Administration

Leigh Wainer serves as the Director of Administration & Enrollment for The Compass School of Texas. Leigh’s journey in education began at a higher education fashion college in South Africa, where her passion for nurturing learning environments was ignited. With an honors degree in Educational Leadership and Management and over 16 years of experience in the field, Leigh’s dedication to continuously enhance, strategize, and optimize systems within education is fundamental to her success in managing and achieving outcomes. Throughout her career, she was deeply committed to empowering students, educators, and institutions alike, fostering an environment of growth, innovation, and excellence. 

In 2021, Leigh embarked on a new chapter in her life, relocating to Dallas with her husband. While her three children continue their studies in South Africa, they will soon join Leigh and her husband in Dallas, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for their family. As she looks ahead to the future, she remains deeply committed to leveraging her skills, experience, and passion to drive positive change in the field of education.
 

Katherine Jahnke serves as Accountant and Business Manager for The Compass School of Texas. Katherine is a Dallas native with over 12 years of experience in accounting and finance. She received her Master’s Degree in Accounting at Texas A&M University before returning to Dallas to start her career in Audit with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Most recently, Katherine was Director of Accounting at Civitas Capital Group. In this role, she was responsible for leading the fund accounting function, including financial reporting, investor communications, financing and distributions. Throughout her career, Katherine has developed a strong proficiency in financial analysis and ensuring accuracy in financial statements. She is known for her ability to work collaboratively, attention to detail and strong analytical skills. Katherine is an active CPA.

Katherine is a mother of three with a heart for education and supporting growing organizations. She enjoys spending time with her family and is an active member of Grace Church Lake Highlands.

Mara is excited to expand her role with The Compass School of Texas as the Marketing Coordinator. She previously served the school as a Kindergarten educator, working part-time on their social media and graphic design.  Prior to that, she was an associate teacher at Greenhill School, implementing her classroom’s project-based learning initiatives, transforming her classroom multiple times into a life-size learning environment. Most notably, Mara altered the classroom to become an underwater world where students’ learning about the ocean, coral reefs, and wildlife came alive. She graduated with a Bachelor’s in Sociology from California Baptist University and received a Master in Teaching degree from Pepperdine University. Mara grew up in Thousand Oaks, California and moved to Texas in August of 2021. 

 

Sara Murray brings 13 years of dedicated experience as a registered nurse in the emergency department to her role as the school nurse at The Compass School of Texas. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas at Tyler, earned in 2011, and certification as an emergency nurse, Sara is well-equipped to handle a wide range of health needs with expertise and compassion.

Sara is not only a seasoned healthcare professional but also a devoted mother to her two daughters. She shares a strong family bond with her husband and values quality time spent together. Outside of her professional life, Sara enjoys practicing yoga, diving into a good book, tending to her vegetable garden, and caring for her beloved “urban zoo.”

Sara is excited to bring her extensive nursing experience and passion for holistic health to The Compass School of Texas, where she looks forward to supporting the well-being of students and contributing to a positive school environment.
 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Southern Methodist University, Quincy worked in many educational settings, tutoring, teaching, and providing childcare. She served as a weekend dorm mom and affiliate for the residence community at her alma mater, The Hockaday School of Dallas. Following that role, she shifted her focus to marketing, assuming the position of Director of Communications at Young Women’s Preparatory Network. From there, she co-founded a consulting firm centered on enriching the learning experience by providing project management for educational spaces, creating non-profit writing materials, and developing strategic plans. During the pandemic, she left the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom and earned a master’s in creative writing and literature from the Harvard Extension School. She is a Texan anglophile, a world-traveler, a single mother of twins, Lego lover, and an amateur cake decorator.