MEET OUR TEAM

Mike Kriwiel |Founder & CEO

Pyxis, inc. was founded in 1994 as a community-based organization, headquartered in Wichita, KS, with a mission to serve at-risk youth. Mike Kriwiel saw the need for services to assist the ommunity’s youth and their families.

Mike is the founder and CEO of Pyxis. He started this social service company in El Dorado, Kansas. The mission is to serve youth by integrating them into the community, so they feel connected and valued. The original concept was to place positive role models in the lives of these youth and give them an opportunity to work while being paid for their efforts.

Several decades later, the company has evolved into a multi-service delivery provider for various social service agencies in two states. Currently, there are about 50 employees serving over 700 youth and adults each year.

Mike has a background in education with an emphasis in Special Education as well as experience coaching multiple sports. His passion for helping youth find their place in this world shines through in every aspect of Pyxis. He loves working here because of how encouraging and moving it is to see the positive impact both clients and staff experience when they engage in the Pyxis way of compassion and responsibility.

Adam Kriwiel | Chief Operations Officer

Adam started working at Pyxis in 2015 as a Community Support Worker (CSW). He enjoyed that for 3 years before leaving to teach 4th grade for 4 years. In 2022, he returned to Pyxis as the Director of Finance where he was promoted to Chief Operations Officer shortly after. He graduated with a degree in Elementary Education where he minored in Psychology. He learned so much through his years working as a CSW that allowed him to work with many of the “tougher” and higher needs students while teaching. He loves the work he does now because he is passionate about helping people find their path in this world and he recognizes that the work done at Pyxis makes an exponential impact on the youth in the program and community.

Adan Grimaldo | Chief Experience Officer

Adan is a valued member of the team and has been working for Pyxis since 2019. With 18 years of experience working with kids/at-risk youth, Adan shares a passion and commitment to healing the community. He loves working with youth, building relationships with them, being someone they can trust, learning who they are and watching them discover who they are meant to be. As the Safe Crisis Management Instructor, he equips the staff with the tools they need to be successful in this field and make a difference in the lives of the youth they work with. Adan loves the culture that has been created at Pyxis that makes him feel valued, connected, and motivated to grow.

Rhylee Morgan | Program Administrator

Rhylee has been a part of the team at Pyxis since 2022. Her education background includes science with a focus on sociology and she has years of experience working as a para for elementary kids with special needs. What she enjoys most about Pyxis is that they are the ones that say yes, even to the most intensive kids, younger kids, older teens, those with special needs; they say yes to all the youth who have been turned away from their community. She loves being a part of an organization that truly seeks to help the most vulnerable population find their path in the world.

Luke Andrews | Program Manager

Luke has been at Pyxis since 2022. He graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice before working for a local homeless shelter, the Union Rescue Mission, as a case manager for almost five years. His has years of experience working with the at-risk population in the city to help them overcome barriers in their lives such as mental illness, drug addiction, and homelessness. He loves working at Pyxis because it allows him to set his efforts on helping youth overcome challenges to their day-to-day life by instilling self-worth, confidence and value while addressing their behavioral health needs. It is a fulfilling adventure he loves to be on.

Lucien Roden | Program Coordinator

Lucien has been working for Pyxis since 2023. With his background in business administration, exercise science, and sports coaching, he brings valuable experience and knowledge to the team. After 20 years of coaching soccer, Lucien transitioned to helping teenage boys that were placed in state custody first through being a direct care staff member then later as a case manager. He loves working with youth because they keep him young but also enjoys doing something that is meaningful and fulfilling. As a former athlete, he also loves the opportunity to be a part of a great team that provides him with the chance to grow and learn while supporting and providing the same opportunities for those he oversees.

Jessica Washee | Program Coordinator

Jessica began working at Pyxis in 2023. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing. Before working at Pyxis, Jessica worked as a Direct Support Staff member at a Children’s Psychiatric hospital and a case manager at a boy’s home supporting teenagers in the State’s custody. Jessica has a heart for helping youth in the community and loves working at Pyxis because of the joy the kids bring to her life. She also appreciates being a part of a team that supports, encourages and works together so well. Jessica strongly values the people she works with, the kids she serves, and the meaningfulness of the work she does.