Who We Are

On June 10, 2010, Montrose Grace Place (MGP) opened its doors in what was then Grace Lutheran Church in the heart of Montrose. With a handful of volunteers and support from the local community, MGP sought to provide youth experiencing homelessness of all sexualities and genders with food, resources, and fellowship. Serving family-style meals with youth and volunteers sitting side by side, our founders wanted the space they created to feel different from other outreach programs. They wanted the youth they served to see MGP as a welcoming and LGBTQ+ affirming place that embraced who they were in every sense. When they were greeted at the door, they were being welcomed as family to a table they could call their own.

Fourteen years and many, many meals later, our name may have changed, but our mission hasn't -- only expanded. Now operating out of Kindred Montrose, Grace Place welcomes more youth and serve more meals each week than ever before. Our ever-growing community of volunteers, partners, donors, and supporters have allowed Grace Place to expand our capacity to care for our family. From providing financial support and clothes to life-changing resources and fun activities, we will always strive to give more to those that need it most.

MGP was incorporated as a separate non-profit 501(c)3 organization in 2009. Grace Place is not affiliated with any religion and does not offer religious or spiritual services.

OUR MISSION
To provide a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable youth experiencing homelessness of all sexualities and genders, providing nourishment, healthy relationships, and hope for the future.

OUR VISION
We envision a world where youth of all sexualities and genders have a safe space to exist and a future without judgement.

Grace Place Staff

Courtney Sellers (she/her), Executive Director
A native Houstonian, Courtney started as a Direct Mentor and Treasurer with Grace Place in 2015. In 2017, she took over as Grace Place Executive Director, helping to add a second night of services, increase resources, and make 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 Grace Place youth who are victims of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. She 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.

Rebecca Fontanilla (she/her), Diversion Director
Rebecca began her work with Grace Place as its first social work intern in 2017, and continued post-grad as a Lead Direct Volunteer. Rebecca believes in utilizing a community first, anti-oppressive approach in her work, and has served the Greater Houston/Harris County area in the non-profit and public sector with specialized experience in crisis intervention, trauma informed care, case management, and community engagement. She is a proud graduate of Texas Southern University and the University of Houston - Graduate College of Social Work. Her biggest loves include spending time with her wife and their dogs, themed parties, gardening, and talking about movies, television, and all things pop culture.

Kenny Easley (they/she/he), Youth Programs Manager
Kenny is originally from St. Louis, MO and has been in Houston for two years. They were a core member of the YHDP Youth Advisory Board which led to many great accomplishments and opportunities. In their position and as facilitator of the Youth Voices Empowered (YVE) youth leadership collective, Kenny has eight members who are solely dedicated to becoming leaders in LGBTQ+ youth and homeless youth advocacy while working deeply in the communities we advocate for with the personal and professional development skills given to them.

Shemeria Jefferson (she/her), Volunteer Coordinator
Shemeria was born and raised in a small town 30 minutes away from Houston, Texas called Wharton. Shemeria started with Grace Place as an Americorp VISTA member working to expand the Direct Mentor experience. In her spare time she is a makeup artist; her passion for makeup came in 8th grade and eventually expanded into a career. She's excited about teaching makeup classes at Youth Night and working on new youth led programming. She also loves to cook--some of her delicious work has appeared on our TikTok--and sing. Most of all she loves to give back to others who are in need.

Board of Directors

Natalie Ferguson, President (she/her)
Natalie has been involved with Grace Place since 2014, starting as a Direct Mentor before joining the board. Her work with Grace Place has focused on the intersectional issues facing Black home-insecure LGBTQ+ youth and providing more resources to address their specific needs. A Houston native with 15 years of non-profit professional and volunteer experience, she enjoys applying her creative skills and marketing background to local community outreach and advocacy. She loves traveling with her partner, being a foodie, fostering kittens, and horror movies.

Zachary McKenzie, Vice President (he/him)
Zach is the Marketing and Communications Manager at Be A Champion, Inc. and a freelance writer for several Houston publications including OutSmart Magazine and Chron.com. With a passion for working with people with different abilities and at-risk youth, Zach has applied his educational background in kinesiology with a specialization in disability studies to 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.

Tracey Burnett-Greenup, Secretary (she/her)
Tracey 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 three dogs. As a family, they love to travel, camp, hike, and just enjoy nature.

Ari Rosen, Treasurer (they/them)
Ari joined the board in August of 2021 after learning more about Grace Place's mission and volunteering. Ari brings direct experience working with young people in a variety of settings and over five years of fundraising and development experience. They are 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 three and five year old girls.

Javi Simons (he/him)
Javier Simons is an experienced agent in the Entertainment and Music Industry, focusing on Global Touring and festivals with emphasis on supporting Queer and ally Musicians, DJ's, and Drag Artists. He is one of the pioneers in the Drag touring industry and the creative mind behind KOQ (King of Queens) Agency. Having earned a degree in Music Business from Full Sail University and currently pursuing an MBA at the prestigious Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University, Javier is deeply passionate about promoting diversity's and bringing representation to stages all over the world fueled by the power of live music.

Jordan J. Edwards (he/him)
Bio: Jordan J. Edwards is a Houston native deeply committed to serving the LBGTQ+ community. Since 2018, he has advocated for the community while drawing from the intersections of his identity and lived experience to help others. In his free time, Jordan enjoys being creative with his art, spending time with animals, and traveling to explore the world. He is also enrolled in a social work program with a focus on emotional intelligence and taking a person-first approach. When he is not busy serving his community, Jordan prioritizes caring for his family and idealizing how to make life easier.

Katie Harrington (she/they)
Katie is a native and very proud Houstonian. She is a lawyer at Foley & Lardner LLP, where she practices commercial litigation. Katie has spent the past seven years serving on a nonprofit board, and is extremely passionate about mentoring youth in the Houston area. Outside of work, Katie loves spending time with her wife, Stephanie, their dog, Bailey, and their two cats, Rocket and Clutch Kitty. They love exploring the outdoors by hiking, paddle boarding, and camping, trying new Houston restaurants, and cheering on Houston sports teams.

Kinnon Falk (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.

Hannah Rodriguez (she/her)
Hannah is a native Houstonian, and first generation high school and college graduate. Go Gators! As a nonprofit professional and community leader, Hannah is passionate about creating and nurturing programs and strategic partnerships to provide socially equitable opportunities and resources for underserved communities. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys being with her partner and plethora of pets, binging her favorite podcasts, or watching her favorite cringy reality tv shows!

Onjheney Warren (they/them)
Onjheney serves as a Manager of College Success for EMERGE Fellowship in Houston, providing resources and support for college students in their first year and beyond. Prior to that, Onjheney worked as a College Transition Specialist for three years at KIPP Through College. Onjheney is passionate about working with first generation college students and students of color, and strives to provide equitable opportunities for their academic and career success. In their free time, Onjheney loves spending time with family and friends, going to as many concerts as possible, and cuddling their two cats Ahsoka and Mando.

Leticia "Tish" Zamora-Dixon (she/her)
While serving in the corporate security field for 25 years, Tish has developed a keen passion for social justice to ensure a better quality of life for all marginalized people. She has served in program development, training/mentorship, and upper-level management positions where her leadership skills and passion have led organizations and projects to success. Tish is community-focused and believes in addressing most issues via collaboration, a positive attitude, and unwavering commitment. Tish will be graduating with her master’s degree in education in counseling and development from Lamar University in December and has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Houston. Prior to her counseling journey, Tish had served on several boards and has been an avid volunteer within the Greater Houston area for several years. In her downtime, she enjoys rescuing dogs, traveling, and watching psychological thriller documentaries with her husband. Tish is passionate about helping young people build their self-esteem and confidence through self-awareness, education, and guidance.

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