About Us

Kristi graduated from Texas A&M University- Kingsville with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology. Kristi’s previously worked as a Juvenile Supervision Office for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department in Beaumont, TX. During that time, she worked with young adults who had already entered into the juvenile system. This experience empowered her to seek out more proactive roles within the community. Kristi stepped into an advocacy role in 2020 working with survivors of sex trafficking. Although this marked the beginning of her professional career being an advocate and supporter for youth in hard places, Kristi had been working with children her whole life through different volunteering opportunities. Being a strong Advocate for all youth is in Kristi's heart as she believes that children are the future. It's up to us in this present moment to protect and build that future.

Noel has over 14 years’ experience working with at risk youth including current and former foster youth, unaccompanied minors, and with families in low-income housing. Noel’s overall goal is to ensure all youth that enroll in our connectED program have the support system they need to be successful. Noel grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and moved to San Antonio when he was 18 to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. On his free time Noel enjoys riding the trail on his mountain bike, playing softball, volleyball, and basketball. Go Spurs Go! Noel’s favorite superhero growing up was Batman, but he also enjoys watching Marvel movies.

Hannah is an alumnus of The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), where she graduated with her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Reading and Special Education. She has over 2 years of experience working with various age range youth, as well as has over 2 years in management. Her true aspiration is to be able to leave a mark in the world by being a part of making a difference. Hannah is always helping others! In her spare time, she loves traveling the world with her loved ones, spending time with her various animals, creating DIY crafts, and reading/ watching anything thriller or horror.

Alexa was born and raised on the Southside of San Antonio; she earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Texas State University. After obtaining her Bachelor’s she entered the social service world to explore her passion for child welfare and equality. She has been employed with BCFS for 5 years and has worked in multiple programs providing support and guidance to youth in Region 8. While working on her MSW at UTSA in Social Work, Alexa focuses on empowering individuals to believe in their capabilities and be successful in their own way.

Ema graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) with a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Ema is currently an Advocate with ConnectEd. Ema is passionate about helping others and truly loves what she does. Ema has worked in various positions in direct care with children/youth who have experienced trauma in their life. Ema’s goal is to create meaningful, long-lasting relationships with youth to better assist them with whatever they may be needing. Ema wants you to know that you are not alone and that she will do her best to help you as best as she can; whether that be by providing you with a listening ear/shoulder to cry on or to provide you with resources or advocacy support.

Mahayla graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Bachelors in Victim Studies. After obtaining her degree she came back to San Antonio to work with victims of domestic violence both in the civil and criminal courts. She has experience working with those that have been affected by family violence, sexual assault and stalking. She hopes by working with BCFS she can promote healthy relationships and provide support to the youths in their journey to independence.

Andrea Jonguitud was born and raised in Mexico City, she came to live in the U.S. when she was 16 yrs. old. Andrea has a B.A in Psychology, she is TBRI practitioner, and is certified for Life Space Crisis Intervention. Andrea’s ultimate goal in working with the youth is for them to learn that life has so much more to offer if we just open our eyes and hearts to new opportunities. Andrea’s personal goals are to graduate with a Master’s degree in Industrial Organizational psychology and become a mentor for big companies on how to hire individuals that are best fit for the job. Andrea’s goal is to help organizations keep their employees happy and well taken care of when it comes to mental health.

Alejandra has extensive experience working with individuals with intellectual disabilities, survivors of sexual assault, and at-risk youth. She received her Master’s degree in Education from The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Alejandra aspires to be a light of hope for anyone who has experienced trauma by assisting in deescalating challenging situations ensuring they are handled in a safe way and with that help motivate others to reach their fullest potential. In ConnectEd, Alejandra facilitates all three curriculums: TBRI, Love Notes, and Work Steady.