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Miriam Elizondo

Miriam joined Sunshine Cottage in June of 2017 as the Director of Development and is currently the Acting Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University. Miriam is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including five years as an executive director.

She has earned Nonprofit Certifications in Leadership and Fundraising through the San Antonio Area Foundation and Our Lady of the Lake University. Miriam is also a proud member of the inaugural graduating class of the Tesoro Fellows Leadership Program and is trained in Value-Based Leadership. Her expertise includes trauma counseling, critical incidents, and nonprofit management. Additionally, she has provided training in solution-focused therapy in Mexico and Nicaragua and has served on several coalitions, including those assigned by the Office of the Governor.

Though her career has focused on serving the community and meeting the needs of others, her most rewarding roles are being a wife to Mike for 17 years and a mother to their two beautiful children, Mikey and Tori. She feels incredibly blessed to have her family and to be part of Sunshine Cottage. She draws inspiration from women leaders like Mrs. Dela White, the founder of Sunshine Cottage, who has profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of children around the world who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Administration
Miriam Elizondo
Acting Executive Director

Kiz Mannheimer

Administration
Kiz Mannheimer
Executive Director Assistant

Cindy Escobedo

Cindy is embarking on her 40th year in education, with the past 30 years dedicated to Sunshine Cottage. Her educational journey began in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, concentrating in special education, from the University of Texas at San Antonio. In 1995 she earned a master’s degree in Deaf Education from the University of the Incarnate Word, also in San Antonio. Cindy's commitment to helping children who are deaf or hard of hearing learn to listen and speak led her to become a certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS Cert. AVEd) in October 2010. In June 2022, with the steadfast support of her family, Cindy achieved her Principal Certification from Lamar University. Throughout her tenure at Sunshine Cottage, she has served children and families within our Parent Infant, Early Childhood, and Elementary programs. Now serving as Principal, Cindy is honored to continue the vision and legacy of Ms. Dela White and is deeply grateful for the opportunity to lead and support the Sunshine Cottage community.
Administration
Cindy Escobedo
Principal

Jessica Powers

Administration
Jessica Powers
Vice Principal

Laura Rodriguez

Administration
Laura Rodriguez
Receptionist / Admin. Assistant

Bertie Ghans

Administration
Bertie Ghans
School Nurse

Leslie Walter

Administration
Leslie Walter
Transition, Community Outreach and Alumni Relations

Christopher Powers

Administration
Christopher Powers
Marketing & Technology Coordinator

Miriam Elizondo

Miriam joined Sunshine Cottage in June of 2017 as the Director of Development and is currently the Acting Executive Director. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from Our Lady of the Lake University. Miriam is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including five years as an executive director.

She has earned Nonprofit Certifications in Leadership and Fundraising through the San Antonio Area Foundation and Our Lady of the Lake University. Miriam is also a proud member of the inaugural graduating class of the Tesoro Fellows Leadership Program and is trained in Value-Based Leadership. Her expertise includes trauma counseling, critical incidents, and nonprofit management. Additionally, she has provided training in solution-focused therapy in Mexico and Nicaragua and has served on several coalitions, including those assigned by the Office of the Governor.

Though her career has focused on serving the community and meeting the needs of others, her most rewarding roles are being a wife to Mike for 17 years and a mother to their two beautiful children, Mikey and Tori. She feels incredibly blessed to have her family and to be part of Sunshine Cottage. She draws inspiration from women leaders like Mrs. Dela White, the founder of Sunshine Cottage, who has profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of children around the world who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Development
Miriam Elizondo
Director of Development

Sara Rosales-Guerra

Development
Sara Rosales-Guerra
Public Relations and Communications

Pooja Palimar

Development
Pooja Palimar
Development and Grant Coordinator

Mary Bordelon

Development
Mary Bordelon
Development Assistant

Alex Geleske

Finance
Alex Geleske
Director of Finance

Raye Ann Short

Finance
Raye Ann Short
Accountant

Isela Fennell

Finance
Isela Fennell
Purchasing & Sales Coordinator

Tammy Monts

Educational-Resources
Tammy Monts
Administrative Assistant to Educational Resources

Holly Mason

Educational-Resources
Holly Mason
Coordinator of Educational Resources

Lindsay Dimich

Educational-Resources
Lindsay Dimich
Coordinator of Educational Resources

Dominique Villarreal

Student-Support
Dominique Villarreal
School Counselor

Linda Luna

Student-Support
Linda Luna
Social Worker

Andrea Harvey

Andrea received a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences with a Minor in Family Studies/Counseling from Texas Tech University. She received her Masters degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Texas Tech University and practiced Audiology for 6 years obtaining extensive experience working with a private Audiology Practice as well as Ear, Nose and Throat physicians. Because of her love of working with children and their families, she started working at Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children in 1999. Andrea has been the Audiology department director at Sunshine Cottage since 2009 and is a current member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. With her team of pediatric audiologists, she performs diagnostic hearing evaluations on children of all ages as well as provides hearing aid and cochlear implant management for the children at Sunshine Cottage.
Audiology
Andrea Harvey
Audiologist, Department Chair

Logan Horner

Audiology
Logan Horner
Audiologist

Miriam Villejo

Audiology
Miriam Villejo
Audiology Evaluation Coordinator

Jean Boller

Audiology
Jean Boller
Audiologist

Lori Debner

Audiology
Lori Debner
Audiology Administrative Support

Emily Jones

Audiology
Emily Jones
Audiologist

Jackie Vizcaino

Audiology
Jackie Vizcaino
Audiologist

Laura Baysinger

Audiology
Laura Baysinger
Audiologist

Chazzi Hayes

Audiology
Chazzi Hayes
Audiologist

Monica Dorman

Speech
Monica Dorman
Speech Language Pathology, Department Chair

Jessie Ritter

Speech
Jessie Ritter
Speech-Language Pathologist

Stacy Adams

Speech
Stacy Adams
Speech-Language Pathologist

Brenda Zapata

Speech
Brenda Zapata
Speech-Language Pathologist

Taylor May

Speech
Taylor May
Speech-Language Pathologist

Sarah Rico

Speech
Sarah Rico
Speech-Language Pathologist

Siri Nicol

Speech
Siri Nicol
Speech-Language Pathologist

Lindsay Rodriguez

Lindsay has been associated with Sunshine Cottage School since 1995. She first arrived at the school as a parent looking for a listening and spoken language outcome for her son who is profoundly deaf and uses a cochlear implant. After completing a Master’s degree in Oral Deaf Education in 2000, she worked as a Parent-Infant Advisor at Sunshine Cottage School. Lindsay was appointed Director of the Parent-Infant Program in 2022.

She is bilingual (English/Spanish) and previously worked for 16 years teaching English Language Learners and as a textbook author/editor for Macmillan Publishers in Mexico City. Lindsay has also been trained as a Parent Advocacy Training Facilitator for the A.G. Bell Association and has given presentations on Advocacy internationally and nationally. Lindsay is a co-author of The Guide to Listening and Spoken Language: a parent-friendly, convenient checklist of information and strategies for learning to listen and talk.

Coaching parents to advocate for their child so that their child, in turn, might advocate for himself, is supremely important to Lindsay. She is a firm believer in the power of parents.
Parent-Infant-Program
Lindsay Rodriguez
Director of Parent-Infant Program

Janeth Gaddy

Parent-Infant-Program
Janeth Gaddy
PIP Administrative Assistant

Donna Kramer

Parent-Infant-Program
Donna Kramer
Parent Advisor

Ana Sei

Parent-Infant-Program
Ana Sei
Parent Advisor

Amanda Grant

Parent-Infant-Program
Amanda Grant
Parent Advisor

Michael Pfeifer

Parent-Infant-Program
Michael Pfeifer
Parent Advisor

Judy Bravo

Parent-Infant-Program
Judy Bravo
Parent Advisor

Megan Mezza

Parent-Infant-Program
Megan Mezza
Parent Advisor

Melissa Chavez

Parent-Infant-Program
Melissa Chavez
Parent Advisor

Allison Butterfield

Parent-Infant-Program
Allison Butterfield
Parent Advisor

Marcela De Leon

Parent-Infant-Program
Marcela De Leon
Speech-Language Pathologist

Nadia Thompson

Parent-Infant-Program
Nadia Thompson
Speech-Language Pathologist

Sarah Carpenter

IT3
Sarah Carpenter
Teacher

Sarah Sharp

Pre-School
Sarah Sharp
Teacher

Aryana Thompson

IT3
Aryana Thompson
Associate Teacher

Carley Petru

Pre-School
Carley Petru
Associate Teacher

Karime Flores

IT3
Karime Flores
Teacher Assistant

Kristie Olivares

Pre-School
Kristie Olivares
Teacher

Angelina Uvalle

Pre-School
Angelina Uvalle
Associate Teacher

Gabriela Ibarra

Pre-School
Gabriela Ibarra
Teacher

Jennifer Carrera

Pre-School
Jennifer Carrera
Teacher Assistant

Faye DeLeon

Pre-School
Faye DeLeon
Teacher

Trinity Carvajal

Pre-School
Trinity Carvajal
Teacher Assistant

Ciara McDaniel

Pre-School
Ciara McDaniel
Teacher

Sophia De Leon

Pre-School
Sophia De Leon
Teacher Assistant

Otis Hernandez

Maintenance
Otis Hernandez
Maintenance Supervisor

Alexandria Hazelwood

Pre-K
Alexandria Hazelwood
Teacher

Gino Lopez

Maintenance
Gino Lopez
Maintenance Lead

Jo Anna Garza

Pre-K
Jo Anna Garza
Teacher Assistant

Mike Vasquez

Maintenance
Mike Vasquez
Custodian

Briana Mora

Pre-K
Briana Mora
Teacher

Olga Bernal

Maintenance
Olga Bernal
Custodian

Christina Chavez

Pre-K
Christina Chavez
Teacher Assistant

Yuri Gonzalez

Maintenance
Yuri Gonzalez
Custodian

Genny Browning

Pre-K
Genny Browning
Teacher

Alejandra Tovar

Pre-K
Alejandra Tovar
Teacher Assistant

Aliyah Walton

Kinder
Aliyah Walton
Teacher

Clarissa Gonzalez

Kinder
Clarissa Gonzalez
Teacher Assistant

Meagan Keller

Kinder
Meagan Keller
Teacher

Lane Deml

Kinder
Lane Deml
Associate Teacher

Mercedez Mendoza

Kinder
Mercedez Mendoza
Teacher

Britnee Cruz

Pre-K
Britnee Cruz
Teacher

Doris Morales

Kinder
Doris Morales
Teacher Assistant

Lorena Rodriguez

Pre-K
Lorena Rodriguez
Teacher Assistant

Katy DeBrooke

1st-Grade
Katy DeBrooke
Teacher

Gabriel Morales

Specials
Gabriel Morales
Art Teacher

Karina Perales

1st-Grade
Karina Perales
Associate Teacher

Kelly Martinez

Specials
Kelly Martinez
Music Teacher

Deborah Cox

1st-Grade
Deborah Cox
Teacher

Kyra Jones

Specials
Kyra Jones
Physical Education Teacher

Ethan Casarez

1st-Grade
Ethan Casarez
Teacher Assistant

Lori Laguna

Specials
Lori Laguna
Library Media Specialist

Ana Hernandez

2nd-Grade
Ana Hernandez
Teacher

Robert Castillo

2nd-Grade
Robert Castillo
Teacher Assistant

Abigail Yates

2nd-Grade
Abigail Yates
Teacher

Olga Sustaita

2nd-Grade
Olga Sustaita
Teacher Assistant

Gabriela Landa

3rd-Grade
Gabriela Landa
Teacher

Larissa De Santiago

3rd-Grade
Larissa De Santiago
Associate Teacher

Emily Johnson

4th-Grade
Emily Johnson
Teacher

Cheri Earley

4th-Grade
Cheri Earley
Teacher Assistant