From administrative to marketing to social work, each member of the Endeavors family is crucial to the work we do.
Endeavors serves vulnerable people in crisis across the nation—people experiencing homelessness, Veterans on the brink of suicide, victims of natural disaster, unaccompanied children at the border, and more.
We are so proud of the work that we do. Beyond that, we are proud of the members of our Endeavors family that make it happen.
Our 150+ staff is made up of all kinds of people who come from all walks of life—a colorful spectrum of people from different places with different points of view. They make our relationships more dynamic; they make our perspectives sharper; they make our work stronger.
Our passionate employees are the lifeblood of Endeavors, and we wanted to say “thank you” by recognizing a few of their unique, individual stories. From administrative to marketing to social work, each one is crucial to the work we do.
Let’s take a look at 4 spotlighted Endeavors employees!
Jesny Miranda, LMSW
Clinician
Tell us more about what you do at Endeavors.
I’m a clinician at the Steven A. Cohen Clinic in El Paso! I work with children and individuals, and I’ll start seeing couples soon as well.
How did you come to Endeavors?
I started as an intern, actually. I was very interested in the clinical side of social work, and I knew that I wanted to work with Veterans and/or military families. So I started my internship here, graduated with my masters degree, and then received a Cohen Fellowship. I recently got hired as a full-time clinician.
What do you like about working for Endeavors?
I love how Endeavors is passionate about helping Veterans and family members. I had family members in the military, and I know it’s not easy going through those different transitions for anyone—the kids, the wives, and the members themselves. So for Endeavors to be willing to help and support them is amazing.
What keeps you going?
The team! I feel very grateful that I’m part of a group where everyone is very supportive of each other. I like how we all have these opportunities to just be there for each other. It just makes it all feel worth it.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Believe in yourself and be grateful. I’m honestly just amazed at how opportunities have presented themselves over the course of my career: starting as an intern and then as a fellow and then now a clinician. I never thought I’d be here.
What does success mean to you?
To me, success means doing your best but still living a balanced life. I love my family and my job and what I do, and I want to be able to fulfill my highest potential, but at the same time, I want to keep my family a priority. Being able to balance my career and my dreams with family time is important to me.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I like doing CrossFit! I love keeping myself healthy. I also love hiking and mountain biking.
Emma Comery
Communications Generalist and Social Media Manager
Tell us more about what you do at Endeavors.
As Social Media Manager, I create and manage content on our Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram pages. And then as a Communications Generalist, I handle marketing and collateral needs for Emergency Services and Endeavors Unlimited—writing press releases, doing media outreach, and identifying success stories that we can put on the Endeavors blog.
What connection do you feel with Endeavors’ mission?
As a military spouse, I’ve witnessed and experienced a lot of the challenges that we help our clients mitigate and overcome. And even now, a lot of the writing and conversations that I’ve had at Endeavors has helped me better understand mental health and holistic wellness. It’s actually inspired a lot of my own creative writing outside of the office.
What do you like about working for Endeavors?
I think we all have a responsibility to use our skills to help others, however we can. And so working for Endeavors means a lot to me because now I have a professional position that asks me to leverage my love for writing to provide tangible help to others, to extend a hand to people in crisis.
What keeps you going when times get tough?
I definitely stress-read! As a writer, I believe creative writing offers us an opportunity to map out the realities that we want, and so reading can be a very hopeful experience for me. I love being able to hit pause on the real world and dive into someone else’s story and feel empathetic and learn something.
What book do you find yourself turning to over and over again?
Carol Ann Duffy’s poetry collection, The World’s Wife.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would say: Advocate for yourself. No one is going to fight for you, and no one is going to know your own skill set the way that you do. Go chase the things you want!
What does success mean to you?
This is an ever-evolving definition for me, but I think right now I’d say that success for me means making a positive impact in my community.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I practice Muay Thai, which is Thai boxing. It’s a fun way to relieve stress and get moving.
Ismael Lopez
Outreach Director for The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, El Paso
Tell us more about what you do at Endeavors.
I just officially started as Outreach Director on May 16th. I help create partnerships and collaborative efforts out in the community to raise awareness of our services.
How did you come to Endeavors?
When I got out of the Marine Corps in 2010, I ran through so many issues with the VA. I hit every roadblock imaginable. I wanted to help other Veterans with similar issues. I graduated with a degree in psychology, and eventually started working with a grassroots organization helping Veterans in El Paso. Little by little, I built a network, started doing presentations, sitting on panels, mentoring Veterans, etc. But I didn’t have much support. So when I caught wind that Endeavors was opening up the Cohen clinic in El Paso, I was so excited. I knew the programs were going to be amazing. In 2017, I was hired.
What do you like about working for Endeavors?
I love the mission. I love the collaborative effort between CVN and Endeavors. I just love the whole strategy behind it. I love their passion, their genuine interest in actually helping the community. To me, that was like a breath of fresh air. I’ve worked with other nonprofits who would shrug and say, “We can’t help you.” But with Endeavors, they’re like, “If we can’t help you, we’ll figure out who can.” It’s amazing.
What keeps you going?
You know, I attributed a lot of my drive and a lot of my resiliency to my past supervisor, Ben Miranda. He brought so much wisdom with him. His guidance and his approach to mentoring me has kept me focused on the mission. To this day, he motivates me by reminding me of the “why.”
What advice would you give your younger self?
Invest in Bitcoin? No, I’m kidding. I don’t know if I would really want to do anything differently. Everything I’ve been through has made me the person I am today.
What does success mean to you?
Success for me looks like maintaining my genuine interest in helping Veterans and spending time with my family. If I can balance those two, I think I’m doing a really good job.
What would you call your theme song?
So, I have an 11-year-old daughter, and whenever she and I are in a funk or stressed out, we play Count on Me by Bruno Mars.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I have a crazy sense of humor. I can laugh about anything and everything.
Gerina Sampson
Director of Grants & Contracts
What does your department do?
We manage the grant and contracts process and oversee all donations and fundraising databases. Our department is responsible for the timely and accurate submissions of all grants, contracts, negotiations, and reporting for all Endeavors programs.
How did you come to Endeavors?
I have a background working in grants and government contracts, but I’ve always wanted to make a difference, help people, and have a job that I could be proud and speak highly of. I prayed on it and asked God: “What is my calling?” Two days later, the Endeavors opportunity opened up. I jumped at the opportunity and haven’t looked back.
What about Endeavors’ mission do you connect with?
I’m a single mom of three. When I went through my divorce, my kids were still young, and I had to reset. I needed assistance to get me back on track, and some of the services Endeavors offer helped me grow and build a better life for my family. Now I have an opportunity to give back.
What do you like about working for Endeavors?
The culture here is amazing! I wouldn’t change it for the world.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to take a chance, and cherish every moment that you have with the people you love. Tomorrow isn’t promised.
What does success mean to you?
Being happy and doing what I enjoy—for me, that applies professionally, spiritually, relationally, across the board.
What would you call your theme song?
One song that really gives me encouragement is “I Smile” by Kirk Franklin. If I’m facing any challenges of any kind, it puts me in a positive mood.
What’s a fun fact about you?
Before COVID, my bucket list consisted of ziplining everywhere I travel. As of today, Honduras, Belize, Cozumel, and Las Vegas are checked off!!
Our Employees Matter
Our vision is a lofty one—we seek to unify families and communities torn apart by poverty, unemployment, or neglect by providing real, practical solutions and a path to earned income. We do this through a wide array of programs and services supporting children, families, veterans and those struggling with mental illness and other significant disabilities.
And our employees make this vision come to life.
If you’re interested in applying for open positions, visit endeavors.org/careers.
About Endeavors
Endeavors is a longstanding national non-profit that provides an array of programs and services in support of children, families, Veterans, and those struggling with mental illness and other disabilities. Endeavors serves vulnerable people in crisis through innovative personalized services. For more information, please visit endeavors.org.