Originally from Florida, Rita was raised in the Methodist Church, which instilled in her the belief that while people change, God remains constant. She married her husband, Tony, whom she met during jury duty, and relocated to Texas, where she worked as an Executive Assistant in a small nonprofit. She and Tony have raised five children, four of whom they welcomed through adoption.

Her passion for serving the homeless is deeply rooted in her faith journey and life experiences. Anyone who has heard her testify knows Rita is heartbroken and burdened by the grace of God for the homeless. She started Bags of Grace at her mother’s kitchen table 20 years ago, and what began as one woman’s mission became an organization serving thousands of homeless and inspiring countless other brothers and sisters in Christ into service.

Read Rita’s powerful testimony.

Walt has recently retired from the hospitality industry. During his career, he was vice president of operations for several major hotel management companies, overseeing full-service hotels, resorts, and conference centers throughout the United States. Most recently, he oversaw a portfolio of senior living communities.

Walt and his wife Joyce have been married for 45 years. They have been active Hill Country Bible Church members for 19 years and have been involved with Bags of Grace for the past two years. Walt where he has served as an usher and a small group leader.

Walt has been serving with Bags of Grace for the past two years and now chairs the Board of Directors. He also volunteers with Drive A Senior Northwest.

Wayne Graham spent 20 years as an audit manager in public accounting before transitioning to the private sector, where he has served as CFO and owner of multiple investment companies. With a decade of nonprofit board experience with an Austin-based land conservancy, Wayne brings valuable leadership and expertise to Bags of Grace.

Wayne and his wife Michelle have been married for ten years and are dedicated members of Hill Country Bible Church, Steiner Ranch, where they serve on the Connections Team.

After two years of volunteering with Bags of Grace, Wayne joined the Board of Directors in 2024, and Michelle now serves as Volunteer Engagement Committee Chair.

Roneale recently retired from a leadership role at Providence Health & Services, where she supported community relations programs and managed special projects.

Her work allowed her to serve her community in meaningful ways, including mission trips to Mexico, participating in the annual Los Angeles homeless count, and sewing blankets for the homeless using donated surgical materials alongside coworkers.

With over 25 years of experience working with volunteers, Roneale now serves as the Vice Chair of the Board at Bags of Grace. Her passion for serving those in need and supporting volunteer efforts continues to guide her work and dedication.

She is an active member of Hill Country Bible Church.

Teresa retired in 2020 from HID Global as Assistant Controller for the Americas. She also held senior accounting/finance manager positions in various industries.

She and her husband Scott of 44 years, are members of Marble Falls Baptist Church. Before their move to the Texas Hill Country, Teresa was a member of Bethany United Methodist Church where she served on various boards such as the Finance Committee, Bethany Foundation, and Board of Trustees.

Teresa has served as Secretary/Treasurer for Bags of Grace for 14 years.

Hans graduated from the University of Texas in 1996 with a degree in Computer Science and has worked in the high-tech industry for over 30 years. With more than 20 years of experience in capacitive touch technology, he currently serves as Director of Applications Engineering at SigmaSense, Inc., an innovative Austin startup.

Hans is a member of Summit Worship Center in Austin, where he met his wife, Ebony, while volunteering to serve the unhoused community. Since 2018, Hans has been a dedicated volunteer with Bags of Grace and is also actively involved with the Charlie Center and Mission Possible.

Together, Hans and Ebony are committed to serving those in need.

Matt is a seasoned finance leader with over 24 years of expertise in business process transformation, data integration, intelligent automation, and next-generation technologies.

He and his wife, Colleen, have been married for more than 20 years and are proud parents of twins. Originally from San Jose, California, they relocated to Austin in 2014. Formerly members of Holy Family and St. Thomas More, they are now active members of Hill Country Bible Church.

Since 2017, the family has volunteered with Bags of Grace, where Matt joined the Board of Directors in 2024. They are also involved with the Charlie Center, Feed My Starving Children, and other nonprofits serving those in need.

Jennifer is a digital marketing coach for non-profits, small businesses, and personal brands.

She enjoys a full life with her law enforcement husband, seven kids, two Visza pups, six bunnies, and the various chickens pecking around her backyard. Formerly at Hill Country Bible Church for many years, her family are now members of Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Jennifer has been hauling her gaggle of kids to Bags of Grace assemblies for ten years and celebrates that her children now love donating their Halloween candy and waiting at stoplights for His glory.

Today, she supports Bags of Grace through her marketing experience.