Board of Directors

Josephine Sullivan

CEO & Chair

Coming soon

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Craig Sullivan

Board of Directors

Craig Sullivan, who serves as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, is an alumnus of the University of Texas at Arlington, where he focused on Business Administration with an emphasis on pre-law. Demonstrating an early passion for entrepreneurship, Mr. Sullivan established his first company at eighteen and had launched three new business ventures by twenty-one. He played a crucial role in the revitalization and development of a deposit processing teller system for major banks and retailers across the United States. Additionally, he successfully negotiated with Japanese manufacturers for coin-sorting and bill-counting equipment to integrate with the software.

Alongside his family, Mr. Sullivan served as a Legislative Advocate for the rights of the disabled, working with Senator Chris Harris and Toby Goodman. This advocacy spanned six years and involved the passage of three pieces of legislation, culminating in the signing into law of Senate Bill 731 by then-Governor George W. Bush in 1999.

Mr. Sullivan is an Eucharistic Minister and a member of Holy Family Parish. He also volunteers at the University of Texas Medical Branch, collaborating with Moody Neurorehabilitation and Tideway Traumatic Brain Injury residence programs. In 2017, he co-founded The Christina Sullivan Foundation with his family, established in memory of his beloved daughter.

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Christian Sullivan

Board of Directors

Christian Sullivan, the Board Chair, is an alumnus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Experimental Psychology. His research includes presentations at the Southwestern Psychology Association in San Antonio, Texas, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) in Long Beach, California. He also presented research on mortality salience at the Comparative Cognition Society (CO3) in Melbourne, Florida, and has researched on occasion settings using virtual reality technology.

Notably, Christian was the youngest Texan to testify before the Jurisprudence Committee, helping pass Senate Bill 731, which supported the rights of people with disabilities. He worked with his family, Senator Chris Harris, and Toby Goodman on this important Texas law, signed by Governor George W. Bush in 1999. Christian also received a United States Trademark for the foundation’s logo, details of which are available at [(https://thechristinasullivanfoundation.org/about-our-logo)].

In 2017, Christian, alongside his family, established The Christina Sullivan Foundation in loving memory of his sister.

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Robert Mihovil

Board of Directors

Robert Mihovil is a highly accomplished freelance photographer based in Galveston and Houston. His work has garnered national recognition, featuring prominently in news and general interest publications, advertisements, annual reports, brochures, membership directories, political campaigns, travel guides, and websites. A 1980 graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in photography, Robert began his career as a staff photographer for the Galveston Daily News for five years. Following this, he established his own photography studio, where he continues to serve a diverse clientele. Beyond his professional achievements, Robert is an active and dedicated member of the Galveston community. He currently serves as Program Chairman, Crime Watch Director, and past President of the University Area Association neighborhood. Furthermore, Robert is a valuable member of the Community Advisory Board for the Galveston National Laboratory at UTMB and Texas A&M Sea Camp. He has also dedicated 30 years as an usher at Sacred Heart Church and is a member of the Galveston Chamber of Commerce.

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John Catanzaro

Board of Directors

Originally from the Panama Canal Zone, John Catanzaro graduated in 1988 from Texas A&M University at Galveston with a BS Degree in Marine Engineering. At graduation, he earned and was sworn in as an officer in the United States Naval Reserve and as an Engineering Officer by the United States Coast Guard as a US Merchant Marine Officer.

For over 25 years, Mr. Catanzaro has sailed and worked around the world as a Chief Engineer responsible for the maintenance, operation, repair, safety, and security of large oceangoing ships.

For over 25 years, Mr. Catanzaro served and achieved the rank of Commander in the US Naval Reserve. His naval career supported a variety of activities from Naval Engineering support to the Fleet to Maritime Security, Anti-Piracy, Counterterrorism, and Intelligence Analyst. Mr. Catanzaro has also been active as a General Contractor for residential construction, an Engineering Consultant, and a Professional Witness.

Since retiring from the Maritime Industry, he spends his time as a Multifamily Real Estate Investor. However, most of his time is consumed as an active Boy Scout Leader with an emphasis on vocational STEM education. He shares his skills and hands-on experience in various engineering and technical fields, including welding, electricity, electronics, aviation, and metalworking. He has been a coach for many local youth baseball, basketball, and tennis organizations.

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Father Jude Ekenedilichkwu Ezuma

Spiritual Advisor

Born on February 10, 1979, in Lagos, Nigeria, Father Jude Ezuma is the son of Michael and Philomena Ezuma. He began his Seminary Formation in 2000 with the Josephites and subsequently joined the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in 2006 to continue his journey toward the priesthood.

He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston on June 4, 2011, at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Following his ordination, he served as Parochial Vicar at the Co-Cathedral for three years before transitioning to a similar role at Holy Family Parish in Galveston, Bolivar. In 2015, he returned to Houston to serve as secretary to Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. On July 1, 2017, Father Jude was appointed Pastor of Holy Family Parish, Galveston-Bolivar.

Father Jude's profound guidance to The Christina Sullivan Foundation and our family after the passing of my daughter and sister was instrumental in the inception of his current work with the Foundation. His spiritual direction, encapsulated by his statement, "If you just listen, Our Heavenly Father will guide you on your next journey," significantly influenced the development of the Growing Foundation Family, which is dedicated to "Bringing People Hope and Inclusion."

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Advisory Board

Dr. Kelly Grace PhD

Advisory Working Board

Dr. Kelly Grace is a mixed-methods evaluator and researcher with a Ph.D. in Comparative and International Education from Lehigh University. She has worked in the field of evaluation for nearly a decade and in education for over 20 years. She has conducted evaluations with large international organizations and nonprofits, helping them understand the effectiveness and impact of their educational programs. Currently, she works at UTMB at the Health Education Center as the education assessment specialist and in the Institute for Translational Science as Co-lead of the evaluation team for the Clinical and Translational Science Award.

As an evaluator for the Christina Sullivan Foundation, through the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at UTMB, she co-creates evaluation instruments with CSF, manages evaluation data, and supports the uptake of evaluation findings for programmatic quality improvement, as well as the sharing of evaluation findings.

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Karen McWhorter, LMSW-IPR

Advisory Working Board

Karen McWhorter, LMSW-IPR, is a Licensed Master Social Worker with Independent Practice Recognition, deeply committed to fund and program development. Her dedication to individuals with differing abilities began during her undergraduate studies at Baylor University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. After a decade of service with Child Protective Services and starting her family, Karen pursued a Master of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work. With over 30 years of experience, Karen has held various leadership roles, consistently advocating for safe, stable, and nurturing family environments for children. Her expertise encompasses mental health, substance abuse prevention, K-12 education, Medicaid Waiver programs, pediatric rehabilitation clinics, adoption and foster care, social support, non-profit management, and fundraising.

As a mother of three adult daughters and grandmother to one granddaughter, Karen's involvement with the Christina Sullivan Foundation deepened after her best friend’s daughter began participating in adaptive tennis and Camp PossAbilities activities. Inspired by the Foundation’s vision for the Christina Sullivan Foundation Sports Center and Research Institute, she committed to supporting grant research and writing and has since significantly contributed to fundraising and organizational development. Karen approaches her work with a systems-thinking perspective, utilizing a positive, strengths-based methodology in all her endeavors. In her leisure time, Karen enjoys exploring nature through hiking and camping, streaming movies and series while crocheting, and reading. Her personal mantra in stressful situations is, “Where’s the chocolate?”

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Gloria Gonzales

Advisory Working Board

Ms. Gonzales's extensive experience of over 40 years in the healthcare industry, dedicated to supporting children and adults with disabilities, provides our organization with a wealth of knowledge.

We are especially grateful for your commitment to the Foundation, which began in 2017 as a "Buddy" volunteer. Your dedication is exemplified by hours of service, working with individuals experiencing intellectual and physical challenges through our Recreational Therapeutic Adaptive and Unified Sports and Fitness Programs.

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Raven Elyssa Ornelas

Advisory Working Board

Raven Elyssa Ornelas is an invaluable member of the Christina Sullivan Foundation. Raven graduated from Alvin High School on May 28, 2016, and has since dedicated seven years to the Christina Sullivan Foundation. She currently serves as a Special Assistant at the Foundation office, where her contributions include data entry and program support.

In addition to her administrative role, Raven is a Special Olympics Certified Adaptive Tennis Coach for the Christina Sullivan Foundation Camp PossAbilities. In this capacity, she demonstrates immense passion for teaching tennis to her peers with intellectual and physical challenges. During her free time, Raven enjoys arts and crafts, adult coloring books, and spending time with friends at Camp PossAbilities, where she participates in Adaptive Sports. She is also the proud owner of two cats, Miloand Niko , and her puppy Molly.

Raven is a participant in the Galveston Area 22 Christina Sullivan Foundation Head of Delegation Team for the Special Olympics. Among her athletic accomplishments, she notably won a Gold medal in a Regional Unified tennis tournament, playing alongside her dad. (Unified play involves an athlete with differing abilities playing with an able-bodied partner.) They practiced as league members of the Christina Sullivan Foundation Galveston Community Tennis Association, which provides inclusive opportunities for athletes of differing abilities.

Raven is a true Ambassador for the Christina Sullivan Foundation, motivating and empowering individuals with disabilities to participate in sports and other physical activities. She serves as a role model, guides adaptive athletes, raises awareness, and champions the importance of access to adaptive sports.

Raven loves to share that "Nina the yellow butterfly" is always watching over her.

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Elizabeth VanHeertum

Advisory Working Board

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Sarah Williams

Advisory Working Board

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Debbie Williams

Advisory Working Board

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Leslie Lytle

Advisory Working Board

Leslie Lytle has dedicated her life to helping others. Shortly after graduating high school, she began working in a hospital, where her passion for care and service first took root. Following the birth of her daughter with disabilities, Leslie sought a more flexible path that would allow her to balance work and caregiving. She soon transitioned into home health care and was later invited to assist in the local school district, working with elementary students with special needs. It was there that she discovered her true calling within the schools.

In 2011, Leslie returned home to Texas and joined the La Porte Independent School District as a special needs paraprofessional in the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program for 3–5-year-olds. Beyond her professional life, she is deeply involved with her church, La Porte First Assembly of God, where she volunteers in the sound booth, assists with the projector, greets members, and hosts Bible studies in her home.

In 2023, Leslie faced significant health challenges, including a cancer diagnosis, an autoimmune disorder, and an aneurysm. Through unwavering faith and perseverance, she overcame these obstacles with God by her side. Today, she focuses on maintaining her health and ensuring her daughter enjoys the best quality of life possible.

In 2025, Leslie was invited to serve as Secretary on the Christina Sullivan Foundation’s Working Advisory Board—an honor she holds close to her heart. The Foundation’s mission and community have become a deeply meaningful part of her life.

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Stephanie Guterriez

Advisory Working Board

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Gary Bolton

Advisory Working Board

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Jennifer Anderson

Advisory Working Board

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Cathy Bryan

Advisory Working Board

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Diana Buckner

Advisory Working Board

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Debbie Diaz

Advisory Working Board

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Daria Locha

Advisory Working Board

Daria is originally from San Antonio, TX and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Neuroscience. Throughout high-school and college, Daria worked at a summer camp for individuals with intellectual, physical, and developmental disabilities, as well as a caregiver for several families with children with complex medical and behavioral needs. After college, Daria worked at a transition-to-independence residential program in New York for adults with IDD, supporting them in developing life skills and finding jobs and community. Daria is now a medical student at UTMB, passionate about supporting this community in any way she can, and hoping to work with children with disabilities in her future career! The Christina Sullivan Foundation is so happy she is here!

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Katherine Rodriquez

Advisory Working Board

Originally from Puerto Rico, Katherine Rodriguez graduated from Texas Christian University in 2014 with a B.S. in Psychology and later received her Masters in Liberal Arts in 2016. She has over 9 years of experience in Education, working as a College and Career Coach in Texas, and later a College Admissions Counselor — a position she currently serves in. She brings a breadth of experience including Marketing, Copy Writing, and Data Analysis. Outside of work she enjoys running, reading and traveling with her two dogs and husband.

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Commodo

Advisory Working Board

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Volunteer of the Month

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