MEET THE TEAM
Dr. Tihalia Brown
Chief Program Officer
Dr. Tihalia Brown
Chief Program Officer
Email: tbrown@familiesempowered.org
Theresa Callaway
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Theresa Callaway
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Email: Email: tcallaway@familiesempowered.org
Patricia Castillo
Operations Manager
Patricia Castillo
Operations Manager
Email: pcastillo@familiesempowered.org
Prior to working at Families Empowered, Patricia was the Office Manager at USA Car Sales from October 2011 to February 2019. In March 2003, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, and opened a popsicle factory to help her two younger sisters go to college. In addition to being the founder of that business, she managed finance, administration, and production. The work that Families Empowered does every day is something Patricia holds close to her heart, and she considers it an honor for her to be able to work alongside a team that is making such an impact and difference in the lives of others.
Ayla Dehghanpoor
Director of Marketing & Communications
Ayla Dehghanpoor
Director of Marketing & Communications
Email: adehghanpoor@familiesempowered.org
Phone: (832) 955-7664
Ayla Dehghanpoor is a communications professional who specializes in marketing strategy and creative content production. She comes to Families Empowered with a background in print media and spent much of her career at a local lifestyle publishing house and advertising agency in Texas. She is passionate about bringing accurate, quality information to the audiences she serves, and sharing stories that make an impact.
She lives in Houston with her husband, Zach, and German Shorthaired Pointer, Parker.
Colleen Dippel
Founder & CEO
Colleen Dippel
Founder & CEO
Email: cdippel@familiesempowered.org
Phone: (713) 589-8767
Colleen Dippel began her career as a public school teacher. She left teaching to help launch a private-sector education technology start-up. She’s served as the Director of the KIPP School Leadership Program, the Director of Alumni Support for Teach For America- Houston, and as the Director of Education Initiatives at Aquinas Co. At Aquinas, she launched Families Empowered, which she leads today.
Colleen is the proud mother of two active children.
Wilson Sheaffer
Customer Service Representative
Wilson Sheaffer
Customer Service Representative
Email: Email: wsheaffer@familiesempowered.org
Deanna Sheaffer
Strategic Gifts Manager
Deanna Sheaffer
Strategic Gifts Manager
Email: dsheaffer@familiesempowered.org
Phone: 713-589-8767
Deanna Sheaffer has more than 15 years of non-profit advancement/development experience, primarily in education. Most recently, Deanna worked with the Advancement Team at KIPP Houston as Senior Events Manager. Prior to her work at KIPP Houston, she was the Director of Alumni Support for Teach For America’s Houston office. She originally came to Houston as a 1991 Teach For America corps member. In 1999, Deanna joined Rice University as the Director of Alumni Engagement and Finance.
She is married to a native Houstonian and is the crazed, yet proud, mother of four energetic boys.
Allison Squier
Bilingual Customer Service Representative
Allison Squier
Bilingual Customer Service Representative
Email: asquier@familiesempowered.org
Allison Squier joined the Families Empowered team to support parents searching for schools as a Bilingual Customer Service representative.
In her previous career as a business development executive, she played a critical role in helping businesses expand into Latin American countries. In her role as a Financial Client Service Representative at Bank of America, she regularly attended to the needs and finances of international clients.
In her free time, Allison loves to paint, travel with her family, and above all, enjoy good food and wine with friends.
Dr. Tihalia Brown
Chief Program Officer
Email: tbrown@familiesempowered.org
Theresa Callaway
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Email: Email: tcallaway@familiesempowered.org
Patricia Castillo
Operations Manager
Email: pcastillo@familiesempowered.org
Prior to working at Families Empowered, Patricia was the Office Manager at USA Car Sales from October 2011 to February 2019. In March 2003, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, and opened a popsicle factory to help her two younger sisters go to college. In addition to being the founder of that business, she managed finance, administration, and production. The work that Families Empowered does every day is something Patricia holds close to her heart, and she considers it an honor for her to be able to work alongside a team that is making such an impact and difference in the lives of others.
Ayla Dehghanpoor
Director of Marketing & Communications
Email: adehghanpoor@familiesempowered.org
Phone: (832) 955-7664
Ayla Dehghanpoor is a communications professional who specializes in marketing strategy and creative content production. She comes to Families Empowered with a background in print media and spent much of her career at a local lifestyle publishing house and advertising agency in Texas. She is passionate about bringing accurate, quality information to the audiences she serves, and sharing stories that make an impact.
She lives in Houston with her husband, Zach, and German Shorthaired Pointer, Parker.
Colleen Dippel
Founder & CEO
Email: cdippel@familiesempowered.org
Phone: (713) 589-8767
Colleen Dippel began her career as a public school teacher. She left teaching to help launch a private-sector education technology start-up. She’s served as the Director of the KIPP School Leadership Program, the Director of Alumni Support for Teach For America- Houston, and as the Director of Education Initiatives at Aquinas Co. At Aquinas, she launched Families Empowered, which she leads today.
Colleen is the proud mother of two active children.
Wilson Sheaffer
Customer Service Representative
Email: Email: wsheaffer@familiesempowered.org
Deanna Sheaffer
Strategic Gifts Manager
Email: dsheaffer@familiesempowered.org
Phone: 713-589-8767
Deanna Sheaffer has more than 15 years of non-profit advancement/development experience, primarily in education. Most recently, Deanna worked with the Advancement Team at KIPP Houston as Senior Events Manager. Prior to her work at KIPP Houston, she was the Director of Alumni Support for Teach For America’s Houston office. She originally came to Houston as a 1991 Teach For America corps member. In 1999, Deanna joined Rice University as the Director of Alumni Engagement and Finance.
She is married to a native Houstonian and is the crazed, yet proud, mother of four energetic boys.
Allison Squier
Bilingual Customer Service Representative
Email: asquier@familiesempowered.org
Allison Squier joined the Families Empowered team to support parents searching for schools as a Bilingual Customer Service representative.
In her previous career as a business development executive, she played a critical role in helping businesses expand into Latin American countries. In her role as a Financial Client Service Representative at Bank of America, she regularly attended to the needs and finances of international clients.
In her free time, Allison loves to paint, travel with her family, and above all, enjoy good food and wine with friends.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
