SA Life Academy Announces New Leadership Team
On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are thrilled to announce two key leadership appointments that will guide SA Life Academy (SALA) into its next phase of growth and impact:
Samantha Pety as Executive Director/Head of School and Ellen Shoemaker as Executive Director/Development & Administration.
Samantha and Ellen demonstrated exceptional leadership while co-leading the organization during Founder Cindy Boynton's courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Both leaders are deeply committed to honoring her legacy and the invaluable lessons she imparted, which remain at the heart of their leadership vision.
As SALA’s founding teacher, Samantha has been instrumental in developing and scaling the program over the past 7 years, growing enrollment from 22 to 143 students, with plans to continue future growth. Throughout her tenure, she has progressed from Lead Teacher to Program Director to Chief Operating Officer, overseeing curriculum development, leading teaching staff, managing the admissions process, and enhancing programming to meet students' evolving needs. Samantha has also overseen key program expansion initiatives including the launch of the career development, and culinary programs. A certified special education teacher, Samantha holds a Bachelor's degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Special Education from Texas Tech University and brings previous experience teaching in public school. As the Executive Director/Head of School, Samantha remains committed to building a program that provides our students with meaningful and purposeful opportunities to be active throughout the San Antonio community, promoting independence and real-world skill development.
"I am honored to continue to carry forward Cindy's vision. As we grow, we will continue to innovate and expand our programs while maintaining the excellent quality that defines SA Life Academy," says Pety.
Ellen joined SALA in 2018 as a part-time consultant. In this role, she created foundational grant language, authored the quarterly newsletter, implemented a system to effectively track program outcomes and significantly grew the donor base through strategic development. In 2022, Ellen joined the organization full-time as the Associate Director. In this capacity, she oversaw the annual gala, authored internal policies, constructed the operating budget, raised significant funding, and managed board relations. In 2023, she was promoted to Chief Development Officer, with a key focus on achieving fundraising goals to accommodate the organization’s growth. Her diligent efforts have equipped the organization with the resources to expand and serve more adults with IDD. Ellen holds a Master’s Degree in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University and has prior leadership experience in public policy positions including as a Lead Intelligence Analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency. In her role as Executive Director/Development and Administration, Ellen remains steadfast in her commitment to advancing support for SALA’s critical mission.
"I am thrilled to work in partnership with Samantha to drive organizational growth while ensuring long-term sustainability," says Shoemaker.
Together, Samantha and Ellen bring complementary strengths that will enhance SALA’s ability to serve our students and community. Their combined experience in education, administration, and development positions our organization for continued success, all while honoring Cindy’s legacy and the invaluable lessons she shared with us all.
Please join the Board of Directors in congratulating Samantha and Ellen as they lead SALA forward.
SAMANTHA PETY
Executive Director/Head of School
ELLEN SHOEMAKER
Executive Director/Development & Administration
