Carrying Hope Board Members

Maria Fechter

Maria Fechter

Board President

Maria grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and also lived in Southern California. She moved to Austin seven years ago. Prior to becoming a stay at home mom, her professional background was in Case Management and Behavioral Counseling, primarily working with at-risk youth. She has a passion for volunteering, especially when benefiting the foster care community and animal shelters. Maria is married to her husband Jeff and has two teenage kids, Avery and Lucas.  

Brooke Ames

Brooke Ames

Board Vice President

Brooke Ames is a native Texan, born and raised in Temple. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Public Relations, she remained in Austin where she has been ever since, building a career in software marketing. Brooke enjoys traveling with her husband, playing tennis, and crafting. She is passionate about helping underprivileged children and is a strong believer in Carrying Hope’s mission.
Nancy McBee

Nancy McBee

Board Treasurer

Nancy is a finance and tech professional based in Austin, where she’s lived since attending St. Edward’s University. Originally from Houston, she’s built her career in high-growth environments while staying grounded in her community. Nancy is passionate about supporting children and families and is proud to serve on the board of Carrying Hope to help provide comfort and essentials to youth entering the foster care system. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, staying active, and spending time with her husband, two kids, and their dog.
Abeer Thomson

Abeer Thomson

Board Secretary

Abeer is a proud alum of The University of Texas at Austin (Hook ’em!) and has called Austin home since 2009. She is now Senior Director of Software Engineering at Q2 and brings over a decade of nonprofit volunteer experience, including mentoring collegiate women leaders. Inspired by summers in Honduras where she witnessed the challenges faced by those less fortunate, Abeer is deeply committed to service. Now as a mom of two young children, she pours her heart into Carrying Hope’s mission to provide comfort to children in foster care.
Joy Sewing

Joy Sewing

Board Member

Joy is an award-winning columnist at the Houston Chronicle. A former foster parent, Joy has written extensively about her experiences navigating the child-welfare system, sharing her final adoption story in April 2023. The Houston native is dedicated to community service through her non-profit organization, Year of Joy, which has provided educational, cultural, and joyful experiences for children from Houston’s underserved communities, including children in foster care, for a decade. More than 1,000 children have attended her annual Year of Joy Holiday Ice Skating Party.  
Krista Rosas

Krista Rosas

Board Member

Krista is passionate about serving children and families in her community. She and her husband, Joseph, are raising their 4-year-old son, Xander, which makes Carrying Hope’s mission especially meaningful to her. Krista brings 16 years of leadership experience in banking and digital innovation, but her heart for giving back is what truly drives her. She is honored to join the Carrying Hope board and looks forward to helping bring comfort and hope to children entering foster care during some of their most difficult moments.
Roger Clayton

Roger Clayton

Board Member

Roger is a native Houstonian who made good on his promise to his wife, Karen, of 43 years to move to the Austin area in May of 2015. Professionally, Roger has been a software implementor for over 45 years. His passions outside of work include singing where he led the Praise Team at his church in Houston for almost 15 years. Since moving to Georgetown, he stays active umpiring high school baseball. He and Karen have two children and five grandchildren. It is through his grandchildren and Karen that he came to know Carrying Hope. Since Karen’s passing in September 2024, he has focused on continuing her legacy to become a board member of this incredible organization and looks forward to many years of service.
Lindsey Autry

Lindsey Autry

Board Member

Lindsey is a mother of two who fell in love with Austin and moved here in 2009. She graduated in 2007 with a degree in elementary education and was an elementary school teacher for 15 years. Her time during those years was spent helping many students and families in the foster care system to receive the love and care that they needed and deserved. During her free time, Lindsey enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, art, playing tennis and mahjong, celebrating holidays, design, and cleaning (not cooking). She has always been an advocate of helping others, volunteering whenever possible with various local organizations. She is passionate about helping underprivileged youth and a strong believer in Carrying Hope’s mission. 
maximiliano Mauriz

maximiliano Mauriz

Board Member

Originally from Santiago, Chile, Max moved to the United States with his mother when he was 8 years old. After attending school and working in various cities in North and Latin America, he now calls Austin home and is committed to contributing to Carrying Hope’s Board and to the organization’s notable mission. 

Joy King

Joy King

Board Member

Joy King is an HR Professional with over 15 years of experience. She has served in both Director and Manager roles for two Universities as well as in the hospitality industry.  She is a graduate of Purdue University where she earned a BS in Management with a focus on International Business and Economics. She also holds a BA in Spanish and has experience teaching bilingual and Spanish classes for local school districts. Joy has two children and enjoys traveling, outdoor activities and spending time with family and friends.

Tiffany Allen

Tiffany Allen

Board Member

Tiffany is a Texas native from Amarillo and a devoted single mother of two with firsthand experience navigating both poverty and the challenges of the child welfare system. Her personal journey has inspired her to advocate for change and ensure that every child and parent feels seen, supported, and understood. Tiffany is passionate about becoming a Peer Support Specialist, using her lived experience, empathy, and resilience to bridge the gap between children, parents, and foster families. Her goal is to help create a more compassionate and effective support system for families in need. Tiffany is honored to join Carrying Hope’s board, where she hopes to use her experience and compassion to make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families.