BTH Program Administrator

Julie Watts is the BTH Program Administrator and Professional Level Service Provider for Bridge to Hope. She joined our team September of 2024. She grew up in Pennsylvania - graduating from Moshannon Valley High School. She attended Saint Francis University, where she earned her Bachelors of Science with a Major of Psychology and a Master of Business Administration.

Julie’s work with children has focused on: developing and maintaining communication between children, their families, and providers for medical, social, educational, and related service needs; learning behaviors management skills with the use of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and; completing long-term case-plan development.

BTH Case Manager | General Residential Operation (GRO)

Michelle Curtis serves as the BTH Case Manager and brings a comprehensive, hands-on understanding of the General Residential Operation (GRO) environment. Throughout her time with the organization, Michelle has served in virtually every capacity within the GRO, gaining valuable experience across the many roles and responsibilities required to provide quality care, maintain a safe environment, and support the growth and development of children and youth.

Her professional experience extends from direct-care responsibilities as a house parent to the broader coordination, documentation, communication, and case-management functions necessary to support the overall mission of residential care. This diverse background has allowed her to develop an understanding of the organization from multiple perspectives, including the needs of the children, the responsibilities of frontline staff, the importance of teamwork, and the operational demands of running a residential program.

Direct Care and House Parent Experience

Michelle’s experience in the house parent as well as the supervisor role has given her firsthand insight into the daily lives of children, youth, and direct care staff in residential care. This work requires patience, consistency, compassion, structure, and the ability to build trusting relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries and expectations. It also requires the ability to respond to behavioral challenges, manage daily routines, reinforce positive choices, and create an environment where children feel safe, supported, and encouraged to succeed.

Her direct-care background provides an important foundation for understanding the challenges house parents face and the support they need to be effective in their roles.

Residential Operations and Staff Support

Having served in multiple capacities within the GRO, Michelle understands that successful residential care requires more than individual effort. It depends on establishing healthy relationships, communication, teamwork, consistency, accountability, and a shared commitment to the well-being of every child. Her broad experience gives her perspective on the relationship between frontline care, staff expectations, program operations, and the organization’s overall standards.

Case Management and Coordination

In her current role as BTH Case Manager, Michelle brings the perspective of someone who understands residential care from the ground up. Case management requires coordination, communication, organization, documentation, follow-through, and collaboration with the individuals and professionals involved in a child’s care. Her experience across multiple GRO positions provides a practical foundation for understanding how case-management decisions and responsibilities affect the daily care and progress of children and youth.

A Comprehensive Understanding of Residential Care

One of Michelle’s most valuable professional assets is the breadth of her experience. She has had the opportunity to understand the GRO not simply from one position or department, but through the interconnected responsibilities that make residential care work. This perspective allows her to appreciate the demands placed on staff, recognize the importance of consistent care, and remain mindful of the mission behind the work.

Michelle’s professional journey reflects the value of hands-on experience, adaptability, and a commitment to the many responsibilities involved in serving children and youth. Her experience as a house parent, her service in multiple GRO capacities, and her current work as BTH Case Manager provide a broad foundation for contributing to the organization’s ongoing efforts to deliver safe, structured, and supportive residential care. We’re beyond grateful that she is a member of our Hope Family.

Hope Therapist 

Melissa is an independent contractor with Hope for Tomorrow. She is certified in the areas of CBT with trauma focus which serves as the basis of her practice.  Other modalities include some training in the basics of emdr and DBT .  Her focus is to help children and teens navigate the uncertainties and situations they are experiencing being placed in foster care as well as gain tools to begin to deal with the issues associated with trauma, anxiety, stress, rejection, abandonment, lack of control, and the need to be nurtured and loved.

Melissa has been deeply connected with our Ministry and Founders- Allen and Jennifer Piper for over forty years. Melissa has lead from our June of 1993 launch serving in critical roles within the Hope For Tomorrow network. She has been a vital member of our Therapeutic Intervention & Prevention Approach-the Hope Care Model serving as our therapist as well as our HFT treatment director. 

Professional
Profile - Certifications/Licenses

▪ Texas State Board Licensed Professional Counselor 

▪ Texas Professional School Counselor Certification

▪ Texas Secondary Education Certification in English and Speech(Grades 6-12)

Professional Experience

Licensed Professional Counselor/  Contract counseling with various Foster agencies, 1993-Present
Behavioral therapist in a variety of modalities
Licensed Professional Counselor/Elementary Counselor 2008-2014
Irving ISD- MC Lively, 1800 Plymouth, Irving, Texas

Provided guidance lessons weekly for 3 grade levels, Provided interventions and support to teachers and parents, Facilitated SAS meetings w/parents and admin, Generated special ed and dyslexic referrals, Complete gifted/talented testing

Family Representative – House Parent Supervisor

Angela Galloway serves as a Family Representative-House Parent Supervisor at Bridge to Hope (BTH), where she plays an important role in supporting residential staff, strengthening caregiving teams, and helping create a safe, structured, and nurturing environment for children. Her experience as a Shift Supervisor, combined with her natural ability to lead, encourage, mentor, and build meaningful relationships, reflects her commitment to the mission of providing healing, help, and hope.

Angela understands that working with children who have experienced difficult circumstances requires more than supervision. It calls for patience, consistency, compassion, strong leadership, and a willingness to meet each child where they are. She recognizes that every child has a unique story, individual needs, and the potential to grow beyond the challenges of their past. Her approach emphasizes building trust, establishing healthy boundaries, encouraging positive choices, and helping children discover their value and potential.

As a supervisor, Angela provides guidance and support to house parents and residential staff who carry the daily responsibility of caring for children. She understands the importance of teamwork, clear communication, accountability, and consistency in creating a healthy residential environment. Through encouragement, mentorship, and practical leadership, she helps staff navigate challenges, strengthen their caregiving skills, and remain focused on the needs of the children they serve.

Angela’s leadership extends beyond her professional responsibilities. She brings the heart of a mother, the loyalty of a friend, and the spirit of an encourager to her work. These qualities help her recognize that staff members need support and understanding just as much as the children in their care. By investing in relationships and encouraging others through difficult moments, she contributes to a culture where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference.

Angela believes that meaningful change happens through consistent relationships, compassionate guidance, and the willingness to keep showing up, even when progress is difficult. She understands that healing is a process and that every positive interaction can become an opportunity to build confidence, restore trust, and create hope for tomorrow.

At Bridge to Hope, Angela’s work reflects a commitment to strengthening both the children and the people who care for them. Through her leadership, encouragement, and dedication to service, she helps advance the organization’s mission of offering healing for yesterday, help for today, and hope for tomorrow.

Angela’s greatest contribution is found not only in the responsibilities she fulfills, but also in the relationships she builds and the lives she helps influence. Her commitment to children, staff, and the broader BTH mission makes her a valued part of the team working to create brighter futures for the children and families Bridge to Hope serves.

Family Representative – House Parent Supervisor

Stephanie Walker serves as the Family Representative and House Parent Supervisor at BTH, bringing a multifaceted background in residential care, staff supervision, training, and professional wraparound services. Having served in several capacities, including Shift Supervisor, House Parent, Trainer, and Support Staff, Stephanie brings a well-rounded understanding of the daily responsibilities, challenges, and opportunities involved in caring for children and supporting the teams who serve them.

Throughout her professional journey, Stephanie has developed a practical, relationship-centered approach to leadership. Her experience working directly with children and staff allows her to understand the importance of consistency, structure, compassion, and accountability within a residential care environment. She recognizes that creating a safe and supportive home requires more than meeting daily needs; it requires building trust, establishing healthy relationships, modeling positive behaviors, and providing children with opportunities to heal, grow, and develop hope for their future.

In her supervisory role, Stephanie helps guide and support house parents as they navigate the responsibilities of providing quality care. She understands the importance of equipping staff with the tools, training, encouragement, and guidance necessary to meet the individual needs of the children entrusted to their care. Her leadership emphasizes teamwork, communication, professional growth, and the importance of maintaining a consistent and nurturing environment.

Stephanie’s experience in training and support services also allows her to contribute to staff development and the continued strengthening of BTH’s programs. She recognizes that caring for children with complex life experiences requires a team that is prepared, supported, and committed to working together. Through professional wraparound services, collaborative support, and relationship-focused care, she helps reinforce the importance of addressing the needs of the whole child while encouraging staff to remain engaged in the mission.

At the heart of Stephanie’s work is a commitment to offering healing, help, and hope. She understands that children who have experienced adversity need more than supervision; they need dependable adults who will listen, encourage, establish healthy boundaries, and continue showing up when circumstances become difficult. She also recognizes that the staff who care for these children need encouragement, direction, and support to remain effective in their roles.

Stephanie’s diverse experience and dedication to both children and staff make her an important part of BTH’s commitment to providing a structured, supportive, and nurturing residential environment. Through her leadership and service, she helps strengthen the people, relationships, and practices that make a lasting difference in the lives of the children BTH serves.

Her work reflects a belief that meaningful change happens when children are surrounded by caring adults, staff are equipped to succeed, and every opportunity is used to create a pathway toward a healthier and more hopeful future.

BTH Quality Assurance Coordinator

Jaylayishia Nickerson serves as the Quality Assurance Coordinator for BTH, where she plays a vital role in maintaining program excellence, regulatory compliance, and organizational readiness for state inspections. Through her commitment to quality assurance and continuous improvement, Jaylayishia helps ensure that BTH’s programs operate in accordance with applicable state requirements, established policies, and professional standards of care.

In her role, Jaylayishia conducts internal audits, reviews program documentation, monitors compliance practices, and identifies areas where additional training, corrective action, or improvement may be needed. Her proactive approach helps programs address potential deficiencies before they become larger concerns, strengthen accountability, and maintain the documentation and operational standards necessary for successful state inspections.

Beyond preparing programs for regulatory reviews, Jaylayishia contributes to the overall mission of BTH by helping create an environment where quality, safety, consistency, and accountability remain priorities. She works to support program teams in understanding expectations, implementing best practices, and maintaining systems that promote effective operations and positive outcomes for the youth in their care.

Jaylayishia understands that quality assurance is about more than meeting regulatory requirements. It is about ensuring that the systems, procedures, and daily practices supporting residential care reflect a genuine commitment to protecting youth, supporting staff, and providing dependable, high-quality services.

Through her attention to detail, commitment to compliance, and dedication to continuous improvement, Jaylayishia helps BTH remain prepared, accountable, and focused on delivering quality care to the youth and families it serves. JJ has a bright future within the Hope For Tomorrow umbrella of services.

HERITAGE OF HOPE - Regional Administrator / LCPAA

Bachelor of Science in Sociology, Tarleton State University

Carey has more than 25 years of professional experience serving individuals, children, and families, including more than 20 years working within the Texas foster care and child welfare system. She began her career providing case management services to adults with mental illness, an experience that gave her a strong foundation in mental health, community-based services, and supporting individuals with complex needs.

Throughout her career in foster care, Carey has held significant leadership responsibilities involving program operations, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, staff development, foster home oversight, and the development and implementation of policies and procedures. Her experience has also included collaboration with state and regional partners to improve support for children and families.

Carey’s work has involved extensive experience applying Texas Minimum Standards, Texas Child-Centered Care (T3C), Contracts, and Single Source Continuum of Care requirements. She believes effective foster care practice requires a strong understanding of the requirements that guide services, as well as collaboration with regulatory entities, community partners, foster families, and other professionals.

Carey is passionate about developing and supporting staff and foster families who can provide children with safe, stable, and nurturing environments where they can heal from trauma, feel loved, and move forward in their lives. She believes that strong support for children and the families who care for them promotes stability and helps children reach safe and lasting permanency as timely as possible.

Program Director

Bachelor of Science in Sociology, Tarleton State University

Carey brings more than 25 years of experience serving individuals, children, and families, including over 20 years in Texas foster care and child welfare. Her expertise includes program leadership, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, staff development, foster home oversight, and policy implementation.

She has extensive knowledge of Texas Minimum Standards, Texas Child-Centered Care (T3C), Contracts, and Single Source Continuum of Care requirements, with a strong emphasis on collaboration among regulatory agencies, community partners, staff, and foster families.

Carey is passionate about equipping staff and foster families to provide safe, stable, and nurturing environments where children can heal from trauma, thrive, and achieve safe, lasting permanency as quickly as possible.

Director of Treatment Services - DTS

Christy Whisenhunt, M.Ed., is our Director of Treatment Services - DTS. She joined our Hope Family back in February 2021 and comes to HFT with over 30 years of experience working with children and parents. She is a Zephyr High School graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health from Texas A&M University and a Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling from Tarleton State University.   

Christy has worked with children in a multitude of areas including: health education, childcare, residential treatment, mental health, skills training, counseling, behavior management, trauma, case management, and forensic interviewing. She also has over 15 years of supervisory experience and training professionals and community members.  We are extremely excited about the skills, leadership, experience, and spirit of excellence Christy brings into our Hope family.

"Interim" Texas Comptroller 

Jennifer R. Piper is Chief Financial Officer-(CFO) at Hope For Tomorrow Child & Family Ministries, a position she has held since June 1993. Jennifer is a passionate practitioner, advocate, and leader in the field of child care and working to advance the accessibility of quality child care experiences for all children. As CFO, Jennifer leads Finance, IT and HR functions in addition to its strategic growth initiatives as a ministry. She furthers its leadership role among childcare providers through financial educational excellence and outstanding quality service.

Jennifer’s career encompasses more than 30 years of leadership experience as a senior finance and operating executive.  Previously, she served as Child Development Specialist , House Parent, Foster Parent, and Adoptive Parent.  Prior to that, Jennifer served in a variety of financial, operating and strategic leadership roles within multiple child care agencies. 

Director of Special Operations – DS0

Keely Stubblefield is our Director of Special Operations -DSO and fundraising professional who possesses a deep-rooted commitment to children in distress. Her personal experiences with Hope For Tomorrow and Bridge to Hope have fueled her dedication to helping our organization to succeed. Keely has a strong background in special project operations as a project manager and is passionate about building a sustainable and impactful fundraising program. Her strong passion and belief in creating Hope Partners has and will advance our mission and vision of helping children to create brighter tomorrows. Keely is a key member of our TRAC TEAM and serves as our fund raising team leader.

Director of Personnel and Program Services

Sean Stringer serves as Director of Personnel and Program Services for Hope for Tomorrow, providing leadership across human resources, marketing, social media, public relations, information technology, and organizational operations. His versatile, team-oriented approach brings together people, communication, and technology to strengthen the organization’s mission and effectiveness.

As Human Resources Director, Sean believes an organization’s greatest resource is its people. He emphasizes trust, communication, accountability, and encouragement, working to cultivate a healthy workplace where staff feel valued, supported, and connected to the purpose behind their work.

Through marketing, social media, and public relations, Sean helps communicate the mission and vision of Hope for Tomorrow. He shares the stories and values that inspire community involvement, strengthen partnerships, and connect supporters with the organization’s work of providing healing, help, and hope. His technical expertise and resourcefulness also help address the operational needs that keep programs and daily activities running smoothly.

As a Christ follower, he is passionate about sharing biblical truth, encouraging personal growth, and bringing Christ-centered hope to others. He believes effective leadership extends beyond managing responsibilities - it means serving others with integrity, fostering authentic relationships, and recognizing the value each person brings.

For Sean, the mission is bigger than a position or title. It is about serving people, sharing God’s truth, and helping bring hope for tomorrow into the lives of others today.

T. Allen Piper is the Co-Founder & CEO of Hope For Tomorrow Child and Family Ministries Inc (HFT). He is a ordained minister, chaplain, Licensed Child Care Administrator and brings over thirty years experience in leadership and development. Allen provides executive strategic leadership and direction to all aspects of the agency, including overseeing its staff, finances, and resource development. Allen works with the Board of Directors to develop and implement the organization’s strategic plan, policies, procedures, vision plan and ultimately, to achieve its mission and vision. Allen reports to the Board of Directors, leads the TRAC Committee and has four direct reports: the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Director of Ministerial Services and the Chief Director of Media, Marketing, & Public Relations. This is an exciting time at HFT – in our relaunch, there are new opportunities to bring fresh ideas, solutions, and energy to our collective commitment of ensuring every child has a great opportunity to quality child care.

Allen will be focused on the following top priorities:

SETTING THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION (Vision Plan) FOR 2025 AND BEYOND The current strategic plan was developed in 2020 and was intended to be in place for three years. Allen will be working with the board, staff and stakeholders to set the organization’s strategic direction for the years ahead.

LEADING HFT’s RACIAL EQUITY AND ANTI-RACISM WORK In the recent past, HFT has invested significant time and resources in moving the organization forward around its racial equity goals, both internally and externally. Allen will continue this forward momentum, seeking ways to increase HFT’s efficacy and impact as a leader in racial equity and anti- racism work.

ENSURING DIVERSIFIED AND STABLE REVENUE This will include securing government contracts from federal, state, and local governments, as well as further exploring innovative strategies to bring in more private funding, so we may be more nimble and able to act immediately on our priorities.

BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A UNIFIED TEAM WITH A HEALTHY WORK CULTURE With our members, Allen will value our commitment to sustaining a healthy work culture and ensure opportunities for collective learning, creative problem solving, and collaborative decision making. He will ensure that each voice is heard, represented, and will make the appropriate changes necessary to encourage a unified front. Allen believes in strong Christian Family values and will promote a family working environment.

CHAMPIONING HFT’s ADVOCACY AGENDA In past years we’ve grown our capacity to advocate with funders, policy makers, and the legislature on behalf of the children, families, and child care providers we serve. Allen will be a key voice with state lawmakers as well as an active contributor to coalitions and partnerships in order to ensure our cities and state adequately invest in quality systems of child care.

Jennifer R. Piper  is Chief Financial Officer-(CFO) at Hope For Tomorrow Child & Family Ministries, a position she has held since June 1993. Jennifer is a passionate practitioner, advocate, and leader in the field of child care and working to advance the accessibility of quality child care experiences for all children. As CFO, Jennifer leads Finance, IT and HR functions in addition to its strategic growth initiatives as a ministry. She furthers its leadership role among childcare providers through financial educational excellence and outstanding quality service.

Jennifer’s career encompasses more than 30 years of leadership experience as a senior finance and operating executive.  Previously, she served as Child Development Specialist , House Parent, Foster Parent, and Adoptive Parent.  Prior to that, Jennifer served in a variety of financial, operating and strategic leadership roles within multiple child care agencies. 

Longtime San Marcos resident, Jimmy Darnell, has served many years as a pastor and taught in four bible colleges. He has also traveled as a teacher, church planter, and conference speaker. Jimmy graduated with a Bachelors Degree from Lamar University in 1962, then earned a Master in theology Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has a Master Degree from Texas State University.

After pastoring Liberty Church in Pensacola Florida for five years in the 1980’s, he became the executive director of Liberty Fellowship of Churches and Ministers for several years. This assignment involved pastoring pastors, helping solve church conflicts and helping churches in transition of leadership.

He has been married to his wife Beth for 59 years. They have three children and the two boys are pastors. Now retired, he lives in Martindale, Texas and serves on the pastoral staff of Hill Country Church in San Marcos, Texas, which he planted after receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1971.

For the past 15 months he has been serving as the preaching pastor at Cowboys for Jesus Church in Canyon Lake, Texas. Jimmy is also founder and host of God’s Great Outdoors, a Christian outdoor television show that has aired across six southern states. His book, God’s Great Outdoors: Outdoor Stories with a Kingdom Message, now in its second printing, has sold thousands of copies across America. His second book, The Disciple Jimmy: An Insider’s view of Walking with Jesus and the Twelve, is being well received. His latest book, Am | a Dead Dog? (the story of Mephibosheth), told in the first person singular, has helped many to discover their true identity in Christ.

His strongest gifts are preaching-teaching and caring for God’s people.

Ron Jutze is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ whose enthusiasm for both God and His word is contagious. After a radical salvation and transformation experience in 1981, Ron served as an associate pastor in Buffalo, New York. In 1988, he moved to Olean, New York to lead a church plant where he served as Senior Pastor for 14 years. He followed God’s mighty hand as the congregation grew from 18 to 500, and, became the largest non-denominational church in a community of 15,000. His gifted ability to cast vision spearheaded and led the congregation through a successful capital stewardship campaign that enabled them to meet the growing needs of their church family while remaining debt free.

Ron is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and radically committed to Pastors, their ministry teams, business leaders, non profit leaders, and the building of the local church. Ron has over 35 years of ministry experience working with pastors, church leaders, for profit leaders, non profit leaders, and their teams. As a certified coach, speaker, and trainer with The John Maxwell Team, he is a trusted ministry partner dedicated to strengthening the local church, its leaders, and their ministry teams. Ron is the Founder & CEO of Marry the Vision Ministry and is focused on aligning leaders and their teams to pursue the ministry assignment Jesus Christ has entrusted to them to accomplish.

Ron serves as the Director of Operations of The Word For You Today, a personalized daily devotional which publishes millions of devotionals each year for thousands of churches in the USA every quarter (www.wordforyou.com). 

He recently birthed Marry the Vision (www.marrythevision.com), a ministry focused on aligning leaders and their teams to successfully pursue the ministry assignment Jesus Christ has entrusted to them to accomplish. Ron is a trusted ministry partner committed to your success. 

Phil McKinney is the founding pastor of Believers Christian Church in Eagle, Michigan, a conference speaker, a leadership coach, entrepreneur, and an author. Phil earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ministry from the American Evangelical Bible College & Seminary, and currently serves on the board of directors for the American Evangelical Christian Churches. He is married to his childhood sweetheart Becky and together they have four children, and one granddaughter. Phil is a passionate communicator with a unique ability to connect with both ministry and marketplace venues.

David Whisenhunt is the Board Vice-President of Hope For Tomorrow Child & Family Ministry. He is a lifelong resident of Texas. He has been involved in agriculture most all his life. David grew up in a farm life raising and showing livestock all his youth life. After graduating from Mullin ISD in 1968 he entered Sam Houston State University where he received a BS degree in Agriculture Education in 1971. David started a teaching career in Vocational Agriculture at Alvin ISD in 1971. David earned a master’s degree in education at SHSU in 1973 and went on to earn an all-levels education administration certificate in 1976. David entered the business world in 1977 when he became one of the managers of Alvin Equipment Company. David also began farming about 1000 acres Soybeans and Milo in Brazoria and Galveston counties in 1978. After success in the farming industry and top awards at Alvin Equipment Company David returned to Central Texas in 1983 where he opened Cen-Tex Farm and Ranch Supply in Early, Texas.

After becoming a muti-million-dollar company in 1986 David sold out and closed Cen-Tex Farm and Ranch in 1988 to join Frontier Fence Company where he served as manager and business partner for two years before becoming the Superintendent of School at Zephyr ISD in 1990. David served as the school’s superintendent until 2014 when he retired to operate his small ranch in Mullin where he raises and markets several different kinds of livestock. In 2016 David was hired as interim superintendent of Blanket ISD. David continues to serve as the Blanket ISD Superintendent but looks forward to finally retiring and devoting all his time to his family and small ranch in Mullin.

David has been married to Dorothy (Dot) Whisenhunt for over 50 years. The couple have 3 children, 15 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren and he enjoys time with the family every chance he gets. David gives all the credit for all the success he has enjoyed to the Lord and leans on his faith in Jesus Christ to guide every move he makes in his life’s journey.

Allen Piper is the Co-Founder & CEO of Hope For Tomorrow Child and Family Ministries Inc (HFT). He is a ordained minister, chaplain, Licensed Child Care Administrator and brings over thirty years experience in leadership and development. Allen provides executive strategic leadership and direction to all aspects of the agency, including overseeing its staff, finances, and resource development. Allen works with the Board of Directors to develop and implement the organization’s strategic plan, policies, procedures, vision plan and ultimately, to achieve its mission and vision. Allen reports to the Board of Directors, leads the TRAC Committee and has four direct reports: the Chief Operations Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Director of Ministerial Services and the Chief Director of Media, Marketing, & Public Relations. This is an exciting time at HFT – in our relaunch, there are new opportunities to bring fresh ideas, solutions, and energy to our collective commitment of ensuring every child has a great opportunity to quality child care.