STAFF
Alex White, Director of services
Alex hails from the Northeast but in her time here in Austin has helped found a local, mutual aid based, harm reduction outreach team. Additionally, she's done extensive work in Austin's unhoused community and has experience working with detained trans women and families seeking asylum. before joining THRA, Alex was on the team at the other ones foundation, and before that, worked at tapestry Health in MA.
Gaby Libretti, Capacity Building Manager
Email Gaby
Gaby is a person in recovery who believes in radically changing our approach to mental health and drug use. Before coming to THRA, Gaby worked at Integral Care as both a mental health peer specialist and qualified mental health professional. As a mental health worker, Gaby has been able to work directly with Austin’s unhoused community within housing programs and the shelter system.
She previously volunteered with Austin Harm Reduction Coalition and has been grateful to learn from harm reductionists who paved the way in this city. Gaby is continuing her education to become a social worker. She is grateful to be a part of the THRA team.
Lily hughes, Outreach lead
Lily is a person with lived experience who was propelled into movement work by recognizing the lack of harm reduction resources around her and through working toward her LCDC! Lily also has excellent experience in working in the recovery world, most recently with the Sobering Center, where she worked as a Support Specialist.
Steve Smith, REENTRY OUTREACH LEAD
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Steven Smith is a veteran in the harm reduction community here in Austin having spent 6 years at Integral Care and 5 years at the legendary Austin Harm Reduction Coalition where he volunteered as van coordinator. He is very passionate about outreach work because he gets to care for his fellow Austinites, connect people to services, educate his community, and offer hope.
maggie luna, executive director
Maggie is the former lead organizer of the Statewide Leadership Council where she worked toward ending incarceration through advocacy. She has a background in research, coordinating activities, and communicating issues related to reducing the prison population and changing policies in the criminal justice system of Texas. Maggie has 20 years of experience with substance use and more than 6 years of recovery. She is determined to champion the principles of harm reduction and build a more compassionate and inclusive society for all.
Shanice Brim, Communications Manager
and fundraiser
Shanice Brim is a native of New York City. She has been involved in social justice work since her days at the University of the Pacific, where she began raising money for and volunteered at women’s shelters.
In 2015, she began organizing in the Movement For Black Lives as a former organizer and internal communications specialist of abolitionist group BYP100. She is also president of the Lilith Fund board of directors.
Shanice is a Black feminist and police and prison abolitionist who believes that we can care for our communities through education equity, universal healthcare, investing in people over profits, and effective community problem-solving/conflict resolution!
Marisol Gomez, Operations and Finance Manager
Marisol comes to us from California where she earned a degree in fashion design. In her seven years since coming to Texas, though, she has spent most of her working career in the world of nonprofits. Her previous experience includes doing operations work for the Texas Observer. She is excited to offer her organizational skills to Texas Harm Reduction Alliance so it can continue to do life-saving work
Ashia Climovech, Drop-In Lead
Ashia comes to THRA with a background in prison abolition work, mutual aid and supportive housing. She has worked alongside incarcerated youth in rural Washington and unhoused communities in Los Angeles and Austin. Having grown up unhoused and housing unstable and having witnessed the impact of punitive drug laws has fueled her passion for this work. She is excited to be back in Austin and to be part of a knowledgeable team that is working hard to challenge the criminalization of people who use drugs.
Angelic Salinas, Office Manager
Angelic is no stranger to Austin and has spent years supporting Texans through her work at Meals On Wheels Central Texas as a Program Coordinator. She is excited to bring the same compassion and balance she brought during her years helping patients navigate difficult situations to her work at Texas Harm Reduction Alliance!
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DARREN THORNHILL, reentry outreach worker
Darren Thornhill was previously a case manager at The Other Ones Foundation. He switched fields because he has family members who are dealing with HIV and is passionate about preventing disease transmission.
Gabrielle hardy, data and grants manager
Gabi is a born and raised Texan who began her harm reduction journey through volunteering for the Austin Harm Reduction Coalition. She is passionate about meeting people where they are and building community to support and protect each other. After a stint working in software she is happy to bring her skills here.
michelle espinoza, drop - in support specialist
michelle is a born and raised austinite who became invested in harm reduction when she was approached by a harm reductionist for drug testing at a music festival 20 years ago. she's proud to be making harm reduction as accessible to others as it was once made for her. Michelle is also a former volunteer with THRA.
jay smith, outreach worker
Jay is a native austinite who comes to THRA with lived experience. Previously, he's worked as an outreach worker at urban alchemy and connecting people to services at communities for recovery under texas harm reduction alliance.
He stays in this work to remain involved in his community here in austin and, in meeting them where they're at, showing folks that the lives they envision for themselves are possible.
jaime diaz, Peer SERVICES COORDINATOR
Jaime came to THRA because her radical nature to do things in this field of work aligns perfectly with THRA and its commitment to equity in advocating for PWUD. They've been a peer support specialist, outreach worker, and harm reductionist for 4 years.
damon spencer, drop-in support specialist
Taking inspiration from the outreach programs of his early adulthood in San Francisco, Damon decided it was time to get back to that thing he once knew so well by offering his own life's experience in order to help effect a positive change in the ever shifting landscape of the Austin community that he has called home for well over a decade.
DJ Cortez, drop-in support specialist
AS A LEADER WITH VOCAL-TX, DJ HAS BEEN WORKING TO END HIV/AIDS, THE DRUG WAR, MASS INCARCERATION, AND HOMELESSNESS. DJ WAS BORN IN SOUTH TEXAS BUT GREW UP IN AUSTIN, TX. WITH LIFE EXPERIENCE ON THE STREETS, HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS IS WHAT DREW HIM TO THRA.
Sommer Alexander, Incarceration and reentry outreach worker
Sommer Alexander! Sommer is a born and raised Austinite. After almost losing her life as a result of unsafe housing options within the area, she became determined to fight for rights and equality for our underserved communities. This experience, in addition to her experiences with substance use and navigating the system, brought her to THRA. In addition to this new role, she is the Board Secretary for the Statewide Leadership Council and Texas Chapter Coordinator For TimeDone USA.
