Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas
1976–2026
History
Fifty years ago, in a San Antonio that had no Big Brothers Big Sisters program yet, two determined women changed everything. Harriette Furino, fresh from Houston where she had been a Big Sister, saw a gap, felt a calling, and teamed up with Barbara Alden to build something extraordinary. With the support of many visionary leaders, BBBS Alamo Area was incorporated in 1976 and made its first matches in 1978 after forming a board and launching fundraising efforts.
Barbara became our very first Executive Director, followed in leadership by Sharon Bell Baughman (find start date -1999), Elizabeth (Beth) Myers (1999-2009), and Denise Barkhurst, President & CEO (2009- present). Barbara has since passed away (in 2020), but her legacy lives on in every match we make. Harriette—after championing the agency in the 1980s, taking a break, and returning after our 2016 capital campaign—continues to serve on our board today.
Over five decades, thousands of children—and their families—have been supported, lifted, encouraged, and empowered through the power of mentoring. And thousands of Bigs, board members, staff members, and community partners have shaped a movement that continues to grow stronger.
2026: A Yearlong Celebration of 50 Years of Mentoring
We’re stepping into 2026 with a full year of nostalgic fun, re-connection, and the biggest celebration of mentoring South Texas has ever seen.
🎤 JANUARY: 50th Anniversary Karaoke & Lip Sync Mixer
A throwback party to kick off the year—costumes welcome, 70s-through-today encouraged. Come sing, laugh, and reconnect.
🎳 SUMMER: The BIGGEST Bowl for Kids’ Sake Ever
Our very first fundraiser in 1981, BFKS has brought together thousands of bowlers and raised millions over the decades.
This will be our largest one yet—every era represented, every lane buzzing.
🧡 “Who Mentored You?” Quarterly Heritage Events
We’re highlighting the leaders who built this agency—legacy board members from the 70s, 80s, and 90s—for conversations, storytelling, memory-sharing, and honoring the relationships that shaped this mission.
🎉 OCTOBER: The Golden Celebration at the Mentoring Resource Center
A homecoming event for the ages—food, music, history displays, special guests—and the official launch of our first-ever agency endowment, ensuring mentorship strengthens the next generation for decades to come.
Art Contest
We are celebrating 50 years and inviting young artists to be part of the celebration! Join our 50th Anniversary Art Contest, running all year long in 2026.
Artists are encouraged to create original artwork that incorporates the Big Brothers Big Sisters logo (the “B”) and reflects the theme of 50 years / 50th anniversary.
Cookbook
For 50 years, mentorship has brought people together. Our 50th Anniversary Cookbook does the same—celebrating shared recipes, meaningful stories, and the relationships that help young people thrive.
By sharing your favorite recipe, you help highlight the relationships and traditions that strengthen our community.
Reconnect With Us!
Were you a:
- Big
- Little
- Board Member
- Staff Member
- Volunteer
- Part of our story in some way
Our Evolution of Logos
We’ve traveled through a few eras of branding!
Staying True to Our Beginning – and More Effective Than Ever
From the start, our belief has been simple and powerful:
When a caring adult shows up consistently for a young person, lives change.
That hasn’t changed.
What has changed is the depth of evidence behind it and the sophistication of our practices.
Link to our research page → Visit our Research & Impact Library
A few highlights from the latest national studies:
- Harvard University & the U.S. Treasury ROI Study: Rooted in 30 years of data, the study provides evidence of greater enrollment in higher education, increased salaries, reduced dependency on social services, and improved behavioral outcomes for mentored youth.
- DuBois/Hererra Randomized Controlled Trial: A landmark four-year randomized controlled trial found that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ community-based mentoring significantly reduced youth violence, substance use, suicidal ideation, and high school dropout—producing the strongest effects ever documented for mentoring, even with relatively low meeting frequency.
We’re still doing what Barbara and Harriette set into motion—matching youth with caring adults—but with five decades of research and innovation behind us.
The Next 50 Years; Where We Are Going
We believe the next 50 years will be defined by bigger coalitions, braver ideas, and deeper commitments to ensuring every young person has someone in their corner.
We imagine:
- A mentor for every child who wants one.
- Training and prevention programs so strong that entire communities shift toward safety, belonging, and opportunity.
- A South Texas where every young person, regardless of background or ZIP code, can see a future full of possibility.
- Partnerships that move from helping some children to helping all children—together.
The future belongs to relationships.
And in South Texas, relationships have always been our superpower.
Thank You for Being Part of This Story
Every volunteer, donor, staff member, board member, partner, alumni Big and Little—every singer at Bowl for Kids’ Sake, every parent who trusted us, every mentor who showed up week after week—
You built this.
You changed lives.
You saved lives.
You gave us 50 years of magic.
And we can’t wait to celebrate the next 50 with you.
Former and Current Board Members
List is by board start date
| 1980's | 1990's | 2000's | 2010's | 2020's |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert F. Hausser | Albert Baladez | Ty" Morgan Edwards | Aimee Vidaurri | Adah King |
| Alejandro Villerreal | Alvaro Montealegre | Aaron Leek | Bob Howell or Howells | Angelica Reyna |
| Angela Keresztury | Ann Bridges Steely | Aaron Seaman | Brett Siegfried | Basel Murad |
| Anita Gray | Ann Bridges Steely | Alan Cerwick | Charlie Boyd | Carmen Munoz-Reinartz |
| Anna Marie Gonzales | Arthur Cavazos | Alex Perez | Chief William McManus | Chaunte Hall |
| Arthur Troilo III | Beni Gaiennie | Alex Perez | Chris Mazzola | Chris Whan |
| Barbara Alden | Bob Glass | Andrew Grove | Damon Childs | Cynthia De La Pena |
| Benjamin McCaleb | Bob Ingram | Art Kiolbassa | Don Mooney | Eric Vigil |
| Bert Martinez | Bob Spalten | Bill Haynie | Donna Welsh | Jake Shultz |
| Betty Beasley | Brenda Regur | Bill Micale | Elva Salinas | Kimberly Kieny |
| Bill Jonas | C. Lee Cusenbary | Bobbie Cappetta | Genevieve Gomez | Lina Eklof |
| Blair T Stouffer | Camille Menasco Alexander | Brad Duphorne | Ivy Taylor | Manuel Mungia |
| Bob Echavarria | Carlos Abundis, II | Brent Pinkston | James Clapsaddle | Michael MacNaughton |
| Bob Silvas | Carol Heston | Brent Pinkston | John Worthen | Nicki Elgie |
| Bruce Hill | Cecile Shopen | Brett Morgan | Jonathan Wilt | Robert Anderson |
| Bruce M. Cox | Charles Dix | Brown Malloy | Judge John Bull | Sheron Leonard |
| Bruce Wolf | Charles Honore | Camille Alexander | Julie Wulf | Trey Cammack |
| Carol Kline White | Christa Bunn | Chad Buffington | Julio Manso | |
| Carol Kopplow | Clayton Hudnall | Chris Corso | Keith Johnson | |
| Carolyn Alyn | David Barkalow | Cory T. Jefferies | Ken Olson | |
| Catherine Helland | David Holmes | Craig Browning | Lee Patterson | |
| Cathy Collier | Dawn Finlayson | Cristina Gonzalez | Lisa Mendez | |
| Cathy Penshorn | Deborah Schumacher-Amini | Daniel Blecher | Michelle Scott | |
| Charles White | Debra Martinez | David A Edgren | Mitchell Walker | |
| Charlotte Travis | Demetrius Bivins | David Gonzalez | Monica Simpson | |
| Chris Harness | Denise Barkhurst | David Lloyd | Nancy Gandy | |
| Christopher Anderson | Diana Geis | David Loving | Oscar Bujanda | |
| Chuck Messer | Doug Poneck | David Wallace | Pat Matthews | |
| Chuck Self | Ed Lopez | Donita Todd | Richard Brooks | |
| Claibourne Carrington | Elizabeth Applin | Edward "Eddy" King | Rob Jackson | |
| Clif Douglas | Elizabeth C. Saldivar | Fred B. Lederman | Robert Rochelle | |
| Councilman John Steen | Elizabeth J. Keig | Gary Mike Gilpin | Samir Bitar | |
| Cynthia J Weins | Ellenore Knight Baker | Geena Davis | Seymour Battle | |
| Dan Morales | Ellenore Knight Baker | George Brin | Steve Yates | |
| Dana Poston | Frank J. Garza | Jaime Eddy Hurt | Webster Baldwin | |
| Dave Wiegand | Fred Rodriguez | Jamie Hurt | William Garner | |
| David Brock | Gary M. Matesic | Janice "J.K" Huey | ||
| David McAllister | Gerald W Lee | Jason Bailey | ||
| Deborah Becker | Greg Wright | Jeff Bryan | ||
| Dennis O'Malley | Hamlet Newsom, Jr. | Jeffrey Webb | ||
| Diane Ayala | Inez McBride | Jennifer Storm | ||
| Diann Bartek | Jan Atkins | Jimmy Shafer | ||
| Dick Tipps | Jane Findling | Joette Patterson | ||
| Dorothy Bankerd | Janet Love | John Robertson | ||
| Dr. David Gunzburger | Jeanie Seewald | Johnny Shell | ||
| Dr. Kenneth Mathews | Jeff Judson | Jon Gary Herrera | ||
| Dr.John Littlefield | Jelynne LeBlanc Burley | Julia Hamon | ||
| Dr.Jorge San Martin | Jerry McVicker | KaRynn Kolm | ||
| Dr.Lawerence Schoenfeld | Jesus Ramirez | Kelly Weaver | ||
| Dr.Oscar Ramirez | Jim Luna | Ken Herring | ||
| Ed A. Cepeda | Jim Park | Kim Fischer | ||
| Eric Hoffman | Jim White | Kirby Mynier | ||
| Evie Caballero | Joanna Fields | Kris J Bird | ||
| Florence I. Carvajol | John Boldrick | Laura Ehrenberg-Chesler | ||
| Forrest M Smith, III | John Calhoon | Lupita Corbeil | ||
| Frank Burney | John D. Bass | Malloy Brown | ||
| Frank R. Alexander | John Eadie | Marialyn Barnard | ||
| Gail Dalrymple | John Turcotte | Mario Muniz | ||
| Gail M Barnes | Johnny Easter | Marti Ashcraft | ||
| Gary Legan | Jonathan Gurwitz | Matthew C. Hupfeld | ||
| Gladys Lee | Juan Echartea | Nancy Farrer | ||
| Goodhue Smith, III | Juan F Solis III | R. Barry Brin | ||
| Gregory F Smith | Judith Kerr | Rebecca Dupree | ||
| Gregory Luna | Julia Irvin | Rhonda Crawford | ||
| H.Pamela Schoch | Julie C. Perez | Rick Carden | ||
| Harriett Cohen | Julie C. Perez | Robert Wyckoff | ||
| Harriette Furino | Karen Cestarte | Ronnie Gabriel | ||
| Harvey Heard | Karen Sparks | Scott Duffy | ||
| Henry G. Cisneros | Kaye Mallory | Stella Molleda | ||
| Herb Hill | Keith Booke | Sunita M White | ||
| Houston Bryan | Keith Fleming | Thomas Kilpatrick | ||
| J. De Los Santos | Kelly Donoghue Weaver | Tom Crosley | ||
| James E., IV Brown | Ken Kite | Tom Russell | ||
| James F Hufstetler | Keneth D. Kirlin | Travis Nance | ||
| James R. Dublin | Kevin Kennedy | Zandra Narvaez | ||
| Jan Almon | Kevin McLoughlin | |||
| Jan Steger | Kevin T Ryan | |||
| Jane Fuhrmann | Kim Richards | |||
| Janet Hornberger | Kristi Anthony | |||
| Jay Miller | Lacradia Gadison | |||
| Jeff Wentworth | Larkyn Tyner | |||
| Jenny Schimpff | Larry Smith | |||
| Jim Bishkin | Laura Hrncir | |||
| Jim Goudge | Lee Bailey | |||
| Jim Holisky | Lee Folkes | |||
| Jim Potter | Les Strieber | |||
| Jim Rhodes | Linda Bond | |||
| Joe A. Flores | Lisa Kelleher | |||
| Joe D Calvert | Lonnie Wulfe | |||
| Joe Fowler, III | Lucie Frost Webb | |||
| John A. Oberman | Luis Garcia | |||
| John Cornyn, III | LuLu Olson | |||
| John Gargulak | Lynette Farrimond Nelson | |||
| John K Meyer | Lynette Farrimond Nelson | |||
| John M. Askew | Magda Strash | |||
| John Sealy | Major Debby Martinez | |||
| John Sharp | Manual Tovar | |||
| John Whitsett | Marcia McKinley | |||
| Johnny Campos | Margaret Anderson | |||
| Judge Blair Reeves | Margaret Judson | |||
| Judge Dan Loveland | Maria McKinley | |||
| Judge Fred Biery | Mark Codd | |||
| Karen Duncan | Martin I. Roos | |||
| Kathy Palmer | Mary Lee Patillo | |||
| Kathy Simpson | Matt Gutermuth | |||
| Kenneth D Hollands | Melissa Adams | |||
| Kenneth W. Thompson | Merritt Clements | |||
| Larry Carpenter | Michael Lackey or Lackery | |||
| Larry Hood | Michael Nelson | |||
| Leslie Kingman | Mildred S. Johnson | |||
| Levi Jackson, III | Myriam Teran | |||
| Linda Mande | Nina Henderson | |||
| Louis J. Lamm, Jr. | Pam Hudec | |||
| Lupe Lovato | Pat Garza | |||
| Madison Smith | Paul Fagan | |||
| Major Victor Hardin | Peggy Arnold | |||
| Margie Rust | R. Bryan Stone | |||
| Mario Bosquez | Rand Riklin | |||
| Mark Benedict | Raquel Perez | |||
| Marvin Rickabaugh | Rees Walker | |||
| Mary Carter | Richard A. Sparr, Jr. | |||
| Mary Hicks | Richard Mathews, Jr. | |||
| Mary Queen Caruth | Rita Sutton | |||
| Mona Fogt | Robert Luedecke | |||
| Monte Tomerlin | Robert Valadez | |||
| Mrs. Enrique Anciola | Robin Gulley | |||
| Mrs. John H. Tate, II | Roland Cavazos | |||
| Nan Massingill | Ron Barshop | |||
| Nancy Hunt | Ronnie Kirkwood | |||
| Nancy J Raba | Rosa Diaz | |||
| Nieves Gonzales, III | Rosa Linda Dracoulis (now Gonzales) | |||
| Pat Busby | Rosa Linda Gonzales | |||
| Pat Frost | Rudy Molleda | |||
| Patricia L. Driscoll | Sandra Carrell | |||
| Patrick J. Garza | Scott Barnes | |||
| Paul A Rush | Scott Kercheville | |||
| Peter Gueldner | Stella Lopez | |||
| Peter Selig | Steve Buckley | |||
| Phyllis Mulder | Steve Heirlich | |||
| R.S. Morgan | Steve Warrick | |||
| Rabbi David Jacobson | Susan Trull | |||
| Randy Pollock | Suzanne Schorlemer | |||
| Reagan Greer | T.Charles Parr III | |||
| Rev. David Comegys, Jr. | Tim Blonkvist | |||
| Rev. Jody Pickett | Tom R. Giltner | |||
| Rev. Jody Pickett | Troy Michael Jesse | |||
| Richard Fite | Wallace Jefferson | |||
| Richard Kardys | William "Tex" Farmer | |||
| Rick Cavender | William Thomas Maloy | |||
| Rick Lozano | Wynette Hadnott | |||
| Robert Rick Shaw | Yvonne Bonnie Garcia | |||
| Robert Vaughan | ||||
| Robyn Locke | ||||
| Ron Scates | ||||
| Ross Setzer | ||||
| Russell Stith | ||||
| Sandy Franger | ||||
| Sarita Martinez | ||||
| Shannon Gilliland | ||||
| Shannon Nisbet | ||||
| Stephen B. Wilde | ||||
| Steve McAllister | ||||
| Steve Poldrack | ||||
| Steve Poldrack | ||||
| Steven Aycock | ||||
| Stuart A Seal | ||||
| Tara O'Gorman | ||||
| Ted Paup | ||||
| Teresa Jenson-Lapsley | ||||
| The Honorable Matt Garcia | ||||
| Thomas Bacon | ||||
| Tim Apgar | ||||
| Tobin Tate | ||||
| Tom McGaughy | ||||
| Tom Yantis | ||||
| Tommye Brennan Howard | ||||
| Travis Bishop | ||||
| Trebes Sasser | ||||
| Vicki Ravenburg | ||||
| Walter Ted Shaw | ||||
| Warren Branch | ||||
| Weldon W Hammond Jr. | ||||
| Will Harte | ||||
| Willaim Kaufman | ||||
| William Crow | ||||
| William R Sinkin | ||||
| William S Carpenter |