From Benbrook, TX Karen Anfin is married with two adult children and three grandchildren. Having spent the last 27 years supporting her families, she has also always had a passion for giving back to her community through volunteering for various charities and organizations.

Currently she is a volunteer for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, working with a program called Cowboys and Kids. This program is designed to teach children to make good decisions and take responsibility for their actions. She also work with Girls, Inc. on the College Shower Committee. This committee recruits donors to sponsor underprivileged graduating young women by assisting with their college and dorm needs. As a volunteer for Hope Center 4 Autism, she also works with fundraising events.

She graduated from Texas Tech University in 1981 with a degree in Journalism/Public Relations.

Michael Patrick is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the The Family Initiative, Inc. (TFI). In addition to being CEO of the parent company, he also oversees TFI’s Family of Companies operations as a board member over TFI Family Services, Inc. in Kansas and Nebraska, Pathway Family Services in Kansas, TFI Family Connections in Oklahoma, as well as Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions and Foster Care Technologies, both of which are multi-state organizations. Additionally, Michael Patrick serves as a board member for the Texas Family Initiative, LLC which provides foster care, adoption, and behavioral health services in more than 40 counties in Texas.

He has more than 30 years of experience in the human service field. He is a former Child Welfare League of America Freddy Mac Scholarship Award winner. Michael Patrick has a bachelor’s degree in Corrections and Criminal Justice from Washburn University and a Master’s degree in Social Work with an administrative concentration from the University of Kansas. Mr. Patrick has served on multiple State and National advisory boards and committees. His management by outcomes expertise is nationally recognized, as well as his extensive knowledge in child welfare privatization efforts and practices.

Located in Austin, TX, Tom Cavitt is the Senior Director of Medical Education for Apollo EndoSurgery (recently acquired by Boston Scientific) and is responsible tor the training and education of surgeons and support staff on the use of Apollo EndoSurgery medical devices. In addition, Tom also serves on the Grant Committee as well as leads numerous cross-functional teams and projects including integration teams with Boston Scientific.

Before joining Apollo EndoSurgery, Tom has had an increasing progression of positions with a variety of medical device companies leading to acquisitions. Tom has led global teams in both Medical Education as well as Professional/Sales Education as well as working as a consultant with a variety of start up companies. He has also served on the Executive Board of several of these companies as well as finalized his Six Sigma Black Belt in Healthcare

Prior to Tom’s career in the Medical Device field, he proudly served in the El Paso Police Department as a Patrol Officer for 6 years. Tom was the Valedictorian of the 78th El Paso Police Academy class and also won the Firearms Award. While serving as a police officer he was also advanced to the Combined Search and Rescue Team (COMSAR) as well as the Gang Intervention Team (GIT). While with the EPPD, Tom received numerous commendations related to gang intervention work as well as a child abduction recovery.

Tom also worked for the United States Border Patrol as a Border Patrol Agent serving in Brackettville, TX. During that time, Tom received numerous commendations for investigations into illegal smuggling activities including numerous narcotics seizures.

Tom received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Government and History from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a member of the Cardinal Key Honors Society, Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society and was placed on both the Deans List as well as Presidents List. Tom also serves in the Minuteman Disaster Response organization and has previously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. He is actively involved in his local parish, St. Francis of Assisi as well as a member of the Eucharistic Ministry.

Located in Hurst TX, Pamela Clark is a property accountant for Sagora Senior Living managing financial reporting for various communities. During her time with Sagora, she has served on the conversion team for two different computer conversions. She is also a part of the training team, setting procedures and preparing training procedures for new and current community administration associates.

Located in Dallas, TX Willie Houston III is a partner & COO/CFO of Satori Capital.

Willie Houston III is a partner and chief operating officer / chief financial officer at Satori Capital, where he is responsible for all operational, financial, legal, investor experience, technology, and compliance aspects of the firm and its affiliates.

Prior to joining Satori, Willie was senior director of financial operations at TPG, a leading global private investment firm with more than $70 billion of capital under management. Willie led a global team of finance professionals that supported the firm through its rapid growth and evolution from a pure private equity investor to a diverse asset manager with businesses specifically focused in areas such as credit, real estate, equity securities, and energy. Willie was also chief financial officer of TPG’s registered broker-dealer, which focuses on private placements and underwritings.

Prior to joining TPG in 2008, Willie was a member of the business advisory practice at Ernst & Young, where he led clients in various industries through major initiatives in the areas of risk management and business process improvement. From 2000-2006, Willie was a manager in the corporate audit function at BNSF Railway, a financial analyst at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, and a financial analyst at AT&T.

Willie received an MBA in operations management from the University of Texas at Arlington and a B.B.A. in accounting from Jackson State University. Willie is a certified public accountant, certified internal auditor, and holds a series 27 financial and operations principal designation. He serves on the board and facilities committee of Cook Children’s Health Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing health care to the community with generous philanthropic support. He also serves on the board and finance committee of Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth. Together with his family, Willie has also been actively involved in other nonprofit organizations, including Mount Olive Baptist Church, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Fort Worth, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Jackson State University.

Shirley Dwyer is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Texas Family Initiative LLC, which provides foster care, adoption, case management, and behavioral health services to Texas children and families.
Shirley Dwyer has over 30 years of experience working for a variety of child welfare organizations, including the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, the State of Kansas Department of Children and Families, TFI, and other non-profit service agencies. For over a decade, Dwyer served the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) as a federal grants panel Chairman and reviewer of many federal panels. Ms. Dwyer is also experienced in research and co-authored the journal article "Prevention of Sexual Abuse for Preschoolers: Evaluation of a Pilot Program," a ground-breaking study published in Psychological Reports, 1988, Volume 62, pp. 387-396.
Shirley earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Kansas and has continued her education in the areas of public policy, management, and executive processes.

Kris Naylor is the Chief Program Officer for The Family Initiative, Inc. She is responsible for oversight of foster care case management services. Having previously worked at TFI for more than 14 years, she has more than 30 years of experience in child welfare.
Before her current role, Kris served as the President of Our Community Our Kids Division of ACH Child and Family Services in Fort Worth, TX. Additionally, she has previously worked at Emberhope and KVC Health Systems.
Kris holds a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Friends University.

Angela L. Crabtree-Nowell is the Chief of Staff for The Family Initiative, Inc. She is responsible for strategic planning and executive oversight for the TFI Family of Companies, as well as special projects. She currently serves as a member of the TFI Finance and Risk Management Team and previously served as chairperson of TFI’s Development Team.
Before her current role, Angela was the TFI Senior Administrator, responsible for the Texas foster care program, kinship care program, and the startup of the PFS Blue Skies residential facility in Wichita Falls, Texas. Angela joined the TFI Family of Companies in 2020 after having led a leading Child Placing Agency in the State of Texas for several years. In addition, she spent fifteen years working for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), primarily in the Residential Child Care Licensing Division.
Angela has a Masters's Degree in Public Administration and a Graduate Certificate in Public Budgeting and Financial Management from the University of Texas at Arlington. Additionally, she received a Bachelors Degree in Social Science, a Bachelors Degree in History, and an Associates Degree in Applied Business from Shawnee State University. Since 2014, she has been a Licensed Child Placing Agency Administrator in the State of Texas.

Randy Neff is the Senior Vice President for EMPOWER, a program of TFI. In his current role, he oversees EMPOWER, which serves as the Community-Based Care (CBC) contractor for Region 3E.
Randy started his career in child welfare in 2002 with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). He was selected as the CPS Worker of the Year in 2003. During his tenure with DFPS, Randy worked in the CVS Program, FBSS Program, Foster/Adopt Program, and was part of the Region 2 Leadership team as the Region 2 Program Administrator. In 2014, Randy was honored with the Patsy Baggget Service Award from the Wichita County Child Welfare Board. That same year, he was recognized as CPS Staff of the Year by the Advisory Committee for Promoting Adoption of Minority Children. Randy has a passion for improving outcomes for children and families which led to him pursuing an opportunity with 2INgage in Stage I of CBC in November 2018.
Randy has a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education with a Specialization in Criminal Justice from Wayland Baptist University. He also has a Master of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Wayland Baptist University.

Kaycee Robles is the Senior Vice President for 2INgage, a program of TFI. Kaycee serves as the Co-Chair on TFI’s Performance and Quality Leadership Team.

Kaycee has been with 2INgage since its inception in November 2018, starting in the Intake and Placement Department. She then moved to the permanency department as a director and promoted to Vice President in 2021. Prior to 2INgage, Kaycee worked for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) in both the conservatorship and investigation stages of child welfare. In 2022, Kaycee was recognized at the Champion for Children conference as the Child Welfare Champion of the year. She was also the Keynote Speaker at the 2024 Key Connections Conference in Abilene, TX. Kaycee is passionate about working with children and families and is dedicated to improving outcomes and breaking systematic barriers for those experiencing foster care.

Kaycee has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Hardin Simmons. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree.

Brent Hagood is the Senior Vice President of Recruitment for the TFI Family of Companies. He currently oversees and manages recruitment services for the agency.
Brent has more than 30 years of experience working in mental health, long-term care, and child welfare. He previously served as the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Caring Hearts for Children, a leading foster care and adoption agency in central Texas. He also served as Mayor and City Councilman for his hometown of Comanche, Texas, where he was recognized as Man of the Year and served on many leadership boards.
Brent earned his BBA in general business, B.S. in criminal justice, and master’s in education (counseling) from Tarleton State University. He also holds a Licensed Bachelor of Social Work (LBSW) and is a Licensed Child Placement Agency Administrator (LCPAA) in Texas.

Melissa Wood is the Senior Vice President of Clinical and Assessment Services for The Family Initiative, Inc. (TFI). She oversees the Intake and Placement, as well as Clinical and Prevention programs, including Family Preservation, Community Clinical Services, and Pathway Family Services’ Residential Clinical teams. Wood is the current Chair of TFI’s Performance and Quality Leadership Team.
Melissa previously served as the Intake and Placement Director for 2Ingage, a program of TFI. She has more than 24 years of experience in the foster care and child welfare field. Prior to employment with TFI, she served other agencies in the roles of Senior Vice President of Clinical, Admissions, Quality & Community-Based Care; VP of Quality Assurance; CPA Treatment Director; RTC Clinical Director; and RTC/GRO Therapist. In each of these roles, she was involved in consulting with a child psychiatrist on the evaluation and monitoring of psychotropic medications. Wood is passionate about treating trauma, family preservation, and keeping siblings together.
Wood received her Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University. She received her Master’s of Science in Counseling and Development from Texas Woman’s University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor.

Tina Schueller is the Senior Vice President of Finance for The Family Initiative, Inc. (TFI). She leads financial operations and strategies, ensures that TFI’s financial goals align with the mission and long-term objective, and manages planning and investment activities to maximize returns. She also ensures that all controls comply with regulations and best practices.

Tina has more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting. She spent 7 years as the Interim Vice President for Finance Controller at McMurry University and 15 years as a financial statement auditor for various companies including nonprofits. Her expertise in audit management, team leadership, and client relations is invaluable.

Tina earned her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in Accounting and General Business from Texas Tech University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Susanne Arnold is the Vice President of Permanency for EMPOWER, a program of TFI. In this role, she is responsible for program development and implementation.
Susanne has more than 25 years of experience working in the field of child abuse and neglect. In her role as a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Program Administrator, she was involved in the development of the Collin County Child Sex Trafficking Team Protocols and provided training throughout the metroplex in addition to managing program outcomes. After retiring from DFPS, she served as the Medical and Care Coordinator for the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County, continuing her work to support child victims of abuse and neglect.
Susanne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Texas State University and a Master’s in Social Work from Texas A&M-Commerce. Susanne is also a Licensed Social Worker.

Shirlon Douglas-Harris is the Vice President of Permanency Services for EMPOWER. In this role, she provides oversight to the support services departments, including: Adoption, Community Engagement, PAL Specialist, Life Skills Trainer, Training Specialist, Facilitation Specialist, Placement Stability Specialist, Courtesy Specialist, Kinship Specialist, Family Finder, Family Navigator, Transportation Support Workers, and Parent Partners.
She has more than 35 years of child welfare experience in a variety of roles including foster care, adoption, and prevention services. Shirlon has previously presented to the Child Welfare League of America on, “Race and Culture Consideration in a Comparison of ICWA and MEPA-IEP in Child Welfare.” She serves on many boards and committees, including on the Disproportionate number of African American children in Child Welfare and Washburn University Community Practicum Board. She has a passion for with working with young adults preparing to leave the foster, giving them the tools and skills they need to help them be successful once they are released from care.
Shirlon has a Bachelor and Master’s Degree from Washburn University.

Nora DeWitt is the Vice President of Permanency for EMPOWER, a program of TFI. In this role, she is responsible for serve the following counties in the Metroplex East Region: Dallas, Ellis, Navarro, Kaufman, and Rockwall.
Nora has worked in child welfare for the past 28 years. She retired from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) where she served as Program Administrator for both Conservatorship and Family-Based Safety Services. She also served as a Permanency Practitioner, Risk Manager, Academy Trainer, Investigator, and Legal Liaison. While working as a Program Director for the Department of Family and Protective Services she and her team were able to move over six hundred youth, who had been lingering in care, to Permanency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nora received her Bachelor’s Degree from Texas Woman’s University. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Texas.

Ryan Lynn is the Vice President for Residential and Treatment Services for Pathway Family Services. He is the administrator for Blue Skies Residential Facility, located in Wichita Falls, TX.

Ryan has almost 20 years of experience working with children from hard places. He has worked in multiple residential programs in Texas, including long-care and psychiatric. Ryan has also gained experience in education, where he served as a special education teacher and behavior specialist. Other positions that Ryan has held during his time with at-risk youth include Rodeo Coach and Equine Therapist for youth at a boys ranch in Texas.

Ryan has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX, and a master's in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, UT.

Brittney Pearson, LMSW, LCPAA, is the Vice President of Permanency for EMPOWER. She is responsible for ensuring overseeing permanency services in most of Dallas County. Brittney also serves as EMPOWER’s Child Placing Administrator.
Brittney has more than 12 years of child welfare experience. She is a former Conservatorship Program Director for Child Protective Services in Dallas County. Additionally, she had a hand in launching Safe Babies in her program, served as the liaison for the Community Resource Coordination Group, as well as overseeing the drug court. Brittney also currently serves on Texas A&M University-Commerce Social Work Advisory Board.
She has her Bachelors and Master’s degree in Social Work. Additionally, Brittney is also a Licensed Master Social Worker and Licensed Child Placing Administrator.