Meet the Participants of our HOLT Advanced Leadership Program
Alyssa Avenatti
Alyssa Avenatti is the Executive Director of the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio (CCSA). A native of San Antonio, Alyssa holds a Master of Music Education degree from Texas State University and is a doctoral candidate at Indiana University’s world-renowned Jacobs School of Music.
Alyssa has a passion for providing youth with high-quality, transformative music experiences. Through her work with CCSA, the San Antonio community has access to early childhood family music classes, tuition-free choirs and summer camps, and unmatched youth and children’s choir programming.
Before joining CCSA, Alyssa taught music in North East ISD, and continued to serve the field of music education by supervising and mentoring student teachers from Texas State University.
Alyssa and her husband are the proud parents of two young boys, ages two and five, who joyfully narrate their lives with improvised songs on a daily basis.
E-Mail: aavenatti@childrenschorussa.org
Phone: 210.826.3447
Website: https://childrenschorussa.org/
Andrea Salazar
Mrs. Salazar started working in the field of substance use prevention in 2000 and has 22 years of experience in the field -- 15 of which were with SACADA. Mrs. Salazar has a penchant for building relationships and engaging grassroots efforts to mobilize communities around substance use prevention.
Mrs. Salazar serves as one of SACADA’s Directors of Youth Prevention where she provides leadership to Kendall County CCP and youth prevention programming in the Texas Hill Country area. In this role, Mrs. Salazar has developed subject matter expertise in effective delivery of her work overseeing the Kendall County CCP involves employing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) data-driven Strategic Prevention Framework to annually assess the needs of the community, build capacity of coalition members, facilitate strategic planning, implement evidence-based prevention strategies, and evaluate processes and outcomes. Additionally, Mrs. Salazar’s experience includes implementing safer prescription drug storage and disposal strategies, identifying, and delivering training and technical assistance to community members, and co-developing media campaign components.
She works on special projects like a Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) in Kendall and Kerr Counties as SACADA’s RCORP-P Project Director. She is also actively involved with Kendall County Behavioral Health Initiative, South Texas Trauma Informed Care Consortium, Integrates School Support Workgroup and serves as the President of the North Side Independent School District, School Health Advisory Council in 2019.
Mrs. Salazar is an ACPS and an Internationally Certified Prevention Specialist (ICPS) through the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals (since May 2007). She graduated from Illinois State University in 1998 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. Mrs. Salazar regular completes continuing education trainings relevant to substance use disorder/overdose prevention, treatment, and recovery, such as these recent examples: trauma-Informed care model for leadership in substance use prevention, Critical Incidence Crisis Management (CISM) Managing School Crisis, Mental Health First Aid for Adults, Mental Health First Aid for Youth, Naloxone Distribution and Administration, Stigma Reduction, University of Texas Health San Antonio opioid overdose prevention and awareness training.
Email: asalazar@sacada.org
B.K. Gamble
Earlier this year, B.K. Gamble was hired as the Executive Director of the Doyle Community Center in Kerrville, Texas. This is an exciting time for the Doyle Community and B.K is very excited to be a part of the journey and Doyle’s story. She looks forward to uniting people both inside and outside of the Doyle Community to ignite hope and share the value this diverse community provides to Kerrville.
B.K. previously worked for The H.E. Butt Family Foundation in Human Resources as the Training and Development Manager. She also worked in San Antonio for USAA as a Project Manager and for Southwestern Bell as a Project Management Consultant.
B.K.’s career was initially focused on the Information Technology arena, but she jumped on the bandwagon of Project Management twenty years ago. She obtained her B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Central Oklahoma and received her MBA in Information Systems from the University of Dallas. She also has certifications in Human Resources (PHR) and Project Management (PMP).
B.K., her husband Fred, and their son, Preston are members of First Presbyterian Church- Kerrville. B.K. has served as a Deacon, Stephen Minister, and is currently serving as an elder.
Ben Tremillo
San Anto Cultural Arts (SACA) Executive Director, Ben Tremillo, has over 30 years of experience as a poet/ playwright in San Antonio, TX and nine years in nonprofit administration. He has been the Executive Director with SACA since 2018 and is a San Antonio native.
Email: executivedirector@sananto.org
Phone: 210.226.7466
Website: http://www.sananto.org/
Cory McRae
Cory McRae comes from a long line of entrepreneurs, and he started at an early age learning what is takes to grow and build your own business. He would go to work with his father at age 8 and was operating heavy equipment at 10 years old. At seventeen, Cory started his first business and went on to start several more successful businesses.
He has now been with Alamo City Arts for 6 years in total -- 4 years as board president and 2 years as Executive Director. The agency started out as a dance company. Under his leadership, they have expanded to a symphony, concert band, big band, and a dance academy. We are finishing up with negotiations to take over operations of the Scottish Rite Theater with plans to purchase and remodel it to bring it up to ADA compliance.
Cory is responsible for oversight of Alamo City Arts, Academy, Alamo City Big Band, Alamo City Dance Company, Alamo City Symphony, and Heart of Texas Concert Band. He coordinates events and joint events working with the directors to coordinate their solo and joint season with the organization.
In addition to being in charge of promotions, advertisement, and ticketing, he applies for grants and solicits corporate sponsorships.
Cory is also the co-founder and president of PRESTIGE. Our mission is to go into facilities that provide long term care and provide entertainment and play games with clients, to give them an outlet.
Email: cory.mcrae@acpaainc.org
Website: https://www.alamocityperformingartsassociation.com/
Phone: 210-381-3766
Curtis Ruder
Curtis Ruder, CPA joined SAMMinistries in 2020 as Chief Financial Officer. He is responsible for the fiscal oversight of all programs and operations.
Curtis received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Trinity University in 1994 and a Master’s Degree in Accountancy from Florida State University in 2000. He has worked in governmental and nonprofit settings throughout his accounting career. He joined SAMMinistries after ten years as a Finance Director of Chief Financial Officer in San Antonio.
He has also served on the Boards of Directors for the San Antonio Clubhouse, the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, and LEAD. In addition to service on the finance committees, he has specialized in work on board development and strategic planning during his board service.
Curtis is married with two children and can be found most Saturday mornings on the court coaching his daughter’s youth volleyball team.
Donald Mason
Donald R. Mason, Executive Director of the Classical Music Institute, is an arts administrator and nonprofit champion, with two decades of experience across a spectrum of industries and organizations, with emphasis in the arts and culture sphere. He has a background in radio production, music photojournalism, talent management, and he performed in the funk band, Soul Funkin Dangerous.
Originally from Midland, TX, Donald has lived most of his life in Lexington, KY, and made his Texas return to San Antonio, TX in January 2020. He arrived in San Antonio to take the position of Executive Director of the Classical Music Institute, after serving in the same position for five years at the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center in Lexington, KY.
Donald continues to be actively engaged in his new community. Currently, he serves on the Carver Community Cultural Center Development Board, United Way San Antonio Emerging Leaders, City of San Antonio Performing Arts Review Committee, New Leaders Council Alumni Engagement Committee, and volunteered creative services for Voices De La Luna and ExtraLife Charity Stream through Monocle, LLC.
Donald is a dogfather to his Boxer partner, Maxwell, long time vocal artist, Hamilton fanatic, and looks forward to globetrotting once the pandemic is in a safer place. There’s a million things he hasn’t done, but just you wait… Donald Mason
Email: donald.mason@cmi-sa.org
Eboni Jett
Born and raised in Toledo, OH, and raised in suburban Chicago, Eboni Jett is an experienced clinical administrator and program developer. She is currently the Director of Systems at the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH) where she oversees the implementation of the local coordinated entry system, Homelink.
Previously, Eboni spent over a decade with Wolverine Human Services as a Foster Care Program Supervisor and Clinical Director. Eboni Holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from the University of Toledo, Ohio, and two Bachelor’s degrees from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, in Psychology and African American Studies.
Email: ebonijett@sarahomeless.org
Phone: 313-505-5737
Website: https://www.sarahomeless.org/
Gabriela Cadena
Gabriela Cadena serves as the Chief Executive Officer for The Southside First Economic Development Council. Southside First is a nonprofit organization that promotes economic development and community leadership across south San Antonio and Bexar County. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) who is a bridge-builder and has worked with the National Institutes.
Ms. Cadena studied abroad in Denmark and is a graduate from Cornell University where she was a Cornell Tradition Scholar. In her “spare” time, she enjoys exploring San Antonio and its treasures as she is part of the Professional Tour Guide Association of San Antonio. She is a learner and connector.
Email: gabriela@southsidefirst.org
Phone: 210.970.0936
Website: https://southsidefirst.org/
Jessie Hinojosa
Jessie Hinojosa serves as Rise Recovery’s Operations Director. Jessie graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May 2009, and became a Registered Texas School Business Associate in November 2019.
For over eight years, she worked in public education. She has been a member of the Rise Inspire Academy Advisory Council since August of 2019, serving as the Chair from August 2020 through May 2022. Jessie joined the Rise Recovery team full-time as the Operations Director in February of 2022.
Email: jhinojosa@riserecovery.org
Phone: 210.227.2634
Website: http://www.riserecovery.org/
Leticia Padron Hernandez
Leticia Padron Hernandez is the Vice President of Recruitment and Training at Child Advocates San Antonio and has a tenure of 8 years.
She is a native of San Antonio, Texas and has a passion for advocacy and working with volunteers and children on child abuse and neglect and at-risk cases in the court system. Leticia is bilingual and a Master Curriculum trainer.
The desire to make a difference in children’s lives was the driving force to provide effective and culturally sensitive training to Advocates serving children and youth across Bexar County. She collaborates with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Texas CASA, and National CASA to train advocates to provide constancy for children in Bexar County.
She is a motorcycle enthusiast who volunteers with Guardians of the Children proving support to children and youth who testify in a criminal court setting due to abuse and neglect.
Leticia is committed to bringing people together in order to address challenges and find solutions as a community. Leticia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Texas A&M University- San Antonio.
Email: Lhernandez@casa-satx.org
Phone: 210.225.7070
Website: https://www.casa-satx.org/
Siomara Salazar
Siomara Salazar: Currently the Director of Social Services/Programs at the Madonna Center Inc., Siomara works to help programs be successful and find new and innovative ways to better serve our families and community. I believe in supporting and giving back to the community.
She obtained a Master’s in Sociology from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UTSA. She has been working in nonprofit for five years and has always wanted to help make a difference in the community. She feels fortunate to be in a position where she can now make this possible.
Email: ssalazar@madonnacentersa.org
Phone: 210.432.2374
Website: https://www.madonnacentersa.org/
Holly Cunningham Kizer
Holly Cunningham-Kizer is the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center’s Chief Development Officer. She has over 20 years of experience working with victims of abuse and as a community organizer. Holly began work at HCWC in August of 2013 having previously been the Sexual Assault Services Program Director and the Assistant Director at the Eastland County Crisis Center.
Holly studied at Tarleton State University and later received her Certificate of Nonprofit Management from the San Antonio Area Foundation and Our Lady of the Lake University. Holly oversees HCWC’s education programs, development and fundraising programs, and community outreach and engagement and serves as member of the Executive Leadership Team.
Email: holly@hcwc.org
Phone: 512.396.3404
Website: https://www.hcwc.org/
Julie Strentzch
Julie Strentzsch, PhD, LPC was named the Chief Executive Officer at the Crisis Center of Comal County earlier this year where she now works in the domestic violence intervention and prevention space.
Prior to that, she served as the Chief Operating Officer at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives where she reinvigorated and updated the clinical and program practices of RMYA. Creating a seamless integration, which in turn, significantly improved agency outcomes. She collaborated with Communities In Schools of San Antonio and the City of San Antonio to provide critical housing and supplementary support options to homeless youth 16-24 via the NXT Level program.
Additionally, Julie worked with Bexar County Juvenile Probation to develop the first 24-hour drop-in center in Texas through a grant with the victims of crime act. She currently sits on the Bexar County Care Coordination team leading the charge to expand programming services for Child Sex Trafficked Youth in San Antonio. Julie is currently working in collaboration with University of Texas at San Antonio to begin to create evidence-based drop-in services and programming.
Julie is a fierce advocate for children and their families. She is a licensed professional counselor and specializes with those diagnosed with stress and anxiety spectrum disorders. Most recently, Julie became a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner and is excited to train the community on how to best address trauma in the community.
Mary Thorsby
A long time community builder and connector, Mary is the Executive Director of ABODE Contemplative Care for the Dying in San Antonio. Mary and ABODE staff and volunteers provide a beautiful home and 24/7 contemplative care for those who are terminally ill and entering their last 3 months, weeks or even days of life at no charge to them or their families. ABODE partners with hospice agencies and has cared for 270 Guest since opening its doors seven years ago. ABODE’s robust education programs attract participants around the world.
Prior to joining ABODE, Mary spent more than 30 years working with and advising entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits in the realm of strategy, outreach, and marketing communications. Past clients include Apple, Levi Strauss, Genentech, Wells Fargo, and Amgen.
A lifelong learner, Mary earned her business and journalism degrees from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and more recently, earned an Entrepreneurship MBA from the University of Louisville.
Mary is a former faculty member, teaching marketing and operations management at the Fashion Institute for Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in San Francisco. She recently completed the HOLT Advanced Leadership Program through San Antonio Area Foundation.
Email: mary.thorsby@abodehome.org
Phone: 210.967.9891
Website: https://abodehome.org
Jennifer Limas Mota
Jennifer Limas-Mota, Chief Operating Officer of New Frontiers Public Schools, has senior level expertise in business operations, strategic communications, legislative advocacy and project management. Jennifer has spent her professional career working alongside mission-driven organizations that make an impact. She is a tenured executive with deep expertise in organizational development, public affairs strategy, legislative advocacy and program elevation in the education and nonprofit sectors.
She has previously served in leadership roles for the Texas Charter Schools Association, Texas CASA, Business Investment Growth Austin, St. David’s Community Health Foundation, Texas LULAC and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. A native South Texan and proud University of Texas graduate, Jennifer is passionate about empowering underserved communities through access to quality public education.
Email: jlimas@newfrontierspublicschools.org
Phone: 210.519.3900
Website: www.newfrontierspublicschools.org
Katherine Trumble
Katherine Trumble joined the San Antonio Botanical Garden in May 2020 as Director of Development. With more than 12 years of experience, Katherine is well-practiced in leading a comprehensive fund development program and has built a career around a passion for arts and culture. In this role, Katherine oversees the development department and contributed revenue at the Botanical Garden. This includes membership, annual fund, major gifts, grants, fundraisers, planned giving, and capital projects.
Prior to the Botanical Garden, Katherine worked at the McNay Art Museum, the Briscoe Western Art Museum, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts in Montgomery, AL., and El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, CO.
Katherine holds a B.A. in American Studies and Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Denver and is the mother of two girls (7and 9).
Email: ktrumble@sabot.org
Phone: 210.536.1406
Website: www.sabot.org
Matthew Scott
Matthew Scott is a Chief Financial Officer of Morningside Ministries. Mr. Scott oversees the finances of the organization including preparing the operation and capital budgets, regulatory compliance, reporting and other financial issues as they arise.
Mr. Scott has worked in the nonprofit sector for over ten years. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Wake Forest University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Mary’s School of Law.
Mr. Scott Lives in San Antonio, Texas with his wife, daughter, and son. He can often be found out seeing the sights of San Antonio, drinking great craft beer and doing improv comedy.
Email: Matthew.scott@mmliving.org
Phone: 210.734.1000
Website: http://www.mmliving.org/
Jenny Castro
Jenny Castro is a Director of Programs at Empower House (formerly Martinez Street Women’s Center). She has a BA in English and has enjoyed a meandering yet fulfilling career finding paid work in a variety of contexts, including community and women’s health, public education, international relief and development, communications, and women’s advocacy. Jenny is passionate about justice, truth, and their connection.
She is a mother to three teenagers and has been married to Jake for over 20 years. She loves camping, authentic conversation, and a good cup of coffee.
Email: jenny.castro@mswomenscenter.org
Phone: 210.598.9640
Website: https://empowerhousesa.org/
Kristin Beno
Kristin Beno is a Certified Fund Raising Executive with 16 years of experience helping nonprofits in multiple sectors fund their missions. From public broadcasting to human rights as well as arts and culture, Kristin has served in a development capacity for nonprofits the entirety of her career.
She brings strong communication skills to her role as Development Director at Rise Recovery allowing her to individualize her interactions with donors and peers and empowering all parties to maximize available resources as a team. Kristin serves on the board of the SA Cancer Councils and is active with her local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
When she is not working, Kristin can be found with the cause dearest to her heart, her son, Gibson.
Email: kbeno@riserecovery.org
Phone: 210.227.2634
Website: https://www.riserecovery.org/
Ramiro Gonzales
Ramiro Gonzales is the President and CEO of Prosper West San Antonio, a nonprofit economic development organization and local redevelopment authority focused on the revitalization and economic advancement of the Westside of San Antonio – an area home to the poorest zip code in the city. On the heels of the COVID pandemic, Ramiro has led the organization through a rebranding, the disbursement of over $3 million in relief funding and outreach to over 1,300 small and micro businesses, the redevelopment of the Basila Frocks building (an iconic community building steeped in history), the development of the Westside’s first inclusive economic growth strategic plan which included over 30 community partners, and is currently leading efforts on the establishment of a $15 million corridor reinvestment fund.
Prior to joining Prosper West, Ramiro served 15 years with the City of San Antonio and helped to facilitate the development of over 7,500 housing units in the downtown area and structure over $80 million of public investment in urban redevelopment projects. He also served several years with the City Attorney’s Office and Office of the City Manager as a paralegal and policy analyst where he developed and analyzed policies and programs, and managed the City Council legislative agenda under the direction of the City Manager.
As an advocate for maximizing real estate assets for community benefit, he has cofounded several nonprofit endeavors including a program to build accessory dwelling units for vulnerable families, and an effort to help churches reimagine their surplus property to solve community problems. “Ram”, as most often called, also founded and manages a small private real estate investment fund, is in the process of launching a second fund focused on providing affordable homeownership opportunities. and serves on multiple boards related to community reinvestment and affordable housing.
Ramiro was born and raised in San Antonio and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Email: Ramiro@prosperwestsa.org
Phone: 210.501.0192
Website: https://prosperwestsa.org/