Homelessness Prevention &
Homeless Assistance

For the past 24 years, Aaron has had the opportunity to pursue many Community Based Service related efforts, and is humbled to be part of a greater team effort to make the region a better place to live for all members of the community. Aaron looks forward to continuing to utilize skills he has developed over the years in affordable housing, budget oversight, community development, community outreach, and grant administration to support the mission of Endeavors, as well as the Veteran & Community Based Services programs. He has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the California State University, Stanislaus. He loves spending quality time with his wife Linda and their three teenage children (Dalyce, Noland, and Arland). He also enjoys going on travelling adventures, working on weekend projects around the house, and participating in local running events.

Mayra previously worked in the banking industry for 16 years before transitioning to the nonprofit sector. Since 2008, she has continued to expand her knowledge in federal contracts financials and budgeting. Serving Endeavors as the Regional Director of Veteran Supportive Services, she is responsible for ensuring the success of the delivery of services to the Veteran population experiencing homelessness. 

Stephanie has over 15-years of experience in the social service industry, where she has dedicated efforts to the preservation of families, community collaboration, child safety, and the prevention of child abuse. Most of Stephanie’s professional experience was with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services where she made a positive impact among multiple divisions by achieving targeted deliverables. Stephanie’s passion to improve outcomes for our most vulnerable population began when she was an investigation caseworker and often had to intervene to support families in crisis. After nearly seven years of advocacy on the frontlines, Stephanie transitioned into positions involving policy analysis that allowed her to leverage her experiences to inform decision-making.  

Stephanie has served in various leadership roles tasked with enhancing social welfare practices by assessing the effectiveness of systematic processes and offering creative solutions. Stephanie has presented at several state conferences to support public awareness regarding prevention efforts and the need for community intervention. Stephanie has also spearheaded the implementation of newly formed divisions and pilot programs, in which she developed foundational practices to aid in long-term sustainability. She entered the non-profit sector of social services to utilize her leadership skills and prior experience as tools to advance her personal mission to improve the quality of life for those most vulnerable. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Stetson University and a Master in Public Policy and Administration from St. Thomas University. 

Melissa currently serves as the Program Director for Veteran Supportive Services at Endeavors. The Veteran Supportive Services program provides rapid rehousing and housing stability services to low income, at risk veterans or veterans experiencing homelessness. Her catchment area includes Southeast Texas, the Gulf Coast and all of South Texas.  

Melissa has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit setting assisting vulnerable populations such as people with disabilities, persons experiencing homelessness, older Americans and persons with mental health issues live independently in the community of their choice.  She has experience working in customer service which has laid the foundation for providing the most vulnerable populations with information and referral in the community, advocacy, independent living skills training and holistic case management services. Melissa also has experience working with local, state and local grants at the non-profit level.  She has been successful in grant writing, program administration, program evaluation, and technical assistance training.  She has been an educator in the School of Rehabilitation Counseling and Services for over 13 years at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley formerly University of Texas Pan American.  As an educator, Melissa is able to bring her field experience into the classroom to undergraduate and master level students.  

At one time Melissa was able to initiate, oversee, and administer five grant programs for people with disabilities.  Melissa has also held various positions in the community such as Continuum of Care Board Member, Texas Alliance for Information and Referral Services Treasurer and Vice President, Rio Grande Valley Community Veteran’s Engagement Board Co-Chair, and Cameron County Homeless Coalition Chair.  Melissa continues to advocate for vulnerable populations as a board member of Texas Homeless Network.  In addition to Melissa’s community work, Melissa’s interest in veteran population was through personal experiences with family members who are veterans.  Melissa advocates across the state for veterans at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness and is a proponent of Veteran Wellness. In 2018, Melissa’s dissertation, “Veteran Wellness and Reintegration: Factors Contributing to Their Success in the Community” was presented to the National Council on Rehabilitation Educators Conference in Alexandria, VA. 

Jennie is an equitable, conscious senior-level leader with over thirteen years of experience in organizational leadership, problem resolution, client services, and driving overall operational improvements. She is ambitious and self-motivated with a passion for motivating, encouraging, and assisting others. She supports business growth and development while maintaining operational effectiveness. She is a calm and thoughtful leader in chaotic, ambiguous, or challenging environments, and transforms diverse individuals into unified teams focused on achieving smart organizational and individual goals. The keys to her success are strong planning and follow through, along with a demonstrated commitment to achieving goals, and her genuine interest in helping others. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Services (Cum Laude) from Springfield College, in Massachusetts. Jennie holds certifications from Nam McKay and Associates in the following areas: Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership (2017), Housing Choice Voucher Executive Management (2016), Housing Choice Voucher Program Management (2015), Family Self-Sufficiency Specialist (2013), Supervisory Management (2011), Advanced Rent Calculations (2011), and Housing Choice Voucher Specialist (2011).