Leadership

As Chief Executive Officer, Jessica plays an active role in managing the agency’s daily operations and strategic direction. Always on the move, Jessica collaborates with school districts, community partners, and agency staff to ensure that CIS-SA meets its objectives and continues to provide high-quality services to students and schools. Jessica joined the CIS-SA team in 1989 as a case manager at Wrenn Middle School in Edgewood ISD after graduating from the UT Austin School of Social Work. Constantly inspired by the mission of CIS-SA, Jessica has dedicated over 35 years to helping kids overcome obstacles to obtain an education. In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family, watching sports, and occasionally getting in the game.

Strengths: Arranger • Maximizer • Strategic • Connectedness • Individualization

Lauren’s professional background began in organizational development with a private investment firm before she transitioned into education, where she spent over four years supporting the launch of a San Antonio-based education nonprofit and an education consulting firm with a national reach. As Chief Strategy Officer for CIS-SA, Lauren manages the agency’s Grants & Contracts, Data & Reporting, and Community Engagement departments. Lauren graduated from Health Careers High School in San Antonio and attended Texas State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and History, as well as a Master’s degree in Literature. Lauren is a certified ACE Interface Master Trainer and actively collaborates with local and national organizations to amplify youth development strategies. She lives in San Antonio with her family and spends her free time reading and exploring nature with her son.

Strengths: Intellection • Input • Learner • Restorative • Connectedness

Liz began her career at CIS-SA over 25 years ago, following her graduation with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Mary’s University. Her experience as a CIS-SA Site Coordinator, combined with her passion for the work, helped Liz decide to further her education and obtain a Master of Social Work degree from Our Lady of the Lake University. She advanced from Site Coordinator to Chief Human Resources Officer. She is a high school graduate of a CIS school and truly understands the needs of our students. Her role in Human Resources enables her to identify the highest-quality employees to serve our students and support our mission in all capacities. Our employees are our most important asset; therefore, key strategies for her role include supporting employees’ needs, promoting employee retention, activating employee feedback through our Employee Advisory Committee and employee surveys, and fostering a culture of growth and development. When not at work, Liz spends time with her family and, in her spare time, enjoys watching nature, home improvement, travel, and reality TV shows.

Strengths: Achiever • Relator • Arranger • Deliberative • Developer

Jenee is a first-generation college graduate. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Justice with a concentration in legal studies and a Doctor of Jurisprudence at St. Mary’s University. She served on the legislative staff of former Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte for six years, including a stint as Committee Director for the Texas Senate’s Veterans Affairs and Military Installations Committee. Jenee’s personal experience, combined with her professional background in law and eight years as a philanthropy coordinator, continues to ignite her passion and emphasize the importance of education. She is grateful to be working with individuals who wake up every day looking forward to how they can help children succeed in school and in life. As Chief Development and Communications Officer, Jenee is responsible for disseminating the news of our excellent work to all corners of the world and encouraging others to support our cause for the success of future generations. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and attending music festivals. She is a proud dog mom of a chocolate miniature schnauzer named Jasper.

Strengths: Relator • Achiever • Connectedness • Includer • Arranger

For roughly 20 years, Victoria has had a passion for stewarding the finances of non-profit organizations whose mission is to provide social services and education to children and their families. She’s held fiscal leadership positions since 2007. Before joining Communities In Schools of San Antonio, Victoria supported a $38 million organization in Chicago, IL, as the Vice President of Finance, where she was instrumental in securing an additional $27 million during her tenure. She also helped them acquire a 3rd Head Start and Early Head Start facility, merging staffing, systems, processes, and programming. She joined CIS-SA as the Director of Grant Accounting in October 2023, where she was primarily responsible for maintaining the fiscal aspects of government and foundation grants. Victoria has both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management. In her leisure time, Victoria can be found supporting the careers of her athletic and artsy children and vacationing with her grandson.

Strengths: Strategic • Woo • Positivity • Belief • Responsibility

With over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, Denise brings her passion for education and service to CIS-SA. With a Master of Arts in Counseling and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio, she aims to help individuals and departments reach their full potential. As CIS-SA continues to grow, administrative support services are crucial to the organization’s success. As Chief of Business Operations, Denise ensures that these support areas provide seamless service to internal and external stakeholders. Her love of travel has led her around the world, from Canada and Mexico to Africa and Asia. She enjoys immersing herself in new cultures and experiencing diverse cuisines with each new place she explores.

Strengths: Connectedness • Adaptability • Strategic • Arranger • Belief

Jessica Hannah is a proud Longhorn who is mission-driven and passionate about serving our community. With a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Jessica’s educational background and work experience provide her with a unique perspective to advance the CIS-SA mission. Jessica works closely with individuals and organizations to connect them with opportunities that enable them to make a positive impact in the lives of our students. Additionally, she collaborates with supporters and the CIS-SA team to enhance the long-term sustainability of CIS-SA while fostering a strong culture of philanthropy. Most days, you can find Jessica outside enjoying nature and the Texas heat. On the weekends, she enjoys spending time with her family and serving the community with her sorority sisters.

Strengths: Achiever • Responsibility • Relator • Significance • Includer

Melanie has had a passion for education her entire professional career. A solid educational experience can end the cycle of poverty that is faced by so many in our community. Melanie is passionate about ensuring that all children have access to a quality education. This has been the driving factor in her social work career. As a Licensed Master of Social Work, Melanie has worked in the profession for over 12 years, supporting the CIS-SA field staff and programming. She provides training to CIS-SA staff as well as educators and community members. Melanie is dedicated to her family, her children, and her fur babies. She enjoys spending time outside, unwinding and reconnecting with her loved ones.

Strengths: Relator • Consistency • Maximizer • Empathy • Responsibility

Kim is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in Texas and has worked for CIS-SA for over 15 years. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she marched in the UT Longhorn marching band, and received her Master’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Kim started with CIS-SA as a Site Coordinator and has served in many different roles with the agency over the years, and is now the Director of Clinical Programs. She is well-versed in Trauma-Informed practices, a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner, and has specialized training in Mindfulness and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques. Kim grew up in San Antonio, has been married for over ten years, and has two daughters who keep her busy!

Strengths: Discipline • Empathy • Achiever • Learner • Relator

Christian brings over 11 years of experience in financial management and compliance to his role as Director of Accounting at Communities In Schools of San Antonio. With a strong background in financial oversight, Christian is dedicated to supporting CIS-SA’s mission by ensuring fiscal integrity and operational efficiency across the organization.

Christian is passionate about utilizing his expertise to enhance the systems that support students in staying in school and achieving success. His leadership in accounting and compliance plays a vital role in maintaining transparency and accountability in all financial matters.

Outside of work, Christian enjoys spending quality time with his family, watching and playing football (soccer), and enjoying music and movies with his kids.

Strengths: Positivity • Achiever • Accountability • Empathy • Responsibility