Her Story
About Christy
Christy Strawn is the Director at Pillars Christian Learning Center in Cibolo, Texas. She has spent 30 years in early childhood education, beginning her journey after aspiring to teach as a child and later opening her own center in her home. Strawn oversees approximately 30 team members and 230 students at the four-star nationally accredited facility, which she has kept deficiency-free with state licensing standards for three years. Her typical day starts at 5:30 a.m. to prepare for families, many from the local military community, and often extends to 10 to 13 hours as she wears multiple hats including counselor, chaplain, and cook. She holds a Director's License and a Child Development Associates Certificate, and she stresses the importance of integrity, expecting her team to follow high standards while coaching young staff. Strawn finds the work rewarding through the lasting impact on families, as evidenced by former students returning with their own children, and she advises aspiring professionals to embrace continuous learning and openness to change. She also coordinates the center's quarterly philanthropy, recently directing efforts toward a nearby animal shelter.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Christy
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I think the best career advice is just to continue to learn every day. There is something that I learn every single day. You learn from others, you learn by doing things, you learn by problem solving, and so I would say, that just continuing to learn and being open to change as well, because change is very evident in this type of business.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
This is an amazing career if you want to build a family while you're working. You get to have your children be enrolled at your same center. Having your children where you are working is a beautiful opportunity as well as being able to be flexible. Family is what you got. You are working Monday through Friday.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge would probably be making sure that my expectations with my team are followed. We are a four-star nationally accredited center, and I am deficiency-free with licensing standards through the state. The opportunity is finding the right people that want to work here at the center. Our mission is love God, love learning, and love children.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is everything for me. I think that if you do not have integrity, you don't have anything. I strive to have always. I want for people to trust me, and I want for people to know that I would act the same way as if you were here watching me, or if you weren't.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.