---
title: "Franchise Luminary Shelly Sun Berkowitz Joins Tierra Encantada Board"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/a26cff7d-0967-47ce-a141-60176fb1abbe
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20250509_franchise_luminary_shelly_sun_berkowitz_joins_tierra_encantada_board.html
category: "Senior living"
industry: "Senior Care"
segment: "Senior living"
topics: ["Development & multi-unit"]
published: 2025-05-09T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T22:32:34.446Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1542744095-291d1f67b221?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Franchise Luminary Shelly Sun Berkowitz Joins Tierra Encantada Board

**TL;DR:** Shelly Sun Berkowitz, founder and Executive Chairwoman of BrightStar Care, has joined the Board of Directors of Tierra Encantada and acquired a minority stake in the company. Tierra Encantada is a franchise that provides early childhood education with a focus on Spanish immersion, sustainability, and play-based curriculum.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2025-05-09. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20250509_franchise_luminary_shelly_sun_berkowitz_joins_tierra_encantada_board.html).*

## Story

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Tierra Encantada today announced the appointment of Shelly Sun Berkowitz - founder and Executive Chairwoman of BrightStar Care® - to its Board of Directors. Sun, one of the most respected and decorated leaders in franchising, also acquired a small minority stake in Tierra Encantada through a secondary transaction with Susquehanna.

“Shelly’s experience building a high-growth, high-integrity franchise brand is unmatched,” said Kristen Denzer, Founder and CEO of Tierra Encantada. “She understands the value of operational excellence, culture, and care - values that define Tierra. We’re thrilled to welcome her to our board.”

Founded in 2013, Tierra Encantada is disrupting early childhood education - one that fuses Spanish immersion, global scratch-made meals, sustainability practices, and a play-based curriculum.

Shelly Sun Berkowitz built BrightStar Care from one location to over 400 across the country, becoming one of the most iconic names in franchising. She served as Chair of the International Franchise Association (IFA), earned IFA’s Entrepreneur of the Year honor, was featured on CBS’ Undercover Boss, and is a published author on franchise growth strategy (Grow Smart, Risk Less).

“Franchising has the power to scale mission-driven services - and Tierra Encantada is doing that,” said Sun Berkowitz. Sun Berkowitz’s appointment follows Tierra’s 2024 capital infusion from Susquehanna Growth Equity.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- franchise growth (topic)
- Multi-Unit (sector)
- early childhood education (topic)
- BrightStar Care (company)
- board appointment (topic)
- Tierra Encantada (company)
- Kristen Denzer (person)
- Shelly Sun Berkowitz (person)
- Susquehanna (investor)
- minority stake acquisition (topic)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20250509_franchise_luminary_shelly_sun_berkowitz_joins_tierra_encantada_board.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/a26cff7d-0967-47ce-a141-60176fb1abbe).