About Mary Lee Foundation
We offer a full range of progressive neurological, orthopedic and special needs services.
Our mission
To serve adults with special needs so that they may develop a sense of dignity, a sense of self worth, and the skills necessary to socially integrate with and contribute to the community in which they live.
Our history
Mary Lee School opened its doors in 1963 in a modest
2-bedroom home in South Austin. The rest is history.
Meet the board
Wayne Johnson
ChairmanWayne is a retired special education teacher. He graduated Texas A&M University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and has experience in running a farm, banking, pastoring and most recently teaching. Wayne is currently working as a substitute teacher in the Eanes Independent School District.
Charlene Crump
Vice ChairmanCharlene is the Founder of the Mary Lee Foundation. Since 1963, Charlene has worked to establish and provide many innovative programs for men, woman and children with disabilities. In 2001 Charlene was awarded the Texas Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service to People with Disabilities.
Joyce Pulich
SecretaryJoyce was an adjunct instructor in Sociology at Austin Community College for over 30 years. She was the Financial Manager for the City of Austin for many years. Joyce is a huge advocate for adults with learning disabilities.
Patrick O’Beirne
MemberPat currently serves as a senior relationship manager for Frost’s Commercial Banking Group in Austin, Texas. Pat has over 40 years of commercial banking experience primarily with large regional or money center banks.
Pat obtained his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Texas at El Paso and his MBA from Texas A&M University.
Besides being an active father of four children and two grandchildren, he has served in a number of board positions with PeopleFund, has served on the school board and finance committees at St. Theresa’s Catholic School, and he currently serves on the finance committee and board at Catholic Charities of Central Texas and the finance committee for the Diocese of Austin. Pat is also an ordained deacon for the Diocese of Austin and currently serves at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Northwest Austin.
Bill Martin
MemberWilliam Martin AIA is a licensed Architect in the State of Texas and Licensed Property Tax Consultant with more than 18 years experienced in valuing both Commercial and Residential properties in Austin and Central Texas. Former Vice-Chair of Travis Appraisal Review Board with experience in conducting and/or hearing more than 5,000 property value appeal cases over a 6-year period while serving on that board.
Beth Weber
MemberBeth received four months of survival training by the Peace Corps in Puerto Rico. Subsequently, in the outskirts of Lima, Peru, she provided community services for “barriada”(slum) residents: helping a Peruvian doctor to provide health services for indigent natives, organizing mothers to provide day care for their children so they could work, and registering barriada squatters to apply for land title so that they could get the amenities of electricity and water.
Mike Peays
MemberMike is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines. He spent 30 years working as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. He has been married to his wife Margie for 50 years and has 3 adult children and 10 grandchildren. Mike is the guardian of his sister who lives here at the Mary Lee Foundation. He serves on the Board from a keen sense of gratitude and appreciation for the mission and the legacy of the Mary Lee Foundation. Mike is privileged to serve on the Board.
Bill Hartman
MemberAfter an extensive and multi-faceted career in finance, Bill retired from Merrill Lynch and in 2002 moved from New York City to Austin with his wife Marilyn and son John. John shortly afterwards moved into Mary Lee, where he was a resident of Southpointe for nearly 20 years. Bill attends numerous lectures at U.T. and other venues, studies finance and public affairs, and enjoys art.
Don Jones
MemberDon is a retired computer industry program manager. He specialized in service readiness/delivery life-cycle process development and implementation. Don is also a U.S. Navy Vietnam era veteran. He has lived at the Mary Lee Foundation for 6 years and is a very active volunteer on the square.
Wayne Johnson
ChairmanWayne is a retired special education teacher. He graduated Texas A&M University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and has experience in running a farm, banking, pastoring and most recently teaching. Wayne is currently working as a substitute teacher in the Eanes Independent School District.
Charlene Crump
Vice ChairmanCharlene is the Founder of the Mary Lee Foundation. Since 1963, Charlene has worked to establish and provide many innovative programs for men, woman and children with disabilities. In 2001 Charlene was awarded the Texas Governor’s Award for Outstanding Service to People with Disabilities.
Joyce Pulich
SecretaryJoyce was an adjunct instructor in Sociology at Austin Community College for over 30 years. She was the Financial Manager for the City of Austin for many years. Joyce is a huge advocate for adults with learning disabilities.
Patrick O’Beirne
MemberPat currently serves as a senior relationship manager for Frost’s Commercial Banking Group in Austin, Texas. Pat has over 40 years of commercial banking experience primarily with large regional or money center banks.
Pat obtained his undergraduate degree in business from the University of Texas at El Paso and his MBA from Texas A&M University.
Besides being an active father of four children and two grandchildren, he has served in a number of board positions with PeopleFund, has served on the school board and finance committees at St. Theresa’s Catholic School, and he currently serves on the finance committee and board at Catholic Charities of Central Texas and the finance committee for the Diocese of Austin. Pat is also an ordained deacon for the Diocese of Austin and currently serves at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Northwest Austin.
Bill Martin
MemberWilliam Martin AIA is a licensed Architect in the State of Texas and Licensed Property Tax Consultant with more than 18 years experienced in valuing both Commercial and Residential properties in Austin and Central Texas. Former Vice-Chair of Travis Appraisal Review Board with experience in conducting and/or hearing more than 5,000 property value appeal cases over a 6-year period while serving on that board.
Beth Weber
MemberBeth received four months of survival training by the Peace Corps in Puerto Rico. Subsequently, in the outskirts of Lima, Peru, she provided community services for “barriada”(slum) residents: helping a Peruvian doctor to provide health services for indigent natives, organizing mothers to provide day care for their children so they could work, and registering barriada squatters to apply for land title so that they could get the amenities of electricity and water.
Mike Peays
MemberMike is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines. He spent 30 years working as an engineer in the oil and gas industry. He has been married to his wife Margie for 50 years and has 3 adult children and 10 grandchildren. Mike is the guardian of his sister who lives here at the Mary Lee Foundation. He serves on the Board from a keen sense of gratitude and appreciation for the mission and the legacy of the Mary Lee Foundation. Mike is privileged to serve on the Board.
Bill Hartman
MemberAfter an extensive and multi-faceted career in finance, Bill retired from Merrill Lynch and in 2002 moved from New York City to Austin with his wife Marilyn and son John. John shortly afterwards moved into Mary Lee, where he was a resident of Southpointe for nearly 20 years. Bill attends numerous lectures at U.T. and other venues, studies finance and public affairs, and enjoys art.
Don Jones
MemberDon is a retired computer industry program manager. He specialized in service readiness/delivery life-cycle process development and implementation. Don is also a U.S. Navy Vietnam era veteran. He has lived at the Mary Lee Foundation for 6 years and is a very active volunteer on the square.
Liza Ruiz
MemberLiza has lived at the Mary Lee Foundation for almost 2 years. She is retired from the banking industry and has four children in the Austin area. Liza works with the children at her church in Buda and is an active volunteer on the square.
Leadership
Russ Walker
Executive DirectorStarting in January 2022, Russ took over the helm as the Executive Director for the Mary Lee Foundation. Russ holds a B.S. degree in International Business Management, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and brings over 30 years of experience in finance, business, non-profit and leadership development. Russ has been married to his wife Courtney, a certified financial planner for 30 years. He has four adult children, Mackenzie, Madison, Landon and Sheldon. Russ also has two grandchild, Brodie and Carsten. An avid reader, Russ likes to play tennis and pickleball, cook and travel.
Fran Rodda
Director of FinanceFran is a graduate of Florida International University with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. She began working with the Mary Lee Foundation in 2007 as a Bookkeeper at the Southpointe program and the Central Office. Since then, she has been involved with the many aspects of the accounting department, compliance with State and Federal regulations and reporting, appropriation of donations and oversight of grant expenditures.
Velma Hernandez-Mercer
Director of Human ResourcesVelma started working for the Mary Lee Foundation in 2000 and was promoted to Human Resources/Office Manager in 2012. She worked at Austin Travis County/MHMR (now called Integral Care) for 10 years before coming to Mary Lee. She loves spending time with her husband of 20 plus years, her son, Caeden and their 3 furry babies.
Brian Woods
Director of Development and CommunicationsBrian received his Master’s Degree from Walden University. Prior to joining the Mary Lee Foundation in 2019, Brian was the Annual Fund Director for Concord Community Music School and the Director of Development for Lebanon College. A native of New Hampshire, Brian and his family moved to the Austin area to be closer to family and specialty care for one of their sons.
William Whitley
Property ManagerWilliam joined the Mary Lee Foundation in 2019. Prior to joining us, William was the Property Manager for the Round Rock Housing Authority, before that he was the Property Manager for the Housing Authority of the City of Austin. William moved to Austin as the Senior Pastor for the Pilgrim Rest Primitive Bible Church in 2008. He is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie School for Public Speaking, has been married for 48 years, has 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren!
Masako Jige
Director of Home and Community Based ServicesMasako graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She worked for eight years in Integral Care’s HCS program, first as an HCS service coordinator and then as an HCS Service Coordinator Supervisor. After, she was a Program Director at a local HCS/TxHmL Nonprofit Organization. In 2016, she worked at Mary Lee Foundation as a Home Community-Based, and Texas Home Living programs’ case manager and rejoined Mary Lee Foundation as a Director of Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) in January 2022.
Tisha Gilmore
Director of Intermediate Care FacilitiesTisha received her Bachelor’s Degree from Argosy University, and will be receiving her Master’s Degree in June of 2023. Prior to joining the Mary Lee Foundation in 2022, Tisha worked as a Life Skills Teacher for Third Future Charter School. She also previously worked as a QIDP for at Mary Lee Foundation in 2017. A native of Austin, Texas, Tisha loves cooking and music. She enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Russ Walker
Executive DirectorStarting in January 2022, Russ took over the helm as the Executive Director for the Mary Lee Foundation. Russ holds a B.S. degree in International Business Management, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and brings over 30 years of experience in finance, business, non-profit and leadership development. Russ has been married to his wife Courtney, a certified financial planner for 30 years. He has four adult children, Mackenzie, Madison, Landon and Sheldon. Russ also has two grandchild, Brodie and Carsten. An avid reader, Russ likes to play tennis and pickleball, cook and travel.
Fran Rodda
Director of FinanceFran is a graduate of Florida International University with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. She began working with the Mary Lee Foundation in 2007 as a Bookkeeper at the Southpointe program and the Central Office. Since then, she has been involved with the many aspects of the accounting department, compliance with State and Federal regulations and reporting, appropriation of donations and oversight of grant expenditures.
Velma Hernandez-Mercer
Director of Human ResourcesVelma started working for the Mary Lee Foundation in 2000 and was promoted to Human Resources/Office Manager in 2012. She worked at Austin Travis County/MHMR (now called Integral Care) for 10 years before coming to Mary Lee. She loves spending time with her husband of 20 plus years, her son, Caeden and their 3 furry babies.
Brian Woods
Director of Development and CommunicationsBrian received his Master’s Degree from Walden University. Prior to joining the Mary Lee Foundation in 2019, Brian was the Annual Fund Director for Concord Community Music School and the Director of Development for Lebanon College. A native of New Hampshire, Brian and his family moved to the Austin area to be closer to family and specialty care for one of their sons.
William Whitley
Property ManagerWilliam joined the Mary Lee Foundation in 2019. Prior to joining us, William was the Property Manager for the Round Rock Housing Authority, before that he was the Property Manager for the Housing Authority of the City of Austin. William moved to Austin as the Senior Pastor for the Pilgrim Rest Primitive Bible Church in 2008. He is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie School for Public Speaking, has been married for 48 years, has 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren!
Masako Jige
Director of Home and Community Based ServicesMasako graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She worked for eight years in Integral Care’s HCS program, first as an HCS service coordinator and then as an HCS Service Coordinator Supervisor. After, she was a Program Director at a local HCS/TxHmL Nonprofit Organization. In 2016, she worked at Mary Lee Foundation as a Home Community-Based, and Texas Home Living programs’ case manager and rejoined Mary Lee Foundation as a Director of Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) in January 2022.
Tisha Gilmore
Director of Intermediate Care FacilitiesTisha received her Bachelor’s Degree from Argosy University, and will be receiving her Master’s Degree in June of 2023. Prior to joining the Mary Lee Foundation in 2022, Tisha worked as a Life Skills Teacher for Third Future Charter School. She also previously worked as a QIDP for at Mary Lee Foundation in 2017. A native of Austin, Texas, Tisha loves cooking and music. She enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Mary Lee Foundation complies with the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. People who are eligible to participate in the programs at Mary Lee Foundation are not discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or political belief.
Liza has lived at the Mary Lee Foundation for almost 2 years. She is retired from the banking industry and has four children in the Austin area. Liza works with the children at her church in Buda and is an active volunteer on the square.