Orenda’s communication initiatives, and drives engagement with local partners and civic organizations.
Adam started his career in non-broadcast video production before moving to local television news. He has nearly 15 years in healthcare media relations, marketing, and communications experience. More recently, he spent five years as Regional Director for the Better Business Bureau. Adam graduated from Texas A&M University – Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in communications. He has volunteered with many organizations, serving on boards including The Salvation Army of Bell County, Waco Crime Stoppers and The Greater Hewitt Chamber of Commerce. Adam and his wife have five children, one of whom is a Texas charter school graduate.
Phone: 512-869-3020
Albert Rodriguez, Director of Information Technology
Mr. Rodriguez began his career while still enrolled as a high school student in the Brownsville Independent School District. Soon after graduation, he was employed full-time as a Micro Computer Specialist and later as Network Administrator for the Brownsville ISD, a position he held for 12 years prior to coming to Orenda Education. During his tenure in the Texas Valley, he oversaw the technology network for 59 schools.
At Orenda, he supports and oversees all new technology and data communication services associated with all five school district campuses.
Support Staff
Tonya Lambert, Executive Assistant tonya.lambert@orendaeducation.org
Susie Hubnik, Finance Coordinator
susie.hubnik@orendaeducation.org
Chase Rickey, Accounting Specialist chase.rickey@orendaeducation.org
Laura Bizzaro, Accounting Specialist laura.bizzaro@orendaeducation.org
Hallie Coombs, HR/Payroll Specialist hallie.coombs@orendaeducation.org
Marta Perez-Guerra, HR & Recruiting Specialist marta.perez-guerra@orendaeducation.org
Leo Garza, IT Manager
Heather Darilek, PEIMS Coordinator heather.darilek@orendaeducation.org