Patricia Bates

Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Tricia graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BA in Political Science and studied finance at the University of Texas at Dallas. Before becoming a mother, she worked in money management in Dallas. She is married to Cody Bates, another Corpus native. She now enjoys cooking, reading, traveling and community service. In addition to Foster Angels, Tricia is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate.

Lilia Bruni Wetsel

Lilia Bruni Wetsel was born and raised in Laredo, TX. She graduated from American University in Washington DC and went on to work for the Majority Leader of the United States. After her time on Capitol Hill, she became the Director of Events and Assistant Director of Development for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. She now lives in Laredo, with her husband, Brandon Wetsel, and their 2 children. Lilia is an active member of her community and is on the board of International Good Neighbor Council, Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation Center and secretary of Bethany House.

Sarah Jones

Sarah is from Corpus Christi, where she attended St. James Episcopal School and WB Ray High School. She earned her MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and then went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. Sarah married her husband, Whit Jones, and they reside on a family ranch near Hebbronville, with their three children. Sarah is the Membership Director for South Texans’ Property Rights Association, and frequently commutes between the ranch and McAllen, where her children attend school.

Dr. Nikki Nisbet

Dr. Nisbet spent her childhood in a small rural farming community in Kansas. In 2008, she and her husband Alan relocated to Corpus Christi. Alan is a practicing physician in urologic surgery, and Dr. Nisbet, with two decades of experience in emergency medicine, is an owner, medical director, and physician at Physician’s Premier ER. She has two children and shares her home with two German Shorthair pointers. In her free time, Dr. Nisbet enjoys rooting for all Kansas sports teams.

Beth Owens

Elizabeth has been married for nearly 35 years, and together she and her husband have three adult children: Mac (31), Kellie (28), and Kendall (23). She resides and works in Port Aransas and is proud to have served as one of the original board members of the Port Aransas Education Foundation for 16 years. Furthermore, Elizabeth was elected to the Port Aransas City Council, where she served for six years. She is also a dedicated clown, volunteering for over seven years at Driscoll Children’s Hospital!

Courtney Sanchez

Courtney has 11+ years of experience in behavioral health, leading business development initiatives with Connections Health Solutions in establishing psychiatric crisis centers nationwide. She serves on multiple boards, including the Coastal Bend Suicide Prevention Coalition and the Rockport-Fulton Governmental Affairs Council. Courtney is passionate about foster care due to her personal experience as a foster child, and she credits organizations like FAST for providing opportunities that led to a semi-professional dance career and even an appearance in the Miss Texas pageant