Board of Directors

Martha Molina-Gonzalez is originally from Houston, TX but has lived in Brownsville for most of her life.  She has two wonderful sons who are BiG supporters of her involvement in the community.  Martha holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, a Master's Degree in Special Education, a certification in Principalship, and hopes to one day obtain her doctoral degree in Education Leadership.  She was a BISD Special Educator for 16 years, but left her career to begin the non-profit organization, BiG Heroes, Inc., which is a God-centered organization empowering young adults to focus on abilities. Martha was a member of Leadership Brownsville Class XXXV. 

"Don't focus on what they can't do.  Focus on what they can do!"

Author: Unknown

Richard Castillo was born in Albion, Michigan but grew up in Brownsville, TX starting at the age of two. Richard received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Education from the University of Texas at Brownsville. Richard has been a special education teacher for over 30 years, most of these years with Brownsville ISD. Richard aspired to become a lawyer but enjoyed working with children so much that he changed his career pathway. Richard has been a longtime supporter and volunteer of BiG Heroes. Richard is married to Claudia Cantu, and they have two sons, Michael, and Gabriel. In his free time, Richard enjoys working with his hands, hunting, fishing and Zumba.

Coming Soon

Martha Barrientes is from Brownsville, TX and a proud graduate from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. After working in San Antonio as a marketing coordinator, she decided to pursue education and was an educator for 15 years in BISD. While teaching, her husband and her embarked on a journey of founding Las Jacarandas Assisted Living, LLC in 2011 and opened up Las Jacarandas Adult Day Care and Las Jacarandas Healthcare Services. She is an active member of the Junior League of Brownsville and enjoys volunteering. Martha is married to Abraham Barrientes and they have two boys, Jacob and Isaac.

Monica Sanchez was born in H. Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico and was raised in Brownsville, Texas.  She is a licensed Insurance Agent and Branch Manager at Benavides Insurance. Monica strives to provide the best customer service with her experience in personal, commercial, and life insurance. She also has over 20 years experience in retail management. 

Monica has been an active member of Brownsville Junior Service League for over 10 years, a member of Leadership Brownsville Class XXXV, and also a board member for FemCity. She enjoys spending time with her family friends, but most of all with her niece and nephew. 

Rodrigo Lopez Jr. is originally from Los Fresnos, TX.  He is a Commercial Loan Officer and holds a title of Assistant Vice President with Lone Star National Bank. Rodrigo has 20 years of banking experience and oversees a portfolio of commercial, construction, and consumer loans. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Texas at Brownsville. He is married to Susana Lopez and has two children, Jimena and Rodrigo III.

During his leisure time, he enjoys barbequing and spending time with his family. Rodrigo previously served as a member of Leadership Brownsville Class XXXV. He is excited to serve as a board member and looks forward to making an impact to future generations.

Anika Aviles was born and raised in Brownsville, TX and obtained a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Marketing from the University of Texas at Brownsville in 2018. She began her banking career straight out of high school as a teller. Over the years, she has worked at different community banks in Brownsville and has now settled in at Rio Bank where she is a Vice President for Commercial Lender,  Anika married Roel in 2014 and has a beautiful daughter, Emilia who loves to play dolls with mommy. Anika is highly involved with her community and serves on multiple non-profit boards. It is her great hope to take BiG Heroes to the next level as she shares her expertise and love for her community. 

Christie fell in love with fundraising without even knowing what it was. After watching a friend climb the fundraising ranks, Christie grew more intrigued and began volunteering her time as a regional walk coordinator for the Children’s Heart Foundation. After gaining some experience as a volunteer, Christie began working in fundraising for private Catholic schools. After receiving her Masters in Nonprofit Management from Our Lady of the Lake University, she moved into higher educational fundraising.

​

As a Senior Director of Development for several health programs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Christie works closely with deans and faculty members to strategize and attain funds for programming and scholarship needs. Christie’s approach to gaining a supporter’s trust is simple – keep it real and authentic. Be you.

Christie currently lives in Brownsville with her 16-year-old son Alejandro and their three dogs – two pugs and a lab mix.

Born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, Georgette is a passionate advocate for both her local community and the broader educational landscape. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Brownsville, and her career spans over 14 years in the education sector, where she has excelled in public relations, marketing, and communications.

Georgette's extensive experience and deep commitment to community involvement have shaped her as a dynamic leader. She actively participates in various local organizations, demonstrating her dedication to improving and enriching the lives of those around her.

Georgette is married to Jose Medellin, and together they are proud parents of four children: Alec, Aziel, Andrei, and Anahi.  A firm believer in the power of faith, her deep love for children and her commitment to their well-being drive her passion for supporting and advancing the mission of the Big Heroes organization. Georgette aspires to elevate the organization to new heights, leveraging her skills and experiences to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people.

Maribel’s journey as a parent of a son with disabilities has fueled her dedication to creating inclusive and supportive environments for all. She is an active advocate for individuals with intellectual disabilities at the local, state, and federal levels. She serves as a Board Member of the City of Brownsville's Special Needs Advisory Board. She is the President of the Texas Partners in Policymaking Alumni Association. She is a Grant Review Panel Member with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.

Maribel’s son, who has autism, is a self-advocate and Texas Youth Ambassador with the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD) and the Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC) program. His involvement in boxing, school sports, and as a student council representative has shown Maribel first-hand the importance of diverse opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities. She is currently involved in a multitude of projects to bring more opportunities for our young adults.

Maribel is married to my high school sweetheart, and they are the proud parents of two sons. Their older son is a university honors athlete preparing for law school, while their younger son is a Junior in High School. Maribel cherishes moments spent with her family in ger spare time, especially enjoying time at the beach. Her personal and professional experiences have instilled a strong commitment to advancing educational, social, and employment opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities. Maribel is excited to bring her passion, expertise, and unique perspective to this board, contributing to the vital mission of empowering self-advocates to reach their full potential.

Elsa M. Galvan, a dedicated freelancing consultant, has over ten years of living in Brownsville. Her unwavering commitment to serving her community and passion for education are not just professional traits, but deeply ingrained aspects of her identity.

Elsa is a proud parent of two children and recently adopted a Rottweiler puppy, which has blessed the family. She enjoys spending time with her family by traveling and having weekend get-togethers. 

Elsa has gained expertise in office operations and management through various positions in the Healthcare, Marketing, and Economic Development industries that span over 20 years. Elsa holds a Bachelor of Science and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. She is a leadership Brownsville Class XXXVII Alumni, a Member of the Rotary Club of Historic Brownsville, and a Lifetime Member of the National Society of Leadership & Success. Elsa's commitment to continuous learning is evidenced by her recent certifications, including a Certified Public Manager Certification from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, a 12-week Professional Development Academy Leadership Certificate, and a YALE School of Management Executive Education: Women's Leadership Program Certificate is a testament to her adaptability and dedication to her field. 

Elsa brings a wealth of experience in Business Operations, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Leadership Skills, Marketing, Sales, and Brand Ambassadorship. Her diverse skill set, honed through her varied experiences, instills confidence in her ability to adapt to various roles and challenges. Elsa's aspiration to bring her knowledge and skills to the organization to assist the youth in growing aspirations and expanding the organization's operations is a testament to her adaptability and commitment.

Joel has been a Brownsville resident for over fifteen years. He holds two bachelor's degrees in International Business and Accounting from the University of Texas at Brownsville. Joel is also a Certified Public Accountant and an alumnus of the Brownsville Leadership Class XXXIV, where he learned about the BiG Heroes organization. He is currently a Partner at Burton McCumber & Longoria, LLP with more than 10 years of experience in tax planning and compliance.

J. Joel Garza Jr, a Brownsville native, began his public service career with the City of San Benito in 2009. Soon after, he was hired by the Harlingen-San Benito Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as their GIS Specialist/Transportation Planner. And within a few years, the Harlingen-San Benito MPO Board of Directors appointed him Executive Director. In that role, he managed more than $50 Million in transportation projects and an annual operating budget of just under $600,000. Later he transitioned into municipal administration and was hired as the Special Projects Director/Assistant to the City Manager under the City Manager’s Office for the City of Harlingen. As the SPD, he assisted with several economic developing projects, including the $6 Million Multimodal Transportation Terminal in Downtown Harlingen.

Currently, Mr. Garza is the Multimodal Transportation Director for the City of Brownsville, leading more than 100 city employees and managing an annual budget of about $11.4 Million. The Multimodal Transportation (MMT) Department is a critical function of the City of Brownsville with its main division - Brownsville Metro. B-Metro is the City’s public transportation agency, providing more than 5,500 trips per day with 14 Routes and complementary Paratransit services. Mr. Garza has an undergrad and an MPA from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He is a Certified Public Manager (CPM) through the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service at Texas State University. He is currently a member of the Regional Transportation Advisory Panel (RTAP), the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Member of the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization, and an Associate member of the Texas City Management Association (TCMA).

Mr. Garza is married and has a son.

Daniel Garcia was born in Austin and was raised in Brownsville, Texas.  He is a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he served in the intelligence community overseas and at the Joint Special Operations Command.  He then went to Texas A&M University for his B.A. in Political Science and to the University of Pittsburgh Law School for his Juris Doctor.  He is currently Of Counsel with the national law firm, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, where he specializes in energy, utility, and business law.  As a professional, Dan has worked with a number of clients from publicly-traded companies to small businesses in the energy, utility, and construction industries, and non-profit companies.

As a Brownsville native, he loves to give back to the community that has given him so much.  As such, Dan and his wife, Alissa, have been involved with BiG Heroes, Inc. for several years and, while he lives in Pennsylvania, his connection to BiG Heroes, Inc. keeps him connected back home.  Dan’s sister-in-law, who was born with Prader Willi Syndrome, inspired Dan and Alissa to serve the special needs community any way they can.  More importantly, Dan is deeply committed to his faith and the obligation to serve others.  He and his family actively seek out opportunities to serve others as a professional and as a volunteer. 

 Dan and Alissa, have three kids, three dogs, 16 chickens, and 2 rabbits and currently live in the Greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan area.  In his free time, Dan loves to cook Tex-Mex for his friends and family, fish, and spend time with his family.