Leadership

Mark M, President & Chief Executive Officer

Mark Melson earned his BBA and MBA from the University of North Texas and then worked as a financial consultant and in various fundraising capacities with North Texas nonprofit organizations, including as Director of Finance and Gift Planning for Harris Methodist Health Foundation and as Chief Development Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas. He joined the Gladney Center for Adoption in 2008 as the Chief Development Officer and expanded his role to serve as Chief Operating Officer. In 2018, Mark was appointed as Gladney’s new President and CEO. Mark led the transition of the maternity home on Gladney’s campus into the Gladney Home, a group foster home for teen girls seeking permanency through adoption, in 2019; managed the purchase of Adoption.com in 2020; completed a strategic planning process in 2022 with Gladney’s Board and Executive Staff Team to determine how Gladney can make the greatest impact over the next 10 years; and launched a new Counseling Services program in 2022.

Through his leadership, Gladney remains steadfast in its focus to strengthen the field of adoption to improve standards of care in Texas and the U.S.; contribute to policy and practice change to support high-quality, ethical adoptions; and bolster the organization to be prepared to meet the needs of the future and support all Gladney services and clients. Mark is currently leading the organization to expand its footprint and reach through the assumption of Madison Adoption Associates. This partnership offers Gladney the largest footprint of diversified adoption and wraparound services in the country.

Mark leads the organization and staff to remember they are in the business of hope. Gladney wants to give hope to families looking to adopt, hope to children needing homes, and hope to birth mothers trying to manage their way through a difficult part of life. And for more than 135 years, this is exactly what Gladney has done. Gladney has focused its work on the simple but profound premise that every child deserves a loving and caring family; they won’t rest until all children know the love and stability of a forever home.

Heidi C, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, JD

Heidi Bruegel Cox is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for the Gladney Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and has worked as an attorney in the field of adoption for over 25 years. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys and serves on the board as secretary for the National Council for Adoption.

As a child advocate, Heidi is active in educating the public and promoting legislative initiatives to protect children and support positive adoption practices, Heidi previously served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Texas Adoption Review Committee which examined the child welfare system, seeking solutions to remove barriers to adoption for children in foster care.

Heidi has also served on the board of the Texas Family Law Council, which supports the efforts of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Heidi was inducted into the Adoption Hall of Fame at the National Council for Adoption Annual Gala in Washington, D.C.

Lisa S, Chief Operating Officer, Development

Lisa Schuessler joined Gladney in 2008. Throughout her tenure at Gladney she has served in various fundraising capacities and now leads Gladney’s Donor Relations efforts. Lisa has a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis on Advertising from San Diego State University.

Lisa’s favorite role is to serve as a connector for Gladney, linking people’s time, talents, and treasures with the heart of our mission. Her team does that through written requests, creative communications, one-on-one conversations, genuine and intentional relationship building, updates for donors on the impact of their gifts, and special events, including The Gladney Cup.

Personally witnessing the impact you can make when you serve alongside those who need you, fuels her desire to be an adoption advocate and volunteer with several organizations in her community. Lisa found her love for community engagement at a young age when she found herself constantly looking for ways to serve. She and her husband, Jeff, have three sons and are proud to call Fort Worth home.

When you couple giving hearts, who want to see lives changed, with Gladney’s belief that every child deserves a loving and caring family – anything is possible. Together, We Are Gladney!

Kristin P, Chief Program Officer, Counseling & Gladney Home, LCSW-S

Kristin Porter, LCSW-S received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Samford University and her graduate degree in Social Work from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has 20 years of experience in the adoption field, working with birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees. She is certified in Trust Based Relational Intervention TBRI® through Texas Christian University and is currently working toward her Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy certification. She has a passion for working with children who have experienced trauma. Her goal to provide a safe and trusting environment for children and their families to heal.

Sylvia A, VP of Human Resources, HR

Sylvia comes to us with over 25 years of experience in human resources and has worked with both publicly traded and privately held organizations across various industries including wholesale/distribution, financial services, retail, manufacturing, and staffing. Most recently, she served as the Human Resources Director at Dezine News Accessories in Dallas where she was responsible for all aspects of HR including leading their Talent Management Strategy. Sylvia describes herself as an individual who embodies the company’s values, thrives in a collaborative work environment, and is passionate about making a difference. Building trust, being a good listener, and leading with a servant’s heart—always keeping a “people first” mentality— are some of the strengths she believes make her most effective in her role.

David M, Chief Financial Officer, Finance, CPA, CMA, MSAC

David comes to Gladney from serving as Chief Financial Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas where he oversaw Finance, I.T., Operations, Facilities, and 25 plus Clubs across Dallas and Navarro Counties. Prior to this David was Chief Financial Officer with AMTEL, a leading T-Mobile Premium Retailer (TPR) with 152 locations across multiple U.S. geographies, including Texas, California, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and Massachusetts. He also held senior management positions at T-Mobile USA. David’s background also includes his role as Adjunct Faculty, teaching Finance and Accounting in Seattle and Dallas.