Board Staff

Paul Fletcher

Chief Executive Officer

Paul Fletcher is the Chief Executive Officer of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, the nonprofit community partnership providing no-cost recruitment, employment services, and childcare assistance, to businesses and job seekers in Central Texas. This nine-county region includes Bastrop; Blanco; Burnet; Caldwell; Fayette; Hays; Lee; Llano; and Williamson counties. He has been in this role since July 2017, after spending the previous 20 years as the workforce center operator for the 9-county Rural Capital Area. Paul graduated high school in Sugar Land, Texas, and is a Business Administration graduate of Abilene Christian University. Paul currently serves as the President for WinTexas which is the state association of workforce boards.

Diane Cook

Chief Operating Officer

Diane Tackett is the Chief Operating Officer of Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), the nonprofit community partnership providing no cost recruitment, employment services and child care assistance, to businesses and job seekers in Central Texas. This nine-county region includes Bastrop; Blanco; Burnet; Caldwell; Fayette; Hays; Lee; Llano; and Williamson counties. She has been in this role since August 2019.

Diane began her career in workforce development in 1999, as a Choices Career Specialist based in Austin, as part of Workforce Solutions Capital Area. In 2002, she transferred to WSRCA’s contractor as a Quality Assurance Specialist, and earned a promotion in 2003 to become the North Area Manager, overseeing three career centers in Williamson County, and serving as Program Manager for the Choices Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) Program.

During Diane's management tenure in the Rural Capital Area, she brought online the Choices Non-Custodial Parents program in Williamson County. After several years as the Area Manager, she was promoted to Deputy Director, and served in that position for two years. In 2012, she returned to the Capital Area to serve as the Deputy Director of Operations and Programs, and later the Director of Child Care Operations. Tackett moved on in 2017 to serve as a Policy Analyst with the Texas Workforce Commission. She joined the WSRCA Board Staff in 2019 as a Contracts Specialist, serving as a subject matter expert for the Child Care Services Program and introducing new innovations to streamline contract oversight and management.

Diane holds a Master of Science in Social Work, and a Bachelors in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.

Eric Stanfield

Chief Information Officer

Kelly Moreno

Chief Solutions Officer

Kelly Moreno is the Chief Solutions Officer at Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), your local nonprofit partner committed to helping Central Texans thrive. WSRCA proudly serves a nine-county region—including Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, and Williamson counties—providing no-cost job search support, child care assistance, and hiring solutions for businesses and families alike.

In her role, Kelly leads the charge in connecting students, job seekers, educators, and employers. She oversees community outreach, marketing, and a team of dedicated K–12 career coaches, while also managing regional initiatives that bring real-world learning and job opportunities to our local youth. She works closely with local leaders and elected officials to ensure that workforce solutions are tailored to the unique needs of every community WSRCA serves.

With a background in marketing for Fortune 100 and 500 companies and deep experience leading nonprofit programs, Kelly blends strategy with heart. She’s passionate about building strong relationships and making services accessible, personal, and impactful.

Kelly holds an MBA from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and a BS in Marketing from Oklahoma State University. At her core, she’s a connector—focused on helping people find meaningful work and supporting communities as they grow.

Sarah Ruddy

Chief Business Development Officer

Sarah serves as the Chief Business Development Officer with WSRCA. She is a native Austinite who has lived in Boston, MA, for the past 12 years, building a career in workforce development. Sarah has held leadership roles in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. In her most recent role as Senior Director of Business Development at JVS Boston, she interfaced with business leaders, governmental representatives, foundations, community-based organizations, and job seekers to ensure that new workforce programs exceeded market expectations, were well-funded, and met job seekers' needs.

Sarah holds a Master of Social Work from Boston College and a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin.

Linda Williamson

Director of Contracts

Chris Myers

Director of Contracts

Nellie Reyes

Director of Procurement

Gwen Snyder

Director of Contracts - Child Care and Early Learning

Gwen Snyder is the Director of Child Care at Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), your local nonprofit partner committed to helping Central Texans thrive. WSRCA proudly serves a nine-county region—including Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, and Williamson counties—providing no-cost job search support, child care assistance, and hiring solutions for businesses and families alike.

Gwen brings a well-rounded background in education, sales, and policy and technical assistance to her work in early childhood programs. She has extensive experience supporting the Child Care Scholarship Program and has worked closely with the Texas Workforce Commission, boards, and contractors to help improve access to quality child care for families across Texas. 

Gwen is deeply passionate about early childhood education and the critical brain development that happens from birth to age five. Her work is driven by a strong belief in building systems that truly support young children, their families, and the early childhood professionals who serve them. She attended both Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University–Kingsville, and continues to dedicate her career to making a positive impact in the lives of young children and their families.

Brian Hernandez

Director of Public Relations

Brian Hernandez serves as the Director of Public Relations for Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), where he leads strategic media partnerships to amplify the organization’s mission of connecting people with quality jobs and employers with quality talent. His work centers on building trusted relationships with media outlets, crafting compelling narratives, and ensuring WSRCA’s voice is a leading source on workforce development across Central Texas.

Derek Grossenbacher

Executive Office Manager

Michael Sartain

Network Security Administrator

Joe Veth

Systems Administrator

Eugene Ratliff

Director of Business Analytics

Anna Antholzner

Business Innovation Project Manager

Dan Medlock

Contract Operations Improvement Specialist

Dan Medlock serves as a Contract Operations Improvement Specialist with WSRCA. Prior to this position, Dan served 12 years in the United States Air Force and worked as a Senior Business Analyst for Accenture on projects for Google. Dan has a BS in Applied Business Analytics from Grand Canyon University.

Crystal Bartell

Re-Entry Initiatives and Innovation Manager

Traci Slaughter

Senior Contract Manager, Workforce and Special Initiatives

Traci joined the WSRCA team in August 2022 as Contracts Specialist. She currently manages TWC grants such as Skills Development Funds, Apprenticeship Texas and Workforce Career Initiatives.

Traci has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Alabama A&M University. Over the last 20 years she’s held several positions in the Logistics and Procurement arena. Prior to WSRCA, she was a Contracts Administrator for an Avionics company in Atlanta, GA.

Traci is devoted a mother of 3 kids who enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Nicole Kaabi

Contract Manager

Nicole serves as a Contract Manager with WSRCA, focusing on planning, implementing, and managing contracts. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting from Texas State University. Nicole has prior operations experience in the technology industry managing large enterprise accounts.

When she’s not working, she values spending time with her husband and cats, as well as being the best auntie. She enjoys dissecting movies, attending concerts, and visiting new museums and exhibits.

Meranda Stanley

Executive Administrative Assistant

Stephanie Mora

Industry Engagement Manager

Stephanie serves as a Industry Engagement Manager in Manufacturing and Skilled Trades and previously served for more than 3 years as a Youth Talent Engagement Specialist with WSRCA. 

Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and has hosted numerous presentations and panels on local labor market information and work readiness opportunities geared towards young adults and transitioning professionals. 

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys acting and performing in stage plays and is a Mom of 3 cats and a dog.

Dolores Reyes

Accounts Payable Specialist

Lori Forman

Controller

Christie Gonzales

Account Analyst

Amanda Bailey

Career Coach

Amanda serves as a Career and Education Outreach Specialist with WSRCA focusing on collaboration with local school districts and community members to educate students on post-secondary career paths.

Amanda has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Texas Tech University. Most recently she has been the Director of Education for a local non-profit organization. Prior to that, she taught elementary school for six years, most recently in Round Rock ISD.

Need K‑12 career services? Connect with Amanda Bailey: amanda.bailey@ruralcapital.net. See the districts she serves below:

• Dime Box ISD

• Dripping Springs ISD

• Florence ISD

• Giddings ISD

• Granger ISD

• Hutto ISD

• Jarrell ISD

• Johnson City ISD

• Lexington ISD

• Round Rock ISD

Laura Richter

Career Coach

Need K‑12 career services? Connect with Laura Richter: laura.richter@ruralcapital.net. See the districts she serves below:

School Districts Served:

• Blanco ISD

• Burnet ISD

• Coupland ISD (only through 8th grade – then Taylor HS)

• Georgetown ISD

• Leander ISD

• Liberty Hill ISD

• Llano ISD

• Marble Falls ISD

• Taylor ISD

• Thrall ISD

Rachel Sotelo

Career Coach

Rachel Sotelo serves as a Career Coach with WSRCA, focusing on collaboration with local school districts and community members to educate students on post-secondary career paths. 

With 29 years in education, she has served as a business teacher, athletic coach, Career and Technical Education (CTE) department chair, CTE specialist, and CTE and Military Readiness (CCMR) coordinator. She has taught and coached in Marfa, Round Rock, Hays, and Lockhart ISDs. Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in business education from Sul Ross State University in Alpine and a master's degree in educational leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. She serves as a Director with the Caldwell County Fair Association and is a member of the Lockhart Evening Lions Association.

Need K‑12 career services? Connect with Rachel Sotelo: rachel.sotelo@ruralcapital.net. See the districts she serves below:

School Districts Served:

• Bastrop ISD

• Fayetteville ISD

• Flatonia ISD

• Hays ISD

• LaGrange ISD

• Lockhart ISD

• Luling ISD

• McDade ISD

• Prairie Lea ISD

• Round Top-Carmine ISD

• San Marcos ISD

• San Marcos Academy

• Schulenburg ISD

• Smithville ISD

• Wimberley ISD

Berenice Lopez

Communications Manager

Berenice Lopez serves as the Communications Manager at Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area, where she leads content creation and oversees marketing and communications across the nine-county region. She develops strategic campaigns, produces outreach materials, and implements multi-channel marketing initiatives to enhance the organization’s visibility. Her background in nonprofit and economic development includes managing marketing and outreach efforts that strengthen local communities. Berenice is passionate about using communication to connect individuals, families, and employers with opportunities for success.

Outside of her professional life, she values spending time with family, reading books, and loves to take walks.

Garden Strong

Childcare & Early Learning Specialists

Gardenia “Garden” Strong serves as a Childcare Specialist with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA), where she focuses on planning, implementing, and managing contracts to ensure high-quality outcomes for childcare and early learning across the Rural Capital Area. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Sector Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science.Before joining WSRCA, Garden worked with various nonprofits in Central Texas, including serving as Senior Fundraising Manager for the Greater Austin YMCA and Program Manager for Power for Parkinson’s.

What she enjoys most about mission-driven work is sharing her commitment to equity and empowering individuals to overcome barriers. She is inspired in this role with WSRCA to help create opportunities for children to thrive and for families to feel supported. Outside of work, Garden enjoys staying active by playing soccer, hiking, and visiting the dog park with her two dogs and her boyfriend. She also loves reading, puzzles, and baking (with Taylor Swift playing in the background).

Gwen Shapard

Quality Improvement Analyst

Laura Rosen

Healthcare Sector Partnerships Manager

Laura Rosen recently joined WSRCA as the Healthcare Sector Partnerships Manager. She brings 15 years of experience designing and scaling policies and programs that improve economic mobility and health outcomes.

Before joining WSRCA, Laura was Vice President at Worker Solutions, a human capital consultancy focused on advancing worker well-being. She also served as Director of The Impact Factory, Dell Medical School’s social innovation hub, where she led initiatives to incubate and scale innovations aimed at improving health outcomes and economic mobility. Earlier in her career, Laura was a Senior Policy Analyst at Every Texan, where she contributed to the development and passage of legislation focused on quality jobs and financial empowerment.

Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government and Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan.

Outside of work, Laura enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, and exploring Austin’s great food scene.