AVANCE-North Texas recently hosted its annual Appreciation Breakfast, a special event to express gratitude to all the school directors who generously open their doors for the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP). Upon arrival, guests enjoyed some of the city’s most delicious burritos, accompanied by coffee and fresh fruit. During the event, the AVANCE team shared a … Read more
AVANCE-North Texas, in collaboration with the Hispanic Federation, successfully conducted the “Together for a Healthy Life” program over a 12-month period. This initiative focused on preventing Type 2 Diabetes by encouraging lifestyle changes, including healthier eating habits and increased physical activity. The program featured a variety of activities designed to enhance the overall health of … Read more
At AVANCE-North Texas, the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP) hosts a cherished annual tradition—the Rag Doll Contest. This event taps into the creativity and craftsmanship of parents who construct rag dolls from scratch as part of the toy-making class. More than just toys, these dolls are tools for fostering cognitive development and imaginative play in children. … Read more
AVANCE-Dallas recently hosted its first-ever Community Conversations event, a new initiative aimed at fostering meaningful discussions on important topics. The focus of this inaugural gathering was mental health, a subject that resonates deeply with many but is often surrounded by stigma. The AVANCE team plans to hold at least two events annually, each addressing topics … Read more
AVANCE-Dallas recently had the pleasure of participating in the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Dallas Arboretum, a vibrant event that featured over 40 Hispanic vendors showcasing everything from clothing to décor, along with delicious food representing a variety of Latin cultures. The event was a joyful celebration of heritage, culture, and community, with AVANCE-Dallas … Read more
AVANCE-Dallas recently launched the new school year with a heartwarming and successful first day of programs. Parents received a warm welcome and introduction to the curriculum, meeting the teachers who will guide their children throughout the year. Meanwhile, children enjoyed fun, interactive activities designed to help them adjust to their new classroom environment, connect with … Read more
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, AVANCE proudly acknowledges the generous contributions from Toyota and FC Dallas. These valuable donations will empower the organization to continue its vital work serving Hispanic families across North Texas. We are deeply grateful for this support, every contribution makes a difference in our ability to provide educational resources and programs … Read more
Noemí Patiño, Coordinator of Child Development and Events at AVANCE- North Texas, recently shared details about the organization’s programs during an interview with Univisión. She discussed AVANCE’s initiatives supporting early childhood education and family engagement in North Texas. “We’re grateful to Univisión for the opportunity to share our mission,” said Patiño. “A new cycle is … Read more
North Texas – AVANCE-North Texas Inc. hosted a special brunch to recognize the impactful contributions of its community partners, including SuperVive, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Hispanic health and wellness. The event celebrated the collective efforts to empower local families through education, resources, and advocacy. A standout moment came when Cecilia, a SuperSurvivor with SuperVive, shared her inspiring journey—thanking AVANCE for its transformative programs … Read more
Yessica Orellana was struggling to adapt to her new life in the United States when she had her son. One day, she came across a PCEP graduation on social media.
Ana Lorena Carrasco
AVANCE-North Texas Executive Director
Prior to her current role as the Executive Director, Ana Lorena Carrasco served as the Senior Director of Curriculum and Implementation for the AVANCE National Office, where she played a vital role in the development, review cycle, and quality improvement of AVANCE curricula, programs, and services. Before joining the AVANCE National office, Ana Lorena served the communities of North Texas for more than ten years through various roles at AVANCE-North Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Instituto Tecnologico de Saltillo in Saltillo Coahuila, Mexico, and a master's in teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana in Puerto Rico. She is currently enrolled in the Executive Leadership and Performance Leadership programs at Cornell University.
Alejandra Alfaro
HOPES Lead Case Manager
Alejandra received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Texas Woman's University in 2015. She began her career as a social worker in 2015, working with women victims of domestic violence. In 2019, she became certified in Mental Health First Aid and volunteered for a year, informing women about mental health issues. In 2020, she joined AVANCE-Dallas as a home visitor for the H.O.P.E.S program, where she had the opportunity to work with Hispanic families to connect them with resources in their community and thus cover different household needs. In 2023 she began supervising a group of home visitors within the same program at AVANCE Dallas.
Monserrat A. Mata
Mental Health Specialist
Monserrat Mata is the AVANCE Mental Health Specialist. In addition to directing the Mental Health Curriculum provided to PCEP Participants, she handles administrative work and is in charge of training Parent Educators in the Mental Health Curriculum to increase their knowledge of the community and promote mental health education. Monserrat previously worked as a caseworker for AVANCE’s WELL TOGETHER Program. She is Certified in Mental Health by the MHFA Council for Mental Health Wellbeing. Monserrat is currently pursuing her baccalaureate in educational sciences at Universidad Pedagogica de Durango Mx.
Nancy Quirindongo
Director of Programs
Nancy Quirindongo is the Director of Programs at AVANCE-North Texas. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. After a successful career as an Office Manager in her alma mater, Nancy and her family decided to move to Dallas, Texas in 2006. Finding herself in a whole new place and only knowing very basic English, she enrolled herself in ESL classes. She not only learned the language; she improved so much that she became one of the ESL teachers for that same school. Her determination and resilience led her to start her career at AVANCE-Dallas in 2010 as a Parent Educator.
During her time as a Parent Educator, she was able to see first-hand how families were transformed by the implementation of PCEP. Nancy recognized the importance of Early Education and the crucial role parents play with their active participation in each of their children’s education. It was right there and then when her passion for AVANCE’s vision and mission ignited. She still remembers and treasures in her heart each class, individual, smile, family, work team, and staff member at each of the schools she served.
Noemi Patiño
ECE and Events Coordinator
Noemi was born in Mexico and holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and midwifery. She worked at various hospitals for several years, believing it to be her calling. But 8 years ago, Noemi enrolled in the AVANCE PCEP with her daughter, and it was then that her life changed dramatically, both personally and professionally. After graduating, she joined the AVANCE family as an Early Childhood Teacher, where she discovered her true passion, teaching. After three years, Noemi was promoted to Supervisor for two years and now serves as the Child Development and Events Coordinator.
Noemi feels fortunate to be a part of AVANCE and is overjoyed to serve the community by providing families with tools that will empower them and help them grow. She is in the sixth semester of her bachelor's degree in education sciences. Her major desire is to leave a positive footprint for others and to keep learning and preparing herself to deliver greater service every day.
Ana Lorena Carrasco
AVANCE-North Texas Regional Director
Prior to her current role as the Regional Director, Ana Lorena Carrasco served as the Senior Director of Curriculum and Implementation for the AVANCE National Office, where she played a vital role in the development, review cycle, and quality improvement of AVANCE curricula, programs, and services. Before joining the AVANCE National office, Ana Lorena served the communities of North Texas for more than ten years through various roles at AVANCE-North Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Instituto Tecnologico de Saltillo in Saltillo Coahuila, Mexico, and a Master’s in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language from Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana in Puerto Rico.
Luz Flores
AVANCE-Houston - Executive Director
As Executive Director for AVANCE-Houston, Luz Flores has nearly 30 years of leadership experience with national nonprofit organizations. Throughout her career, Luz has successfully steered organizations, such as the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto, the United Way of Greater Houston and SER Jobs for Progress, through periods of substantial growth and transition. Luz joined AVANCE-Houston in 2009, serving in several management positions, and assumed her current role in 2016. Originally from Puerto Rico, Luz holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Non-Profit Management from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio Texas, and a Human Resources Certificate from Rice University.
Susan Thompson
AVANCE-San Antonio - Executive Director
Thompson brings 28 years of leadership experience in nonprofit business, social services, and healthcare sectors. She most recently served as the Vice President – Grants, Programs, and Services at the San Antonio Area Foundation. Susan is actively involved with a wide range of professional and nonprofit organizations, including the Masters Leadership Program, John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. A native San Antonian, Thompson holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology/English from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration from Rice University.
Cristina Garza
AVANCE-Austin - Executive Director
Prior to joining AVANCE-Austin as Executive Director, Cristina served as Director of Social Impact for the Mission Economic Development Corporation (EDC) where she curated and led all STEAM and entrepreneurship initiatives. She was named Code.Org's 2019 Champion of Computer Science. She is also a 2017 Next City Vanguard and named by CityLab Latino one of the Top 20 Young Civic Leaders of 2017. Before her career in economic development, Cristina worked in education at museums in New York City including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rubin of Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and the Brooklyn Museum. She holds a BA from New York University, and an MA from Syracuse University where she received the Florence Graduate Fellowship.
Vanessa Maldonado
AVANCE-North Texas - Executive Director
Vanessa Maldonado is the Executive Director of AVANCE-North Texas. Maldonado joined AVANCE-North Texas with a degree in nonprofit management from St. Edward’s University and more than a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership and development. Most recently, she served as the Chief Engagement Officer for Easterseals, a nonprofit organization that promotes independence and creates opportunities for people with disabilities. In this previous role, Maldonado managed the organization’s fundraising activities, retail operations, communications, marketing, and advocacy in Central and North Texas.
Lissette Rodriguez
As Managing Director, Portfolio Strategy & Management for Blue Meridian, Lissette provides strategic and executional leadership on critical business priorities and leads innovation efforts to expand Blue Meridian’s work. She explores new philanthropic investment opportunities, leads due diligence on potential Blue Meridian investees and manages relationships with current investees. Prior to joining Blue Meridian, Lissette served as Vice President and Chief Program Officer of the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and as Managing Director of PropelNext, EMCF’s initiative to sharpen the skills and advance the effectiveness of promising youth-serving nonprofits. Before joining the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation in 2010, she spent 12 years, the last six as Senior Vice President for Field Development, at YouthBuild USA. Her previous experience also includes roles as a senior program officer and director of the Fund for the Homeless at the Boston Foundation; as the founding executive director of Casa Nueva Vida, a shelter for homeless Latina women and their children; and as a contributing editor of Nonprofit Quarterly. Lissette holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a master’s in organizational development from Fielding Graduate University.
Dr. Robert H. McCallister
Secretary/Parliamentarian
Robert H. (Bob) McCallister graduated from Brown University in 1972 with a PhD in Geological Sciences. He was a fellow at the Carnegie Institution of Washington and a professor of Geosciences at Purdue University until 1981, at which time he joined ExxonMobil’s Upstream Research Company. Until his retirement from an executive position with ExxonMobil in 2003, Bob held several jobs at ExxonMobil including Sr. Technology Advisor to the Executive Committees of the Exploration and Research Companies. Currently he serves on the United Way of Greater Houston’s Bright Beginnings Advisory Committee, is on the Board of Lone Star College Foundation and is a member of Executive Committee and Board of Children’s Museum of Houston. Before joining the National Board of AVANCE, Inc. in 2018, Bob served as an active member on the AVANCE-Houston Board of Directors.
Ron Oran
Treasurer
Ron is a litigation attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP in Houston, Texas. His experience is in commercial litigation, particularly as it relates to disputes involving the purchase, sale and operation of energy companies and assets. Ron is a former chairman of the board of the AVANCE-Houston Chapter and has long been a thought partner of the National Board. Ron is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the United Way of Greater Houston and serves on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Museum of Houston. Ron holds a BA degree from Northwestern State University, and a master’s degree in philosophy and a law degree from Tulane University.
Manuel Berrelez
Manuel is a Partner with the law firm of Vinson and Elkins in Dallas. He is a trial and regulatory enforcement lawyer whose practice focuses on fraud and fiduciary duty claims, contract disputes, trade secret claims, and other commercial litigation disputes. Manuel was named a “Top Latino Lawyer of 2018” by Latino Leaders Magazine, and he has also been named one of 20 "Extraordinary Minority Lawyers in Texas" by Texas Lawyers Magazine. While at Vinson and Elkins, he has been involved with numerous educated-related activities including Educate Dallas and the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation. Manuel grew up in Pearsall, Texas where he attended Head Start as a young child and quarterbacked his high school football team. He holds a B.A from Yale College and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Hilda C. Galvan
Hilda is the Partner-in-Charge of the Dallas office of Jones Day. Hilda is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who focuses on complex intellectual property litigation. She places a high priority on community service, serving as Chair Elect of Texas Women’s Foundation, and as Trustee of the University of Texas School of Law, SMU Lyle School of Engineering , and the Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation, among others. Hilda was named one of "The Most Powerful Business Leaders" in Dallas-Fort Worth by D CEO. Hilda holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso and a J.D. degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Marlo Michaeli
Marlo is an Audit Partner with KPMG in Dallas, Texas. She began her career with KPMG, and after brief stints at Fidelity National and Arum Technologies, she returned to KPMG as one of the leaders in the audit practice. She was an active member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Women in Business and serves on the Board of Levine Academy. Marlo’s family was one of the original settlers in New Mexico, and her mother is of both Mexican and Native American heritage. Marlo received her BBA in Accounting from the Red McCombs School of Business and the University of Texas, Austin.
Dr. Claudia Kramer Santamaria
Dr. Kramer Santamaria is the former Director of the Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center, an early childhood dual language school for pre-k and Kindergarten students in Austin, Texas. Dr. Kramer Santamaria has over 20 years of experience in education ranging from being an elementary school Principal, to overseeing teacher training and education, to being the Director of Parent Programs. She is bilingual, and earned her Doctorate Degree in Education from Texas State University, a Master’s Degree in Administration from Tarleton State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Bilingual Education from St. Edward’s University.
Sofia Ramón
Sofia Ramón is a Founding Member and Co-Manager for Ramon Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, PLLC, a majority women and minority owned (NAMWOLF) law firm devoted to civil litigation, including complex commercial litigation. She has been practicing law for almost three decades and proudly serves on the State Bar of Texas Litigation Council. She was inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and serves as the current Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC) Vice President of Membership. Sofia currently serves as a Director for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA of Hidalgo) and was previously involved in South Texas College’s Puente Mentor Program, designed to encourage the continued education and leadership development of academically underserved students.
Dr. Luzelma Canales
Chair
Dr. Luzelma Canales is the Associate Vice President of Leadership Learning and Activation at the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity (BranchED). Previously, she served as the Senior Associate Vice President for Student Success for The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) and the founding executive director for RGV FOCUS. She also provided leadership for a large-scale collective impact initiative to transform college readiness, access, and success in the Rio Grande Valley. She served as an administrator for over 25 years, leading numerous initiatives including Achieving the Dream, Breaking Through, and several with Excelencia in Education. Dr. Canales earned a bachelor’s in accounting from Pan American University, MBA from the University of Texas – Pan American, and PhD in human resource development from Texas A&M University.
Dr. Melanie Johnson
Dr. Melanie Johnson is the President and CEO of Collaborative for Children. Prior to this role, she served as the president and CEO of the John P. McGovern Museum of Health and Medical Science (The Health Museum) in Houston. Dr. Johnson also previously served as the director of the education department at NASA’s Space Center Houston, head of the department for development education at Galveston College, and director of faculty development for The Art Institute of Houston. Dr. Johnson earned a BA in International Business/French from Auburn University, a Master of Hospitality Management from the University of Houston, and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas Southern University. She has received numerous awards for educational and professional excellence, and was named one of the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Thought Leaders.
Ryan Ramirez
As Vice President of IT Infrastructure and International for Lockheed Martin Corporation, Ryan Ramirez leads the corporation's information technology infrastructure team and portfolio and provides global IT oversight. His more than 25 years of IT experience ranges from managing and transforming infrastructure to leading application development for global and enterprise operations. Previously, Ryan served as VP of Infrastructure and Operations at Kimberly Clark and as Sr. Director of Global IT Infrastructure and Operations at Avery Dennison. He also served in a variety of global IT leadership roles for manufacturer and retailer, VF Corporation. Ryan earned his M.B.A., with a concentration in International Business, from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor's degree in Electronic Systems Engineering from ITESM at Monterrey, N.L. Mexico.
Maria del Rosario Garza
Rosario is the Parent Policy Council Chair for the AVANCE Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) programs in Starr and Zapata Counties. A Starr County native, Rosario is a stay-at-home mother of four, who loves the HS/EHS programs and what they do for children and the community. Her three eldest children are HS graduates, and her youngest is currently enrolled in EHS and will be transitioning to the HS program soon. She is also a participant in the AVANCE Parent-Child Education Program and serves as the National Board’s representative for the children and families served by AVANCE HS/EHS programs in Starr and Zapata Counties.
Dr. Daniel King
Dr. Daniel P. King serves as an education and healthcare advisor to Education Results Partnership. A long-time public school Superintendent, Dr. King was named state Superintendent of the Year in 2006 by the Texas Association of School Boards. In 2019, Dr. King retired as Superintendent of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District (PSJA). Under his leadership, PSJA reduced the number of annual dropouts and increased the four-year graduation rate and overall high school completion rates to surpass state averages. Prior to PSJA, Dr. King led Hidalgo ISD for eight years. Dr. King earned his Ph.D. from The University of Texas. He completed his undergraduate and Master’s degree at The University of Texas-Pan American.
Lydia Aleman
A highly engaged professional with leadership skills in nonprofit organizations and higher education, Lydia Aleman is the Director of Development Services for Driscoll Children’s Hospital in McAllen, Texas. Before Driscoll, she served as the CEO for Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas (GSGST). She joined GSGST after 26 years in higher education where she served as the Associate Vice President of Advancement Services. She has extensive experience in fundraising, management, accounting and development. Lydia earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting, and she holds two master’s degrees, an MBA and a MACC (master’s in accountancy).
Dr. Cathy Ayoub
Dr. Catherine Ayoub is a licensed psychologist and nurse practitioner whose work at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center includes program development, research, evaluation, consultation, and training. She is responsible for overseeing the evaluation efforts at the Center and is presently engaged in research around child, family, and system-level assessment with attention to evidence-based practice. Raised in Mexico, Dr. Ayoub comes from a multicultural background and has special expertise in clinical work, program development, and research with Latino families. She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University and holds master’s degrees from Emory University and Harvard University, as well as a Ph.D. in Counseling and Consulting Psychology and an Ed.D from Harvard University.
Diana Cavazos
Diana Cavazos serves on the AVANCE Board of Directors as parent representative. She is a native of Pharr, Texas and is currently the president of the Parent Policy Council for AVANCE Early Head Start programs in Hidalgo County. She is a working mother with three children enrolled in the EHS-Child Care Partnership (CCP) Program. Ms. Cavazos has had two of her children enrolled in the CCP since 2016. Her experience includes serving as City Secretary for the City of San Juan. Currently Ms. Cavazos is working on opening up a new business while also working alongside her father in the family business. Ms. Cavazos earned her Business Administration Associates Degree at South Texas College and her bachelor’s in Business Administration Management from UTRGV.
Kelly Cutler
Kelly Cutler is a Partner on New Profit’s Social Entrepreneur Investing Team, a role that includes leading strategy, engaging donors, leading due diligence for deal selection, and providing deal support to organizations. Kelly has focused her career on work that has the potential to transform the lives of young people, families, and communities. She began her career with business operations and fundraising at entrepreneurial nonprofit Teen Voices. She then served on the Executive Team at Families First Parenting Programs. Prior to joining New Profit, Kelly worked as a Consultant at L.E.K. Consulting, a global management consulting firm. Kelly has a BA in English from Boston University and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Greg Flores
Member-at-Large
Greg Flores is the founder and owner of Sculpted Leaders, LLC, an executive consulting firm. He also consults closely with Private Equity organizations as they assess purchases and sale of portfolio assets. He built his 35+ year career in Human Resources leadership positions with such companies as Pilot Flying J., Inc., The TJX Companies, Inc., HEB, Pepsico and Daymon Worldwide. He has served on boards for EnsembleIQ, National Domestic Violence Hotline, Our Lady of the Lake University, Conexion and AVANCE-San Antonio. Greg is also a scuba diver instructor, enjoys reading fiction/non-fiction, yoga and is into metal sculpting. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Statistics from The University of Texas at San Antonio, and studied industrial psychology at the University of North Texas.
Maria Garcia
Chief Program Officer
Maria Garcia is the Chief Program Officer for AVANCE. As CPO, she plays a vital role in executing the organization’s strategic vision, overseeing the delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement of AVANCE programming and services. Maria brings to AVANCE her passion for early childhood education and her wealth of experience in classroom instruction, administration, bilingual education, and program development and implementation. Maria began her career with Austin Independent School District, where she taught first- and third-grade students for over nine years. Later, she joined Georgetown Independent School District, serving in teaching and administrative roles before becoming the Bilingual, English as a Second Language, and Languages Other Than English District Coordinator. Most recently, she served as Account Executive for Lexia Learning, a leading literacy technology company. Maria holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Education in Education Leadership and Administration from Concordia University Texas.
Colleen Bridger, MPH, PhD
Dr. Colleen Bridger is the founder and CEO of Colleen Bridger Consulting, LLC, where she works with non-profits, foundations, and government organizations to untangle and address complex problems using a public health/ecological approach. Dr. Bridger started her career in 1990 working with a Migrant Farmworker Clinic in Eastern North Carolina. She then transitioned to working with international development organizations and North Carolina’s Division of Public Health. Previously, Dr. Bridger led the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of San Antonio. While with the City, she worked with community leaders to develop a county-wide Trauma Informed Care system comprising a Trauma Informed Care Consortium, Institute, and Certification process. She has an undergraduate degree in International Development from The School for International Training, a Master of Public Health degree from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a PhD in Health Services research from The University of North Carolina, Charlotte.
Monserrat A. Mata
Monserrat Mata is a Case Worker and Certified Instructor for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). She received her MHFA certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and has worked in psychoeducation with the Hispanic/Latino community for four years. In her role, she addresses the mental health education and social service needs of AVANCE-North Texas families referred to the Well Together program and those referred from other agencies. Mata is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Educational Sciences from the Universidad Pedagogica de Durango Mx.
Melinda Escobal
Melinda Escobal has spent 30+ years developing her understanding and skills in working with young children as a Teacher, Center Director, Education Specialist/Mentor, and Program Manager. She specializes in sharing her knowledge and experience with adults in Early Childhood. She obtained her degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Development, from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is furthering her knowledge in the Master's Program for Education and Administration at Walden University.
Esmeralda Fuentes
Esmeralda Fuentes is the Partnerships Manager at Cognitive ToyBox. She worked previously as a bilingual Head Start teacher in San Antonio ISD, a Transitional Kindergarten teacher at San Francisco Unified, and an early childhood instructional coach and trainer at New Teacher Center for large school districts. She has 10+ years of experience in the classroom and supporting early childhood educators, coaches, and administrators. She holds a B.A. in Urban Education and a M.A. in Elementary Education, both from Stanford University.
Snejana Nihtianova
Snejana Nihtianova is the Director of Research, Operations, and Compliances for the Texas Policy Lab, where she contributes to the scientific and intellectual leadership of the organization. She manages and mentors research staff, providing scientific direction to ensure the rigor and quality of all work. Currently, she is overseeing research trials and observational studies in different research fields including child and language development, public health, and women health. Dr. Nihtianova has extensive experience in successfully conducting and managing multiple research studies and training research personnel. For ten years, she served as Senior Clinical Research Manager in the Policy Lab at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where research breakthroughs have improved the lives of countless children throughout the world. At CHOP, she performed quality control and quality assurance to ensure clinical data accuracy and integrity, while directly supervising study activities and maintaining communication with the Study Core Center at CHOP. Dr. Nihtianova earned her doctorate from Walden University in Public Health with a specialization in epidemiology. In addition, she holds two master’s degrees. The first is in Biological Science, which she completed in Bulgaria at Plovdiv University and the second in Clinical Research Organization and Management at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.
Yetzaida Rodríguez
AVANCE Grants Manager
Yetzaida Rodríguez serves as AVANCE Grants Manager. Since joining AVANCE in 2017, Yetzaida has held several leadership positions: Parent Educator, Parent Program Coordinator, and Data Coordinator, and assumed her current position in 2023. Prior to AVANCE, Yetzaida served as a certified teacher of Spanish at the secondary level from 2007 to 2014. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Secondary Education Arts in Spanish from la Universidad Interamericana and a Master's Degree in Special Education from la Universidad Metropolitana, both universities in Puerto Rico.
Jorge Padilla
Jorge Padilla is a partner in the trial section of Jackson Walker LLP. He has extensive experience litigating business disputes for a variety of clients. Although his practice is focused in Austin, Texas, Jorge has advocated for his clients in state and federal courts throughout Texas. He has been recognized as one of “Austin’s Top Attorneys” by Austin Monthly, a Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters, and one of “The Best Lawyers in America” in Commercial Litigation by Woodward/White Inc. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Texas at Austin and received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. Jorge also serves on the Board of Directors for AVANCE-Austin. As a father of three, he believes in AVANCE’s mission to train and educate both parents and children and that parents are the primary educators for their children.
Dolores Cavazos Hernandez
Mrs. Dolores Cavazos Hernandez is a mother of ten (10) biological children and grandmother to eight (8) children. She is 46 years old, self-employed, a traditional healer by profession, and a 19-year survivor of uterine cancer. Dolores has actively participated in the AVANCE Early Head Start Child Care Partnership (CCP) program since 2021. Dolores was elected treasurer of the Parent Policy Council in 2022 and has been an avid spokeswoman for AVANCE programs. In May 2023, her child William Gregory Ramirez aged out of our program, and as a result, she was voted “Community Representative” for the CCP program. Dolores became passionate about AVANCE programs and channels her passion to help others. She wants to continue volunteering in any way possible to continue supporting AVANCE families.
Alice Rodriguez
Alice Rodriguez has over 35 years of extensive banking experience with JPMorgan Chase and its predecessors. She has held executive positions in Business Banking, Consumer Banking, Wealth Management, and Community Impact. Since retiring, Alice has engaged more actively in a business that she has co-owned with her husband, Tom Kendall, for 20 years. Kendall Milagro Inc. is a family-owned business in the Dallas area that focuses on boutique home building and real estate investments. She sits on the board of the largest utility player in Texas, Oncor Electric Delivery Co. Alice holds a BBA in Management from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Her professional investment licenses include series 7, 9, 10, and 66. Alice is the immediate past chair for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on many other boards including Dream Spring CDFI, Latino Business Action Network, Perot Museum, and Dallas Arboretum.
Sterling Stewart
Sterling Stewart is an active Union Representative for the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). He advocates for labor rights and positively impacts children's lives as Chair of the AVANCE-Houston Policy Council and President of the Parent Committee. In his free time, Sterling enjoys reading and spending time with his two children.
Rose Martinez
Rose is a member of the AVANCE-San Antonio Policy Council. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from UIW and has worked at Vestal Elementary for 16 years, teaching Kindergarten, First, and Third Grade. During her years at Vestal, she has been a team leader, helped in different communities, and is part of DEPERC, where they discuss important decisions that impact our community, employees, stakeholders, and mostly their students. She is also a member of the Harlandale Education Association and is part of the Insurance Advisory. Being involved in child development and education is important to Rose, and she is a certified Foster Care. She is currently raising her granddaughter who attends the AVANCE 6 months-2 years Early Head Start at Fenley Main.
Dr. Iliana Alanís
Dr. Iliana Alanís, a native of South Texas, is a Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Texas, Austin in Curriculum and Instruction with specializations in Multilingual Studies and Educational Psychology. She engages teacher candidates and practicing teachers for their work in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms with a primary focus on the rights of young children to develop their native language and cultural identity. Dr. Alanís uses a sociocultural lens to examine effective pedagogical practices in early childhood, dual language contexts. Her extensive body of work includes over 50 refereed publications. Before entering academia, Dr. Alanís was a bilingual teacher for second-grade students in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is a longstanding member of the Dual Language Training Institute and a founding member of the Vales Por Dos Consulting Group. Dr. Alanís has also held leadership positions, including the Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE) presidency, National Latino Children’s Institute board member, and Governing Board Member for the National Association for Early Childhood Education (NAEYC).
Priscilla Camacho
Priscilla serves as the Chief Legislative, Industry, & External Relations Officer at Alamo Colleges District. In her role, she focuses on legislative policy, relationships with industry partners, and collaborating with community organizations whose mission and work align with the Alamo Colleges. Prior to Alamo Colleges, Priscilla worked for the Dallas Regional Chamber and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. A family law attorney early in her career, Priscilla worked for several San Antonio law firms, including Plunket & Gibson and Ford & Massey. She also owned and operated her own law practice for several years. She is a native of Laredo, Texas, and graduated from St. Mary’s University with a degree in English & Communication Arts. She received her law degree from the Texas Tech University School of Law. Priscilla has also served in various capacities on nonprofit and governmental boards and has been recognized for her service to the bar and community. Priscilla has been named as a 40 under 40 leader by the San Antonio Business Journal, G.O.L.D. Award recipient from the Texas Tech University School of Law, Outstanding Young Lawyer by the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association, and a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star by Texas Monthly and Scene in SA Magazine.
Ife Gbosi
Ife Gbosi leads Commercial Credit Change Initiatives for Bank of America. Her responsibilities include overseeing various processes and platforms that deliver end-to-end credit solutions for Business Banking, Global Commercial Banking, and Global Markets clients. Prior to her current role, Ife was a Leader on Loan to Prairie View A&M University. Ife led campus-wide initiatives to connect students to career pathways and engaged with employers to drive the hiring of Prairie View A&M students for internships and full-time positions. Ife joined Bank of America in December 2005 and held several leadership positions in its Consumer Bank, Global Technology and Operations division, and Regulatory Compliance before joining the Leader on Loan Program.
Belinda May Arambula
Belinda May Arambula is a partner in Terrazas PLLC, where she has a diverse civil litigation practice, ranging from construction defect to business litigation and personal injury. She also serves on the boards of several state and local bar organizations, including the Texas Rules of Evidence Committee, Austin Bar Foundation, and Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (former president). When she is not serving her clients or the legal community, Belinda is pounding the pavement training for her next race or volunteering with the Hispanic Bar Foundation, AVANCE-Austin Chapter, and Boy Scouts of America. Belinda earned her undergraduate degree from Baylor University and her law degree from the University of Illinois, College of Law.
Dr. Nicole McZeal Walters
Dr. Nicole McZeal Walters serves as the Founding Dean of the Kolbe School of Innovation and Professional Studies at the University of St. Thomas and is also an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership. As a leadership professor, her research agenda includes developing leaders to embrace servant and moral leadership, social philanthropy, and integrating culture and language to support academic achievement in historically underserved, marginalized students. Her academic work has been published in the Women, Gender, and Families of Color Journal, the International Journal of Educational Reform, Wisconsin English Journal, Gifted Child Today, and School Leadership Review. She is a co-editor of a book entitled Gumbo for the Soul II: Liberating Memoirs and Stories to Inspire Females of Color. Dr. Walters has been awarded Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Child Care Council of Greater Houston, Outstanding UH College of Education Award by the University of Houston, the Excellence in Education Award by Texas Southern University, Founders’ Day Award by Spelman College, and has been recognized by Houston Magazine as one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women. Dr. Walters holds a Bachelor of Science in English and Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Houston, and a Masters and Doctorate of Educational Leadership from Texas Southern University.