Meet Our Staff

People who love what they do.

Leadership Team

Rosamaria Murillo, Ph.D., LMSW – Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Murillo joined El Buen as its Chief Executive Officer in July 2019. As a recognized public health advocate with extensive experience in public policy, higher education, nonprofit and government management, for more than 25 years she has led within different systems to develop, implement, and strengthen services for underserved communities. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from the School of Business at Our Lady of the Lake, a Master of Social Work degree from Our Lady of the Lake University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Murillo has served as a lecturer at the University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Texas State where she has taught graduate and undergraduate courses focusing on social justice, policy, nonprofit management, program development, organizational leadership, public administration and child welfare.

Stephanie Cerda - Director of Programs

Stephanie Cerda – Director of Programs

Sandra Freitag – Director of Finance and Operations

Sandra oversees finance, operations and human resources and has been with El Buen for 15 years. She studied journalism at Texas A&M University and received TANO’s Nonprofit Leadership and Management Certificate in 2009. Sandra has more than 40 years of experience in business management and is a successful entrepreneur, having established and managed two prosperous businesses since 1981. Sandra loves watching Aggie sporting events and spending time with her five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She has served as pianist and organist of her church for 61 years and also plays for the Elgin Community Choir.

Gabriel Flores - Controller

Gabriel Flores – Controller

Luis Garcia – Director of Technology & Analytics

Luis manages El Buen’s technology infrastructure and data reporting. He was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico and graduated from Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon with a degree in Electronic and Communications Engineering. He moved to the U.S. in 2008 and has lived in Houston, North Carolina and New Jersey. After settling in Austin, Luis joined El Buen in 2014. In his spare time, Luis can be found running around Austin or camping with his family.

Administration

Georgia Hernandez – Donor Relations Manager

Georgia serves as Donor Relations Manager. She is a proud Mexican American Austinite and mom to a beautiful pit bull. She is a first-generation college graduate from the University of Texas at San Antonio where she earned her Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Public Administration. Prior to joining El Buen, she worked in the non-profit sector at various capacities, from being a part of the Development team for the San Antonio Christian Dental Clinic to the Outreach/Family Reunification team for RAICES. She is devoted to serving and being a voice for underserved communities and is thrilled to be a part of El Buen’s team!

Noemi Hernandez – Program Support Specialist

Noemi brings over 15 years of office administrative experience. Prior to joining El Buen she worked as a lead recruiter for a local staffing company serving the construction field. A native Texan, mother of two daughters and two fur babies, Noemi loves spending her time with her family, friends, and pups. She loves learning new things and is always up for a challenge. Noemi considers it a great honor to be part of an organization that provides so much help to our community such as El Buen.

Martha Robayo - Executive Assistant

Martha Robayo – Executive Assistant

Caroline & Annie Yoder – Graphic and Web Management Contractors

Carrie (left) helps with El Buen’s graphic design and web management needs. After graduating from Bluffton University with a degree in Art and Education, she spent 5 years running a travel site with her husband, visiting 63 countries as they traveled full time. While she and her husband slowed down and sold their site to an Austin-based company in 2019, she still considers herself semi-nomadic and often takes her work on the road.

Annie (right) works alongside her twin sister, Carrie, facilitating El Buen’s graphic design and web management needs. Annie graduated from Bluffton University with a degree in Music and a minor in Peace & Conflict studies. Since then she has worked in rolls that have helped her build her management, web and design skills. These include serving in AmeriCorps for a community development non-profit, working in the box office for Kansas City Symphony, and managing a yoga studio in Wooster OH.

Operations

Antonio Cruz– Facilities Manager

Lillian Acosta – Operations Manager

Gloria Sigala– Custodial Day Porter

Gloria has been with El Buen for four years and has over 17 years’ experience in the cleaning industry. Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico, she is the second daughter of a family of five children. She enjoys her job and being able to serve the community. Her pride and joy are her children and grandchildren, and she has been happily married for 35 years.

Education

Isabel Bernal– Education Program Manager

Isabel manages El Buen’s Family Literacy programs which include adult ESL, computer literacy, basic education classes and youth programs. Prior to this role, she coordinated the Digital Literacy program. Originally from Guanajuato, Mexico, Isabel was raised in Austin and became a U.S. citizen in 2011. She received her associate degree in applied science from ITT Technical Institute and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ashford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. Isabel began her nonprofit career as an AmeriCorps member working with families and children in the PALS program, where she realized her passion for nonprofit work focused on family education. She is a wife and mother of three beautiful children and spends her spare time with her family and working as a professional photographer.

Fernanda Rivera – Lead Youth Development Coordinator

Fernanda works with our youth in the Afterschool and Summer Camp Programs. She is currently finishing up her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Texas State University. Having grown up in the Latin community in Houston, she believes it is her purpose to better assist kids within this underserved population. Her future plans include getting a master’s degree in Student Affairs and eventually getting to teach abroad.

Gerardo Martinez – Youth Development Coordinator

Gerardo is a Youth Development Coordinator who oversees the 6th-8th grade group. Gerardo is a first-generation college graduate. They earned an Associates of Social Work from San Antonio college and their Bachelor of Social Work from Texas State University. Gerardo has been working in the non-profit sector for over seven years in multiple capacities. Their experience ranges from working with underserved populations to meet their needs, to supporting families and children in overcoming an array of challenges. They are constantly seeking out new ways to empower others through the implementation of person-centered programs and amplifying the voices in our South Austin community.

Nick Avendano – Assistant Adult Education Coordinator

Raquel Holz - Youth Development Coordinator

Raquel is a Youth Development Coordinator for our Academic Support Program for 1st-2nd grade. Raquel graduated from Texas State University with a double major in English and Spanish. She has accrued more than 6 years of experience in early childhood and elementary school age education. Her mission is to teach children the fundamentals of education to catapult them into a successful life and career. She plans to honor our families core values and help our youth excel in any way possible. In her spare time she enjoys long hikes in the dripping spring area and cooking for her family and friends.

Food Access

Juan Rosa– Food Pantry and Community Garden Manager

Juan supervises our community health workers and is the instructor for El Buen’s Community Health Worker Leadership Institute. He has coordinated community outreach programs at El Buen for 12 years, has been a certified community health worker (CHW) since 2013 and has been certified to train CHWs since 2016. Born and raised in El Salvador, Juan found his calling for helping others when he experienced firsthand the hardships many of El Buen’s clients face after he became a client himself. He pulls from his experience with migrant farm worker communities when facilitating health classes in the community. Juan enjoys teaching others about healthy living, playing soccer, watching documentaries and traveling with his family.

Rosa Carroll– Basic Needs Coordinator

Rosa coordinates all activities for El Buen’s access to food programs, including the food pantry and community garden. Originally from Michoacan, Mexico, she moved to the U.S. in the 1980s. Rosa first came to El Buen as an ESL student, then started volunteering and eventually working part-time as a Promotora de Salud (community health worker) teaching Comenzando Bien, prenatal classes and cooking classes around Austin. In 2007 she became El Buen’s Basic Needs Coordinator. Rosa enjoys promoting healthy choices and nutrition education to food pantry clients. In her free time, she enjoys seeing live music and spending time with family and friends.

Health Access and Promotion

Milton Lopez – Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Marisol Reyes– Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Marisol serves as a bilingual Community Health Navigator and provides support to the community through El Buen’s programs and services. She is currently going to school for her Bachelor of Public Administration. Marisol began her nonprofit career as a Social Services Coordinator at Central Texas Food Bank. Her passion is helping community members. Born and raised in Austin, she loves spending time with her family outdoors.

Anita Swayze– Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Anita serves El Buen’s Women’s Health Program, educating women about reproductive health and family planning. She is a native Texan originally from the Rio Grande Valley. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Pathology and Special Education for Early Childhood from Sam Houston State University and began her career in public health at UT Southwestern Medical School’s Division of Maternal Health and Family Planning as a Health Educator. Since relocating to Austin, Anita has consulted on college campus-based HIV/STI education programs and served as a trainer and consultant to STD Public Health Follow Up programs in Texas.

Andres Navarro - Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Andres Navarro –Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Reyna Lopez – Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Reyna Lopez –Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Anna Rendon - Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Anna Rendon – Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Sonia Clancy - Bilingual Community Health Navigator

Born in Guanajuato, Mexico but grew up in Austin/Kyle Texas she became a US Citizen in 2013. Sonia worked in the medical field for about 10 years and recently transitioned into the nonprofit sector as she grows in the business administration role. She is passionate about learning new things and helping guide people in the right direction. Sonia loves spending time with her husband, 2 kids, and 2 dogs and enjoys working out at Camp Gladiator and family gatherings.