Dear Flamboyan Community,
A New Year inspires many of us to set goals, make resolutions or commit to lifestyle changes. As the fast pace of the holiday season gives way to the anticipation of fresh beginnings, it is a time when I’m reminded of the many things for which I am grateful. It is in that spirit of gratitude that I write to you today to announce leadership changes on the horizon at Flamboyan in 2026.
After 10 years at the Flamboyan Foundation, Marci Young is stepping down as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective July 1, 2026. Please read Marci’s full letter to the Flamboyan Community here. Marci is an impeccable leader whose institutional knowledge, passion for social impact, and expertise in education are invaluable to Flamboyan. Under Marci’s leadership, the teams in both Washington, DC and Puerto Rico have had measurable impacts on students, educators, and communities. For all these reasons, I could not be more excited that Marci has agreed to transition to a consultative role at Flamboyan. Marci will lead special projects under my direction and provide mentorship and coaching to members of our senior leadership team. This is an opportune moment for Marci to assume an advisory role at Flamboyan as we prepare to tackle the work ahead of us in our new five-year strategic plan which will launch on July 1, 2026.
I’m thrilled to announce that Emily Garcia has been appointed Flamboyan’s new COO. Most of you know Emily as the current Executive Director of our Washington, DC office. Because of Emily’s deep knowledge of family engagement, she will continue to oversee programmatic work in the Washington, DC office and remain a key spokesperson for REAL family engagement. As COO, Emily will assume responsibility for operational and financial systems, strategic planning, culture stewardship, and talent management for both the Washington, DC and Puerto Rico regional offices. Emily is a natural successor to lead the charge of aligning team members, our board, and key partners around a shared vision. Emily will officially assume her role effective July 1, 2026. I am confident that our team will continue to remain stable and strong with our long-time PR Executive Director, Carlos Rodriguez, continuing in his role and the entire senior leadership team working together to create the conditions for our team members to achieve our ambitious goals.
You can expect to hear more from me in the days and weeks ahead as we continue to catalyze transformational change in Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and across the country. Please join me in congratulating Emily and wishing Marci well on this next chapter of her life.
In partnership,
Kristin Ehrgood
CEO + Board Chair, Flamboyan Foundation