Miriam Elizondo

Miriam’s journey with Sunshine Cottage began in June 2017 as the Director of Development, and in November 2024, she was honored to be named 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. As a Licensed Professional Counselor with over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector—six of those years in executive leadership—Miriam brings unparalleled expertise and passion to her role. Her professional accomplishments include earning Nonprofit Certifications in Leadership and Fundraising through both the San Antonio Area Foundation and Our Lady of the Lake University. Miriam is also a distinguished alumna of the inaugural graduating class of the Tesoro Fellows Leadership Program and has specialized training in Value-Based Leadership. Her areas of expertise encompass trauma counseling, critical incident response, and nonprofit management. She has also facilitated solution-focused therapy training in Mexico and Nicaragua and has served on several coalitions, including those appointed by the Office of the Governor. While Miriam’s career is centered on serving communities and addressing critical needs, her greatest joy comes from her family. She has been happily married to her husband Mike for 17 years and is a proud mother to their two wonderful children, Mikey and Tori. Miriam feels deeply privileged to carry forward the legacy of Dela White at Sunshine Cottage, ensuring that children who are deaf or hard of hearing are empowered to learn, listen, speak, and thrive in a hearing world. Her unwavering dedication to this mission reflects her belief in the limitless potential of every child.

Kiz Mannheimer

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.

Jessica Powers

Laura Rodriguez

Bertie Ghans

Christopher Powers

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.

Sara Rosales-Guerra

Pooja Palimar

Mary Bordelon

Alex Geleske

Raye Ann Short

Isela Fennell

Tammy Monts

Holly Mason

Lindsay Dimich

Dominique Villarreal

Linda Luna

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.

Miriam Villejo

Logan Horner

Jean Boller

Lori Debner

Emily Jones

Jackie Vizcaino

Chazzi Hayes

Laura Baysinger

Monica Dorman

Jessie Ritter

Stacy Adams

Brenda Zapata

Taylor May

Sarah Rico

Siri Nicol

Janeth Gaddy

Donna Kramer

Ana Sei

Amanda Grant

Michael Pfeifer

Judy Bravo

Megan Mezza

Melissa Chavez

Allison Butterfield

Marcela De Leon

Nadia Thompson

Sarah Carpenter

Sarah Sharp

Aryana Thompson

Carley Petru

Karime Flores

Kristie Olivares

Angelina Uvalle

Gabriela Ibarra

Jennifer Carrera

Faye DeLeon

Trinity Carvajal

Ciara McDaniel

Sophia De Leon

Otis Hernandez

Alexandria Hazelwood

Gino Lopez

Jo Anna Garza

Mike Vasquez

Briana Mora

Olga Bernal

Christina Chavez

Yuri Gonzalez

Priscilla Salazar

Genny Browning

Alejandra Tovar

Aliyah Walton

Clarissa Gonzalez

Meagan Keller

Lane Deml

Britnee Cruz

Doris Morales

Lorena Rodriguez

Katy DeBrooke

Gabriel Morales

Karina Perales

Kelly Martinez

Deborah Cox

Kyra Jones

Ethan Casarez

Lori Laguna

Ana Hernandez

Robert Castillo

Abigail Yates

Olga Sustaita

Gabriela Landa

Larissa De Santiago

Emily Johnson

Cheri Earley