As the CEO of Next Step Community Solutions, I lead our dedicated team in expanding and enhancing our impact in youth mental health and suicide prevention across East Texas. With 20 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, I've been instrumental in the growth of Next Step since 2013, from grant writing and forming strategic partnerships to developing school-based mental health services. Under my leadership, the agency has grown significantly, now managing a budget of over $3.1 million and a team of 39 staff members (18 remote). We currently (2023) partner with 26 school districts, serving 93 campuses and nearly 20,000 rural Texas youth. Our programs, grounded in evidence-based practices with a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, cover school-based and agency-based behavioral health services, and community-based prevention services. As a key agency representative, I continue to drive our mission forward, ensuring that Next Step remains at the forefront of youth mental health and prevention services in the region and beyond.

As the COO, I serve as a critical member of the executive management team in partnership with the CEO, overseeing the implementation of the strategic operational plan. I provide inspirational and tactical guidance/leadership to the agency’s program teams, ensuring maximum impact of agency services/advocacy on both a micro and macro level. One key focus is the internal integration and alignment of program services assuring they are implemented with the most current best practices (evidence-based practices) and keeping diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center. Specific programs of oversight include 1) school-based behavioral health services; 2) agency-based behavioral health services, and 3) community-based prevention services. I serve as a key agency representative in an external role and engage in activities as assigned by the CEO. I provide leadership and day to day oversight to our Substance Abuse Prevention and Mental Health program across nearly 30 East Texas counties. I write the grants, develop the programming, flesh out our processes and drive our team toward ambitious goals. I manage a team of 34 staff. Together we are leading the way in prevention and mental health services in East Texas.

Served as the lead for our counseling and prevention services. In addition to program leadership, I also served as the organization's grant writer.

I served as the main voice behind the @tylerpaper Twitter account and the TylerPaper Facebook fan page, and as the chief strategist for our newsroom’s use of new social media tools. I worked with staff members to more effectively engage our community, I wrote best practices and give seminars on new and effective techniques. I also spent a fair amount of time reading up on the latest on the intersection of journalism and social media so we can continue to innovate. I was also deeply involved in ETFinalScore.com, a sports site, which is a market leader in the ultra-competitive niche of Texas high school football. The site's success relies heavily on social media influence.

Developed and added new features for Top 25 automotive website (based on Comscore). Grew paid clients from 35 to over 1,100 in 18 months.Designed user interfaces based on research and feedback on agile maintenance release schedule. Increased organic traffic to site through SEO, SEM and social marketing. Created cobrands based on 3rd party specifications. Over a million unique visitors a month. Brand development, web site traffic growth, web site UI/UX and vendor relations. Developed brand strategy and management portal, strategic consulting. Managed cross-functional team that launched 2 award winning mobile apps.