Thrive Youth Center, Inc. Staff Biographies
Sandra Whitley
Founder & Executive Director
Greg Casillas
Assistant Director
Nicole Cornevin
Director of Case Management
David Guajardo-High
Housing Program Manager
Maddie Kennedy
Manager of Community Affairs
Bernard Aleman
Case Manager
Erin Kirby
Housing Program Manager
Dustin Castillo
Case Manager
Brian Hodges
Education and Employment Aide
Hannah Bruno
Case Manager
Andrea Cantu
Life Skills Case Manager
Sandra Whitley
Founder & Executive Director
Sandra Whitley is the Founder and Executive Director of Thrive Youth Center, Inc. Ms. Whitley graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Business. She also obtained a Paralegal certificate, and for ten years worked as a Paralegal with the 2nd largest law firm in Florida. Over the next 20 years, she owned two businesses, but always had the desire to help LGBTQ youth due to her own negative experiences of being a young, “out” lesbian living in the Panhandle of Texas. After the sale of her second business in 2013, she began researching how she could best serve LGBTQ youth and young adults. She found an epidemic of LGBTQ homeless youth in the United States, with only six shelters in the country specifically addressing this issue. She opened Thrive Youth Center, the first LGBTQ-specific shelter in the southern United States, in San Antonio in February 2015.
Greg Casillas
Assistant Director
Greg Casillas started with Thrive in October of 2017 as the Life Skills Program Manager and this position allowed him to support youth through every avenue of their emerging life off the streets. He created a program for these youth that centers around 7 major areas of life; Daily Living, Self Care, Housing & Money Management, Relationships & Communication, Work & Study Life, Looking Forward, and Permanency.
Now as the Assistant Director, Greg is moving the organization forward through policy development, community engagement, community partnerships, and funding opportunities. Greg is focused on cultivating partnerships with community providers to offer a wide range of services to youth experiencing homelessness.
Greg is active in the community, serving as a resource to San Antonio and the surrounding area. He was a member of the selection committee that appointed San Antonio citizens to Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. He is the current co-chair for the Ryan White Program and the End Stigma End HIV Alliance of San Antonio. He actively serves on several community based initiatives and university-based student projects.
Prior to living in San Antonio, Greg lived in Costa Rica for 17 years. He is a yoga teacher, a Quaker, sports enthusiast, likes to cook and is looking forward to a long career serving the community. Greg and his husband John are “Dads” to two dogs, 10 cats and an opossum named Mabel.
He often reminds people that “Silence = Permission” and that, “It takes one voice. Let it be yours.”
Nicole Cornevin
Director of Case Management
Nicole Cornevin holds an MA in Psychology and obtained her BA from Texas A&M University – San Antonio. She joined Thrive Youth Center as a case manager in 2018, providing case management for both emergency shelter and housing program clients. Prior to joining Thrive, Nicole spent several years as a caseworker for the state investigating abuse and neglect of elderly and disabled individuals. Nicole also has experience in the corporate world, having held positions with American Express and USAA, and has volunteered with Fiesta Youth and Paws for Service in the past.
Nicole’s life experience of having dropped out of school after coming out as a teen shaped her desire to work with LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, with hopes of playing a part in showing them that they are not alone in their own life journey, no matter the circumstances.
When she’s not working, Nicole enjoys traveling, writing, doing creative artsy projects, interior decorating (translation: shopping), and spending time with her beloved dachshund Snoodle (who has her own Instagram and TikTok account).
Lauren Barrera
Housing Program Manager, Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program
Lauren grew up in San Antonio and is a graduate of William Howard Taft HS. She went on to attend college at San Antonio College where she studied journalism. Lauren began working in the nonprofit field at the San Antonio Food Bank in June 2015. While there, she assisted clients with applying for SNAP and Medicaid benefits. In October 2017, Lauren began working as an Incident Disaster Case Manager for BCFS. Lauren provided case management services for survivors of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Maria, the Paradise Campfire, and aided in the reunification process of more than 6,000 migrant children at the U.S. border.
Lauren began working for Thrive Youth Center in September 2019 after volunteering for almost 3 years. As a member of the LGBTQ community, the work Thrive Youth Center does resonates with Lauren and fuels her passion to make a difference in the lives of unhoused youth. Lauren believes the obstacles that LGBTQ homeless young adults face need to be met with compassion for what this population is forced to endure for trying to exist as their most authentic self, and reaction by guiding young adults and helping them overcome obstacles.
When not working, Lauren loves spending time with her partner, Les and caring for their many animals. Lauren also enjoys cooking, graphic design, and watching reruns of The Office on a seemingly infinite loop.
David Guajardo-High
Housing Program Manager, Continuum of Care
Born and raised in south Texas, David Guajardo-High completed his undergraduate work at Texas A&M University – San Antonio. He attended graduate school at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, where he received his master’s degree in special education community and support.
David has always been driven by helping others, and identifies as a happily married gay male, so working for Thrive Youth Center was a natural and perfect fit. He is one of two housing program managers and has enjoyed his employment with Thrive since July of 2019.
David and his husband eagerly await the day when they can once again travel safely, but for now, love each other’s company as well as the company of their three cats.
Maddie Kennedy
Case Manager
Maddie Kennedy is on an endless pursuit to make the world’s perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Until then, Maddie works as a case manager for the CoC Rapid Re-Housing Program at Thrive. Thrive has been a wonderful opportunity to build on their passion for community support and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Maddie studied Political Science and Spanish at Trinity University, where they led community organizing efforts in student groups and in local organizations.
When not at Thrive, you can find Maddie taking naps, cycling around San Antonio, or testing new breakfast spots around the city.
Bernard Aleman
Case Manager
Bernard Aleman joined Thrive Youth Center in 2021. Bernard came to Thrive with a background of over 25 years in various case management capacities, group home settings, and agency experience in serving youth and young adults. Bernard’s philosophy driving his professional case management work is that it isn’t just a job, it’s a mission. Bernard has appreciated the open and accepting environment at Thrive and looks forward to guiding young adults toward being the best version of themselves every day.
Erin Kirby
Case Manager
Erin Kirby attended a prestigious Catholic school in Seguin, TX, and later studied mass communications and psychology at San Antonio College, after which she planned to pursue her dream of joining a glam rock band in California. Life had a few other plans, and today, Erin is the proud mother to an adult daughter, along with being an important role model to Thrive’s emergency shelter youth. Erin has over 25 years of experience in the retail field working for companies such as Toys R Us and Nordstrom, and also has extensive experience working in school settings, childcare, and nanny positions.
Erin first became interested in joining the Thrive team after hearing about the various ways Thrive staff help the youth they work with. Always up for a challenge, Erin excels in a constantly changing environment, as every day in Thrive’s emergency shelter is different. Erin enjoys knowing that she is working for an organization that is helping to make a difference in youth’s lives, and takes pride in the sense of accomplishment this brings to her work.
While Erin is passionate about the young adults she works with, she is equally passionate about animals. When Erin wins the lottery, she will likely be found in a tropical destination as an exotic animal caretaker. Erin is a big fan of reggaeton, bachata, salsa, and merengue music and enjoys horror movies, criminal minds, cooking, baking, reading, fashion, fast & furious cars, and spending time with her two furbabies.
Dustin Castillo
Case Manager
Dustin Castillo is a Texas native, born in El Paso and raised in San Antonio, TX. He graduated from UTSA with a Bachelors in public administration with a minor in nonprofit management. Dustin was recently accepted and enrolled at UTSA to pursue a Masters in Public Administration with a Graduate Certificate of Nonprofit Administration and Leadership. Dustin brings 5 years experience of interdisciplinary case management with mental health/substance use, HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQIA community to his position at Thrive.
When not at work, Dustin’s hobbies include eating, gardening, singing, meditation, and spending time outdoors in nature. Dustin is the proud “furfather” to four pugs and a cat.
Brian Hodges
Life Skills Case Manager
Brian Hodges obtained his Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies from Texas Lutheran University. Previously working in the higher education field at University of Texas at San Antonio, Brian was drawn to Thrive Youth Center for the important advocacy and difference the organization makes in the San Antonio community. In his free time, Brian has studied and performed in local theatre around our city.
Hannah Bruno
Street Outreach Specialist
Hannah Bruno received her social work degree from Texas State University and is currently working on completing her law degree. Her favorite part of her job is interacting with and learning from the youth on a daily basis. When she isn’t working at Thrive, Hannah is busy wrangling her herd of animals at home (four dogs and Fig Newton the cat).
Andrea Cantu
Street Outreach Specialist
Andrea received her BA in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2017 and her MSW from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2020.
Before joining the Thrive team, Andrea worked as a youth engagement advocate with youth in the foster care system. Andrea was also previously an intern at Haven for Hope where she learned about the joy of working with Bexar county’s homeless population.
Although Andrea enjoyed working with the homeless population previously, when she heard of Thrive Youth Center and the work they were doing to help young LGBTQ+ youth, she knew she’d be helping a community that has continued to gain a strong presence in Bexar county. Andrea loves being able to interact with youth from all backgrounds but is especially honored to be able to witness Thrive’s youth successfully complete all their goals while enrolled in the Thrive program.
When Andrea isn’t out in the community doing outreach, she enjoys taking her doggo for hikes around San Antonio. Andrea is also a musician and enjoys playing music with her friends on the weekends.