Leadership

Ashley Elgin, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Ashley Elgin serves as the CEO of Lena Pope and is responsible for executing strategic efforts that pave the way for community support in the years to come. Her passion for serving children and families has driven her work for over 30 years and creates an exciting opportunity for Lena Pope moving forward. Her vision includes creating high quality, empathic and productive services to those in need in Tarrant County. To achieve this vision, Dr. Elgin focuses on integrating a business investment model with charitable services thereby facilitating Lena Pope’s mission and impact priorities. This savvy approach to creating long term organizational sustainability has yielded unprecedented results in the aide that is provided to clients in education, behavior, and emotional growth.

A committed community advocate, Dr. Elgin has served (s) on boards and committees for Mental Health Connection, Texas Network for Youth Services, Meals on Wheels of America, Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, North Texas Association for Play Therapy, and Children’s Advocacy Center of Texas Partner Agency Council. Among her many other distinctions, Dr. Elgin holds a PhD in Counseling from the University of North Texas and is recognized as an expert on the dynamics and effects of childhood trauma, authoring academic chapters and publishing research articles in clinical journals.  She has been listed among the Top 400 Most Influential People in Fort Worth in 2022 and 2023. In 2018 she was recognized as Non-Profit CEO of the Year by the Community Council of Dallas. And in 2017, Dr. Elgin was honored by the City of Dallas with the LGBT Homelessness Impact Award. She has been a distinguished guest on NPR –The Morning Radio Show, CBS Radio, Good Morning Texas and she has participated in documentaries and legislative testimony focused on domestic violence and sex trafficking. Dr. Elgin serves on the Best Places for Working Parents steering committee and a member of Rotary Club of Fort Worth.

Robert Ramirez

Chief Operating Officer

Robert Ramirez has been improving child well-being at Lena Pope for 24 years. He has worked in many capacities, starting as a direct-service provider and working in many different front-line and administrative roles at Lena Pope’s charter school, Chapel Hill Academy, and was most recently Lena Pope’s Director of Human Resources. As Chief Operating Officer, Ramirez will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, providing expert human resources and operational support to more than 200 employees, and ensuring Lena Pope is in compliance with all state and federal regulations. Robert has a degree in general studies from Columbia College and a Master of Education from the University of North Texas. Robert received the Hero de la Comunidad Award presented by the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and was recognized on the 2023 50 Emerging Latino Leaders list from the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Ramirez is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, Fort Worth HR nonprofit, and Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Todd Tudor

Chief Finance Officer

Todd Tudor, CPA, has 39 years of accounting and audit experience. As Lena Pope’s Chief Financial Officer, Todd and his team manage the organization’s daily operations with a keen eye on regulatory compliance and best practices, while also providing strategic financial planning. Prior to coming to Lena Pope, Todd was a Director of Assurance Services with BDO USA LLP (formerly Hartman, Leito, & Bolt, LLP) for a combined 17 years. He has previously served in management roles at PriceWaterhouseCooper, The Bankers Assurance Group, and with Weaver and Tidwell. He received his degree from Abilene Christian University and is a licensed CPA in the State of Texas.

Jennifer Carpenter, LCSW

Chief Program Officer

Jennifer Carpenter, LCSW, has worked at Lena Pope in the social work field for 28 years. She has served in a variety of roles, but always with a focus on children and their families. Currently, Jennifer is the Chief Program Officer, overseeing Lena Pope’s programs – Early Learning Centers, Counseling Program, School and Community Based Programs, Marty Leonard Community Chapel, and Amon Carter Center. Part of her role is to evaluate the current and changing needs of the community and determine how Lena Pope can respond proactively to meet community needs, keeping children and families at the center of Lena Pope’s focus. Jennifer also works collaboratively with the CEO to articulate and implement strategic vision for the agency and provide mentoring and support to staff in all programs. Jennifer earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in social work from The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) and a master’s degree from UTA in human resource management. Jennifer serves on the Early Childhood Services Community Advisory Committee and Early Learning Alliance Leadership Team.

Cathy R. Sheffield, CAP, CSPG, CFRE, FCEP

Chief Advancement Officer

Cathy R. Sheffield leads Lena Pope’s advancement team and oversees the strategic and diversified fundraising initiatives responsible for providing essential philanthropic funds that fuel Lena Pope’s work to improve child well-being. Cathy received an MBA from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Science from North Dakota State University. Cathy is a faculty member of California State University’s American Institute for Philanthropic Studies which administers the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving designation program. Cathy is the co-host of Charitable Chit Chat with Cathy & Claire, a podcast for philanthropy professionals. Cathy has been honored by the Fort Worth Metro Chapter of AFP with the Benjamin Franklin Award for Outstanding Professional Fundraising Executive. Cathy currently serves on the board of directors for American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA), Jerusalem Institute for Justice, and NewDay Services for Children and Families. Cathy is also a member of the Rotary Club of Fort Worth.

She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®), and Certified Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG).

Vicki Sendejo, Ed.D.

Chief of Education Services

Dr. Victoria Sendejo has served in the education field for more than 25 years in roles as a High School English Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Special Education Coordinator, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Associate Superintendent. She currently serves as the Chief of Education Services for Lena Pope. Dr. Sendejo earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Texas and her Doctor of Education at Texas Wesleyan University, Dr. Sendejo has also completed training at the Art of Leadership program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She holds Texas educator certifications in Special Education EC-12, Principal, and Superintendent. Dr. Sendejo was listed among 50 Latino Leaders in Fort Worth by the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2023. She has also been recognized as the 2022 Region XI TEPSAN of the Year, received the TEPSA President’s Service Award, and Modern Woodmen of America Hometown Hero. She is active in the Texas Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is a Past President of Region XI Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA).

Keegan Hand

Director of Development

Keegan Hand has been part of the Lena Pope family since 2014. Keegan began her tenure at Lena Pope managing all special event fundraisers. During her time with Lena Pope, her role has grown to include supervision of the fundraising team as well as management of annual giving and donor relations. Keegan’s goal is to act as a conduit for donors, connecting them to the mission of Lena Pope and the change in families’ lives that is made possible by their support. Keegan received her bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Texas. She has been an active member of the Junior League of Fort Worth since 2017. Keegan is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and served on the Board of Directors for AFP from 2018 to 2021.

Shana Hazzard, LCSW-S

Director of Counseling and Substance Use Services

Shana Hazzard, LCSW-S, has worked at Lena Pope for 23 years.  As the Director of Counseling and Substance Use Services, Shana leads teams of counselors and therapists who work directly with children and their families in our community who need support, knowing that the evidence-based and trauma-informed practices we use can improve child and family well-being. Through the counseling services, Lena Pope works with individuals and families to address a variety of things including: anxiety, depression, substance use, trauma, behavior challenges, and problematic sexual behaviors. We provide individual and family counseling, play therapy, mental health assessments and diagnosis in office or through virtual teletherapy visits. The outpatient substance use services for adults are group-based and utilize a curriculum that focuses on triggers, relapse prevention, anger management skills, coping skills, drug education, and depression management. Shana received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Harding University and her master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington. Shana is a designated clinical supervisor, and has experience facilitating grief support groups, providing individual, family, and group therapy, and working in foster care and adoption. She is a TBRI Practitioner and has a National Certification in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Shana is on the Mental Health Connection (MHC) TBRI Collaboration Committee, the MHC School Mental Health Committee, and the DFPS Region Child Death Review Committee.

Mariah Hubbard

Director of Early Learning Programs

Mariah Hubbard has worked in early childhood education for more than 15 years. She currently serves as the Director of Early Learning Programs. Her passion is children, and she believes her job is a way to make a lasting impact on children, their families, and the future. At Lena Pope’s Early Learning Centers, we focus on developing social and emotional skills in young children, to set them up to be successful students and adults. Mariah is proud to be a part of Lena Pope and work for an organization whose goal is to provide quality care to all individuals, regardless of their access to resources. Mariah has her Directors Credentials and a degree from Grand Canyon University.

Katye LaNier

Director of Marketing and Communications

Katye LaNier has worked to improve the lives of children and families for more than a decade. Previously working in the adoption field, Katye is excited to focus on supporting the early intervention and preventative services Lena Pope offers the community. As the Director of Marketing and Communication, Katye manages both internal and external digital and print communication, collateral, design, and shares with our community about services available to all children and families. Katye has a degree in Strategic Communications from Texas Christian University. She’s been trained in the Disney Institute for Customer Service and has been a speaker at several trainings and seminars about social media best practices and design introductions for non-profit professionals. Katye is a member of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Barbara Lundgren

Director of Human Resources

Barbara has worked in Human Resources for more than 25 years and served in a variety of roles from Human Resources Manager to Human Resources Executive. As the Director of Human Resources at Lena Pope, Barbara supports more than 200 of Lena Pope’s staff through vital day-to-day operations; following important HR policies, procedures, and compliance; and providing an essential level of support to Lena Pope staff. Barbara has a bachelors in business administration from Western Governors University. Barbara holds several certifications in her field, including Professional in Human Resources Certification (PHR) from Human Resources Certification Institute, Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), and is a Certified Business Partner from Institute of Original Development. Barbara served on the board of the Fort Worth Society of Human Resources Management. Barbara also received the 2016 Fort Worth Human Resources Person of the Year award.

Sonya Mosley, LCSW

Director of School and Community Based Services

Sonya Mosley, LCSW, has been investing in children and their families through her work in the Juvenile Justice and/or Child Welfare systems at Lena Pope for more than 20 years. As the Director of School and Community Based Services, Sonya oversees state and county contracts, including Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP), as well as an array of community-based programs that provide in-home counseling, case management, and skills building services for at-risk youth and families. Sonya is a licensed clinical social worker with a master’s degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has served on the Mental Health Connection Board and is the Chair of the Recognize and Rise Community Awareness Campaign. She’s also a community trainer for California Brief Multicultural Competency Scale Training (CBMCS). Sonya is a 30-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (the first African American Greek-letter service organization for women) and has actively served on projects aimed at improving the lives of community members.

Adreana Nash

Director of Finance

Adreana Nash has 15 years of accounting and finance experience and has been part of Lena Pope since 2017. As the Director of Finance, Adreana oversees the finance department and manages day-to-day operations. Prior to coming to Lena Pope, she worked as an accountant with Special for Groups in Los Angeles, Interfaith Ministries, Hines, and GM Financial. Adreana earned her MBA from American Jewish University. She has been Treasurer on the HECHT Trauma Institute Board since 2021.

Sandye Zdanwic

Director of Early Learning Center – HSC

Sandye Zdanwic has worked in early childhood education for more than a decade. She began her career teaching in the classroom and understands that molding a child’s future starts with providing a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive emotionally, socially, and academically. She currently serves as the Director of the Early Learning Center – HSC. At Lena Pope’s Early Learning Centers, we focus on developing social and emotional skills in young children, to set them up to be successful students and adults. Sandye believes the best investment we can make in a young child is cultivating essential social-emotional skills. She passionately champions the values of empathy, compassion, and assertiveness, recognizing that these qualities lay the foundation for a lifetime of success and happiness. A true advocate for nurturing our littlest learners’ hearts and minds, Sandye has authored two children’s books, “Little Humans, Big Feelings” and “10 Little Humans with Big Feelings.” Through her writing, she continues to impart essential lessons about empathy, compassion, and assertiveness, promoting emotional intelligence among children. Sandye has a degree in psychology from the University of North Texas.