Patty Leyendecker
Young Women’s Preparatory Network, which is based in East Dallas at 2804 Swiss, has brought on a fresh face for fundraising. Veteran fundraiser, businesswoman and community leader Patty Leyendecker has been hired as the Chief Development Officer.
Young Women’s Prep (YWPN) provides funding and resources to seven all-girls’ public schools in Texas, in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio.
Leyendecker previously worked in the financial services industry, running statewide marketing campaigns for Bank One, and she had her own consulting firm managing lines of business for financial services companies.
She left the for-profit world after a family illness and took on leadership roles in several non-profit organizations, such as the Junior League of Dallas, Genesis Women’s Shelter, Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center Board and Foundation, Visiting Nurse Association, Child Care Group, The Crystal Charity Ball, The Hockaday School and Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.
YWPN features a STEM-focused curriculum and is largely attended by disadvantaged students who are second-generation immigrants. The programs also focus on leadership development, college readiness and wellness life skills.
In 2014, all of the network schools that have been open long enough to have a senior class—146 young women—graduated 100% of their students, who earned a collective $15.8 million in scholarships. Each student was accepted into a four-year college or university. More information can be found on the website.
