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