Our Staff
Our staff and board are ready and eager to walk beside you as you love children and vulnerable families. Here is a little bit about us so you can know our heart behind our ministry.
Justin Hayes
Executive Director
Justin and Christie Hayes’ foster and adoption journey actually began with global orphan care. While serving for 8 years with a ministry in East Africa they saw the selfless ways that African believers were caring for orphans in their own communities by inviting them into their humble homes. They knew God wanted to use them as well, so they adopted two children out of foster care. Now with six children, they see foster care as a wonderful ministry their whole family can share while walking along the journey with other families.
Christi Sowell
Shepherding Director
She and her husband Jeff have five children, four who came home through the process of adoption through foster care. Christi is passionate about navigating the path of finding the best resources for each one of her children and, in the process, has found a love for helping other families get the Christ-centered training and resources they need to help their children thrive. God uses the challenges Christi faces to minister to families who love children from hard places.
Gillian Sheridan
Heart Gallery East Texas Director
Gillian and James Sheridan are parents to two teenage daughters through the blessing of adoption. Gillian has been a voice for East Texas children in foster care for decades as a TV news anchor where she started the Gift of Love segment helping hundreds of local children find forever families. She also helped establish several local ministries bringing awareness to the needs of orphans and foster children. She looks forward to seeing how God will grow the number of adoptions in our area through the Heart Gallery East Texas which is changing lives by connecting these children with stable, loving forever homes.
Jennie Ravanesi
Engagement Director
Jennie and Matt Ravanesi are proud parents of two daughters and have many years of experience as foster parents. With backgrounds in ministry, marketing, and development, Jennie is deeply passionate about raising awareness for the need we have locally for foster families as well as supporting couples and individuals as they navigate the foster and adoption licensure process. She uses her family’s experiences to guide others, helping them stay focused and trusting in Jesus as He leads them through their unique journeys. Together Matt and Jennie are active members of Grace Community Church.
Tiffany Davault
LMSW, Trauma Specialist
Tiffany and David are the parents of two wonderful young adults who have each added to the family through marriage. Tiffany holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a TBRI® (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Practitioner. Together, David and Tiffany have over 25 years of experience in the world of foster care and desire to support foster and adoptive parents who are providing healing spaces for children who have experienced trauma.
Laura Miller
Family Resource Specialist
Laura and Paul are the proud adoptive parents of two grown children and one daughter-in-love. With over 30 years of experience working with children and families in various circumstances, Laura is passionate about witnessing how God uses His people to care for the most vulnerable. Together, Laura and Paul are active members of South Spring Baptist Church, where they lead the Families Count class, supporting parents who are working towards family reunification.
Shana Moland
Area Ministry Specialist | Henderson Area
Shana and her husband Mark are proud parents to four children. While they call East Texas home now, Shana wasn’t originally from the area, but she’s quickly fallen in love with the community of Henderson. Together, they raise three teen girls and their 10-year-old adopted son. Shana is passionate about giving back and founded and now directs Legacy House in Henderson, a non-profit focused on meeting the practical needs of foster families. As an Area Ministry Specialist for the Fostering Collective, she’s been able to expand her mission to offer even more tangible support to families in East Texas. Shana is proud to serve East Texas and help foster families thrive, one resource at a time.
Jenn Tosh
Area Ministry Specialist | Mount Pleasant Area
Jenn and her husband Michael are blessed to be the parents of three children, two daughter-in-laws, and one granddaughter. She has a passion for helping others be their best selves. As a trauma certified life and parenting coach, Jenn uses her experiences as a foster and adoptive mom to walk with parents through their challenges. With a family motto of “a home for one and a voice for many”, she believes God has a plan for every child and family.
Madeline Randolph
Heart Gallery Administrative Associate
Madeline’s prayer and deepest desire is for children in East Texas to experience the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the life-changing transformation that comes from knowing Him. She believes that family is part of God’s design for community and longs to see every child find a forever family that will faithfully love, support, and serve them for a lifetime. As a member of the Heart Gallery team, Madeline is passionate about encouraging families to respond to the needs of children in foster care. She hopes to see more families take the next step toward fostering or adopting, becoming a light and a source of lasting hope for children who are waiting for a place to belong.
Anna Robinson
Communications Coordinator
Anna has always had a heart for people and a desire to help others feel seen, supported, and like they truly belong. With a background in marketing, communications, and design, she loves finding creative ways to connect people, tell meaningful stories, and bring ideas to life. Anna firmly believes that foster and adoptive families thrive when they have a supportive community that rallies around them, walks alongside them, and helps connect them with the resources they need. Her hope is to be part of creating that kind of community: one where families feel supported, children feel loved, and no one has to walk their journey alone. Anna and her husband, Justin, are both from East Texas and currently reside in Lindale.
Karleigh Crawford
Ministry Support Specialist
Karleigh graduated from the University of Arkansas in Spring 2025 with a degree in Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in Lifespan Development in Diverse Contexts. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling with the dream of becoming a therapist. Karleigh is passionate about supporting children in foster care and mental health advocacy within the foster care system. She loves meeting new families, and playing a role in making The Fostering Collective’s events a success.
Alan Pigg
President
Alan and Melanie Pigg are parents twice through the blessing of adoption – first Madeline in 2010 and then Austin in 2013. Alan and Melanie moved to Tyler in 1999 where Alan has served the community as an attorney helping injured people with their workers’ compensation and social security disability claims. Alan and Melanie continue to be active advocates for foster care and adoption through both their adoption agency and The Fostering Collective. The Piggs are members of South Spring Baptist Church where Alan serves as a deacon.
Sarina Hager
Joel Byers
Brett Cavett
Treasurer
Brett and his wife, Linda, have two adult children and two grandchildren. Brett retired from working at Green Acres Baptist Church where he served as Stewardship Director. As an adoptive father, Brett believes in the value of adoption, which is a spiritual truth for all believers in Jesus. He desires to help families to be able to foster and adopt children that need godly families.
Sam Hasz
Sam and his wife Lisa have been married for twenty-four years and have four children. Their family has served the past twelve years in various public service roles, holding leadership roles at Sky Ranch Christian Camps and was the Director of Acquire the Fire with Teen Mania Ministries. Currently, Sam is the owner and operator of a small construction company based in Lindale, Texas. Sam lives his life serving Jesus wholeheartedly and as an adoptive father, is honored to walk alongside other adoptive families at The Fostering Collective.
Elisabeth Sabella
Ken and Elisabeth have three children and were both born and raised in Henderson. The Sabella family roots run deep in East Texas, which is why they chose to raise their family here. Elisabeth has served in child welfare – foster care and adoption specifically – for 21 years. Elisabeth has held positions as a case manager, home developer and adoption specialist. Her current role is a supervisor in the home development field of recruiting, licensing and supporting foster and adoptive families for Buckner Child and Family Services. Elisabeth is passionate about training (particularly TBRI) and helping prepare families for the challenges of parenting children from trauma.
Megan Taylor
Secretary
Megan, along with her husband Jacob, have been babysitters through the Fostering Collective for two years. She has the desire to not only come alongside families in a practical way but also to help get the word out about the need for respite care for foster families. Megan serves at Grace Community Church as the Women’s Ministry Coordinator at the University Boulevard campus.
Keely Burks
Dawson Barksdale
Dawson and Kali Barksdale are the proud parents of three princesses. Dawson has the honor of serving Local Car Wash in a leadership role as the Founder and Owner. Dawson believes the best way to show Jesus to others is taking care of orphans, which his role allows him to do at a larger scale by serving The Fostering Collective. He is an experienced entrepreneur who believes his life mission is to help others reach their fullest potential and pursue their dreams well. When people are equipped to pursue their dreams, and encouraged to do so, the world becomes better as a result.
Jeremy Randolph
Jeremy has served as the Director of Missions of the Harmony-Pittsburg Baptist Association since June 2019. He and Trisha have been married since 2000 and have three boys. They previously lived in East Asia for 15 years. He has served as an interim senior pastor 7 times at various churches across East Texas. He and Trisha love to help foster and adoptive families and are thankful they can play a small role in living out James 1:27.