Cultivating Families Board of Directors
Whether by profession, parenting, or a combination of both, each board member carries a deep compassion for foster and adopted children, enhancing their personal connection with our vision and mission.
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Justin Flint, Chair
Justin is a Realtor and real estate attorney in Sugar Land, Texas, the town where he grew up. He loves giving back to the community that raised him and is especially interested in contributing to the improvement of the lives of children in foster and adoptive programs. As Past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Fort Bend Cares, he has gained a passion for helping children and the leadership experience to go with it. He also participates in the leadership of his home church and acts as legal advisor for several other non-profit organizations. |
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Sarah Haider, Board Member
Sarah holds a BS and MS in Civil Engineering and an MBA; and is a certified Project Management Professional. She brings twenty years’ experience in Engineering, Project Management, Organizational Change Management and Leadership Coaching along with a passion for helping children. Sarah is the founder of Pakistan Adoption Group, an online community of support, and adopted both her daughters from Pakistan. She served on the board of New Star Kafala, the first Muslim Adoption agency in the US, and later as Associate Director, facilitating international adoptions. Being an integral part of the Cultivating Families team, Sarah is passionate about providing sustaining support and enrichment to disadvantaged children, and their foster/ adoptive families through their faith communities. She has conducted numerous public workshops on raising awareness about foster care and adoption in the Muslim Community; and has counseled thousands of families in their journey through foster care and adoption. |
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Nader Irsan, Board Member
Nader is a student at The University of Houston Main campus. His degree focus is Political Science with the intention of attending law school in the Fall of 2020. Nader has been a very active member of Cultivating Families for the past few years acting as a community ambassador to the Muslim community. Being a former foster care member, Nader provides a unique insight into the issues that children of certain faiths face on a daily basis in the foster care system. Nader is particular interested in getting into politics having participated in his university’s student government, he also brings extensive experience from real world government. He spent nearly a year in city hall, before making a jump to the federal level as the current legislative intern to Congressman Al Green. |
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Reverend Amy Bezecny, Founder/Board Member
Reverend Amy Bezecny developed Cultivating Families during a four-year fellowship at the Hope and Healing Center and Institute (HHCI). She received her Master of Divinity in 2009 from SMU, Perkins School of Theology and became an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 2012. Amy served on staff at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church for a period of 10 years, launched their Adoption Ministry, and was driven to help others do the same. Prior to ministry, Amy had a successful 15-year career in interior design, where she specialized in hospital and long-term care facility design. As a Deacon, she continues working tirelessly to open the eyes of the church to the world’s needs and the eyes of the world to the church. Where children are concerned, she believes it is important to work alongside people of other faiths. Amy’s colleagues know her as a passionate, persistent, and creative problem solver for children navigating this world alone. |
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Victoria Scott, Board Member
From 1981 to 1995, Victoria worked with organizations that addressed children at risk and working with the Harris County probation division. For six years she saw cases involving petty crime, drugs and assault. After working with at risk youth, she volunteered to create a room at MD Anderson for children with cancer to engage in art projects. As a member of the Junior League of Houston she was head of a committee that started a blanket program for teen mothers. Over 10 thousand blankets, made by volunteers, were issued within the first three years. Working within the community as a board member for Angela’s House, Santa Maria Rehab center, and St. Anne’s Foundation are just a few of the organizations she is passionate about. Working in the financial sector she volunteered as a controller to nonprofits who needed assistance with accounting, fundraising and grants. The path to be within a community as someone who gives time and talent to organizations has been a constant journey for Victoria. |