Our Mission

ADEEB BARQAWI - President & CEO

The work of ProUnitas began when Adeeb Barqawi, a 2012 Teach for America Corps Member, became a physics teacher at Kashmere High School in Northeast Houston. During his time in the classroom, Adeeb was a recipient of numerous awards including the Kinder Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award as well as the State of Texas ACP Beginner Teacher of the Year Award.

Prior to Teach for America, Adeeb worked for the pharmaceutical industry. Adeeb holds a master’s degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University as well as a master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University.  Adeeb is an alumnus of the Center for Houston’s Future Fall 2015 Business/Civic Executive Leadership Forum, and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum Class XXXVII.  Adeeb was recognized as one of five people who are most likely to shape Houston’s future by the Houston Chronicle.

In 2017 Adeeb was appointed by the Texas State Board of Education to serve on the new Texas Long Range Plan for Public Education steering committee where he worked alongside exceptional leaders to set a new vision for public education for the State of Texas. Adeeb is currently a board member of Good Reason Houston.

ALBERT WEI - Chief District Success Officer

Albert started his work in education as an undergraduate student at Rice University, and has taught in some of Houston’s most disadvantaged schools. Albert is a recipient of the Salman Khan Commencement Award for Educational Entrepreneurship at Rice University for his work in education domestically and abroad.

After receiving a B.A. in Political Science, he continued teaching through Teach for America as a 2012 Corps Member. Albert earned the Beginning Teacher of the Year distinction for the Houston Independent School District, became social studies department chair, and served as the Director of the College and Career Center at Sharpstown High School.

Albert spent a year in Asia on a Fulbright Fellowship to work with local teachers to deliver robust English curricula and study the ways the East incorporates social-emotional learning in school culture and instruction.

Albert is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum Class LIV and serves as a co-facilitator for American Leadership Forum. He was also selected as a 2023 Houston Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Honoree.

EDITH RAHIMIAN - Chief Product Officer

Edith has served in the field of education for more than thirteen years and has always believed in the power and the impact of partnerships. Prior to her current role, she was the Director for the Center for Parenting and Family Well-Being at Children at Risk. Previously, she served as a Dean of Instruction, Director of Parent and Student Initiatives, a Grade Level Chair and teacher at YES Prep Public Schools. As a classroom teacher, Edith was honored with the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Award. Before joining YES Prep, she was a teacher in HISD in a high-needs community as a Teach For America Corps Member. Edith’s drive for ensuring educational equity for all students, despite family background and zip code, stems from her own personal journey.  She is the daughter of Iranian immigrants and the first one in her family to graduate from college. 

Edith holds a B.S. in Business Administration, a B.A in Political Science from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Non-Profit Administration from the University of Houston-Downtown. Edith’s dedication goes beyond her current role as she is involved in her community as a member of the HISD Resource Allocation Advisory Committee, a member of the Tenant’s Rights Advisory Board and a founding board member of Bloom Academy.  She is committed to ensuring that all students from all communities across Texas have access to great schools and educational programs.

BRANDON BOURQUE - Director of Advancement

Brandon began his career as an event coordinator for the Mayor's Office of Special Events with the City of Houston. Planning civic events for Mayor Annise Parker and other elected officials proved to be an exciting and challenging job. Many civic events required significant fundraising, and Brandon often found himself engaging with the sponsorship team to learn what it took to produce these events. This curiosity eventually led him to become the Manager of Special Events for the Menil Collection, where he spent six years planning and fundraising for an extensive events schedule.

Brandon grew up in Louisiana and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Nicholls State University and is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration from Tulane University. He has a passion for the work and mission of non-profits and connecting them to the philanthropic community in Houston.

CELINA DIAZ - Senior Manager - District Success
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Celina is a ten-year veteran elementary teacher who began teaching in Fort Bend ISD. She went on to teach in some of Dickinson ISD’s most disadvantaged schools where she was named “Teacher of the Year” at Hughes Road Elementary for the 2011-2012 scholastic year. Celina also served as Academic Director at Mission Squash where she pursued her passion of wanting to close the opportunity gap for all students. She then took her leadership back into the classroom to continue inspiring young minds at Houston ISD and served a two-year term as grade level chair at Briargrove Elementary. Celina remains dedicated to putting an end to educational inequity and believes all students should have the opportunity to thrive in the classroom and beyond. 

Celina graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Early Childhood Education, at Texas A&M University and holds a Master of Arts in Sociology and Education with Education Policy Concentration from Teachers College at Columbia University.

JAIME HERRERO - Senior Manager - District Success
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Soon after graduating from law school, Jaime started his career as an attorney at the Bronx Defenders, a nonprofit legal office in the Bronx transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the justice system. Jaime then founded Xmental, a community-based arts organization in Brooklyn, NY. He served as the Director of NeON Arts, a city-wide, community-based grant making program designed to provide young New Yorkers with access to high-quality arts programming and worked as the Chief of Staff at Phipps Neighborhoods, a Bronx-based social service organization and the largest provider of low-income housing in New York City. 

He served on the board of Critical Practices, 21st Projects, and currently serves on the board of Latino Texas PAC. 

Jaime has a BA from Case Western University in Ohio and has a JD from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law School.

LINDSAY MINTON - Senior Manager of District Success
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Lindsay is a veteran educator with a passion for empowering students, teachers, and communities. Prior to joining ProUnitas, she worked at the same Houston ISD campus for over 13 years. To meet the evolving needs of this community, she wore many hats including English teacher, Instructional Specialist, Professional School Counselor, and Student Support Specialist as well as department chair, new teacher mentor, and more. She became interested in nonprofit work through connecting students with resources as head of the student support team.

She has a BA from Rutgers University, an M.Ed. from the University of St. Thomas, and was a 2008 Teach for America corps member.

Lindsay is also an active member of the DIY punk community. Through her work with bands, football, etc. and Overo, she has recorded over a dozen albums and built friendships around the world. In her spare time, she enjoys watching soccer and rehabilitating foster dogs.

STANLEY UMEWENI – Associate Manager of District Success
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Stanley began his career after graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh as an Integration and Test Engineer at an aerospace engineering company. In this role, he became accustomed to the testing and troubleshooting of complex thermal and mechanical testing procedures.

Stanley, an urban public school graduate and a first generation immigrant to the United States, transitioned to the education technology sector to have a more direct impact on people.  

Stanley, in his spare time, likes to try new recipes and restaurants. He also is an avid Philadelphia sports fan, and was lucky enough to celebrate with fellow Philadelphians on Broad Street when the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl.  

MARK CRUTCHFIELD - Principal Delivery Manager
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Mark is outsourced from VRP Consulting and works with ProUnitas on the PurpleSENSE platform.

He has worked in the IT and software industry for more than 20 years, across many different sectors, including nonprofit organizations, with the last 10 years in the roles of Delivery Manager and Programme Manager.

Working alongside Jagdeep Bahia, Mark manages the delivery of the work that ProUnitas have engaged VRP to do. This includes defining a product roadmap for the PurpleSENSE platform and delivering enhancements and features targeted at continuous improvement and engagement on the great work ProUnitas and the districts do with their students.

During his free time, Mark is a keen gymgoer and cook.

ROBIN POWELL, CPA- Accountant

Robin Powell earned her undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of Houston where she met her husband of 33 years and where two of her children have also graduated.

Robin has had a nonprofit accounting practice since 1997 and works with many nonprofit organizations in the Houston area along with volunteer work in her community and at her church. After 20 years in corporate and tax accounting, Robin felt that working with nonprofits was the best way to use her skills to give back to the community which has been her home for over 40 years.