Tierra Encantada Appoints Industry Veteran Paul Thompson to Board of Directors

Former KinderCare CEO brings Operational and Financial Expertise to support Tierra Encantada's next stage of Growth

MINNEAPOLIS, June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tierra Encantada, the leader in Spanish immersion early education, has appointed Paul Thompson to its Board of Directors, marking a significant step in the company's continued national growth. Thompson's appointment will allow the brand to grow thoughtfully, support educators, and continue delivering an exceptional experience for families. 

Thompson brings over ten years of leadership experience across the early childhood education sector, having served as CFO, COO, President, CEO, and Board Director of KinderCare Learning Companies. His background leading the nation's largest private early education provider gives him firsthand insight into scaling with discipline while maintaining the quality, culture, and mission that define Tierra Encantada.

"I am honored to join the board as Tierra Encantada continues to expand nationally. What stands out to me is the organization's commitment to growing with intention and staying true to its mission," Thompson said. "The board's role is to provide perspective, ask the right questions, and help the leadership team anticipate what comes next. I look forward to supporting the team as they build leadership capacity and make decisions that keep our long-term vision at the center of the company's future." 

With extensive expertise in finance, operations, governance, and multi‑unit expansion, Thompson has a proven ability to bridge strategic financial planning with large-scale operational execution. His perspective will support Tierra Encantada as it builds the systems, infrastructure, and leadership capacity needed for its next stage of growth. 

"As we continue expanding Tierra Encantada nationally, I wanted board members who could help us scale thoughtfully without losing the things that make Tierra special. Paul has lived that complexity at a level very few people have. His perspective will help us continue building a company that is both high-performing and deeply meaningful," said Kristen Denzer, Founder and CEO of Tierra Encantada. "With Paul joining as an independent board member, we now have a board that brings together founder-led experience, franchise scaling expertise, childcare and early education operating experience, finance, governance, capital strategy, and multi-unit growth. It is a strong mix of people who can help us scale thoughtfully while staying true to who we are." 

Additional board members at Tierra Encantada include Kyle Squillario and John McGinley of Susquehanna Growth Equity, who both have extensive experience supporting founder‑led and franchise businesses with brands such as Soccer Shots, College H.U.N.K.S., Main Line Brands, and Premium Service Brands. 

The board also includes Shelly Sun Berkowitz, founder and Executive Chairwoman of BrightStar Group Holdings. She built BrightStar into a national care‑focused franchise system with more than 400 locations and has served as Chair of the International Franchise Association. Her experience scaling mission-driven, service-based franchise brands add valuable perspective to Tierra Encantada's continued growth. 

With consistent onboarding, operational guidance, and marketing support, Tierra Encantada provides franchise partners with the tools needed to deliver quality education while achieving strong business performance. The brand's play-based STEAM curriculum, taught entirely in Spanish, helps children develop bilingual skills naturally, while nurturing social, emotional, and cognitive growth. 

For information about available franchise opportunities with Tierra Encantada, please visit www.tierraencantada.com/franchise.

About Tierra Encantada 

Tierra Encantada is the leader in Spanish immersion early education^®. Since 2013, Tierra has offered an exceptional childcare experience for children ages 6 weeks through 6 years, emphasizing the holistic development of each child. The play-based STEAM curriculum is taught through Spanish, enabling children to learn a second language naturally through conversation and context. Tierra Encantada is the fastest-growing Spanish immersion childcare brand in the United States and has been recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc Magazine, the Financial Times, and others. With planned and open locations across 14 states, Tierra Encantada continues to expand into select markets nationwide. For more information, visit tierraencantada.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Contact: Maddy Reda | Franchise Elevator PR | [email protected]

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SOURCE Tierra Encantada