Nurturing Change Founder & Executive Director

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Amanda Herron is the Founder and Executive Director of Nurturing Change. She has spent her 25 year career serving children and families, initially by creating, revamping, and directing family ministry programs, then later entering the field of child welfare. Amanda began her service in child welfare as a foster parent recruiter and foster home developer. Later, she worked as an apprentice at a Residential Treatment Center, where she developed her skills in TBRI®, then was hired to train and coach foster and adoptive parents and schoolteachers in TBRI®. Amanda later served as the Director of Social Services for a children's home.

Amanda holds a Masters in Social Work degree from Texas State University, a Masters of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a Bachelors in Social Work from Asbury University. She earned a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Austin Community College, is a TBRI® Practitioner and Educator, and a Licensed Child Care Administrator.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys visiting the Smokey Mountains, hosting dinner parties with friends, running her Bed and Breakfast, spending time in nature, and playing with her two cats, Katie Grace and Special Agent Jack Meower.

James Fogal is a personal financial planner with an emphasis upon comprehensive financial planning, and charitable gift planning. James has been connected to the nonprofit sector professionally since 1994.  

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Asbury University, a Master of Arts degree from Indiana University in Philanthropic Studies, a Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies as well as a Master of Divinity degree in chaplaincy from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity, and he is a PhD candidate in Education at Auburn University.  James has been a chaplain with multiple organizations and has been a leader in Critical Incident Stress Management. He has been a paramedic in Georgia and Alabama for 25 years and currently teaches healthcare classes at a high school. He also teaches CPR/first aid and wilderness advanced first aid training to groups throughout Alabama and Georgia. He and his wife have two sons and three kittens. 

As a single foster and adoptive mom, Jenn has experienced first-hand the need to empower parents with trauma-informed care training to provide emotional and behavioral healing to children. In April 2020, she welcomed her two soon-to-be adopted daughters (Zoey and Karma) from foster care into her home and immediately saw the significant transformation and healing of her girls when implementing trauma-informed care. 

Known for her passionate advocacy, exceptional work ethic and sunny disposition, Jenn is an expert on the Texas legislative process, budget negotiations and navigating all aspects of state government and regulatory agencies. She is a lawyer and founding partner at Phenix Saenz, LLC -- a government affairs firm providing legislative consulting, advocacy and legal services to a wide variety of clients. Previously, Jenn served as Deputy General Counsel and Policy Advisor for Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen as well as Deputy Chief of Staff and General Counsel for Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa.  

Jenn enjoys having fun with family and friends, traveling to beaches, islands and mountains, indulging in her favorite meal of Mac n Cheese and champagne, and living the joy of being a new mama. 

Christina has over 15 years experience working in child welfare in both nonprofit and public service settings and received her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from The University of Texas in 2020. She is a Licensed Child Care Administrator (LCCA) and a Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner. Christina worked as a Program Director for a residential facility that served children, youth, and families, worked at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - CPS as a case worker, and as a hotline advocate for survivors of domestic violence/sexual assault/trafficking/child abuse.

Christina's strengths include crisis counseling, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, grief and loss counseling, and utilizing trauma informed care practices for youth and families.  As a board member of Nurturing Change, Christina shares her excellent leadership skills, administrative skills with non-profit budgets and supervision, professional networking and public speaking.  

Christina enjoys spending time with her partner, Raymond, their children, family, and friends.  In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, camping, and going for walks with her pet dog, Amor!  She loves traveling and the adventure of visiting new places both within the US and internationally.