About Us > Leadership Team
Leadership Team
Our Team
Stephen Ives
President & Chief Executive Officer
Stephen Ives
President & Chief Executive Officer
Over the past 30 plus years, Steve’s passion has been to help communities grow and thrive through programs and services at the YMCA. He remains committed to the Y’s mission of strengthening the foundations of community for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
Having served in multiple executive roles during his tenure with the Y, Steve currently has the pleasure of working alongside a strong board and many cause-driven leaders that serve more than 177,000 families across our many locations in the Greater Houston Area.
Through successful collaborations, executing civic engagement and leading thousands of team members, Steve has played an integral role in bringing the following milestones to the YMCA of Greater Houston:
- Successful community partnerships which aid and foster social growth
- 200 childcare facilities
- Youth outreach programs and camps servicing thousands of students
- International partnerships in South America and Vietnam
- Group activities and social opportunities for active seniors
- Support for refugee resettlement services
- Leading the fight against human trafficking
Steve is a proud father, husband and community leader who enjoys outdoor activities, long-distance running, biking, and live music.
His vision is to continue to uphold the Y as a pillar in the community in which outreach and culture offer fellowship, solace, and support to individuals and families that call the YMCA home.
Jennifer Lopez
Chief of Staff
Jennifer Lopez
Chief of Staff
Jennifer Garcia
Chief Financial Officer
Jennifer Garcia
Chief Financial Officer
Jennifer Garcia currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of the YMCA of Greater Houston. In this role she is responsible for all financial operations of the organization and oversees the Accounting, Procurement and Payables, Accounts Receivable, Payroll and Business Services teams. She assumed this role in early 2020, after previously serving as the Vice President of Financial Operations and Controller.
Jennifer joined the YMCA in 2014 with seven years experience in Public Accounting, focusing almost exclusively on Houston non-profit organizations. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Tulane University. As a native Houstonian, she enjoys sharing her love of Texas and the Houston Astros with her husband, two children, and two dogs.
Angela Hodson
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Angela Hodson
Chief Philanthropy Officer
Angela Hodson joins the YMCA of Greater Houston in May 2021 as the Chief Philanthropy Officer, bringing 28 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has a unique and diverse perspective serving as a consultant with Dini Spheris for organizations of all sizes through capital campaigns and strategic planning for almost a decade. Providing a path for these organizations to create sustainable fundraising and reach their fullest potential is Angela’s passion and drive.
Angela honed her leadership skills while serving as President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, where she transitioned the organization from its previous leader of fifty years to a renewed approach and focus on impact, updated processes and quality programs.
Prior to this Angela served as Vice President of Baylor College of Medicine where foremost among her accomplishments was successfully managing their $1 billion capital campaign for five years. These roles have given her the knowledge and capability to lead teams and individuals to realize their greatest strengths and maximize their success.
In her role as Chief Philanthropy Officer, Angela will provide strategic leadership to advance sustainable and innovative development programs to further the YMCA of Greater Houston’s mission.
Angela has a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University where she played on the women’s golf team.
She has two daughters and enjoys hiking, playing golf, and exploring national parks
Rick Cruz
Chief Operating Officer
Rick Cruz
Chief Operating Officer
As the Chief Operating Officer for the YMCA of Greater Houston, Rick is responsible for overseeing the varied programming that the organization offers. This includes the YMCA’s health and fitness centers, youth programming, childcare, camps, swimming, enrichment, and more.
Prior to joining the YMCA, Rick founded EMERGE Fellowship, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that helps first-generation low-income students attend and graduate from top colleges. He also had a distinguished career in education. After joining Teach for America and serving as an award-winning bilingual teacher in a high-poverty school, he assumed numerous senior leadership roles for the largest school system in Texas. Most recently, as the school system’s deputy superintendent, he helped manage a $2.1 billion budget and supported over 27,000 employees across 273 schools. He has also taught at the University of Houston and Rice University.
A native of Mexico, Rick graduated with distinction from Yale University and holds a masters and a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. Rick enjoys traveling, going to the gym, trying new restaurants, listening to vinyl records, and spending time with this family.
We look forward to connecting with you. Please reach out at executiveteam@ymcahouston.org.