Dr. Alarcon served most recently as the Executive Director of the Community Services Bureau of Contra Costa County. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority of Marin County, a public agency that provides in-home care to older adults and individuals with disabilities. He has also served as the Guardianship Program Director for individuals who are no longer able to make decisions about their health, finances, and safety in El Paso and Fort Worth, TX.
Dr. Alarcon earned his B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Texas at El Paso, his master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas, and recently completed his PhD in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. Dr. Alarcon is an immigrant, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a former undocumented person. He knows first-hand the hurdles that marginalized populations face daily in this country, and he is deeply committed to advancing systemic changes.
Joyce Hefner has worked for Family Eldercare since 1996. She began as Director of Guardianship and Bill Payer services. Currently, she serves as the Director of Housing and Community Services (HCS). As Director of HCS, her responsibilities include program development and expansion; internal and external program monitoring; evaluating and licensing; and billing and contract compliance. HCS includes Home-Based Counseling, Service Coordination (embedded in 12 senior/disabled housing communities), Rainbow Connections ATX, and Healthy Connections Healthy Aging Programs (includes Lifetime Connections Without Walls (LCWW)–a phone-based socialization and learning activity program for home-bound elders and Living Well! Healthy Aging programs offered at senior/disabled housing communities. Joyce earned her Master of Science in Social Work with a concentration in Administration and Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Hefner regularly participates in numerous community, governmental, and stakeholder planning groups in the Central Texas area.
Marisol Calvo leads all human resource functions for Family Eldercare to support the strategic and operational performance of the organization. In conjunction with the CEO and leadership team Marisol develops comprehensive human capital strategies for the organization. Marisol has been with Family Eldercare for a little over a year and comes from the private sector. Marisol’s passion and commitment to the clients we serve drew her to Family Eldercare where she can help make a difference behind the scenes. Marisol is also a member of the LQBTQ community and co-sponsors Family Eldercares DEI Council as well as the DEI initiatives for the organization. Marisol obtained a B.S. in Human Resources Management and has been a member of SHRM since 2017 while serving on the mentoring committee for the Austin, TX chapter.
Shontell Gauthier is a Program Director at Family Eldercare, and she leads a team of social workers and human services professionals who provide services to support the financial and housing stability needs of Austin’s most vulnerable residents. Ms. Gauthier has over 30 years of experience, she started at Family Eldercare in 2006 and has been in many roles as a case manager, program manager, and in her current role as director. In recent years, she has led the progressive growth of Family Eldercare and has focused its impact on the emerging crisis of aged homelessness with financial services, crisis interventions, community partnerships, and the development of permanent supportive housing.
Shontell has strong ties to Louisiana and her Cajun culture. After moving to Austin in 2005, she joined Family Eldercare as a case manager transitioning Hurricane Katrina evacuees into stable housing. Once a professional cyclist, Shontell is now an avid bicycle commuter who also enjoys exploring the gravel roads and mountain bike trails all around Austin. When not on two wheels, she can be found out-and -about with her family including her wife and their daughter.