Angela Burgess currently serves as the Executive Director of RaiseUp Families through her company, Broad Oaks Consulting, LLC. A former philanthropic director and financial planning executive, she now serves as a trusted advisor to not-for-profit organizations on strategic planning, revenue generation, and investment development.
With over 20 years of experience she is a compassionate, business-minded leader and clear communicator who develops concrete, achievable strategies that create financial stability and drive growth in reach and impact.
Angela participated in a prison ministry through The Order of Malta and has been a mentor with Big Brother Big Sisters of Houston. She currently serves on the International Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and is a Court Appointed Guardian ad Litem through Child Advocates of Houston.
Angela earned her B.A from Central College in Pella, IA, graduating Cum Laude with a double major in Spanish and Communication Studies, with an emphasis in rhetoric. A native Iowan, Angela currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband, Gary. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Holly Sandlin has been working with RaiseUp Families since 2013. She joined the team as a summer intern, working with the children of client families at summer day camp and loved it so much, she never left!
Always quick with a smile Holly enjoys laughing, spending time with – and traveling with – family and friends.
She is a team player and hard worker who is not afraid to let her hair down and have some fun. While office days may keep her focused on the business side of RaiseUp Families, she will always be the first to join our children in a water balloon fight or Slip N’ Slide!
Koralee Boucher, Community Engagement Manager, focuses on creating relationships through networking and social media, bringing awareness to both families in need and donors searching for a way to impact our community. She has over 25 years of experience assisting families with improving their lives, whether it be in the real estate and finance industry, or through her experience in community engagement.
When she is not working with RaiseUp Families, she loves spending time with her family and friends. She loves sports, travel, and photography. Her passion for photography has spanned over several decades and she takes every opportunity to capture those special moments.
As a Social Worker, Telisa has a passion for working with children and families. For more than 15 years she has helped change the trajectory of their lives and has the ability to relate to the families of RaiseUp Families. "I know what anxiety and depression feels like and it is my mission to help these families gain the self-sufficiency, self-awareness and self-confidence by utilizing coping skills to decrease their anxiety and depression." says Telisa.
Monica P Aguillon-Lafargue is a bilingual Case Manager with more than 20 years of experience in social services. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Havana, Cuba and chose the social work profession because it offered her the opportunity to help others. Prior to joining RaiseUp Families, Ms. Lafargue worked as a case manager at different Non-Profit organizations, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. She is passionate about assisting people in making community connections that can improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Ms. Aguillon-Lafargue loves traveling, learning new places and cultures.
Maritza Garcia is a bilingual Case Manager with Raiseup Families. Maritza has 15 years of experience in working with the elderly, families, and caregivers. She has a Bachelor’s Degree as a generalist Social Work, with a minor in social gerontology, and a certificate in applied gerontology from California State University of Los Angeles. It’s part of Maritza’s nature to care for and help others. Maritza’s goal is to make sure children and their families get connected to resources available to them in the community to bring stability and self-sufficiency to families. When working with individuals, Mrs. Garcia focuses on using a strength-based approach. She feels this will help individuals see their full potential and see the strengths in their lives which they could continue to build upon. Maritza enjoys traveling and camping with her 2 children and husband.
JT Graham is Case Manager with 9 years of service in the Human Services field. He is a Social Worker with a MSW from the University of South Carolina. Always having a solution-based approach, he is very passionate about advocating for his clients. JT possesses a wide spectrum of clinical knowledge from his previous years of experience. Before becoming a part of the RaiseUp Families team, JT served as a Support Coordinator at a Non-Profit organization in Charlotte, NC. He loves to serve the families in his community by being an advocate promoting resiliency and self-sufficiency. In his spare time, JT loves to travel, spend time with his family, and eat delicious food.
