Staff

Steven J Fournier, Lt Colonel (USAF Retired), Executive Director

Steve was born into a large family in Michigan. He went to a small high school and earned his way into the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Steve graduated with a B.S. in Human Factors Engineering and went to pilot training. He spent 21 years as an officer/pilot in the US Air Force, earned two Master’s degrees and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Steve was a stay at home dad for 4 years and then completed another Master’s degree, this time from UT Austin at the McCombs School of Business. He started consulting for 3 startup businesses and volunteered at the Burke Center for Youth for 2 years. The Burke Board of Directors hired Steve to help lead the Burke Team in 2015. We have successfully transformed, with the help of the community, our 55 acre ranch and our 3 CPAs (Child Placement Agencies) into a world class organization that helps Texas Foster Children who are in need. Steve is married and has 4 amazing young adult children.

Steve
John

John (Jack) Morrel, LCSW, LCCA / Treatment Director, Driftwood Ranch

Jack started college studying religion at St. Edwards University in 1976 but ended up graduating with a Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas in 1998. Jack then spent 6 years at Woodside Trails Residential Treatment Center in Smithville as a therapist and then 5 years at the Settlement Home in Austin before coming to the Burke Center for Youth in December 2009. It was right before Christmas and the first thing Jack was asked to do by Burke was deliver presents to foster homes. They loaded up his truck to overflowing, handed him a list of names and addresses to people he had never met, and sent him flying down the highway to San Antonio. He didn’t get back until 2 am but, by then, he definitely felt a lot like Santa and he knew he’d finally landed where he belonged.

Richard Urbina, Program Director, Driftwood  Ranch

Richard has been employed by the Burke Center for Youth since 2002. In addition to overseeing all staff and resident aspects of Driftwood Ranch, he is an Emergency Behavior Intervention Specialist and Master Level Instructor of Crisis Intervention Strategies. Earlier in his career, Richard provided Assault Management training for military, law enforcement, and qualified civilians. He believes that helping the most vulnerable and innocent among us is a shared responsibility.

Richard
Jaqi

Jaqi Sloan, Operations Coordinator, Driftwood Ranch

With passion for efficient work and IT, Jaqi has been integral in launching the Burke Center for Youth’s digital transformation process. She began her service at the Burke Center as a Care Counselor. In just under two years she simplified the way medications are provided for the residents, created a mobile app for the direct care staff, and was named Care Counselor of the Year for 2017. Jaqi then became the Case Manager for all residents at Driftwood RTC, and continued the digital transformation with a HIPAA compliant ecosystem that has automated sharing child files with all parties who need access, automated report submission, etc. Currently, Jaqi is the Operations Coordinator tasked with Quality Assurance, Accreditation, Training (CPI Instructor & Lifeguard Instructor), and continuing to transform how IT is used to grow and improve care for the children the Burke Center serves. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and was formerly an NREMT- Paramedic.

Raven Chavez, Case Manager, Driftwood Ranch

Raven graduated from St. Edward’s University in fall of 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminology and a minor in Social Work. During her college career, she volunteered at the Austin Child Guidance Center and helped establish the Beta Phi Zeta chapter of The American Criminal Justice Association – Lambda Alpha Epsilon at her university. She has a passion for structural and policy changes within the Social Work field and will continue to gain knowledge and experience during her time here at Driftwood Ranch.

Raven
Mr Z

Joshua Zamora, Case Manager, Driftwood Ranch

Josh obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English from Texas State University San Marcos in 2008. He began his career in the IT field and did that work for 10 years but found himself gravitating towards management. In 2019, Josh began working at Driftwood Ranch as a Care Counselor, became a supervisor, and is now a Case Manager. Mr. Z, as he goes by around here, believes that building trust and positive rapport with people are the best tools for success.

Micaela Rodriguez, Supervisor, Corpus Christi CPA

Micaela has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Her experience includes working with children that have mental or behavioral problems at a County facility for over 7 years and with Child Placement Agencies for more than 10 years. In addition, Micaela worked with the Department of Family and Protective Services in the Adoption Unit for 4 years. Her passion is working with families and children. She has two daughters, 4 grandchildren and enjoy movies, gardening, family gatherings and reading in her spare time. Micaela runs the Corpus Christi Child Placing Agency office.

Micaela
Adela

Adela Lopez, Supervisor, Laredo CPA

Adela obtained a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from Texas A&M International University in 2007. She began her career working with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for five years. There she worked as a conservatorship caseworker for foster children. In 2013 Adela began working at Burke Center Child Placing Agency in Laredo as a case manager. She also worked as a Social Services Worker at Border Region Behavioral Health Center. Adela loves working with children and youth. In 2016 she decided to return to working with foster children at Burke Center and is currently the Supervisor for the Laredo Child Placing Agency office.