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How to Become a Foster Parent in Texas: A Guide to Making a Difference

by pathwayscommunications | Aug 19, 2024 | Foster Parents

Becoming a foster parent can be a profound and rewarding journey! When individuals become foster parents, they open their hearts and homes to children who need stability, love, and support during challenging times. If you’re considering becoming a foster parent...

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5290

Brooke Dedmon

Board of Directors

Ms. Brooke Dedmon from Houston, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in February 2023. Ms. Dedmon began her career in social work with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Preparation for Adult Living program. Her volunteer services started in high school when she volunteered summers at a residential treatment facility. She has volunteered with the American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Kidney Foundation, the Houston Food Bank, and Lunches of Love. Ms. Dedmon works as a Human Capital Executive helping leaders leverage health benefits to attract and retain talent, showcase an understanding of their workforce’s needs, demonstrate inclusivity, and help them align employee benefits with the unique priorities and goals of their organization. In 2012, Ms. Dedmon and her husband began hosting an annual Black Tie Gala Toy Drive serving organizations in Houston such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, Salvation Army, The Houston Area Women’s Center, Kids Meals, TDFPS PAL Program, Guardian’s Promise and more. Ultimately, Brooke wants to create a legacy that makes her daughters proud, be active, serve, and motivate others. She wants to use her voice and resources to encourage the world to live intentionally, live out loud, to have a life of mindfulness, gratitude, giving and authenticity.

5614

Rhonda Hunter

Board of Directors

Ms. Rhonda Hunter from Dallas, Texas, was appointed to the Board of Directors in December 2023. Ms. Hunter is an attorney and is Board Certified in Family Law and Child Welfare Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She also handles probate, wills and complex probate litigation. Ms. Hunter has over three decades of experience handling divorce, custody, termination of parental rights, juvenile delinquency and wills and probate cases. Ms. Hunter sits on the ABA Juvenile Justice Standards Task Force charged with revising the nations’ Juvenile Justice Standards. Ms. Hunter’s American Bar Association service also includes her membership in the ABA House of Delegates where she serves as Chair of the Minority Caucus Newsletter Committee; the ABA Commission on Youth at Risk, former ABA GPSolo Womens Caucus member; and, former member of the ABA Diversity Center.

Ms. Hunter is course director for the State Bar of Texas Advanced Child Protection Law courses, past course director for the 2018 and 2012 Dallas Bar Association Diversity Summits, DBA Implicit Bias seminars, Dallas Minority Attorney Programs; and, is a frequent speaker and lecturer on trial skills, marital property, implicit bias, probate, child welfare, child support, diversity, and media relations issues. Programs developed by Ms. Hunter have won ABA Partnership Awards from the ABA and Star of Merit awards from the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Hunter was named as one of the 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas in 2016 and 2017 by D-CEO Magazine and was featured on the cover of the 2016 edition of Texas Superlawyer.

5292

Gregg Appell

Board of Directors

Mr. Gregg Appel from Kerrville, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in February 2023. Mr. Appel is a lifelong resident of the Texas Hill Country and Kerrville resident since 1991. Having begun his banking career in 1985, he currently serves as Central Texas Division President of Happy State Bank (a division of Centennial Bank), a regional bank based in Conway, Arkansas. From 2016-2020, he served as President and CEO of a predecessor community bank with locations across the Hill Country and Panhandle of Texas. Mr. Appel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from the University of Texas and graduated as valedictorian from the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at SMU. He actively serves his community as a board member of the Kerrville Economic Improvement Corporation, Member of the Rotary Club of Kerrville, the Schreiner University President’s Advisory Council, and is the 2022 Chairman of the Hill Country College (Scholarship) Fund. During his time in Kerrville, Gregg has also served in positions of leadership with organizations including Kerrville Economic Development Corporation, Tivy Athletic Booster Club, Habitat for Humanity Kerr County, Hill Country Homebuilders Association, Kerr County Young Life, Kerr County United Way, Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development sub-committee member for the Kerrville 2050 comprehensive plan, and Leadership Kerr County. Gregg and his wife Carolee have raised four children in Kerrville. He enjoys family, sports, and outdoor activities.

5824

Wade Turner

Board of Directors

Mr. Wade Turner from Houston, Texas was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in April 2024. Mr. Turner is a seasoned and strategic thinking senior executive and general counsel with an extensive corporate background and over 30 years of legal and business experience. A respected leader with deep public and private company, investment and management, private equity, real estate, and family office expertise. Mr. Turner spent seven years with McNair Management Services LLC where he oversaw the McNair family’s assets, protecting and growing those assets, stewarding the family’s wealth for generations of McNair family members. Mr. Turner also served as the Senior Vice-President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary for McNair responsible for McNair Interests’ legal and compliance functions serving on its Executive Committee, Investment Committee, and Real Estate Committee. Mr. Turner also served as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Academy Sports and Outdoors for nine years, and prior to that he was Senior Corporate Counsel for Home Depot USA, the largest home improvement retailer and one of the five largest retailers in the United States. Mr. Turner started his career with Locke Lord in Houston as a commercial litigator. His board experience includes The Arbor School in Houston and imaware, a home medical testing and wellness company. He graduated from the University of Dayton with a B.S. in Business Administration and holds a Master of Business Administration from the Ohio State University, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

5821

Diane Tobin

Board of Directors

Ms. Diane Tobin from Dallas, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in April 2024. Ms. Tobin is the Chief Operating Officer of CH Investment Partners where she oversees the internal operations and accounting/finance functions of the group. Prior to joining the firm in 2018, Ms. Tobin spent nearly 20 years at USAA with a focus on investments. During her tenure at USAA, she managed the investments of the employee benefit plans and charitable foundations and was responsible for asset allocation, selection of third-party investment managers, and risk management. She most recently served as COO of USAA’s investment management division which offers wealth advisory services, mutual funds, and ETFs. Ms. Tobin currently serves on the Executive Board of the Parent Teachers Association of Armstrong Elementary in Dallas. She is the Treasurer and responsible for the annual budget, maintaining the financial statements and ensuring smooth operations of the organization. She has previously served on the Executive Board of the CFA Society of San Antonio. The CFA Institute is a global association of investment professionals where she served as the Secretary and was responsible for content event planning and membership for the San Antonio chapter. Ms. Tobin received a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Professional Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996. She is a CFA charter holder and a CPA.

5186

Chris Miller

Board of Directors

Mr. Chris Miller from Austin, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in December 2022. Mr. Miller is the founder and CEO of MyRecruiter, LLC, a technology company that helps businesses recruit employees. Mr. Miller has over 20 years of experience in sales and leadership roles for software companies such as ADP and Cornerstone OnDemand, helping large global companies recruit, train, and develop their employees. Mr. Miller and his High School sweetheart have been married more than 20 years. They are foster parents to four wonderful children and are active in the foster community around Austin. Helping young people is a deep passion. Mr. Miller is also an Area Director at Toastmasters International; a global organization focused on assisting people to become better public speakers.

5812

Katie Machuca

Director of Family Development

Katie Machuca is the Director of Family Development. She oversees the Family Development department, including the recruitment, training, and verification process of foster, adoptive, and kinship homes for all of Pathways. Katie has a master’s degree in Social Work and has over 23 years of experience working in the foster care and social services fields.

Katie began her career in Boston, Massachusetts as a case manager for a child-placing agency, and quickly moved into a supervisor role. She moved to San Antonio, Texas in 2008 where she took on the role as Program Director until 2016. Throughout her years in San Antonio, Katie has also contracted with child-placing agencies as a homestudy writer, trainer, quality analyst, and policy writer. Additionally, in 2015 Katie and her family became a licensed foster family, expanding her passion of working with children in need, to living and caring for the children in her home. Her years of experience and knowledge working in foster care, coupled with her personal experience as a foster parent, has allowed her to bring a unique perspective to her current work with Pathways.

Katie now oversees the Department of Family Development throughout the five Pathways locations in Texas. With a dedication to quality, compliance, and safety for all homes that are developed within Pathways, she is also focused on helping Pathways build capacity throughout the state, expand the company’s community engagement, and develop training curriculum for employees and foster families.

Katie is married with four children. She enjoys supporting and encouraging her children in the variety of sporting events they participate in. You can typically find Katie on a field, at a pool, or in a gymnasium, cheering on her kids almost any night or weekend. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and gardening.

Chief Development Officer

Melinda Guthrie joined Pathways as its Chief Development Officer in 2023 and brings with her a decade of nonprofit leadership experience in helping under-resourced communities obtain critical services ranging from educational support to behavioral health programs. In her role as Pathways’ Chief Development Officer, Melinda leads advancement strategies across the state, driving advocacy and awareness of Pathways’ mission to expand program impact and organizational growth. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Melinda led communication teams primarily in the oil and gas sector throughout the U.S. and for ten years in Europe.

5190

Pat Peyton

Board of Directors

Mr. Pat Peyton from Austin, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in December 2022. Mr. Peyton has extensive advertising, marketing, and media relations experience and most recently has worked as a documentary filmmaker. Mr. Peyton also has extensive marketing and public relations experience with Louis Shanks of Texas where he served as the director of marketing for 20 years. Mr. Peyton has extensive community service and leadership experience as well including as the Past Chairman for Tarrytown United Methodist Church. His volunteer experience includes the Austin Dog Alliance, Austin Veterinarian Emergency and Specialty Volunteer, Scottish Rite Learning Center, Meals on Wheels, Love of Christi, Austin Jazz Society, and mission trips to various locales.

5188

Cynthia O'Keeffe

Board of Directors

Ms. Cynthia O’Keeffe from San Antonio, Texas, was appointed to the Pathways Board of Directors in December 2022. Ms. O’Keeffe is a retired attorney who served as Deputy Chief of Litigation for the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division of the Texas Attorney General’s office as well as the General Counsel of the Department of Family and Protective Services. She has also provided legal services to non-profit adoption agencies and individuals seeking adoption services. Ms. O’Keeffe has a B.S from the University of Texas and a J.D. from St. Mary’s University Law School. Prior board service includes serving as the Chair of the Oral History Committee for the Austin History Center, Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, San Antonio Child Guidance Center, and the Healy-Murchy Center. Other volunteer activities include membership in the Junior League of San Antonio and serving as co-chair of the San Antonio Express-New Book and Author Luncheon.

1509

Gabriel Longoria

IS/IT Director

5209

Diane Elizando

Director of Human Resources

Diane Elizondo is the Director of Human Resources and oversees the human resources activities for all Pathways employment programs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and Master of Science in Human Resources Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Diane holds a Senior Professional Human Resources certification.

Diane began her career managing the human resources functions in continuing care retirement communities including skilled nursing. She relocated to Mission, Texas from Maryland in 2011 and directed the human resources functions in a hospital environment and later relocated to San Antonio and worked in a variety of industries including residential facilities for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, retirement communities, and large medical group practices.

Making the decision to return to San Antonio, Diane’s hometown, was a dream. She had the opportunity to relocate once her parents retired from working with the federal government in Washington DC. Diane is a Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys fan.

3474

Gabriela Smith

Board of Directors

Mrs. Gabriela Smith from Houston is new to Pathways’ Board of Directors since July 2021. Mrs. Smith is the President and CEO of Big State Construction in Houston, Texas with a B.A. in Communications and Public Relations, and an MBA in Organizational Leadership. She is also an accomplished and committed community advocate and volunteer. She and her husband started Big State Construction in the wake of Hurricane Harvey in order to help the city of Houston and its residents rebuild after the devastating storm in 2017. In Mrs. Smith’s words, “serving my community has always been a passion, and Pathways’ mission directly impacts families and community.” Mrs. Smith has board experience with Ascend Houston and Friday Harbour. Her professional experience also includes leadership positions, sales, management, and customer service. As the CEO of Big State Construction, she calls daily on her organizational and multi-tasking skills to successfully operate her business and is proud of the large Houston area network of non-profit and corporate leaders, local governments, and community advocates she has built over the years.

3470

Catherine Earley

Board of Directors

Mrs. Catherine Earley from Wichita Falls, Texas is new to the Pathways’ Board of Directors since July 2021. Mrs. Earley is currently an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. She has a Master’s of Science in Social Work, and is a doctoral candidate at Texas Tech University. Prior to becoming an Assistant Professor of Social Work at MSU, Catherine spent many years as a social worker serving the child welfare community as a licensed child placing administrator, director of community relations, and a senior consultant for two large child welfare provider organizations. She has experience teaching Ethical Decision Making in Social Work, Child Welfare Policy and Practice, Family Systems and Substance Abuse, and Communication, Interviewing and Intervention Skills. Mrs. Earley is an accomplished and experienced public speaker, child welfare advocate, writer, and community volunteer, having received numerous awards and public recognition for her work in her community. Her interests and expertise are in Pathways’ mission, board development and governance, policy development and strategic planning, knowledge of the services provided, and in particular, behavioral health services.

3466

Brent Campbell

Board of Directors

Mr. Brent Campbell from Round Rock, Texas, has served on the Pathways’ Board of Directors since March 2010. Mr. Campbell was himself adopted soon after birth and he and his wife have adopted four boys from the foster care system. Mr. Campbell is passionate about Pathways’ 3H Youth Ranch and is a commercial real-estate agent with Don Quick and Associates, Inc. in Austin, Texas, specializing in sales and leasing. He is a recognized leader in the commercial real estate sector. He is a past president of the Heart of Round Rock Neighborhood Association, the City of Round Rock Ethics Commission, the Round Rock Zoning Advisory Committee, and the Round Rock Business and Retention Committee. Mr. Campbell is an Austin native and enjoys hiking, fishing, mountain biking, snow skiing, and water skiing.

3464

Helen Bryan

Board of Directors

Mrs. Helen Bryan from San Antonio, Texas, has been serving on the Pathways’ Board of Directors since March 2017. Mrs. Bryan started her career with MCI in Houston, later serving as the Director of Corporate Services for Zachary Industrial, Inc. in San Antonio, and currently is the President of the Bryan Group, LLC, which provides corporate travel liaison services. Mrs. Bryan served for many years on the THRU Project Board of Directors, which focuses on bridging the gap between foster care and adulthood for youth who age out of the foster care system. She is an avid volunteer and board member for numerous non-profit organizations including Susan G. Komen and Habitat for Humanity in the San Antonio and surrounding communities. Mrs. Bryan enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and enjoying the outdoors.

1485

Tina Amberboy

President & CEO

Tina Amberboy is President and CEO of Pathways Youth and Family Services.

Before being named CEO in June 2020, Tina served for 13 years as the Executive Director of the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission. Tina is a respected leader in the child welfare sector, and is experienced in strategic planning, project management, federal grant management, public speaking, the legislative process, branding, and communications, and has authored numerous highly-regarded publications, reports, and bar journal articles.

Before serving as the Founding Director of the Children’s Commission, Tina spent many years practicing child welfare law in Travis County. She is the recipient of the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Pathfinder Award and Austin Young Lawyer Association Outstanding Mentor Award.

Tina championed the creation of a Child Welfare Law Board Certification in 2018 and currently serves on the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Tina co-founded the Austin Bar Association Section of Court Appointed Family Attorneys in 2005, and from 2006 to 2017, served as an adjunct professor of law at Baylor Law School where she taught Family Rights Litigation.

Tina earned her BA in Government from the University of Texas, and her JD from Baylor Law School.

1519

Kelly Lowry

Risk and Compliance Director

Kelly Lowry is the Director of Risk and Compliance for Pathways and oversees risk management and compliance and utilization management activities for all Pathways programs. She holds both a Bachelor and Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!)

Kelly moved to Texas from Michigan in 2019 where she held a variety of roles. She started her career working at Children’s Protective Services and in the foster care system. She then began working in the Community Mental Health system and has held roles as a Recipient Rights Officer completing investigations for client rights and other violations. She later moved to Clinical Supervisor and eventually became the Clinical Director.

Kelly began at Pathways as the Quality Assurance/Utilization Review Manager then became the Risk and Compliance Director in early 2021. She oversees a team that is responsible for activities such as internal audits, investigations, data analysis, and utilization review functions, among others, to ensure compliance with all regulatory standards, reduce risk to the organization, and ensure quality services are provided.

Kelly has led teams that successfully applied for national grants to implement pilot programs that have included CIT (emergency co-response team comprised of mental health clinicians and law enforcement), a mental health team in the county jail, and was selected as one of Michigan’s pilot/demonstration sites for the federal Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) initiative.

While focusing on child welfare in her early years, Kelly quickly recognized the importance of solid organizational infrastructure to ensure quality services are provided to the people and communities served. She realized quickly she offered a unique skill to the profession and focused her master’s studies on management of human services and minored in policy and program development and evaluation.

Kelly relocated in 2019 to the San Antonio area from Michigan with her husband Randy and three dogs Odin, Phoebe, and Paulie. She enjoys attending live sporting events and is an avid Michigan sports fan. Locally, she has become a San Antonio Missions and Flying Chanculas (Texas Collegiate League) fan. She and her husband enjoy live music and have grown to love the San Antonio area.

1495

Tammy Walser

Chief Financial Officer

Tammy Walser joined Pathways Youth and Family Services in January 2015 and currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Tammy brings more than 25 years experience of financial, business, and operations management experience in the private and nonprofit sectors to the Pathways team.

Tammy spent nearly 20 years as a key team member of two successful privately held, start-up medical device companies. When Tammy married and moved from San Antonio to the Texas Hill Country with her two children, she had an opportunity to work closer to home. After meeting Dan Johnson, the Founder and CEO of Pathways, she was inspired by his passion and energy for Pathways as well as his down-to-earth demeanor.

Currently, Tammy serves as the CFO and oversees the finance, payroll, human resources, IT, and business administration departments and staff. Her primary responsibilities include financial reporting, cash and debt management, annual state cost reporting, annual budgeting and financial forecasting, federal tax returns, annual financial audits, employee health and benefit plans, contracts, legal and corporate insurance, and risk management.

With over two decades of experience, Tammy has served past companies and continues to serve Pathways today as a dedicated team member and leader facing all the risks and challenges that an organization endures during the various stages of growth and development.

Tammy’s commitment to Pathways is largely due to the dedicated staff she has the privilege to work with. While her role does not involve regular interaction with the clients, Tammy knows that her work each day contributes in some way to transforming the lives of many children, youth, and families.

Family time is very important to Tammy. Her family enjoys spending their time in the beautiful Texas Hill Country as well as enjoying the relaxing Texas Gulf Coast. Walser’s family spends their time outdoors, whether it’s playing pickleball, swimming, riding bikes, or doing yard work but also have fun indoors playing family board games, watching movies, and cooking.

1513

Stacey Lofstad

Mosaic State Director for Behavioral Health Services

Stacey Lofstad serves as the State Director of Behavioral Health Services and oversees Pathways Behavioral Health Team. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has demonstrated commitment to foster care programs for over 20 years.

Stacey initially began her foster care career working directly with foster families and children as a case manager. Over the years, she transitioned to providing additional program oversight including that of the Pathways Foster Care Program in the Houston region. Her knowledge and experience in foster care, along with her counseling background, proved an excellent marriage for the expansion and further development of the Pathways Behavioral Health Program.

Stacey now oversees the statewide Pathways Behavioral Health program, which includes services such as therapy, targeted case management, skills, and psychiatry. The large team includes therapists, qualified mental health professionals, clinical supervisors, as well as clinical directors and psychiatrists. The main focus of the team is to steady children and families who are impacted by foster care and are victims of crime, however, we are also shifting towards family preservation in a strong effort to help families stabilize and prevent entry into foster care whenever possible.

Stacey has spent years cultivating trauma-informed teams who recognize the depth of needs our children have and also understand the true impact of their role and responsibility.

Stacey recognizes that children deserve to be with families who are healthy, stable, and thriving, regardless of if they are biologically related. For this reason, she strives to develop a team that gives parents and children all tools they need not only to be successful but most importantly to be resilient. In fulfilling this mission, she sees fewer children entering and re-entering into foster care, but sees that those who do will have the best experience possible.

Stacey is a mother to two busy children who finds herself operating as a swim taxi more days than not! Beyond taxi responsibilities, family time often includes cooking, blanket forts, games, movies, and outdoor adventures. When she has a rare spare moment to herself, she spends her coveted time gardening, reading, enjoying her pets, and creating the occasional painting.

1516

Jacque Marks

Director of Quality Management

Jacque Marks is Pathways’ Director of Quality Management, responsible for oversight of quality, risk, and compliance activities to achieve Pathways’ mission and strategic goals, performance and outcome targets, positive client outcomes, and client satisfaction.

Jacque holds a Master’s of Science in Clinical and Community Mental Health from Western Illinois University, specializing in children, youth, and families. She is a licensed professional counselor in Texas and Illinois and worked as a therapist prior to transitioning into a leadership role.

In this role, Jacque guides performance and continuous quality improvement; program review, monitoring, and evaluation; quality assurance; utilization review; and risk prevention and management.

With more than 20 years of experience as a leader, in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, she is skilled in team development, strategic thinking and action, and inspiring and supporting change.

Jacque is passionate about serving and empowering others, as well as having a lasting impact on individuals, organizations, and communities.

Jacque is from Cooksville, a small town in Central Illinois, and the perfect place to develop her love of the outdoors, running, reading, and art. She is fortunate to have had many people in her life to encourage, support, and mentor her and she wants everyone to feel valued as a person and empowered to pursue their passions by using their God-given talents.

1506

Brad Brush

Chief Program Officer

Brad Brush is the Chief Program Officer for Pathways and has been with Pathways since 2005 and has almost 30 years of experience in the social services field.

Prior to his work with Pathways, Brad spent several years as the Regional Director for another Child Placing Agency in the DFW area. Brad has been working in the Child Welfare field since 1992. He has worked as an Administrator, Clinical Director, and direct care staff in Residential Treatment Centers and as a Therapist, Case Manager, and Administrator of Child Placing Agencies.

As Chief Program Officer, Brad works with all residential and behavioral health programs and currently serves as the Administrator for the Pathways Child Placing Agency. He works with the Executive Leadership Team to guide and position the organization for the future.

Brad is an experienced and innovative leader in the child welfare arena. He has served in a variety of roles in numerous programs and brings his unique perspective and experience to build solutions for children and families in need.

Brad was originally drawn to Pathways to help children reach permanency through adoption. A former adoptee himself, Brad is deeply committed to helping children find forever homes in safe, stable, loving home environments. As a clinician, Brad understands the trauma children in the foster care system experience, and he works to integrate mental health services into treatment.

When he is not working, Brad enjoys bicycling, golf, travel, and spending time with his family.

1635

Foster Care/Adopt Form

<a href="https://texas.extendedreach.com/85257CF200689ADC/F_INQUIRY?OpenForm&skin=none&unid=0035CC2835E2CBA585257E44007955AD">Fill out the inquiry form!</a>

How to Become a Foster Parent in Texas: A Guide to Making a Difference

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