Jade Mays

You might call Jade Mays a mover and shaker.

On a typical day, the HISD logistics manager can be found hustling around the district warehouse, scheduling movers, communicating with contractors, coordinating with principals, walking campuses, and overseeing the packing and moving of entire schools.

In a business where things are constantly changing, the job of a logistics manager is no easy feat. Mays and her team are responsible for moving schools and offices that are relocating. Her job is to make the process seamless for employees. Thanks to Mays and her team, teachers and students just have to show up at their new location, unpack and get to work.

“What I enjoy most is bringing everything to fruition and moving campuses into their new homes,” Mays said.

Mays has been in her position for a little more than a year, starting her work in fall 2016 as she helped the district relocate and open several new schools — including Mark White and Condit elementary schools and Mandarin Immersion Magnet School — under the 2012 Bond Program.

Although the idea of logistics may seem stressful for some, for Mays it’s all in a day’s work — work she enjoys seeing through to completion. Over spring break, Mays and her team moved four campuses into new facilities ahead of their opening day. But her work doesn’t end there. This summer alone, Mays and her team will complete almost a dozen more relocations and seven more by the end of the year.

“It wasn’t easy,” Mays said of the spring break moves. “Being able to break down the entire process made things go very smoothly.”

Mays said relocating can be hectic so it’s important to maintain stability and a level head throughout the process.

“Change is inevitable,” Mays said. “Always be prepared to change.”