Meet the Team
Colleen “Coach” Russo
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Colleen Russo, also known as “Coach,” has over 35 years of experience in education. She was born and raised in Queens, NY. She started her career as a physical education teacher and quickly moved into the coaching realm. Prior to co-founding The HUB Houston, Colleen spent 17 years working at The Monarch Institute where she served as a Professional Educator Mentor, Life Coach, and Community Coordinator to help students connect with one another and build community. Colleen’s passion and respect for her students inspired her to create a program where young people would thrive and find acceptance in a community setting, where every voice would be Heard, Understood and Believed in. At The HUB Houston, Colleen’s mission is to guide and empower young people not only to be competent individuals but also to make meaningful contributions to the world.
Melanie Krause
Co-Founder & Program Director, High School
Melanie Krause received her B.S. in Secondary Education English at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Melanie believes in a learner-centered environment that encourages students to accomplish goals through preview, action and reflection, and is grateful for her experience in this field. Melanie comes to The HUB Houston from The Monarch School, where she spent nine years as an English and Social Studies Professional Educator, where she used various project-based learning techniques and was an esteemed member of the Butterfly Program faculty. Melanie has extensive experience with the No Place for Hate curriculum and enjoys helping learners explore our multicultural world.
One of Melanie's joys as an educator is helping her students make connections with their classmates in order to nurture a space where all feel safe and are encouraged to contribute to the community. Melanie believes relationship building is a top priority in creating active learners, and she understands the importance of each person's voice being heard – however loud or quiet it may be.
She has loved being a member of The HUB Houston community since its inception, and looks forward to continued growth!
Adrienne Thorpe
Program Director, Life 101
A native Texan, Adrienne Thorp has spent most of her life in Houston Texas. She graduated from The University of Utah in Salt Lake City with a B. S. in Sociology and Criminology. During high school and college, Adrienne worked as a caregiver/aide for younger individuals. While in college she received training in ABA and worked on an Autism Research project for 2 years. She has spent the past 16 years of her professional career working with school aged and young adults.
Adrienne’s primary focus is on employability and job training for our Members. She works with individuals, communities and businesses to provide paid, volunteer or internship opportunities. Our goal is to have our Members competitively employed and contributing Members of society.
Adrienne has two beautiful children, Owen and Ellis. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Adrienne is very involved in her community and enjoys making connections to the work we are doing here. She is a board member of the Joe and Harriet Foster YMCA and serves on both PTO Boards at her children’s schools. Adrienne is very proud to be part of The HUB Houston faculty.
Callie Strange
Program Director, Aspire Accessories
Callie Strange has worked with Aspire Accessories since 2016. She has always had a passion for working with the neurodiverse community and is excited to expand Aspire as the newest program of The HUB Houston.
Callie attended Texas Christian University in her hometown of Ft. Worth. She graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and a Minor in Spanish. When not overseeing the Aspire Accessories program, she enjoys spending time outside, going on long walks, traveling with her husband and enjoying time with friends and family. Callie is so excited that Aspire is now part of The HUB Houston!
Administrative Team
Kipp W. Baxter
Director of Development & Marketing
Kipp W. Baxter received her B.A. at Louisiana State University. She has called Houston her home for the past 37 years. She has embraced the diversity and giving spirit of the community and has served on several arts boards and committees, most recently including DACAMERA and Performing Arts Houston ECI Committee. Her career has spanned across the financial industry to not-for-profit organizations. She is thrilled to join the team of The HUB Houston and is excited to lend her expertise in development and community engagement to this exciting organization.
Julie Pomerantz
Director of Admissions & Outreach
Julie “Jules” Pomerantz hails from Corpus Christi, Texas, and has always been an incredibly proud native Texan. She has a combined 25 years of experience in admissions and outreach and helped to quadruple the student population at her previous school, Xavier.
Julie attended The University of Texas at Austin and is a proud Longhorn! She spends her spare time reading, going on long walks, visiting the beach, Pilates and spending time with dear friends and family. She and husband David have been married for 37 years. They have two married children, two grandsons, and 3 grand dogs! When Julie arrived at The HUB, she quickly realized what a truly special place it is, and she feels blessed to be a Hubster!
Choo Saik Yeoh
Business Manager
Choo S. Yeoh joins The HUB team as our Business Manager. Choo is a Certified Public Accountant and comes to us with over 25 years of work experience in audit, accounts and corporate reconstruction services. Her extensive work in the public sector and her work with a British national charity gives her the necessary skills and work ethics to continue her career in the not-for-profit industry. Choo and her husband have lived in Houston for 19 years, rearing their two daughters here. They have been friends of The HUB since inception, and their daughter AiKeen was in our second graduating class! Choo is excited to be part of The HUB Faculty and welcomes the opportunity to give back to the school that has done so much for her family.
Judy Scruggs
Director of Operations
Judy Scruggs joins The HUB leadership team as Director of Operations. Ms. Judy served many years in administration at The Monarch Institute, and most recently, at NAMI Greater Houston, as Director of Operations. Her work with the neurodiverse population is near to her heart, having a grandson on the Autism Spectrum.
Judy is an incredible addition to our team and we are so happy to have her lend her skills to The HUB as we move into our next chapter of growth. In her spare time, Judy enjoys traveling to the Country Home she and her husband, Jerry, share. She also enjoys spending time with her 2 daughters, their husbands, and with her 3 grandsons, Jacob, Rowan and Zachary.
Faculty/Mentors
Esther Avilés
Esther was born and raised in Collegedale, TN, a suburb of Chattanooga. She is the youngest of five children to parents who immigrated from Santiago, Chile. She graduated with a B.S. in Music from Southern Adventist University and with a Masters in Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has been an educator for over 14 years, teaching various subjects such as Music, Social Studies, English, Literature and Spanish. She has also taught classes abroad in South Korea and Chile in the areas of English as a Second Language (ESL) and Music. Education is a passion of hers and believes in the education of the whole person.
Julia Cambra
Prior to joining The Hub Houston, Julia served as a professional educator in the Math/Science Pod at The Monarch Institute. She has a degree in Mathematics and Video from Bennington College, and has done graduate work in Partial Differential Equations at L'Université de Concordia and Education at the University of St. Thomas. Julia adores complex analysis (Ahlfors), epistemology (Furth), and mythology (Joseph Campbell).
Julia is interested in community-minded, student-driven, innovative education. She likes to build geodesic domes from scrap PVC pipes, harvest honey from beehives, design interactive bird-maps on CAD programs, solder blue LEDs to anything, and “grow” Euclidean postulates on soccer fields with grass seed. She misses working on her 1991 Volvo 740, which her students converted into an Art Car by tiling the entire thing in toys and Legos. That’s a lot of epoxy!
When Julia’s not working, she likes walking the Brickhouse Gully looking for birds. Julia is thrilled to be home in Houston, working with such exciting young adults!
Diane Conoly
Diane Conoly and her son, Sharp, relocated from their home in Bandera, Texas in 2016 so that Sharp could attend The HUB’s high school program. Sharp graduated in 2020 and began attending Life 101, where Diane shortly thereafter, began volunteering. In the fall of 2021, Coach offered her the receptionist position at Life 101.
Diane was born and reared in Dallas. She graduated from The University of Texas with a BA in Child Psychology. Following graduation, Diane worked for an Architectural and Interior Design firm in New York City for a year before returning to Texas. Diane and her husband, Clay, are the owners of his family business, The Dixie Dude Ranch, in Bandera. The ranch has been in Clay’s family since 1901 and a Dude Ranch business since 1937. They have been operating it for 33 years.
When not occupied in Houston with HUB related work and other activities, Diane and Sharp travel home to the ranch. At home Diane gets to be present and involved with her family and businesses. Diane opened a Gift shop on the ranch and enjoys buying for her store. She also enjoys spending time in the beautiful Hill Country with her husband and older son, Alec, as well as other family, employees, friends, guests, and all of their animals.
Diane and her husband are beyond grateful to The HUB for all they have done for Sharp and their family. Diane is honored and feels it is a privilege to be a part of The HUB team and work with all of the wonderful staff, students and families.
Ashley Cuello
Ashley grew up in Friendswood, Texas, attended Clear Brook High School, and considers Houston home! She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from The University of Houston Downtown. Since her days as a Gator, Ashley has been educating Houston's youth for over nine years. Five of those years were spent at The Monarch School, which is where she found her passion teaching and mentoring the neurodiverse community. Her experiences include reading, math, art, executive functioning skills, and life skills.
During her free time, she loves taking trips and exploring new things with friends and family. Additional passions include hiking, mountains, animals, exercising, walking and playing with her dog Louie V. Ashley is EXCITED to join The Hub Family!
Shivali Dhruv
Shivali Dhruv, a native Houstonian, earned a double major in Psychology and Biology from Texas A&M University. She sought to further her knowledge and attend Emory University, studying Neuroscience. After working in laboratories, and teaching both undergraduates and young elementary students, Shivali found herself at The Monarch Institute, where she enjoyed her 7 years, as a Professional Educator Mentor and Multidisciplinary Leadership Team member. Her passions for learning and understanding more about the brain and helping others, led her to this field.
Before joining us at The HUB Houston, Shivali spent a few years focusing on raising her two young daughters. They are the light of her life! She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, taking lots of pictures of her daughters, catching up with close friends, snuggling with her dog, and reading for pleasure when she can. She believes every person can reach their full potential, when provided individualized, strength-based education and treatment plans. She is excited to be joining our amazing community!
Denise Hazen
Denise Hazen joins The HUB Houston as Founder of her entrepreneurial program, Aspire Accessories. She created the program in 2011 after she realized opportunities for individuals like her son, Nicholas, (diagnosed at age 2 with ASD) were limited or non-existent. Aspire Accessories provides an environment where neurodiverse young adults learn a variety of workplace related employability skills. What began as a mother-son endeavor has expanded to a vibrant workshop studio where Artisans with autism and other neurodiverse diagnoses create, produce, and sell their creations.
Denise holds an All Level Art Education degree from Houston Baptist University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and doing yoga. In addition to Nicholas, Denise and her husband Charles have a daughter, Catherine.
Denise loves spending time with her family and friends and working with the Aspire Artisans.
Mike Hobizal
Mike Hobizal, a Native Texan, joins the Aspire Accessories team as their Laser Engraver. He retired recently from the Oil & Gas industry, having worked for over 30 years in Information Technology, and decided to pursue a second career. Mike has always been a hobbyist woodworker, and once retired, began expanding his woodworking skills using technology. He soon discovered the world of CNC machines, laser engravers, and vinyl cutters. This hobby turned into a small business as he experimented with various types of materials and new product ideas. When Michael became aware of the position at Aspire, he knew it was a perfect fit. He is able to work in a medium he loves while giving back to the community.
Mike and his wife, Anita, have been married for 35 years and raised two beautiful daughters together. They love to travel, explore new places, and go camping in their travel trailer with their two dogs. He also enjoys cooking and a wide range of sports, both as a spectator and as a participant. Mike is excited to join the Aspire Program and share his expertise and knowledge with the amazing young artisans.
Chris Humburg-Meaux
Chris Humburg-Meaux joined the faculty of The HUB in January, 2017. Prior to his becoming an employee, Chris volunteered at Club HUB for several months. His energy and immediate connection with our HUBsters made it an easy decision for Coach Russo to extend a contract to him.
Chris graduated from Stratford High School in 2011. He entered the workforce initially through his church, and quickly moved to The Rise School where he was a teacher’s assistant for five years.
When Chris isn’t at The HUB and working at Club HUB, he enjoys sporting events, playing sports, and driving his very cool Mustang!
Maya Hunt
Maya Hunt joined the faculty of The HUB in fall of 2019 as a part-time Assistant, and quickly advanced to Teaching Assistant in 2021. Maya was a star in The HUB’s second graduating class in 2017. She attended Lone Star College where her focus of studies was education, and has plans to continue her classes and earn a degree. Maya is certified through the Red Cross Babysitting Course and has received her CPR Certification, as well.
She entered the workforce as a Barista at Starbuck’s, followed by her position at Marker’s Group as a Production Assistant. Maya’s years of volunteering at The HUB, and her energy and connection with our HUBSTERS, made it an easy decision for Coach Russo to extend a contract to her.
When Maya isn’t working at The HUB, she enjoys riding her motorcycle, baking, photography, Tango (her rescue puppy) and playing with her 2 kitties!
Aaron Krause
Aaron Krause is an alum of Houston Community College where he graduated with an Associate's Degree in Applied Psychology. He brings to the HUB an extensive history of working with children and young adults with neurological differences: he began his career helping these individuals as a house mentor in a residential setting at the Monarch Institute, where he lived with students in a four bedroom home and worked with them to form a small community. It was his privilege to work with these individuals and see them grow and transform into the adults that they are today. During his time at Monarch Institute, Aaron also served as an activity coordinator for transitional (post-graduate) services, and then as the apartment manager for postgraduate students living nearby, where he assisted learners with various topics such as leadership, healthy adolescent living, and to plan fun, engaging activities. Aaron helped these young adults manage various aspects of their life, including budgeting, cooking, and apartment maintenance.
Aaron brings a love of learning and passion for achieving and working towards goals to the HUB, where he is excited to use and share his expertise in teaching life skills, planning activities and forming relationships, and is proud to serve as the HUB’s Dungeon Master.
Amy Lee
Amy Lee joins The HUB faculty with 24 years of educational experience, spent mostly in the Spring Branch ISD, with her focus on the neurodiverse population. Ms. Lee attended Lamar University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She furthered her education at Stephen F. Austin State University, earning a Master of Education in Secondary Leadership. Amy has also worked with SAOTG (Staying Ahead Of The Game), as a Tutoring Specialist for neurodiverse students.
Amy is a native Houstonian and lives in the Heights with her husband, Travis and son, Grayson. She enjoys spending time with her family and 2 dogs, and traveling to Louisiana where she and her husband have family
Megan Makarchuk
Megan Makarchuk is loving the warmth and energy of Houston. A Licensed Professional Counselor, born and raised in Upstate New York, Megan graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a double minor in Human Development and Criminal Justice. She has always had a passion for working with people, and received her Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. While in school, she held an Internship at a residential program for adolescents with Substance Use Disorders, where she discovered her passion for working with youth. Before her move to Houston, she held the position of Mental Health Coordinator at Brooklyn Treatment Court.
Megan enjoys being outside and jogging or hiking with her boyfriend. She loves a good mystery novel or British mystery show in her free time. Her passion for working with youth and their families has her excited to join The HUB family.
Alison Marshall
Alison Marshall comes to The HUB Houston from the Monarch Institute, where she spent 15 years as a Professional Educator Mentor and Multidisciplinary Leadership Team member. She believes in individualized strengths-based instruction and has observed that students thrive when they feel they are a valued part of a nurturing community: a place where their individual gifts and talents are identified and supported.
Alison enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and her two children, and looks forward to strengthening old and forging new relationships with students and families as she gets to know each member of The HUB community.
Alison is thrilled to be working at The HUB where individuals will have the opportunity to learn and encourage skills through The HUB’s many partnerships with organizations in the Houston community.
Julie Maru
Julie Maru received a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Cultural Anthropology from UCLA where she was trained at the Lovaas Institute for Early Intervention and subsequently worked for five years with children with Autism in private clinic settings. In 2005, Julie returned to her hometown of Houston and served for 13 years at The Monarch School as both a Professional Educator and Therapeutic Support Coach. During this time, she completed her Masters in Educational Psychology at The University of Houston. She and her husband, Anand, are the proud parents of daughter, Asha, and son, Shaan. Julie is a welcome and dynamic addition to our Faculty Mentors and will bring her expertise in education and therapeutic support to our Student Members and families. She is excited to work in a relationship-centered, strengths-based community!
Jamie MacDonald
Jamie MacDonald, a native Houstonian, is a graduate of Sam Houston State University with a BS in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. She received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from UTMB and has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist (OTR) for the past fourteen years.
Jamie has been involved in the special needs community since she was young. She is active with Special Olympics and supporting adaptive athletes through various organizations. Jamie is skilled in supporting learners with sensory and behavioral challenges, improving self-regulation, social skills, self-care and independence through fine and gross motor skills. Jamie is certified in handwriting, DIR Floortime, Nurtured Heart Approach, and an Adaptive and Inclusive Fitness Trainer.
Jamie is a mother of two young boys and has been married for fifteen years to her husband, James. In her spare time, she is involved in running, cycling, and triathlons as well as hiking, camping, and exploring with her family. Jamie has a strong interest in supporting the young adult population and is thrilled to join The HUB team and community!
Lindsay McCann
Lindsay McCann graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology in 2013. She has a plethora of experience working with children and young adults across a wide span of ages, abilities, and settings, beginning first at camps and moving into schools. She currently is pursuing her Masters of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of St. Thomas here in Houston.
In her free time (which doesn't come often enough!), Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family (including her dogs!), practicing yoga, and running. Lindsay has a passion for helping young people discover their full potential, meaningful connectedness, and happy living. Lindsay is beyond excited and honored to be a part of The HUB team and can't wait to see what this year brings!
Anne Elise Mumford
Anne Elise Mumford is a native Houstonian, graduating from Trinity University with a BA in English and Art History. Her educational interests took her to NYC where she attended the New York School of Interior Design, earning her AAS in Design. She lived in the Northeast for 25 years, had three children – Mimi, Hailey and Easton - and volunteered at her children’s' schools as well as a mental health charity.
One of her daughters is on the autistic spectrum. As a result, she began volunteering at Aspire Accessories in 2018 after moving back to Houston. Her work ethics and connection with the Artisans resulted in her being offered a faculty position as Artisan Instructor in 2022.
In her spare time Anne Elise likes to needlepoint, sew, weave, make jewelry, and work in her garden. She and her partner, Jeff, like to listen to live music and go fishing whenever they can. They have two dogs, Winston and Biscuit, who keep them on the run. Anne Elise is grateful to Aspire Accessories and The HUB for allowing her to pursue her passion of teaching needlework and other arts to the Artisans at Aspire.
Wendy Richards
Wendy Richards is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas with a BA in Elementary Education, a minor in Psychology and M.Ed. Special Education. Wendy is a native of Houston, and has lived and worked in Corpus Christi, Austin, and most recently Sacramento and Folsom, California.
Ms. Richards has over thirty years of experience working with special needs children, having worked as a teacher, a Behavior Consultant and a Social Skills Therapist. Her training includes Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Elementary Education, Early Childhood Developmental training, Integrated Play Group Therapy, Social Thinking and extensive workshops and training in social skills development.
Wendy is the mother of two wonderful grown sons and enjoys music, reading, and spending time with family and friends. Wendy believes The HUB is the perfect place to combine her skills in social skills development and teaching, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of such a unique and innovative program!
Tom Ricker
Tom Ricker, a Miami native, relocated to Houston in 2008. Tom has 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and communications. His work for most of those years was as Program Director at the Maryland-based Quixote Center, focusing on human rights and policy advocacy in partnership with community organizations in Haiti, Nicaragua and Mexico. He has also worked at the Rothko Chapel and St. Stephen’s Episcopal School here in Houston. Tom holds a PhD in Political Science and has taught at multiple universities and colleges as a part-time instructor. He came to The HUB through his son, Benny, who is a High School HUBSTER! Tom loves going to see the Astros with Benny, and can usually be found playing his guitar when not at school.
Nathan Rose
Nathan Rose came to The HUB from The Monarch Institute, where he spent over 15 years serving as a Professional Educator Mentor, Student Life Coordinator and Student Program Coordinator. Nathan was immediately drawn to The HUB upon seeing the opportunity to help broaden the resources available for learners in the Houston area.
Nathan, a Texas A&M alumni, coordinates the Journey of Belonging program and serves as a Life Coach for many of our members. His vast experience working with students and families, helping them to identify individual strengths to overcome challenges is a wonderful asset to The HUB. Through coaching, humor, sports and play, he strives to help individuals successfully engage their education, community and self-discovery. When not at The HUB, Nathan enjoys exploring rock climbing destinations around the world and spending time with his wife and two children.
Maria Rusk
Ms. Rusk joins The HUB Houston after having worked with our Student Members independently as a behavioral therapist and most recently, as an after-school and summer camp art instructor. Her brother is on the autism spectrum and growing up with him led her to develop a passion for serving the neurodivergent community. Maria is currently working towards her BA in Psychology with a Minor in Art Education.
Maria is also a visual artist and believes strongly in the use of art as an outlet for energy and emotion. She has paired her art background with her experience and knowledge of neurodiversity to program activities which offer meaningful stimulation and exercise creativity. She hails from Louisiana but loves Houston for its rich diversity and thriving art scene. In her free time, she enjoys painting, cooking, entomology and keeping her three cats “out of trouble”.
Kenneth C. Stueart
Kenneth C. Stueart, an Arkansas native, has called Houston home for the last 27 years. He brings to The HUB over 32 years of teaching experience working with children and adults with unique challenges and is committed to optimizing students’ skills so they can make a positive contribution to the community. He is a Belmont University and Southern Arkansas University alumnus.
His employment history includes five years of service with Magnolia Specialized Services and Nevada County Day Service Center. He has also worked as the Southwest Training Director for Arkansas Special Olympics, Coordinator and Instructor for 15 years at the Brookwood Community-Briarwood School, an Educator for two years at Hollibrook Elementary Special Education Department (Spring Branch ISD), and as a Professional Educator for nine years at The Monarch School.
Ken resides in the Spring Branch area of Houston with his spouse of eighteen years, two stepdaughters, and loving dog, Allie. He enjoys spending time with his family, researching genealogy, singing, cooking, and traveling.
Cay Taylor
As a board-certified music therapist, Cay Taylor, MT-BC, has served children and adults with a broad range of developmental, neurological, and physical differences for over 15 years. Cay's overall music therapy approach is person-centered so that each therapeutic interaction and music experience is a vehicle of success for every individual.
Prior to joining The HUB as part-time faculty, Cay developed the music therapy programs and served as music therapist at the STARS Preschool Intervention Program at the JCC for 7 years and at The Monarch Institute for 10 years. She also teaches private voice, guitar, ukulele, and piano lessons as the founder of Firefly Music Studio. When she's not teaching, you can find Cay performing on stage nearly every weekend of the year at Houston's only musical comedy cabaret, The Music Box Theater.
Angelica Zuniga
Angelica Zuniga began her career with The HUB in 2021 as a Job Coach for our Employability Program. In 2022, she transitioned into the role of Mentor with our Aspire Program, as well as assisting with coordination of Club HUB activities.
Angelica is working towards her Master’s Degree in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Houston. When not working at The HUB or pursuing her degree, she likes to attend concerts, visit teahouses, and spend time with her family and friends.
Angelica enjoys working alongside her colleagues and helping guide them to achieve success. She likes to lead with positivity and a “can-do” attitude that is infectious.
Board of Directors
Officers
Patti Everitt, President
Kelley Hodges, Secretary
Sharon Buckle, Treasurer
Members
Rick Bailey
Rob Eppolito
Colleen Russo
Advisory Board
Leland “Lee” Ackerley
Richard “Dick” Bartell
Michelle Bohreer
Michelle Hunt
Dr. Neal Sarahan
Dr. Marty Webb