The Board of Directors of Houston Endowment today announced that Elisa Villanueva Beard has been selected as the Foundation’s seventh president and CEO, succeeding Ann B. Stern. She will assume the role on March 30, 2026.
Villanueva Beard, the outgoing CEO of Teach for America (TFA), is a longtime Houstonian and nationally recognized education and nonprofit leader with more than two decades of experience guiding organizational growth and transformation. During her 26-year tenure at TFA, Villanueva Beard helped guide the organization through major periods of growth and transformation, strengthening its impact and national reach.
“Elisa brings a powerful combination of strategic vision, operational expertise, and a deep personal commitment to expanding opportunity for children and families,” said Melanie Trent, Chair of Houston Endowment’s Board of Directors. “She is known for building trust quickly, listening deeply, and leading with both ambition and humility—qualities essential for stewarding bold philanthropic goals. Her experience working in communities across the country, coupled with her local roots, positions her to lead the Houston Endowment into its next chapter.”
Villanueva Beard’s journey of public service began in the classroom. She joined TFA in 1998 as a corps member, teaching elementary students in Phoenix. That experience shaped her understanding of the potential of every child and the supports they need to thrive. She joined TFA’s staff in 2001, serving as executive director in the Rio Grande Valley, where she grew up, and in that role more than tripled the size of the teaching corps, increased fundraising efforts, and built new community partnerships.
She later moved to national roles, first as chief operating officer where she oversaw TFA’s field operations expansion from 22 to 48 sites over eight years. She ultimately became CEO, and over 12 years led an enterprise of approximately 1,500 staff and 70,000 alumni, navigating multi-year organizational transformation, including digital modernization, and strengthening the organization’s long-term strategy. Her tenure included stewardship of a $200 million endowment and oversight of a $300 million operating enterprise, rigorous external evaluation of organizational impact, and extensive partnership-building across philanthropy, government, and civic organizations. She also launched innovative initiatives including the TFA Reinvention Lab, the research and development engine for the organization to foster new ways of learning, and the Ignite Fellowship program, a personalized tutoring corps, and led TFA through rapid digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Greater Houston and build upon the incredible legacy shaped by Houston Endowment’s founders, Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones, by its outgoing president, Ann Stern, and by the dedicated staff and Board who have made the organization what it is today,” said Villanueva Beard. “Houston is my home, and it is a remarkable city, defined by its resilience, creativity, and a spirit of generosity that brings people together to solve big challenges. Growing up in South Texas and building my career by partnering with communities across the country has shaped my belief in the power of local leadership and in the conditions that allow families and communities to thrive. The Foundation’s commitment to expanding opportunity and strengthening the systems that support everyone who lives here resonates with my life’s work, and I look forward to carrying that mission forward alongside our partners in the community.”
The Board’s search committee, led by Trent, conducted a national search with the support of Russell Reynolds Associates after Stern announced in June that she would be stepping down following 13 years of service. Under Stern’s leadership, the Foundation’s endowment grew from approximately $1.5 billion to more than $2.5 billion and awarded more than $1 billion in grants. Working with the Board, she reoriented the Foundation’s work toward strategic, longterm impact in key priorities including public education, civic engagement, arts & culture, and greenspaces, while also addressing emerging issues in the region, such as homelessness and the preservation of Riverside General Hospital. She also reshaped the Foundation’s approach to philanthropy, emphasizing trust-based relationships and working across sectors to address systems-level challenges and pursue innovative, evidence-based solutions.
“We are deeply grateful for Ann’s visionary leadership and her unwavering commitment to the people of Houston,” said Trent. “She has guided Houston Endowment through significant growth and transformation, making the organization stronger, more strategic, and more responsive to the needs of its grantee partners and the communities they serve. And she did so with integrity, compassion, and a deep belief in Houston’s potential.”
Stern will remain in her role as president and CEO through March.
“I am thrilled for Elisa, and for Houston,” said Stern. “She is deeply committed to our city and brings exceptional experience as a leader who understands the importance of building relationships, listening to the community, and uncovering innovative solutions to the most challenging problems. She will be a powerful partner to the people and organizations working every day to help this region thrive.”
Villanueva Beard, a South Texas native and longtime Houston resident, earned her bachelor of arts in sociology from DePauw University. She serves on the boards of The Holdsworth enter, City Fund, GoGuardian, Leadership for Educational Equity, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. She is the Governance Chair and Champion for JOURNEY to Lead and an inaugural member of the Pahara–Aspen Education Fellowship. She has been recognized among LinkedIn’s Top 20 Voices in Social Impact and ALPFA’s 50 Most Powerful Latinas. She lives with her husband and four sons in Houston.
