Children’s Safe Harbor appoints Reynaldo Saludares as board president and announces new board members

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX -- Children’s Safe Harbor has recently appointed Reynaldo Saludares as the President of the Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term, along with several new board members. Children’s Safe Harbor is a children’s advocacy center with a mission to achieve justice, healing, and hope for every child victim of severe physical abuse, sexual assault, child sex trafficking, neglect, and trauma, and to engage the community in that mission.

Reynaldo Saludares steps to the helm after serving on the board since 2019, most recently as Vice President and Treasurer before that. Saludares is Vice President of Texican Oil and Gas, LLC, and consults as a Reservoir Engineering Manager for Iron Orchard, LLC. He holds an MBA from Rice University – Jones School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin.

The new Executive Committee board leadership team includes: Board Vice President Paul Purcell, Executive Director, Montgomery County Medical Society; Board Treasurer Kate Sloan, Managing Partner, The Sloan Group; and Board Secretary Yesenia Herrera, Assistant Vice President, Woodforest National Bank.

The newest community and partner agencies members to join the board are Adam Acosta, Captain, Montgomery County Constable Precinct 3; Elan Micah Crane, Founder, Wheelhouse Virtual Solution; Donna Hansen, JD, Felony Division Chief, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office; Todd Hoff, Sergeant SVU, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Nichole Smith, Program Director, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services; and Ron Cooke, Founder, Lake Conroe Condos.

Returning board members include Robert Austria, Regional Manager, Woodforest National Bank; Faith Casperson, Retired Head Nurse, CISD; Dr. Tom Casperson, Retired Anesthesiologist; Dwight Johnson, Retired Sergeant, CISD Police Department; Jill Parker, Real Estate Manager; Cynthia Schlanger, Chief Compliance Officer, Onyx Bridge Wealth Group; and Laura Smith, VP Property Manager, The Patrinely Group.

Founded 26 years ago, Children’s Safe Harbor’s team of multi-disciplinary partners (i.e. law enforcement and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services) has helped over 28,000 children ages 2 - 17 in one centrally-located safe place to be heard, helped, and healed. It serves the counties of Montgomery, Walker, and San Jacinto.

The goal of Children’s Safe Harbor is to reduce the trauma of child victims and their non-offending caregivers by facilitating a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary team approach to intervention, forensic interviewing, investigation, prosecution, counseling, and treatment of child sexual abuse and severe physical abuse. Children’s Safe Harbor is in the midst of a capital campaign for the construction of a new, expanded building in Conroe set for completion in the third quarter of 2025.

“I am truly humbled and honored to lead the stellar Board of Directors for Children’s Safe Harbor, especially as we embark upon the construction of our new, expanded facility which will nearly double this advocacy center’s space,” said Saludares. “As we embark upon this year of transition, we are committed to capitalizing on the time, talent, and treasure unique to each Board member to become ‘multipliers’ for our partners and the communities CSH serves. Additionally, we are planning several fundraising opportunities and encourage the community to support these endeavors to ensure CSH continues to help the victims and families achieve justice, healing, and hope.”

Victoria Constance, MSPH, Ph.D., Executive Director and CEO of the Board of Directors for Children’s Safe Harbor, added, “We welcome Reynaldo’s leadership as well as our new and returning board members. These outstanding individuals graciously share their resources to support our mission and guide us toward completing our new ‘gateway’ building. Since the inception of our center 26 years ago, we have served more than 28,000 young innocent victims, and the cases continue to increase in complexity each year. As one of the largest children’s advocacy centers in Texas, we encourage the community to support us in the battle against child abuse and the movement toward healing for traumatized children.”

Children’s Safe Harbor is a 501 © 3 nonprofit corporation. For more information, and to view updates on the construction progress of the new building and the capital campaign donor opportunities, visit www.ChildrensSafeHarbor.org.