Andi McGunnigle

"The culture here is great..."

I had my MBA and had worked in the corporate field, but then decided to stay at home when my kids were little. In 2000 I helped start a charter school where my volunteering phased into part-time consulting work, adding my financial perspective to the running of the school. By 2015 my children were older and I was ready to go back to work. YPTC seemed like a perfect fit with my background as a former CFO and my experience with both consulting and nonprofits. I felt like it was a great fit!

What I like about YPTC is the ability to grow, to work independently, and to take on new challenges as opportunities arise. My latest challenge is starting up the new Houston office. I’m doing everything from finding new clients and staff, networking and meeting people in the community, finding office space, and getting the word out about who we are. In the middle of all that, Hurricane Harvey hit and I had to be more flexible. My work involves project management, interpersonal and organizational skills, a lot of marketing, and it’s all very exciting. My title is manager but I’m a ‘starter.’ My next challenge will be opening our next office.

I would tell someone looking at YPTC that the culture here is great. There’s a lot of respect and collaboration and you’re treated as a professional. A lot of the work is done independently without anyone constantly looking over your shoulder. We let the associates go out and do their thing.