Staff

Rachel Astorga-McCain has worked as Hand to Hold’s Director of Programs since 2018. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Learning and Development as well as an Executive Master of Public Affairs degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Prior to joining Hand to Hold, Rachel worked for the Prevention and Early Intervention division at the Department of Family & Protective Services (DFPS) managing strategic cross-state agency efforts. She also served as project manager for the federal Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grant. Rachel previously served as the Director of Community Education at Any Baby Can of Austin, Inc. where she coordinated outreach efforts and managed cross-sector partnerships. She also served as  the Family Education Program Manager overseeing family literacy and parenting education programs for Austin area families.

Rachel currently resides in Austin, TX with her husband, two children, and their dog. She experienced first-hand the exhausting emotional and physical toll a NICU stay can have on a parent after her daughter was born at 26 weeks gestation and spent 81 days in the NICU. She now enjoys family outings to Austin parks and swimming spots, British dramas, adult coloring books and running as weather permits in this Texas heat!

Sarah Inbau joined the Hand to Hold team as Chief Growth Officer in 2022.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire and is a NICU mom.

Sarah served on the Hand to Hold Executive Board of Directors from 2020-2022. She brings broad experience from a multi-disciplinary career with a blend of strategic vision, digital innovation, data driven insights planning and cross-functional leadership orchestration. Prior to relocating to Austin, TX and launching GrowthCycle Consulting, she spent 15+ years with Kimberly-Clark Corporation working on iconic brands including Huggies® and Kleenex®. 

Inbau is a seasoned marketer with depth of experience in brand, product and cause marketing, digital transformation, creative & media development, and strategic partnerships. She is also an experienced cross-functional leader with demonstrated results and learning agility in Operations, Research & Engineering, Procurement, and Supply Chain roles.

Inbau is a passionate leader and coach who believes in leading with a daily combination of head, heart and humor. She lives in Austin, TX with her husband Christian, two sons, Dawson and Parker, and Dempsey the Goldendoodle. 

Katrina Moline joined Hand to Hold as the Operations Director in 2018. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communications from Texas State University. 

Katrina has been a part of the Hand to Hold family since 2009, receiving peer-to-peer mentoring after the birth of her son at 24 weeks and later serving as a peer mentor herself. Prior to Hand to Hold, she spent 14 years as an Account Manager at Screen Solutions, Inc. and is grateful for the opportunity to focus her time and talents on a mission so near and dear to her heart.

Katrina lives in Austin, TX, and enjoys reading, spending time with family and friends and being outdoors.

Christine started as a Hand to Hold peer mentor in 2015 and then Family Support Specialist at St David’s Medical Center, Austin a year later. In 2018, she became a certified Mental Health Peer Specialist, and has completed additional training with Postpartum Support International and Seleni on maternal mental health, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and perinatal loss. As Program Manager since 2020, her responsibilities include overseeing the team of Family Support Specialists in hospitals across Texas and Hand to Hold’s activities in our partner hospitals. 

Christine and her husband had two very different but challenging experiences in the NICU.Their first baby, a preemie daughter was born at 28 weeks with severe IUGR. After six weeks in the NICU, she passed away due to complications following two diagnoses of NEC. In spite of carefully managed subsequent pregnancies, these did not go to plan either.Their second child was born at 37 weeks, and their third pregnancy also ended with a delivery just before term. Diagnosed with a heart defect the day after birth, their son required lifesaving, corrective surgery a few days later. Fortunately, the outcome was very different to their first NICU stay and they were able to take their son home after two weeks. 

Christine understands the challenges parents may face when they arrive in the NICU and are overwhelmed by their new environment and learning how to bond with and care for their baby. She also helps them understand that even a short term NICU stay can have a huge impact on a person’s emotional and mental wellbeing. She encourages parents to advocate for themselves and their baby, especially when there are language and cultural challenges, as well as to take the time to care for themselves throughout their stay and beyond.

Christine is proud of her cross-cultural identity and extensive travel experiences, and loves parents to share the individual or family traditions and beliefs that they want to share with their baby.  She speaks English, Spanish and some French.

Whitney joined Hand to Hold as a peer mentor in August 2018 and became a Family Support Specialist for Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in February 2020. She is a certified Mental Health Peer Specialist and as a Family Support Specialist, she is responsible for supporting NICU families virtually or in person either one-on-one or in group settings, all with a goal to reduce the negative impact of a NICU stay and ensure the best outcome for the entire family.

Whitney gave birth to her first premature baby at 34 weeks and her daughter, Kolbie, spent one month in the NICU. Three years later she gave birth to her son, Kase, at just 24 weeks gestation. After having already spent time in the NICU she remembers how scared she was knowing she would have to go back through another NICU journey. Kase was born a few hours away from home so being apart from her family and friends was extremely tough. He spent four and a half months in the NICU which included several surgeries, some really hard days and also some pretty incredible moments.

She is very passionate about sharing her story to help other families navigate their journey through the NICU and believes that giving back to others is very important.

Jenny Landry is Hand to Hold’s Peer Mentor Program Coordinator, connecting parents just starting out on their NICU journey with NICU graduate parents who are trained as peer mentors and provide one-on-one support.

Jenny truly loves being able to provide support for families who have a NICU stay or experience the loss of a baby. No one knows what it is like except for someone who has been through it, and that kind of support is so meaningful. She carefully selects the best mentors possible for each parent, so that the relationship can be as impactful as possible.

Palmira joined Hand to Hold in 2021 in the role of Family Support Specialist at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. As a Family Support Specialist she is responsible for supporting NICU families in person either one-on-one or in group settings, all with a goal to reduce the negative impact of a NICU stay and ensure the best outcome for the entire family. She works at providing support to NICU families through validating their experience and instilling hope grounded in personal experience. Her passion has always been to be a positive influence to those around her.  She acquired a Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies as a Bilingual Generalist teaching elementary children. After several years teaching, she acknowledged her purpose was found in sharing her story. This is her way of paying it forward, life has come full circle. 

Palmira’s NICU journey began in 2005 when her baby girl was born at 37 weeks when induced due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby’s neck. She quickly realized the road ahead would be filled with a multitude of challenges. Despite this notion, no one could have prepared her for the emotions that impacted her life. Her daughter was born with multiple genetic disorders which affect almost every major organ system in her body. After 16 years of countless surgeries, medical procedures, and hospital stays, Palmira’s daughter is now a teenager who is extraordinarily resilient, and wise beyond her years. 

Palmira se unió a Hand to Hold en 2021 como Especialista en Apoyo Familiar en el hospital Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas. Como Especialista en Apoyo Familiar, es responsable de brindarles apoyo a las familias que tienen un hijo/a en la NICU —sea de forma grupal o individual— con el objetivo de reducir el impacto negativo de la estadía en la NICU y asegurar el mejor resultado posible para toda la familia. Trabaja para proporcionar apoyo a las familias de la NICU validando su experiencia y dándoles esperanza sobre la base de su propia experiencia. Su pasión siempre ha sido ser una influencia positiva en quienes la rodean.  

Obtuvo una Licenciatura en Estudios Interdisciplinarios como generalista bilingüe enseñando a niños de primaria.  Tras varios años enseñando, reconoció que su propósito era compartir su historia.  Esta es su manera de devolver a la comunidad y cerrar el círculo de la vida.

El recorrido de Palmira en la NICU comenzó en 2005, cuando su hija nació a las 37 semanas de gestación. El parto tuvo que ser inducido porque el cordón umbilical se había enrollado alrededor del cuello de la bebé.  Rápidamente se dio cuenta de que el camino que tenía por delante estaría lleno de retos.  A pesar de ello, nadie podría haberla preparado para las emociones que impactaron en su vida.  La niña nació con múltiples trastornos genéticos que afectan a casi todos los sistemas principales de su cuerpo.  Después de 16 años de innumerables cirugías, intervenciones médicas y estancias en el hospital, la niña es ahora una adolescente extraordinariamente resistente y con una gran sabiduría para su edad.  

Lexi Losch joined Hand to Hold in December 2018 as the Community Engagement Specialist to bring awareness to the Austin community about the many ways that Hand to Hold can socially and emotionally support families before, during and after a NICU experience. She lives in Pflugerville, TX, with her husband and three children. She holds a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master’s in Higher Education from the University of Miami. Lexi recently completed a Master’s in Professional Counseling, as she realized after her own experience with perinatal mood disorders, that there weren’t enough resources and mental health clinicians of color dedicated to supporting the transition into motherhood and beyond.

Alexis Stocks is a Family Support Specialist at Hand to Hold helping to reduce the negative impact of a NICU stay and ensuring the best outcome for the entire family. She supports NICU families at Baylor University Medical Center Dallas.

Alexis received her Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2013 and has had many years of experience working with vulnerable families within the community providing support and resources.

Alexis strives to be a listening ear and a resource for families. Although Alexis’s first son was born prematurely 21 years ago, she vividly remembers the emotions surrounding the experience. Her subsequent experiences with postpartum depression following the birth of her two other children have given her a unique insight into the emotional toll parents face when lacking adequate support.

Alexis moved to Texas from Wisconsin in 2018 and lives in the Dallas area with her family. 

As the Programs Administrative Assistant, Teresa assists with the day to day tasks that revolve around the Hand to Hold programs department. She works closely with the Director of Programs and the program managers to ensure projects are completed and deadlines are met. She also helps the Family Support Specialists with the coordination of family events and activities in the hospitals. As Teresa is also a NICU graduate parent, she will be co-facilitating some Virtual Support Groups.

Before her daughter was born, it was discovered that she had an omphalocele. This is an abdominal wall defect that causes your abdominal contents to form on the outside of your body. Unsure of what the future would look like for them, she and her spouse as first time parents, remained positive and tried to plan and prepare as much as they could. Because of their daughter’s condition, they knew that a NICU stay after birth would be upon them, but they did not know how long it would be once her omphalocele became stable enough for her to go home. After a few failed attempts of trying to wean her down on her respiratory support, they learned that she had underdeveloped lungs and that she would need to receive a tracheostomy requiring ventilator support. During their 7 ½ month NICU stay, Teresa learned about Hand to Hold and that is where she met Christine Tester, a Hand to Hold Family Support Specialist.  Teresa always admired the work this organization did and knew she wanted to be a part of it one way or another. 

Over the years, Christine and Teresa kept in touch. Christine connected Teresa with a few women going through similar situations with their NICU babies. She feels it has been such a blessing providing that support and listening ear to others in hard times such as life in the NICU.

David is a Family Support Specialist at Hand to Hold focusing on support for fathers. He earned his BBA from St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX. David hopes to provide compassion, understanding, resources, and foster a safe space for dads to process their time in the NICU and at home. David also hopes to open the floor for bereaved fathers to talk about their grief and loss experiences.

David’s daughter, Penny, was born at 31 weeks, after a driver pulled out in front of his wife, requiring an emergency delivery. Penny suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). David and his wife spent 82 days in the NICU and eventually went home with Penny on hospice. She passed away at eight months old. This loss and his family’s combined NICU experience deeply impacted him. His family’s experience showed David how much care and support is truly needed for NICU parents, both in the NICU and at home.

David lives in Austin with his wife, Rose, and son, Diego. He enjoys spending time with his family, listening to music, and playing guitar. David appreciates the small things in life and is very happy to be able to serve along other NICU parents and staff at Hand to Hold.

Sara (pronouns: they/them/elle) is a bilingual and bicultural Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) offering mental health services in Spanish and English to NICU families at Hand to Hold. While they have not had a NICU experience, they are incredibly passionate about promoting perinatal health by providing inclusive, holistic, and survivor-centered psychotherapy and psychoeducation under the clinical supervision of René Gaitan, LCSW-S. Sara strongly believes that their life purpose is to empathetically support folks through their experiences of trauma, grief, and loss as someone who has had their own healing journey from trauma.

Following a birth companion training offered by Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, Sara was inspired to join other folks working to address racial health inequities affecting families of color. They have prior experience offering trauma support to Latinx populations, LGBT+ folks, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, asylum seekers, and communities of color. In their psychotherapy, Sara uses an intersectional feminist, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach that honors people’s identities, cultures, and experiences.

For their graduate education, Sara earned a Master of Arts in Latin American Studies and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. Sara also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Spanish from Vanderbilt University. In their spare time, Sara enjoys swimming, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling–basically any quality time in nature is great! Sara also loves regularly practicing yoga and meditation as part of their self-care practice. Sara is a proud Austinite and second-generation Salvadoran-American.

Sara (pronombres: elle) es une asistente trabajadore social bilingüe y bicultural que ofrece servicios de salud mental en español e inglés a familias con bebés en UCIN en Hand to Hold. A pesar de que nunca ha tenido un bebé en una UCIN, le apasione mucho promover la salud perinatal para padres con ofrecer psicoterapia y psicoeducación inclusivas y holísticas bajo la supervisión clínica de René Gaitan (supervisor de trabajo social clínico). Sara cree firmemente que el propósito de su vida es ayudar a otros a lidiar con sus experiencias traumáticas, su dolor y sus pérdidas como alguien que ha superado sus propias experiencias traumáticas.

Tras una formación de acompaño de parto ofrecida por Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, Sara se sintió inspirada para unirse a otras personas que trabajan para abordar las desigualdades raciales que afectan a las familias de color en el ámbito de la salud. Tiene experiencia previa en ofrecer apoyo para traumas a poblaciones latinxs, personas LGBT+, sobrevivientes de violencia doméstica y agresión sexual, personas que buscan asilo y comunidades de color. En su psicoterapia, Sara utiliza un enfoque interseccional feminista, informado sobre el trauma y basado en las fortalezas que honra las identidades, culturas y experiencias de las personas.

Nora, a transplant to Austin from Chicago, joined the Hand to Hold team as Development Coordinator in 2021. She has worked in the nonprofit sector via the performing arts since getting her degree in Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University. Nora’s experience in marketing, operations, and development has given her the tools to advocate for the work she believes in.

Nora was drawn to H2H’s mission after having close family members experience late miscarriages. She is excited to help bring awareness to the mission while supporting and empowering families dealing with NICU stays.

Renli recently joined Hand to Hold as the Online Store Coordinator.  She is a small-town girl originally from Merkel, TX.  After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Angelo State University, she spent her first four years teaching in McCamey, TX, and the next 10 years in Leander ISD, until her own children were of school-age and she became a stay-at-home mom.

She quickly realized the need for a creative outlet and opened an Etsy shop offering home decor and gifts from 2011-2016.  The opportunity to join the world of direct sales/social retail was presented to her in 2015 and she has been involved with 4 different businesses over the past six years.  This allows her to live the dream she’s always had of owning a boutique. For a brief period, Renli designed closets and worked in insurance, but always returned to social retail.

Renli is blessed to be the mom of two teenagers. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her family, attending the kids’ activities, serving as their personal taxi service, and enjoying a glass of wine.

In late 2020 Chaney decided to pivot her career to the nonprofit world, and she joined the Hand to Hold team in 2021. Chaney works alongside the Development and Programs teams to get the word out about Hand to Hold so NICU parents know that they are not alone in their journey. She is excited to contribute to Hand to Hold her marketing and advertising sales background as well as her positivity and glue gun skills. Chaney lives in Austin, TX with her high school sweetheart husband and their two rescue dogs.

Leigh Ann Torres is a writer, creator and mother of three living in Austin, TX. After a short and sudden bout with severe preeclampsia, Leigh Ann’s identical twin girls were delivered at 31 weeks, spending 38 mostly uneventful days in the NICU. Two years later the Torres family welcomed another baby, this time at term, with only a mild case of preeclampsia. Leigh Ann currently runs Hand to Hold’s online content and social media channels. When she’s not doing laundry or fulfilling requests for snacks, she usually has her nose stuck in a book.

Alicia resides in Austin with her husband and three beautiful daughters. A former native of New Orleans, LA, she and Christopher met at a conference while working in the specialty banking field. She was quickly swept off her feet and moved to Dallas, TX. They have been in Austin since 2009. Alicia has owned her own floral and event business and has worked as an Executive Assistant/Office and Design Coordinator for a large Church in Dallas. Alicia’s own miscarriages have given her a passion for NICU and bereaved families. She enjoys working to bring her creative touch to the events for families in the NICU.

Mary Dudley is the proud mother of Hand to Hold’s Founder and Executive Director, Kelli Dudley Kelley. Mary has been with Hand to Hold from the very beginning. Her first visit to a NICU was the night her first grandson was born at 24 weeks. Mary has been by Kelli’s side through the whole journey and is proud to be working as Administrator Coordinator. Mary has been a legal secretary, an assistant to a bank president, the owner and operator of a retail garden center and manager of a health club. She says working for Hand to Hold is living a dream come true with her daughter, helping ensure NICU Families like their own receive support that they so desperately needed 17 years ago. Mary recently celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary and is looking forward to moving to the Austin area to be close to her two daughters and five grandchildren.

Kailee is the Executive Assistant here at Hand to Hold. She is originally from Houston, TX, but moved to Austin in 2016 to pursue a degree in Human Relations at The University of Texas. She enjoys doing all things outdoors and spending time with her partner and their son, Elliott.

Kailee was first introduced to the NICU when her younger sister, Baylee, was born at just 24 weeks. Her sister is now almost nine years old and is the most energetic and full of life person Kailee knows. The time her family spent in the NICU was very impactful and a lot of her career interests can be attributed to this experience.

Jessica has been with Hand to Hold since 2014 and serves as the organization’s Grants Manager, bringing 10+ years of fundraising and public relations experience to the team. She is a graduate of Kansas State University and a Kansas City native. Jessica loves creativity, podcasts and raising two energetic boys with her husband Jesús.