New executive director for Catholic Charities
Melinda Rodriguez, CFRE, has been named executive director of Catholic Charities of Central Texas, the social service agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin, effective today. She joins Catholic Charities from El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission, where she served as the director of development for the last three years. Prior to El Buen Samaritano, Rodriguez held positions at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Mary Cathedral Parish in Austin and St. Louis, King of France Parish in Austin.
“I am grateful that Melinda Rodriguez is bringing her wealth of knowledge of the nonprofit sector to Catholic Charities of Central Texas. Her leadership and experience will help us to continue the mission of the church in caring for the needs of the poor,” said Bishop Joe S. Vásquez.
Rodriguez entered the human services field more than 20 years ago, when she began work with United Way of South Texas in McAllen. Since then, she has accumulated an array of achievements, which stem from successfully developing relationships with diverse communities and leading organizations to meet organizational and fundraising goals. Beyond professional practice, Rodriguez is an active community volunteer and philanthropist for causes such as health care, homelessness, poverty, education and hunger.
“I’m honored that Bishop Vásquez selected me to serve as the next executive director,” Rodriguez said. “This is a very significant time for Catholic Charities of Central Texas as it is poised for continued success and growth. I’m especially excited about joining a strong and dedicated team of staff, volunteers, board of directors and diocesan leaders to continue to reach the underserved and most vulnerable in Central Texas.”
A native of Brownsville and longtime Central Texas resident, Rodriguez is bilingual in Spanish and English. She holds a master’s degree in Human Services from St. Edward’s University and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Texas.
“Rodriguez is the right leader at the right time for our agency,” said Chris Earthman, board president for Catholic Charities. “We are excited about her ability to scale our programs while preserving our agency’s Catholic identity.”
Rodriguez succeeds Cynthia Colbert, who departed in March 2010 to serve as the executive director for Catholic Charities in Wichita, Kan. Mark Sliter-Hayes has served as interim executive director and has been promoted to Associate Director for Catholic Charities of Central Texas.
“I thank Mark Sliter-Hays for being interim executive director during this time of transition. He has provided the staff and clients of Catholic Charities continuity and stability,” Bishop Vásquez said.
Catholic Charities of Central Texas works to strengthen individuals, families and communities through direct services, community collaboration and social justice advocacy. Services are available throughout the 25 counties that encompass the Diocese of Austin. For more information, visit www.ccctx.org.