Staff

Twenty-three professionals currently staff the Child Advocates of Montgomery County office. Advocacy Specialists support volunteer Advocates.

Management Staff

Ann Marie Ronsman – President & CEO

Camille Davis – Senior Director of Programs & Services

Erica Avedikian – Assistant Director of Communications

Staff Bios

Management Staff

Ann Marie Ronsman

Ann Marie became the President & CEO of Child Advocates of Montgomery County in February 2021. She first joined Child Advocates as a volunteer Advocate in 2014. Ann Marie took on the role of Training Director in early 2018.

Ann Marie has spearheaded many Child Advocates initiatives, including expanding the organization’s advocacy efforts beyond the child welfare system to serve youth involved in the juvenile justice and truancy systems and launching its Community Education division. The Justice-Involved Youth and Truancy Prevention programs were the first of their kind in the state of Texas. As a Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Practitioner, she has grown Child Advocates’ partnership with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at Texas Christian University and is a leader in the implementation of TBRI® within the child welfare, truancy, and juvenile justice systems. Under her guidance, the organization developed a Community Education division that provides TBRI® education for numerous organizations, including Child Protective Services, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office, and school districts, as well as trafficking and exploitation prevention education for community groups.

Ann Marie is well known throughout Texas and beyond as an expert on the impact of childhood trauma, with a passion for the mission of Child Advocates to positively impact the lives of children and families who have experienced trauma. Ann Marie is the co-chair of the Trauma-Informed Montgomery County Task Force, which promotes a county where the community recognizes and understands how to best respond to children who have experienced trauma. Thanks to Ann Marie’s vision, Child Advocates became a TBRI® Ambassador organization in 2023 and leads the way in trauma education and innovation across the country.

She is a member of the Leadership Montgomery County class of 2022. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Marquette University, Milwaukee; a master’s in nursing from Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee; and a certificate of Non-Profit Leadership from the University of Texas. Ann Marie and her husband, Matt, live with their five children in Montgomery. She is a native Wisconsinite and a huge Green Bay Packer fan.

Erica AVedikian: Assistant Director of Communications

Erica joined the Child Advocates team in December 2021 after volunteering as an Advocate. During her more than two years as a Supervisor, she worked with a team of Advocates to ensure that a child’s best interest is being met while in care. She moved into her position as Assistant Director of Communications in 2023. She is a TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention®) Practitioner. Erica has more than fifteen years of experience in corporate communications, publishing, and public relations. Erica received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She and her family live in Montgomery County, and they enjoy traveling, hiking, and cheering for the Houston Astros.

Julie Brown: Advocacy Training Coordinator

Julie joined Child Advocates of Montgomery County in early 2022 and serves as the Advocacy Training Specialist. She is also a TBRI® Practitioner. Julie previously worked for twenty-five years in the benefits administration industry with Alight Solutions (formerly Aon Hewitt and Hewitt Associates). Her roles ranged from customer service associate and manager to operations analyst and health and welfare client manager. Julie was exposed to Child Advocates of Montgomery County through a work-related event and became an Advocate in 2013. She was drawn to children in need of a voice and knowing her daughter would be graduating from high school, felt it was time to lend a hand. Julie brings strong communication and project management skills to her role, along with a love of interacting with various people, learning new tools, and directly helping the community. Julie is originally from New York and attended Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). She is also on the path to completing a Child Yoga Teacher certification program.

Camille Davis: Senior Director of Programs & Services

Camille joined the Child Advocates of Montgomery County team in 2024 as the Senior Director of Programs and Services. Camille brings more than 20 years of experience working with vulnerable children and youth who are involved in the child welfare system, as well as a personal connection to CASA. She has worked directly with foster and adoptive families, in addition to children living in residential care. She is also a TBRI® Practitioner and was previously licensed as a Child Care Administrator and Child Placing Agency Administrator. Camille was drawn to Child Advocates of Montgomery County because she has personally seen the positive impact a volunteer Advocate can make in a child’s life. She believes in the mission and all the work being accomplished by Child Advocates of Montgomery County. Camille holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from San Antonio, Camille and her family recently relocated to Houston from Maryland. She enjoys spending time with her daughter, vacationing at Port A, and spending time with friends and family

Susan McCormick: Analytics Specialist

After serving for a year as a volunteer Advocate, Susan McCormick first joined Child Advocates of Montgomery County in the spring of 2016, left in 2018, and happily returned to staff in July of 2021. Susan brings over 10 years of Development (fundraising) experience, all right here in Montgomery County. She has worked at 3 different non-profit organizations specializing in donor database software, donor stewardship, and event management. Susan rejoined the Child Advocates Development Team in 2021 as Analytics Specialist. Susan first became aware of Child Advocates of Montgomery County after meeting many of the organization’s staff while serving on The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival committee, and she worked at the festival with CASA staff assistance. Their compassion for and dedication to the children in foster care was an easy sell to convince Susan to join as a volunteer. She has always felt that her time as a volunteer Advocate has been the most challenging yet rewarding volunteer work she has ever done. Susan has lived and worked all across the United States, moving to Texas in 2008. She and her husband raised 3 children. Now young adults, the oldest lives in Denver, the middle child lives in Austin, and the youngest lives in Houston. When not working at Child Advocates, Susan enjoys running, gardening, and reading. She also keeps busy with the newest addition to their household (not grandchildren, yet) a 95-pound “looks like a yellow lab but she isn’t” puppy named Ruthie. She’s only one year young February 2022 and might grow some more…

Stacey McDowell: Operations & Programs Specialist

Stacey joined the CASA team in 2021 as Office Coordinator. She’s had a lifelong passion for volunteer work, especially helping children, seniors, and animals. Stacey grew up in Montgomery, Texas, and later attended the Art Institute of Houston. She has experience working as an elementary art teacher, designer, entrepreneur, and insurance agent. She and her husband have two children, both of whom have recently graduated from college. In her spare time, Stacey loves spending time with her family, friends, and rescue dogs Grady and Toby, and working on art projects, baking, and making pasta.

Marilyn McQueeney: Quality Assurance Specialist

Marilyn first came to Child Advocates of Montgomery County as a volunteer Advocate in 2009 before joining the staff and serving in a multitude of roles including Case Supervisor and Program Director before retiring in April 2023. A TBRI® Practitioner, Marilyn continues to support Child Advocates as our Quality Assurance Specialist. Before joining the Child Advocates team, Marilyn spent 30 years in early childhood education. For twenty of those years, she owned and directed a large private school and child care center in Galveston County. After selling her school, her family moved to Montgomery County. Marilyn has always had a passion for making a difference in the lives of children. She is married with 5 children and 9 grandchildren. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Marilyn came to Texas in the 1970s and loved it here. (She admits that she does still have a steadfast loyalty to the Pittsburgh Steelers.)

Lindsay Miller: Director of Development

Lindsay began serving as the Interim Development Director in April of 2021 and was then promoted to Director of Development in September of 2021. She had previously joined the Child Advocates team as a Creative Development Associate in July 2019. Lindsay became an Advocate in 2017 and has served as Gala Chair for the 2019 CASA Speaks for Kids Gala: A Million Dreams, the Gala Coordinator for the 2020 CASA Speaks for Kids Gala: Black, White, and Silver Ball, the Concert Coordinator for the 2021 CASA Speaks for Kids Benefit Concert: Deep in the Heart of Texas before becoming the Director of Development in 2021. Lindsay is also a TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention®) Practitioner. She has been married for twenty years to her husband, Marty. The couple lives in Magnolia with their two children who remain at home, and they have two daughters attending college. Lindsay is a talented singer, photographer, jewelry designer, and an overall creative soul.

Jennifer Reitmeyer: Director of TBRI® & Community Education

As TBRI® & Community Education Director, Jennifer leads the TBRI® Team at Child Advocates of Montgomery County, which trains Advocates and community partners on the various techniques and strategies of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. She also personally coaches families in crises with ways to connect and disarm fear in their children. Jennifer volunteered for Child Advocates of Montgomery County as an Advocate for six years until she was hired as a Case Supervisor in September 2017. She attended the TBRI® Practitioner training in 2018, organized by Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU, and became a TBRI® Practitioner. Jennifer received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University. Jennifer is married with three grown children and two dogs.

Francine Stanfield: TBRI® & Community Education Specialist

Francine joined Child Advocates in January 2022 as a Case Supervisor after volunteering as an Advocate since 2016. She was named TBRI® & Community Education Specialist in 2023. Francine has had a wonderfully varied career, working in legal, educational, political, and social media fields. She is also a TBRI® Practitioner. Francine was drawn to Child Advocates through the potential of making a positive impact in the lives of children and families in crisis in Montgomery County. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Lamar University. Francine is a native Texan and has one husband and two grown children. She is an avid reader and passionate coffee drinker who loves Saturday morning brunch and antique shopping. She loves learning about new things and traveling with her family. She enjoys needlepoint, fiber and paper crafting, and walking through the Piney Woods of East Texas.

Alli Stephens: Director of Communications & Engagement

Alli joined the Child Advocates team as Director of Communications & Engagement in 2013. She has more than 18 years of non-profit experience, specializing in volunteer recruitment, donor development, marketing, and public relations. Alli first became aware of Child Advocates (CASA) while working for another non-profit organization in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was moved by the compassion and dedication of their volunteers. She remembers thinking, “I want to know more about CASA and how I can help.” Several years later upon transferring to the area, Alli was especially excited to join Child Advocates of Montgomery County as their first marketing and communications staff member. Alli earned her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Texas A&M University (College Station) and is a proud Aggie former student. She was a member of the Leadership Montgomery County class of 2019, and has volunteered and chaired committees for the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Optimists Club of Coos Bay, Oregon, Zonta International, and the Nueces County A&M Club. Alli lives in Conroe with her husband, Micah, and beloved dogs, Sam and Tessa. They are proud parents to son, Clayton, his wife, Emily, and granddaughter Harper who live in Burleson; and daughter Claire who attends Abilene Christian University. In her free time, Alli enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking, and spending time with family.

Shellie Tyrrell: Lead Outreach Specialist

Shellie joined the Child Advocates team in August 2017 as Recruiting Manager and now serves as the organization’s Lead Outreach Specialist. Shellie has a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She has over twenty-five years of experience in public health research and education, all focusing on women and children’s health and empowerment. Shellie became an Advocate for Child Advocates in 2016. After realizing the incredible difference Advocates make in the lives of Montgomery County children, she joined the staff as a recruiter. Shellie became a TBRI® Practitioner in 2023. She enjoys riding this incredible adventure of life with her husband and daughter. 

Karen Vegas: TBRI® & Community Education Specialist

Karen began serving as an Advocate in 2013 and joined the Child Advocates team as an Advocacy Specialist until 2015 when she took time off to care for her youngest daughter. She happily returned to the staff in April 2022 as an Advocacy Specialist. After becoming a TBRI® Practitioner in 2023, Karen stepped into a new role as TBRI® & Community Education Specialist. Karen grew up in Venezuela and moved to Texas in 2005. She and her husband, Gus, have three beautiful girls and two dogs. Karen went to UT Dallas and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Child Learning and Development in 2012. She is passionate about advocating for families and unveiling their best version by providing education and support. Karen enjoys traveling and good food!

ADVOCACY SPECIALISTS

Allison Conner: Advocacy Specialist

After serving as an Advocate since 2018, Allison joined the Child Advocates staff as a Advocacy Specialist in February 2022. Allison had been drawn to CASA for years but had never fully taken the plunge. It wasn’t until, as fate would have it, she had an unplanned encounter with a Child Advocates recruiter while attending jury duty. It took just one visit and a half-cup of coffee over lunch to put her on the path of being an Advocate, taking her first case in 2018. Allison brings to the organization an energy that has served her well in both her personal and professional career. She’s spent the majority of her career in the “big box” retail sectors and successfully managed numerous people, teams, and projects across Texas and Louisiana. She built her reputation as a manager by advocating for her team members and leveraging her passion for helping people find their success. Allison grew up and still lives in Montgomery County with her son, Leslie, and husband, Craig. She is an avid Oklahoma Sooner fan and seldom misses the Red River Rivalry game (or a Fletcher’s corn dog) at the Texas State Fair. Allison dives into each and every holiday season by crafting, baking, and decorating for the season. She’s a true believer that hot glue and love can fix just about anything.

Sol O’Leary: Advocacy Specialist

Sol joined Child Advocates of Montgomery County as an Advocacy Specialist in August 2022. She learned about Child Advocate’s mission and vision through a dear friend and immediately found herself deeply mobilized and driven to be a part of the organization. She started as an Advocate and soon realized the huge impact of being instrumental in ensuring the best interest and safety of children involved in the child welfare system. Originally from Argentina, Sol and her family moved to Texas in 2011, establishing their permanent home in Montgomery County. She holds a PhD in Geology and a Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems. She worked for more than 15 years as a geologist. Initially, she developed activities as a geoscientist researcher in academic institutions and labs in Argentina, Brazil, and Canada, and later, she worked in the oil and gas industry as a consultant in both Argentina and the United States. She also has experience in teaching and mentoring. Sol is the mother of two wonderful girls, and her husband works for an oil and gas company. The family’s cat, Spooky, completes the picture. She loves to read, spend quality time with friends, and travel.

Kristy O’Neal: Lead Educational Advocacy Specialist

Kristy joined the Child Advocates team in April 2021 as an Advocacy Specialist after volunteering for a number of years as an Advocate. After successfully piloting the Gaining Opportunities for Achievement and Learning Truancy Prevention Advocacy Program, Kristy was named Lead Educational Advocacy Specialist in 2024. Krist is also a TBRI® (Trust-Based Relational Intervention®) Practitioner. Prior to working at Child Advocates of Montgomery County, Kristy was a stay-at-home mom and regularly volunteered at various non-profit organizations including CASA, the National Charity League, and The Woodlands Junior League. She also participated in two international mission teams building a school for an underprivileged community in the Dominican Republic. In her prior professional life, she worked in Institutional Research at the University of Houston Clear Lake. Kristy holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Sociology, Master of Arts in Behavioral Science, and Master of Science in Victim Services Management. Kristy and her husband, Dr. Patrick O’Neal, have been happily married for more than twenty-seven years. They have two college-aged daughters – the oldest pursuing a degree in Entrepreneurship at Sam Houston State University and the youngest is in the Texas A&M University Engineering Honors Program. In the future, Kristy and Patrick hope to travel more, but in the meantime, they reside in The Woodlands with their beloved Maine coon named Winston.

Mike Quinn: Lead Justice-Involved Youth (JIY) Advocacy Specialist

Mike joined the Child Advocates team in 2021 as an Advocacy Specialist after volunteering as an Advocate. In 2023, Mike led Child Advocate’s successful Justice-Involved Youth Advocacy Pilot Program and was named Lead Justice-Involved Youth Advocacy Specialist in 2024. Mike has retired from two careers in the business and military sectors. In the Air Force, he was a pilot and politico/military strategy officer, where he advised the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Africa and the Persian Gulf. He also spent a tour in South America directing counter-narcotic operations. In the private sector, Mike was the business development director for several major technology companies, winning over $900 million in global outsourcing contracts. Mike counts being an Advocate as the most rewarding thing he’s ever done. Mike has a Bachelor of Science from the United States Air Force Academy, a Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Delaware, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College. He is also an in-residence graduate of the United States Army War College. He has played golf for more than forty years and will never be called a golfer.

Victoria Warmuth: Advocacy Specialist

Victoria joined the Child Advocates team in 2019 after two and half years as a conservatorship caseworker with Child Protective Services in Montgomery County. As the Courtesy CASA for Montgomery County, she oversees the local visits for cases housed outside of our county, region, or even state. She is also a TBRI® Practitioner. She holds an Associate of Arts from Lone Star College, a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Houston. She also recently completed a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher Program with Soul Tribes Yoga + Meditation in Houston, training primarily in Vinyasa Yoga. In her free time, Victoria volunteers for organizations that serve the LGBTQ+ populations and survivors of human trafficking. Victoria especially enjoys spending time with her pups, Belle and Kimmie, and creating artwork.