Staff & Board

STAFF

Courtney Sellers, Executive Director (she/her):

A native Houstonian, Courtney started as a Direct Mentor and Treasurer with Montrose Grace Place in 2015. In 2017 she took over as MGP Executive Director, helping to add a second night of services, increase resources, and make Montrose Grace Place more accessible for more LGBTQ+ youth. Courtney is passionate about amplifying the voices of youth experiencing homelessness and the specific intersectional needs of MGP youth who are victims of both racism, sexism, and homophobia & transphobia. Courtney loves to spend time with her daughter and their dog, exploring Houston’s many thrift shops, and making a lot of noise about public transportation in Houston.

Chaunteion Hall, Program Director (she/her):

Chaunteion Hall relocated to Houston in 2019 after graduating from Dillard University. Since moving to Houston she has earned a Master's degree in Social Work, gathered a list of her favorite places to get tacos, parks to explore with her dog, and pockets of inspiring art around the city. She's passionate about empowering & inspiring youth to live their most authentic lives and restoring their access to systems they've been denied because of homelessness and homophobia / transphobia.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Natalie Ferguson, President (she/her):

Natalie has been involved with Montrose Grace Place for over 7 years, starting as a direct volunteer before joining the board in 2018. Her work with MGP has focused on the intersectional issues facing Black home-insecure LGBTQ+ youth and providing more resources to help alleviate their specific needs. A Houston native with over a decade of professional and volunteer experience in the non-profit sector, she enjoys applying her creative skills and marketing background to local community outreach and advocacy efforts. She has a love for traveling with her partner, trying the newest restaurants in the city, fostering adorable kittens, and horror movies.

Sarah Scherzer, Vice President (she/her):

Sarah has been volunteering with Montrose Grace Place since its inception, prior to joining the board. She has served in Treasurer, President, and Vice President positions respectively. Sarah is the Executive Director at The Turning Point, Inc., a substance use disorder treatment organization with a strong presence in youth treatment in Harris County, where she has worked for the past 15 years in Human Resources and financial and executive management roles . She also serves on Houston’s Adolescent Recovery Oriented Systems of Care committee of the Houston Recovery Initiative, where she takes a leadership role in large event planning and organization for adolescent prevention, intervention, and treatment agencies in Houston and surrounding areas. Her passions include working with youth, supporting local arts, beating her friends at Mario Kart, and pizza. She makes an excellent Wario.

Carrie Lorensen, Treasurer (she/her):

Born and raised in the wilds of Alaska, Carrie moved to Houston in 2013. She’s been involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy since college, where she served as co-president of the Rainbow Society at Colgate University. She first became involved with MGP as a volunteer in the clothing closet. She joined the Board of Directors in 2018, and uses her experience in fund development to support our mission and programs. She currently lives with her partner and their myriad pets in Southwest Houston.

Kinnon Falk, Secretary (he/him):

Kinnon enjoys going on local adventures with his family, eating at Houston's great restaurants, cooking for crowds, and volunteering with local organizations. He has master's degrees in divinity as well as ethics and social theory from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Kinnon works at Healthcare for the Homeless - Houston (HHH) and is the Leadership Table Chair at Kindred Montrose.

Brittany Perez (she/her):

As a youth experiencing homelessness with no one to turn to, Brittany did whatever she could to survive. This similar lived experience has aided in building a bridge and connecting with young people by being relatable, understanding, and empathetic as a Direct Mentor for the last three years. Brittany is passionate about fostering youth autonomy and LGBTQ+ youth empowerment, and she continuously strives to build positive relationships with all of the youth at MGP. Brittany is a Wraparound Resource Specialist at Meyerland Performing and Visual Arts Middle School, providing non-academic support to all students, their families and the Meyerland community. She also serves as the Outreach Director and on the LYFE Committee for Epsilon Xi Gamma, Inc.- Houston Chapter; a group of all lesbian and allied professionals serving the LGBTQ+ first and LGBTQ+ ONLY for the last three years.
In her free time Brittany enjoys spending time with her partner Danielle, their pups VII and Nani, and their Godson Maxon; she loves Sunday dinners and swimming with her family.

Majanae Chambers (she/her):

Majanae Chambers is a transwoman and a trans advocate. She speaks up for those voices that are not heard. She brings resources and knowledge to everyone that she encounters.

Ari Rosen (they/them):

Ari Rosen joined the MGP board in August of 2021 after learning more about MGP's mission and volunteering. Ari recently moved back to Houston after a decade living and working in Seattle. Ari brings direct experience working with young people in a variety of settings and over 5 years of fundraising and development experience. Ari is passionate about ensuring that young people have the resources, support, and love they need to thrive regardless of their background. Ari enjoys exploring Houston's diverse restaurant scene with their partner, going for neighborhood walks, listening to their favorite podcasts, and playing with their 3 and 5 year old girls.

Tracey Burnett-Greenup (she/her):

Tracey Burnett-Greenup is the Chief Program Officer for Family Houston and a Licensed Professional Counselor. Tracey has previous non-profit, volunteer, and board experience. When not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her wonderful wife Sarah and her 3 dogs. As a family, they love to travel, camp, hike, and just enjoy nature.

Rebecca Fontanilla (she/her):

Rebecca Fontanilla is a Licensed Master Social Worker at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. In 2017, she was Montrose Grace Place's first social work intern and continued as a Lead Direct Volunteer. She is a proud graduate of Texas Southern University and The University of Houston - Graduate College of Social Work. Her current work includes crisis intervention, trauma informed care, and community engagement through an anti-racist approach. In her free time, Rebecca likes to explore the Houston food scene with her wife, and spend time with their two dogs.

Zachary McKenzie (he/him):

Zach McKenzie is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Be A Champion, Inc., a nonprofit that supports underprivileged youth with food and education services. He is also a freelance writer for Houston CityBook Magazine, OutSmart Magazine, and Chron.com, covering topics such as entertainment, politics, nonprofits, and leaders in the community. Zach graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in kinesiology with a specialization in disability studies. With a passion for working with people with different abilities and at-risk youth, Zach has used his educational background and applied it to all of his professional and volunteer opportunities. In his spare time, Zach volunteers as a big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston, rides bikes, plays tennis, and enjoys all of the incredible food Houston has to offer.

Leah Allen (she/her):

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Fran Watson
Lane Lewis
Erin Eriksen
Lou Weaver

Are you interested in being an Advisory Board Member?

While not having any legal authority, the role of the Advisory Board is critically important to the success of Montrose Grace Place. Public relations, helping to identify potential funding sources and professional perspective are only three of the things that an effective Advisory Board can offer Montrose Grace Place . In addition, an important aspect of this board’s duties is to advise the Board of Directors on policy implementation, effectiveness, and potential changes..

Potential Advisory Board members should include:

Development (Fundraising) Director
Community members and supporters
Professional (medical, legal, and psychological) representatives
Business representatives
Non-Profit partners representatives

Please email Board@MontroseGracePlace.org for more information.

​STAFF