Meet the team

Staff

Executive Leadership
Programs
Development
Operations

Executive Leadership
Melissa Simon, MSW, CFRE
Chief Executive Officer
CONTACT Melissa Simon, MSW, CFRE
Leanne Baumel, CFRE
Chief Development Officer
CONTACT Leanne Baumel, CFRE
Angiela Zielinski, LMSW
Chief Operating Officer
CONTACT Angiela Zielinski, LMSW
Will Henry, LPC, NCC, LCCA
Chief Program Officer
CONTACT Will Henry, LPC, NCC, LCCA
Programs
Cora Parker
Caseworker
CONTACT Cora Parker
Cassie Parkin
Prevention Services Case Manager
CONTACT Cassie Parkin
Emilie Rodriguez
Coordinator of Foster Home Development
CONTACT Emilie Rodriguez
Jaleice Johnson
Aftercare Case Manager
CONTACT Jaleice Johnson
Latoya Mitchell
Aftercare Case Manager
CONTACT Latoya Mitchell
Leah Thraves
Director of Neighborhood Program
CONTACT Leah Thraves
Lori Hudalla
Associate Director of Neighborhood Program
CONTACT Lori Hudalla
Monica Diaz
Coordinator of Casework and Database Resources
CONTACT Monica Diaz
Sapphire Cordova
Foster Care Caseworker
CONTACT Sapphire Cordova
Susan Molitor, LCPA
Director of Compliance, Outreach, and Licensed Child Placing Administrator
CONTACT Susan Molitor, LCPA
Sydney Brown
Clinical Services Case Manager
CONTACT Sydney Brown
Development
Arshia Memon
Corporate and Community Relationships Manager
CONTACT Arshia Memon
Ashley Haas
Development Assistant
CONTACT Ashley Haas
Liz Bear, CFRE
Director of Development
CONTACT Liz Bear, CFRE
Nancy Hall, CFRE
Grants Manager
CONTACT Nancy Hall, CFRE
Operations
Ana Reyes
Staff Accountant
CONTACT Ana Reyes
Darean Talmadge
Human Resources Coordinator
CONTACT Darean Talmadge
Dawn Abernathy
Facilities Manager
CONTACT Dawn Abernathy
Stephanie Diehl
Human Resources Manager
CONTACT Stephanie Diehl
Teresa George
Office Coordinator
CONTACT Teresa George

Governing Board

Meg Gentle,
President,
Executive Director, HIF Global
Ben Brown,
Past President,
Baker Katz
Michael Morris,
Treasurer,
Attorney
Mary Ellen Prochazka,
Secretary,
Community Volunteer
Rebecca Baker
Partner,
Vinson & Elkins
Bart Barrett
Managing Director,
Wood Partners
Jose Delgado
Geologist, Conoco Philips
Karen Dixon
Regional Managing Director, Truist Bank
Kathleen Foster
LMSW, Founder
Casa de Esperanza de los Niños
Michael Johnson Assistant V.P.
Frost Private Banking
Jonathon Martinez Sr.
Technical Training Specialist, Total American Services
Thomas W. McGee
Co-Owner, Global Oil field Investments, LLC
Colleen McLaughlin
Community Volunteer
Scott Michelman
Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P.
Kelley Morris
JLH Representative (non-voting) Partner, Wright Close & Barger, LLP
Kathleen J. Motil, M.D., Ph.D. Physician
Children’s Nutrition Research Center
Katie Register
Sr. Manager, Sponsorship & Community Marketing, NRG Energy
Matt Reichenthal
Steel Sales & Surplus Purchasing, Texas Iron & Metal
Megan Ryan
Community Volunteer
Alison Young
Executive Director J.P. Morgan Wealth Management
Melissa L. Simon, MSW,
CFRE (non-voting) Chief Executive Officer Casa de Esperanza de los Niños

Foundation Trustees

Casa de Esperanza de los Ninos Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The Foundation was created in 1997 for the benefit and support of Casa de Esperanza de los Ninos, Inc. and to develop an endowment fund to sustain Casa’s work.

The Foundation is classified as a Type I supporting organization.

Members

Daniel Molinaro, Chair
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Distribution NOW, Retired

Karen Dixon, Vice Chair
Regional Managing Director, Truist Bank

Melissa Simon, MSW, CFRE, Secretary – Treasurer
Chief Executive Officer, Casa de Esperanza

David Barringer
Partner, Ernst & Young, LLP

Will Brown
Director, First Reserve

Miguel Espinosa
Treasurer, Conoco Inc., Retired

William “Billy” O’Neil
Principal, Simmons Energy

Frank Rynd
General Counsel, Archdiocese of Galveston/Houston

Charles Simmons
Corporate Development, Spectra Energy

Wade E. Upton
Community Volunteer

Emeritus Members

Lonnie L. Blanchard
President, Central Bank, Retired

Josephine W. Rodgers
Retired, Community Volunteer

Advisory Board

Karrie & Jeff Allen
Adela & Pedro Alvarez
Frances & Tim Arnoult
Mary & Jack Balagia
Julie Baldwin
Melissa Barrett
Tammy Barringer
Laurel & James E. “Jeb” Bashaw
Megan & Brad Beauchamp
Anne Marie Blacketer, CFRE
Jenine Boyd
Charlene Brandau
Lydia Brantley
Juliet & Scott Breeze
Caroline Brown
Jessica Brown
Susan & Marc Brown
Donna & George Buenik
Regina Lewis & Joseph Chen
Julie & Stephen Chen
Jordan & Bryan Chismar
Juana Collins
David Cordúa
Lucia Cordúa
Kathy & Steve Covey
Collin Cox
Jacquelyn Cox
Emily Crosswell
Sylvie & Gary Crum
Brittany Dinerstein
Hank Dixon
Samuel Dodson, III
Lauren & Carlton Ellis
Tami & Frank Erwin
Mary Espinosa
Raine & Alan Falik
Phil Ferguson
Mitzi & Tom Fleissner
Juliet Galvez
Alayna & Brian Gendron
Kirk Gentle
Tracey E. Gilliland
Ana Trevino- Godfrey & Jonathon Godfrey
Marris & Rob Goldberg
Carol & Frank Gruen
Ricardo Guajardo
Amy & Amir Halevy
Clayton & Spencer Harkness
Sally & Forrest Hoglund
Katie & Patrick Hwu
Isla & Joseph Jornayvaz
Sarah Joseph
Betty & Jim Key
Brenda & Tom Koch
Adrienne L. LeGendre, M.D.
Becky & David McClanahan
Soraya & Scott McClelland
Christiana & Luke McConn
Flo McGee
Tina Melo
Trini Mendenhall
Susu & Fred Meyer
Doris & Paul Miller
Peggy & Pete Miller
Martha & Peter Mims
Ali & Pearson Montgomery
Jerri & Jim Moore
Patti & Mike Morgan
Beth & Richard Morris
Lynne Morris
Hannah Herzog & Roland Mosher
Mary & Ron Neal
Sarah & Tim Neuhaus
Laura & Roy Nichol
Brooke O’Neil
John O’Shea
Marsha & Charles Parker
Scott Prochazka
Amy & Mike Reeves
Gwen & Jonas Referente
Virginia Rico
Ashley & Roger Rule
Kim Saragusa
Leslie Simmons
Lauren & Trent Sims
Lindsay Strattan
Alan Ellahham & Thomas Strong
Lois Thomsen
Carrie & John Vallone
Jackie & Darrin Ward
Rita Wearden
Kim Wheless
Connie & Tommy Wright
Ellen A. Yarrell
Greta & Chuck Zimmerman