partners
Jessica Moreno, LCSW, Managing Partner
I am a skilled facilitator with a unique volume of experience uniting program management, radical play, community education, leadership development, event planning, and ethical social work practice.
I grew up in the movement to end violence against women, starting as a youth activist for a local domsetic violence organization. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve continued that work as a protective order advocate, adolescent counselor, youth programs developer, and community builder. I’ve worked for local, state, and national organizations - all centering the experiences of young people in intergenerational approaches to community building and violence prevention. I’ve channeled this experience into becoming a nonprofit consultant - AKA your biggest cheerleader! Partnering with programs and communities heals my soul; when programs excel and grow, I also grow.
In my free-time, I serve on the Board of Jane’s Due Process, a reproductive justice nonprofit serving minors across Texas. I also enjoy bike rides, Texas Hill Country hikes, and crafting up a storm (I’m a Macgyver with a glue gun).
I hold an MSW from the University of Houston, a BSW from Texas State University, and have been a trained Liberating Structures facilitator since 2013.
I am a skilled facilitator with a unique volume of experience uniting program management, radical play, community education, leadership development, event planning, and ethical social work practice.
I grew up in the movement to end violence against women, starting as a youth activist for a local domsetic violence organization. Over the past 15+ years, I’ve continued that work as a protective order advocate, adolescent counselor, youth programs developer, and community builder. I’ve worked for local, state, and national organizations - all centering the experiences of young people in intergenerational approaches to community building and violence prevention. I’ve channeled this experience into becoming a nonprofit consultant - AKA your biggest cheerleader! Partnering with programs and communities heals my soul; when programs excel and grow, I also grow.
In my free-time, I serve on the Board of Jane’s Due Process, a reproductive justice nonprofit serving minors across Texas. I also enjoy bike rides, Texas Hill Country hikes, and crafting up a storm (I’m a Macgyver with a glue gun).
I hold an MSW from the University of Houston, a BSW from Texas State University, and have been a trained Liberating Structures facilitator since 2013.
Morgan J Curtis, MSSW, MDiv, Co-founder
I am an evaluator and capacity builder who takes a collective and collaborative approach to building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and professionals, using humor and a variety of interactive methods to keep us all learning together. Working with practitioners, I seek to develop systems and tools that build from and affirm their practice-based knowledge and also provide opportunities for continuous, real-time improvement.
For almost 20 years, I have worked in and with non-profits, helping them streamline their processes, tell stories about their successes, and build programs to make changes in their communities. Focusing primarily on gender-based violence prevention, I have worked with organizations of various sizes at the local, state, and national levels.
I’m the kind of nerd who has a favorite evaluation cartoonist and feels starstruck when I run into my evaluation heroes at conferences.
I hold an MSSW from the University of Texas at Austin and an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School. I am currently working on a PhD in religion.
For more about my work history, please visit my LinkedIn profile.
I am an evaluator and capacity builder who takes a collective and collaborative approach to building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and professionals, using humor and a variety of interactive methods to keep us all learning together. Working with practitioners, I seek to develop systems and tools that build from and affirm their practice-based knowledge and also provide opportunities for continuous, real-time improvement.
For almost 20 years, I have worked in and with non-profits, helping them streamline their processes, tell stories about their successes, and build programs to make changes in their communities. Focusing primarily on gender-based violence prevention, I have worked with organizations of various sizes at the local, state, and national levels.
I’m the kind of nerd who has a favorite evaluation cartoonist and feels starstruck when I run into my evaluation heroes at conferences.
I hold an MSSW from the University of Texas at Austin and an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School. I am currently working on a PhD in religion.
For more about my work history, please visit my LinkedIn profile.
associates
Melissa Garcia
I am a bilingual public speaker, connector, and digital communication strategist with expertise in program management, group facilitation, and training development. Currently, I am supporting the growth of healthier communities by linking resources, building strategic partnerships, assessing needs and by providing the tools and resources to the next generation of leaders.
With my experience working in multifaceted projects, I’ve had the pleasure to serve in different roles with businesses and organizations such as HBO, The Meteor, Refinery29, Global Girls Prep, and more. I have led multiple programs to end gender-based violence locally and internationally. I obtained my B.A. in Psychology from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and I’m currently pursuing my Masters of Science in Social Work. My work is centered on amplifying voices and connecting resources to diverse communities. In my free time, I am a Yoga instructor, where I merge my knowledge to provide a trauma-informed and holistic practice for the individual connecting the mind, body, and soul.
I am a bilingual public speaker, connector, and digital communication strategist with expertise in program management, group facilitation, and training development. Currently, I am supporting the growth of healthier communities by linking resources, building strategic partnerships, assessing needs and by providing the tools and resources to the next generation of leaders.
With my experience working in multifaceted projects, I’ve had the pleasure to serve in different roles with businesses and organizations such as HBO, The Meteor, Refinery29, Global Girls Prep, and more. I have led multiple programs to end gender-based violence locally and internationally. I obtained my B.A. in Psychology from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and I’m currently pursuing my Masters of Science in Social Work. My work is centered on amplifying voices and connecting resources to diverse communities. In my free time, I am a Yoga instructor, where I merge my knowledge to provide a trauma-informed and holistic practice for the individual connecting the mind, body, and soul.
Elizabeth Jenkins, MSIOP
I am a diversity scholar, as my research and practice aim to identify strategies that women, racial-ethnic minorities, and stigmatized individuals and their allies can engage in to remove barriers and obstacles to equitable, safe, and healthy lives. By training, I am an industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologist and thus, I explore and apply these processes using psychological theories.
I have served as an ADVANCE graduate research assistant within the Dean of Faculties Office at Texas A&M University. In this role, I assisted with creating programming, designing training, and conducting mixed-method research that improves the university’s workplace climate and increases the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty. Additionally, I have experience conducting program evaluations for non-profit organizations seeking to reduce gender violence and inequities.
I have a BS in psychology from Howard University and an MS in industrial/organizational psychology from Texas A&M University. I expect to receive my doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology with certificates in advanced research methods, women & gender studies, and Africana studies in August of 2022 from Texas A&M University.
I am a diversity scholar, as my research and practice aim to identify strategies that women, racial-ethnic minorities, and stigmatized individuals and their allies can engage in to remove barriers and obstacles to equitable, safe, and healthy lives. By training, I am an industrial-organizational (I/O) psychologist and thus, I explore and apply these processes using psychological theories.
I have served as an ADVANCE graduate research assistant within the Dean of Faculties Office at Texas A&M University. In this role, I assisted with creating programming, designing training, and conducting mixed-method research that improves the university’s workplace climate and increases the recruitment and retention of diverse faculty. Additionally, I have experience conducting program evaluations for non-profit organizations seeking to reduce gender violence and inequities.
I have a BS in psychology from Howard University and an MS in industrial/organizational psychology from Texas A&M University. I expect to receive my doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology with certificates in advanced research methods, women & gender studies, and Africana studies in August of 2022 from Texas A&M University.
Rita Flores
I am a first-generation Mexican American, a proud mom, and a longtime advocate for gender justice and equity. As a trainer, facilitator, and consultant, I support organizations to create practices that align with their values, vision, and mission.
Before joining Collective Capacity, I served in various roles in support of survivors of gender-based violence and violence prevention - case management, support group facilitation, emergency shelter, and transitional housing administration, as well as training and technical assistance support to organizations and advocates.
My consulting approach is informed by more than two decades in the movement to end gender-based violence and a deep commitment to advancing transformative social change. I have a knack for creating processes to bring big ideas into focus, applying healing-centered approaches to our biggest challenges, and nurturing strong partnerships to activate our collective power to mobilize change.
I am based in the Texas Hill Country. I serve as a board member of the Hill Country Women’s Health Collective, a rural community-based program bringing accessible healthcare, holistic therapy, and mental health support to our community. When I am not relaxing in and along the many rivers that flow through the region, you can usually find me rollerskating on any paved surface I can find.
I am a first-generation Mexican American, a proud mom, and a longtime advocate for gender justice and equity. As a trainer, facilitator, and consultant, I support organizations to create practices that align with their values, vision, and mission.
Before joining Collective Capacity, I served in various roles in support of survivors of gender-based violence and violence prevention - case management, support group facilitation, emergency shelter, and transitional housing administration, as well as training and technical assistance support to organizations and advocates.
My consulting approach is informed by more than two decades in the movement to end gender-based violence and a deep commitment to advancing transformative social change. I have a knack for creating processes to bring big ideas into focus, applying healing-centered approaches to our biggest challenges, and nurturing strong partnerships to activate our collective power to mobilize change.
I am based in the Texas Hill Country. I serve as a board member of the Hill Country Women’s Health Collective, a rural community-based program bringing accessible healthcare, holistic therapy, and mental health support to our community. When I am not relaxing in and along the many rivers that flow through the region, you can usually find me rollerskating on any paved surface I can find.