Board of Directors
Chair- Taryn DeLaRosa
Taryn De La Rosa is the founder and CEO of Vision Toward Leadership, an Organizational Development Consulting company. A South Texas native, she achieved her Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at The University of the Incarnate Word and her Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and Sociology from Texas A&M University - Kingsville. Having worked in the government and non-profit sector for over 10 years, her experience includes: working with at-risk populations from adult/child mental health, intellectual disabilities, immigrant children, and child protective services. As an Organizational Development Consultant, Taryn specializes in: leadership development, project management, program development, root-cause analysis, strategic planning, workforce skills training, employee relations, and career coaching. Taryn proudly sits on the board of Esperanza de Tejas, Inc., a local South Texas non-profit, for 2 years now. Taryn is a fierce advocate of the development/cultivation of positive and inclusive workspaces and the advancement of women into leadership positions.
Vice Chair - Andrea Delgado
Andrea Delgado was born and raised in rural South Texas, a place she loves to call home. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi in 2014 before becoming an Adult Probation Officer for Nueces County. After her combined 11 year career working with the Criminal Justice system, Andrea chose to be in the real estate industry as she loves working with people and has a high regard for ethics, professionalism and a willingness to work hard. Her passion for helping others and her community has allowed Andrea to serve Coastal Bend residents with honor and trust. She currently resides in Corpus Christi with her husband and four children.
Secretary- Michael Quintana
Michael Quintana is a practicing writer that holds an MFA in Fiction and Screenwriting from San Jose State University. He currently works with writers and entrepreneurs through his company Script Journey for manuscript, speech, website, and brand and marketing development. To learn more about Script Journey, visit www.scriptjourney.com.
Treasurer- Paul Avila
Paul Avila has 13 years of accounting and business administration experience spanning multiple industries that include Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, nonprofit, municipality, and accounting information systems. Having progressively worked his way up the ladder from entry level accountant to holding leadership positions as a controller, Paul has learned the technical expertise and business knowledge to help entrepreneurs with small to midsize businesses protect their personal assets, reduce their tax liability, maintain meaningful well organized financial records, streamline, and delegate business processes, and meet IRS tax compliance obligations. With a heart of a servant leader, Paul not only enjoys helping business owners and nonprofit organizations establish their presence, but he also works tirelessly to ensure they thrive.
Board Member- Former Councilman Ben Molina
Ben Molina is a family man and small business owner who has served on the Corpus Christi City Council since 2016. He’s married to Jennifer Molina and has 2 children, ages 15 and 11. He started with his company, Pinnacle Roofing Systems, in 2000 and took over ownership in 2015. Since then, the business has grown and expanded into new markets and also consistently gives back to the community.
Ben Molina has dedicated his life to serving our community in many capacities: by holding offices including President within our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, serving as President of the Westside Business Association, and serving on the Board of Directors for the Young Business Professionals. Ben is also an honoree of CC Under 40, a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi class 42, and served on the steering committee for Leadership Corpus Christi class 44.
Since being elected, Ben has worked towards more effective and efficient ways to complete street repairs, supported investments into our infrastructure, and has championed small business, all while being accessible and responsive to the citizens of Corpus Christi.
As “Your Friendly Neighborhood Councilman” Ben Molina brings a pro-growth, pro-business mindset to the Council, and encourages economic development and quality of life improvements.
Board Member- Dr. Jonathan Guajardo
Jonathan Guajardo is currently in his second year of residency at AltaMed in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of the University of Texas Health Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (UTRHRGV SOM).He is Houston raised and graduated from Baylor University Class of 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He has a history of holding leadership positions within the National Hispanic Institute and Latino Medical Student Association. He continues to pursue his career in Family Medicine and plans to work closely with medical education, healthcare administration and healthcare policy in addition to his social work efforts within the Latino community. Jonathan is an avid gardener and cook who aspires to have a self-sufficient lifestyle one day.
Board Member- Brenda Vega
Brenda is the founder and CEO of Allegiance Consultations, a leading consulting firm specializing in credit repair, tax consulting, and business development.
Brenda's extensive knowledge and expertise in her field has helped countless individuals and businesses improve their financial standing and achieve their goals.
Brenda is also an active member of her community and is involved in various charitable organizations, including Esperanza de Tejas.
www.allegianceconsultationsllc.com.
Board Member- Dr. Renita Newton
Renita Newton is a native of Hammond, Louisiana, and she has resided in Corpus Christi for the past six years. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the counselor education and supervision program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). Renita is currently writing her dissertation titled: “ Exploring the Effects of Mindfulness-based Interventions on Resilience and Self-efficacy in First Year African American Doctoral Students: A Single Case Research Design”. She received her master’s degree in counseling, with a dual emphasis in clinical mental health and addictions counseling in May of 2019, from TAMU-CC, and she works as a full-time counselor at the University Counseling Center, providing psychological treatment and crisis intervention to university students as well as facilitating a variety of groups and workshops.
She serves as the immediate past president of the Theta Alpha Mu Chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, and she is currently accruing hours to become a fully licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas. Renita is passionate about mindfulness, self-care, and wellness-based practices that can help individuals minimize stress experienced in their daily lives.
Renita has presented at several state, regional, and national level conferences over the course of her brief counseling career. Some topics include:
• Healing Counselor Education One Counseling Curriculum at a Time
• Multiculturalism isn’t Enough: Anti-racist Education Happens in More than One Class
• Intersectionality and Allyship: Making a Difference Through Action
• It Takes a Village: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in the African American Community
• Blame it on My Trauma: Strategies for Healing Black Youth Experiencing Trauma
• Suicide Prevention Training: Silencing the Stigma. Corpus Christi Christian Fellowship (CCCF)
• A Healthy You Equals a Well You: Experiences of a Wellness Expo to Showcase Practices of Self-Care for Counselors and Counselors-in-Training
• Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Recommendations for Educators, Supervisors, and Clinicians
• And much more!
Additionally, Renita has assumed the role of guest lecturer at universities in and outside of the state of Texas.
When Renita is not counseling, she is working hard as the proud business owner of Ree’s Sweets & Savories, a timeless collection of southern and Cajun delicacies. You can find Ree’s Sweets and Savories at vendor markets from the Coastal Bend to Austin.
Renita is a proud member of the Corpus Christi Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. She serves on the Executive Board as Chair of the Heritage and Archives Committee and is involved in community service projects throughout Corpus Christi. Additionally, Renita supports the North Tangipahoa Area Alumnae Chapter by providing presentations on mental health and its impact within the African American Community.