About Us
History
The Women’s Resource Center for Women and Their Families was developed in Houston, Texas on October 2002. It was organized to use the existing community and family strengths to enhance health, financial and social issues of youth and adults. The primary focus is to assist women to better help themselves and their families’ to access information and services for health and financial wellness. Assistance is not just for women but the whole family.
The name of the organization was captured to build upon the important nurturing role of women in the health and development of families. The community model was drawn from the outreach format employed by the Women’s Resource Center on the east coast of the United States. The program planning initiated in 1990 by Dr. Willie Mae Lewis as a response to the lack of responses to family and community health concerns. A group of active women from several organizations as the Delaware Women’s Commission, Wilmington Public Library, F.A.I.T.H. Centers, The Women’s Taskforce on Substance Abuse, YWCA, St Paul’s Outreach Center, One Church, and One Family Outreach Center among others for a network to focus on the issues. Men recognized the goals for men and families in 1997 and became active participants with the leadership from Ezion Mt Carmel UMC, New Life Ministries, and support from Governor Tom Carpers and Lieutenant Governor Ruth Ann Minner.
The name was altered for Texas to avoid duplication according to state mandate. This model captures the woman’s role in society and in her family to achieve met organizational and community needs. The primary method of outreach is the use of mentoring interventions. During the inception, we recognized the importance of collaboration between groups, communities, and organization for the benefit of youth and families in the community.
Our organization and collaborative operation reflects at all times the community's forward thinking vision. We are structured as a non-competitive, 501c3 non-profit, primarily all volunteer organization. One of our objectives is to continue building our supportive relationships within the community. We actively collaborate with churches, community centers, civic associations, and organizations: American Cancer society, Pilgrim Community Center, African American Health Coalition, Shape Community Center, Southeast Civic Association, Southwest AME Church, St Vincent de Paul, Gateway To Care Collaborative, Community Service Center Job Net. Our efforts will continue to strengthen our collaborative network for community building of community health, and financial resources.
Currently there are seven board members representing community organizations and the general community.
Leadership Team
Dr. Willie Mae Lewis
Founder & CEO
Dr. Lewis is a board-certified specialist in providing counseling and guidance for anyone seeking to improve their overall health and quality of life.
Her advanced training includes a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Temple University, 15 years of teaching graduate level counseling, psychology and guidance, and work with various organizations providing treatment to different individuals.
She has extensive experience in anger management, mediation and conflict resolution, stress management, violence prevention training, drug and alcohol assessments and interventions and attention deficit disorders.
Dr. Lewis is active within the community, loves bowling, swimming, biking, exercising, and taking walks in the country in the early morning and evening.
Trinell Davis
Director
Trinell Davis is the Volunteer Coordinator & Mentor Program Case Manager at Change Happens! and serves as Director of programs for Women’s Resource Center for Women and their Families.
In this capacity, she supervises the day-to-day operations of the Volunteer Program and is responsible for recruitment, outreach, training, case management, data collection, evaluation, donations, and project/event planning, for both the Volunteer Program and the Mentoring Program.
She also assists the Development Department with various fundraising events, public relations, and developing community partnerships. She has been a part of the mission and vision of Change Happens! for over 16 years.
Mrs. Davis received a BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Orleans. She also completed coarse work and received her certification at Rice University’s Volunteer Management Program. She has a true passion for helping others.
She is also the President and Co- Founder of Women of Total Empowerment, (W.O.T.E), a women’s group whose mission is to “Empower and equip women to be change agents at home and in their communities through education, support, and social events.” She is also very active in her church, her children’s school activities, and her high school Alumni Committee.
She enjoys reading, movies, daily workout, dancing, theater, art, watching football games and spending time with her family, friends, and two dogs. She is married to Lyell Davis and has two children.
Kimberly J. Walker, MS
Compliance Officer
Compliance officer and practicing therapist with an emphasis on career development and job placement.
She is a doctoral intern with Walden University working towards her PhD in psychology with a specialization in counseling. Her treatment emphasis is in behavioral management.
In her spare time, she enjoys playing World of Warcraft, reading, writing and listening to music.
Janice Sanders, RN, BSN, MSHE, MSHM
Janice Sanders, RN, BSN, MSHE, MSHM
Nurse
Janice Sanders’ nursing motto is “To provide the patients in her care a listening ear, healing tender touch, and competent compassionate care.”
Janice began her nursing career with the Harris County Hospital District in 1977, while working at Jefferson Davis Hospital. She was Unit Preceptor, Assistant Nurse Manager, and Discharge Planning Nurse for the Obstetrical Services at Jefferson Davis Hospital.
In 1988, she was promoted to Nursing Supervisor for the night shift at J.D. Hospital, which soon became Lyndon Baines Johnson Hospital (1989), a position she held until her retirement in 2009.
Janice obtained her BSN in 1977 from Prairie View A&M University School of Nursing; Master’s degree in Health Management from the University of Beverly Hills distant learning program in 1983; Masters of Science degree in Health Education from Texas Southern University in 1987, and an Advance Christian Counselor Certification from the Institute of Faith Based Counseling in 2011.
Her concerns for women and children’s health motivated her to coauthor several educational pamphlets from 1983 – 1987 as Discharge Planning Coordinator: “The Cesarean Birth Discharge Instructions”; “Pre-Op C-Section Information”; “Female Surgery”; The Total Concept of Wound Care”; “Venous Thrombosis and the Use of Heparin Therapy”; “Head Lice and Your Health”; “A Word About Your Loss”.
It was also her privilege to be a contributing author for a self-care research article, which was published in Nursing Economics – 1987. Volunteering and helping mankind is second nature to her.
H. Laverne West
Wellness Coordinator
Ms. West is the Wellness Coordinator for Fit for Life Counseling and Training Program. Laverne is a certified Health and Wellness Coach. She specializes in mind, -body-spirit model integrating treatment strategies to assist persons experiencing chronic disease, diabetes, and pain as it impacts mental health self-management.
She is currently matriculating for a Master of Arts degree in counseling at Houston Graduate School of Theology. Ms. West graduated from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia with a BS in Psychology.
Laverne is a licensed ordained minister who has a heart for spiritual and behavioral transformation. As an Intern, she works with individuals, couples, families and youth to affect change.
Ms. West enjoys traveling, listening to music and discovering the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith.
Tahaka M. Guillory
Counselor
Tahaka M. Guillory is a Graduate of Texas Southern University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. She was also recognized a perspective dual-degree graduate on May 5, 2018 of Houston Graduate School of Theology with a Master of Divinity Degree (MDiv) and Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC). She is currently a LPC intern with Houston Graduate School of Theology.
Tahaka is an ordained and licensed Associate Minister at Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. Mose A. Jones, Pastor.
In ministry and in counseling, Tahaka uses an integrated therapeutic approach in cognitive, behavioral, spiritual interventions. Her goals are to help people to overcome everyday challenges and gain the wholeness, wellness, and SHALOM that God intended for them to have.
