Rucker Preston is the Executive Director of Family Promise of Bell County; he began in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020. He has more than 16 years of nonprofit leadership experience in Central Texas.
Rucker is an elected official, Trustee for Belton ISD, and is also is a member of the faculty at the Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University, where he received his Master’s in Social Work.
His prior leadership experience includes serving as the Executive Director for the Texas Christian Community Development Network (2017-2020) and Helping Hands Ministry of Belton (2011-2017.)
Rucker and his staff’s payday loan advocacy efforts were featured in the 2016 documentary, The Ordinance. He has presented professionally more than 20 times and has written as a guest author for several publications, advocating for children, veterans, and economic justice.
Rucker Preston, MSW
Executive Director
Born and raised in Temple, Jenny has had a lifelong interest in supporting the Temple community. A 1993 graduate of Temple High School, Jenny studied at the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology. She returned to Bell County and began working at Baylor Scott & White hospital in the Transfusion Laboratory, where she worked for more than 20 years.
Before starting as the Director of Operations, Jenny provided great leadership within the organization, serving on the Board of Directors as well as the volunteer coordinator for Family Promise at First United Methodist Church of Temple.
In addition to Family Promise, she’s served on boards of local non-profit organizations including Temple Children’s Museum and the Unincluded Club. Jenny has 4 daughters and has an active interest in supporting family-friendly organizations in the Central Texas area.
Jenny Harvey
Director of Operations
Nick Taylor began serving families in the three Family Service Programs at Family Promise, as the new Director of Family Services in August 2023.
Nick brings more than six years’ worth of experience, working with nonprofit organizations as a mental health provider, primarily serving youth and families in the foster care system. He has worked in Central Texas for multiple years as a mental health professional and was most recently the Homeless Services Coordinator for the City of Temple. Nick has a real passion for helping youth and families experiencing crises and difficult situations, and he truly enjoys making a difference in the world. He received a dual focus Master of Science degree in Clinical Counseling and Educational Counseling from California State University of San Bernardino.
Nick resides in Temple with his wife Brenda and two daughters, and in his free time he enjoys fishing, playing the bass, and exploring all of Texas with his family.
Nick Taylor, MSCC
Director of Family Services
Maite began working with Family Promise of Bell County in 2023, shortly after the Promise House opened.
Maite Loeza Rafay, MACC
Accountant, BGFN
Eli started as the Promise House Specialist in 2023, shortly after the Promise House opened.
Eli Flores
Promise House Specialist
Maite began as the Family Services Specialist in May of 2024.
Jaeleen Torres
Family Services Specialist
After 15 years in the nonprofit sector, Emily Lavin started Lavin Strategies, a sole proprietor consultancy, to help nonprofits take their organizations to the next level through board development, strategic planning, organizational management, and fundraising. From 2012 to 2022, Emily held progressive leadership roles at NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania, a Pittsburgh-based housing counseling organization serving first-time homebuyers and homeowners at risk of foreclosure. In her role as Chief Strategy Officer, Emily led NeighborWorks’ strategic and business planning processes, served as the organization’s lead fundraiser, oversaw all marketing and communication, and ensured continuous program improvement through data-driven decision-making. Prior to joining the NeighborWorks team, Emily held program management roles at a community-based nonprofit and an economic development consulting firm. She has a BPA in Public Administration from Texas State University (’04) and an MS in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at Austin (’08). During graduate school, Emily interned with affordable housing organizations Avenue Community Development Corporation (Houston) and Foundation Communities (Austin).
A native of the north Houston suburbs, Emily grew up in Humble, Texas and was an active volunteer with Family Promise of Lake Houston (then called Interfaith Hospitality Network). Emily’s work has shown her the traumatic impact of housing insecurity on children and families and she believes strongly in the mission of Family Promise.
Emily, her husband Dan, and their two children reside in Temple, where Dan serves as an Addiction Psychiatrist at Baylor Scott & White. In her spare time, Emily enjoys reading, weightlifting, and family camping trips.
Emily Lavin, MSCRP
President, Board of Directors
Ben joined the Family Promise Board of Directors in 2019 and has volunteered with families in the program since 2016 as an overnight host. He strongly believes in the ministry of Family Promise and is excited about its direction.
In addition to serving on the Family Promise Board of Directors, Ben also serves on the Board of Directors for Central Texas Youth Services.
Ben grew up in San Antonio, made his way north of the Red River to attend the University of Oklahoma, returned to Texas for law school at the University of Houston, and moved to Belton in 2010 where he currently resides with his wife, Ellen, and their three children. His family has also volunteered with Family Promise for several years as meal providers.
Ben Burnett, JD
Vice President, Board of Directors
Khang Duong joined the Family Promise Board of Directors in October of 2021. He is a graduate of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor with his Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing and a Masters of Business Administration in International Business. Khang is originally from Houston but fell in love with the central Texas community and never left. Khang is a Loan Officer for Fairway Independent Mortgage – The Wood Group.
He first heard of Family Promise through his church, Vista Community Church, where his family served by providing meals. Khang lives in Belton with his wife, Cara, and their two children. In his free time, he enjoys serving on the worship team at his church, watching anything Houston sports related, and traveling.
Khang Duong, MBA
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Adrian Lopez joined the Family Promise Board of Directors in October of 2021. He grew up in Temple, Texas and attended Temple ISD Schools graduating from Temple High School. He is a graduate of Texas A & M University in College Station with a Bachelors in Agriculture Economics. He later earned his Masters in Educational Administration from Texas A & M Central Texas.
He became familiar with Family Promise as a resource for the students he has served in Temple ISD as a teacher. Adrian currently lives in Salado with his wife Laura, and two children. He supports his Aggies by watching various sports on TV or attending games in person. In addition, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys to hunt, fish, and spend time with his family.
Adrian Lopez, MED
Secretary, Board of Directors
Kirbi Barbosa is a Central Texas native and local Realtor with Fathom Realty. She is also the Owner and Director of the Teams of Tomorrow basketball program.
She is an alumnus of Temple High and a graduate of Texas A&M University Central Texas with a degree in Marketing.
Her prior leadership includes service with the Temple Education Foundation, Wildcat Mentor Program, TISD PAC, Temple Parks Foundation, Central Texas Youth Softball Association, THS Cheer Booster Club, and Kennedy Powell Family Advisory Board. She is also a graduate of both Leadership Temple as well as Leadership Killeen.
Kirbi and her husband Carlos live in Temple with their three children. Carlos is a welder with BNSF Railway, Shelbi is an incoming freshman at the University of North Texas studying graphic design, Gabriella is a freshman at Temple High and Benjamin is a fourth grader at Kennedy Powell. They are active members at St. Luke Catholic Church. With a long-term history in our area, their entire family is devoted to supporting the community in various capacities.
Kirbi Barbosa
Board of Directors
Johnathan Elliott is a graduate of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor where he received his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He has been involved with Family Promise since 2011; providing meals and serving as overnight host to multiple families in the program.
During his years in the Central Texas area, he has provided clinical practice and occupied various administrative roles at Central Counties Service, University of Texas Medical Branch, and now Central Texas Veterans Health Care System. Mr. Elliott is currently the Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine site chief at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System on Waco campus where he provides administrative oversight of the acute psychiatry unit, 2 residential programs, and 5 outpatient programs.
He also served as a Corpsman in the US Navy from September 2001-2009 where he deployed to Iraq and Okinawa. In 2009, he transitioned to the Navy Reserve where he is still currently serving as a Senior Chief Petty Officer.
Originally from Tennessee, Johnathan has lived in the Central Texas area since 2009 with his wife Sara and their three children; Oliver, Jonah, and Alana.
Johnathan Elliott, LPC
Board of Directors
Josh Flores Olvera joined the Family Promise Board of Directors in November 2020. Josh graduated with his MDiv from George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He is originally from the Dallas Metroplex but has spent over a decade in central Texas with 8 years in Waco and the last four in Temple. In July of 2019, Josh became the Missions Minister at First Temple. He was introduced to Family Promise by a church member and as he learned about the ministry and led its volunteers, he saw the potential and effectiveness of Family Promise- It became something he truly believes in. Josh lives in Temple with his bride, Haley, and their dog, Copper. He loves preaching, discipleship and cross-cultural ministry. Whenever he is not working, you can find him playing sports or spending time with his family. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese and conversational in French.
Josh Flores, MDiv
Board of Directors
Dayspring Fowler joins the Family Promise Board in October 2023. She grew up in Ohio and graduated from Ohio University. She and her family have lived in Central Texas area for 11 years and now consider Texas home.
She founded Fowler Communications in 2014, a local marketing, social media and advertising company. She currently serves on several non-profit boards including the Belton Education Foundation and 323 Youth. She also volunteers with Foster Love Bell County.
Dayspring resides in Temple with her husband Ryan and three boys. In her free time she enjoys reading, exercising and playing tennis.
Dayspring Fowler
Board of Directors
Rebecca is a 2021 graduate of the Guest Shelter Program at Family Promise of Bell County. She joined the Board of Directors in 2023. Rebecca works for a local business in our community, but her most important job is her role as mother to her daughter.
Rebecca was recently married in May 2024, becoming Mrs. Richard Hayes.
Rebecca (Grant) Hayes
Board of Directors
Rob Marshall joined the Family Promise Board of Directors in 2023.
Rob Marshall
Board of Directors
Christina Wilson joined the Board of Directors in 2022. Originally from Puerto Rico, Christina has lived in Central Texas for many years, where she serves as the Homeless Liaison and Coordinator of Project Heartbeat for the Belton Independent School District.
Christina holds a bachelors degree and has many years of experience as a science teacher. She also worked with the high school youth group at her church, St. Paul Chong Hasang, taking her and her kids on many international mission trips.
Her favorite campuses and mission trips were the ones that served families in poverty. While looking ways to better server her students, Christina discovered the McKinney Vento legislation an found there were services and rights for students in homeless situations. In August of 2010 Christina became the Educator for Homeless Services in Killeen ISD. In 2016 she moved to Belton ISD as the Homeless Liaison/Coordinator for Project HEARTBEAT.
Christina spends her free time with her husband, Scott, on their alpaca farm in Holland, enjoying time with her parents, their two children, Gabe and Jarrett, and grandchildren Kyle, Kole, and Reese. In addition, Christina and Scott are training their three golden retrievers to be therapy dogs.
