Leadership
Staff
Lydia Tate, Executive Director
Gabriella Castillo, Site Coordinator
Gabriella started off at CWJC as an administrative assistant intern 2021 while she was attending McLennan Community College to obtain an Associate degree in Administrative Office Management. Gabriella started in January of 2021 and ended in May 2021 when she graduated with her degree. Gabriella came on to the staff as an administrative assistant in July 2021 and then trained to become a Site Coordinator in 2022. Gabriella enjoys working alongside the staff, students, and all of our interns. Gabi loves what CWJC does for women in our community and has enjoyed watching the women who come to CWJC accomplish such huge milestones. Gabriella and her husband Eric have 5 beautiful daughters and Gabriella loves enchiladas, chips, queso, and reading!
Audrey Yadon, Programs Director
Audrey is a central Texas native who calls Waco home. She holds a B.A. in Language and Linguistics and an M.A. in Spanish from Baylor. Her professional passion is serving adult learners, and she has cultivated her skills through ESL classroom and college Spanish classroom teaching, continuing education program planning for the Waco community, and volunteer engagement with Baylor’s membership program for senior adults, Lifelong Learning. At her core, Audrey believes that anyone, at any age, can learn and change and grow. Her goal is to invest in the local community through CWJC’s work to empower, equip, and advocate for women in McLennan County. Audrey loves good books (especially science fiction), good food (especially international fusion), and sunshine (especially in winter). She and her husband Jamey can often be found hiking, biking, reading, or camping in a beautiful Waco or Texas State Park.
Dana Bohn, Bookkeeper
Dana has lived in Waco most of her life and shares an active church life with her husband at Highland Baptist Church where he is a deacon. Their son and new daughter-in-law live locally and are also at Highland, which is a tremendous blessing to Dana. Dana holds a BA in Accounting from Baylor University and was a plant controller in the manufacturing industry for almost 20 years. Here she lived a vibrant work-life with prayerful Christian coworkers. After the business moved to Houston, she decided to leave the corporate world and thought she would do some volunteering. God moved in her life and brought her to CWJC for what she thought would be teaching an Excel class. In 2016, she joyfully accepted a position as CWJC’s part-time bookkeeper. Dana loves seeing the impact CWJC makes in the lives of the sweet ladies who come through the doors and enjoys the relationships she has with CWJC staff. Dana also serves in similar capacity as a part-time bookkeeper for other area businesses. Dana enjoys helping others with their businesses, attending weekly Bible study, spending time with her family, and traveling with her husband.
Board of Directors
Mike Pool, President
Karen Willis, Vice President
Nancy Gupton, Secretary
Nancy graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising. She has been an active volunteer in our community and a longtime volunteer of the Waco Chamber. For the past 14 years, Nancy has been a volunteer of the Waco Chamber of Commerce’s Total Resource Campaign and served 8 years as one of the division chairs for the TRC. Nancy and her husband, Wade, reside in China Spring area. They have two sons, Will and Robert.
Nancy currently serves on the board for the First United Methodist Church of Waco, Christian Women’s Job Corp (CWJC) and the China Spring ISD Education Foundation.
Kelly Karnei, Treasurer
Carol Dugat
Alexia English
Diane Jenkins
Diane is active in the community and enjoys networking. She’s an officer of Women of Waco and is past president of the Greater Hewitt Chamber of Commerce where she continues to volunteer. She is married to her husband of 28 years, Bart, and they reside in Woodway. They have one son, Jade Hunt. Her church home is First Baptist Woodway. She loves spending time with her family and friends.
Jacob Lackey
Jacob Lackey graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Entrepreneurship & Marketing and now serves as a freelance audio engineer, production manager and consultant based in Waco for several organizations, ministries, and churches, currently including; Vertical Ministries (Production Manager), Breakaway Ministries (Production Manager), Magnolia (Event Production Manager), Passion City Church (Production Manager/Producer, Trilith Campus) & Jennie Allen Ministries (Video Producer).
Ever since first hearing about CWJC, it’s been a ministry Jacob wanted to be involved with. The combination of spiritual formation with meeting practical, educational and career needs exhibits so clearly the example that Jesus set numerous times, such as teaching the 5,000, but also feeding them and taking care of their needs, or as taught in Matthew 6:25-34 as He says “do not worry about what you will eat or drink… your heavenly Father knows you need these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” displaying His recognition and care for the spiritual and practical needs we all have.
Jason Ramos
Jason Ramos is Director of Impact Waco at Antioch Community Church. Impact Waco includes STARS Book Clubs, Addiction Recovery Ministry, UnBound, Sports Ministry and Community Outreach. For years he has mentored students in WISD and coached hundreds of kids through Waco Southern Little League where he also serves as president. He is a Pastor with the McLennan County Jail and helped lead an addiction recovery home for 10 years. He serves on various boards and commissions with the City of Waco and is committed to helping Waco be a great place to live and raise a family. Jason loves to live on mission and advance the kingdom of God here in Waco and around the world.
Jason is married to Monica who is a nurse with Providence hospital. They have 5 kids and 2 granddaughters.
Nita Tucker
Nita Tucker is originally from Wichita Falls, Texas but her family moved to the Waco area when she was a teenager. After graduating from China Spring High School, she attended Baylor University where she earned her BA in Psychology. She began her career in the financial profession in 1998 and is currently a Financial Advisor and Portfolio Manager with the Mosley Shaffer Group at Merrill Lynch. Nita and her family are long time members of First United Methodist Church. Her daughter Maggie attends TCU, which can lead to some interesting chatter at family tailgates when TCU plays Baylor. Nita truly believes in CWJC and is grateful to be a small contributor to the wonderful assistance that CWJC offers to our community.
Ellen White
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Following Christ?
At the center of what we do is our adoration of Jesus, the message of Christ, and His sacrifice for us. CWJC Leadership is guided first by our love of God and wanting to serve His Kingdom. If you have never experienced the great love of Christ in your life, please reach out to us and we will show you how to know Him more in your life.