Board Members

Julie is Assistant Vice President for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, supporting Commercial and Agri-Business for 26 years. Julie’s service of over 6 years for Family Support Services includes being a board member, fundraiser committee member, program volunteer, and Harley Party vendor chair. She has been on the Presidential volunteer Honor Roll for over 12 years supporting her passion of being involved in the community and helping change lives through local non-profit organizations. Her involvement includes Executive Committee for Hearts for the Holidays, Board member of Bank of America Community Volunteers, 8 years at United Way as a Loaned Executive, LE Team Leader, Leadership Co-Chair, and Alumni training committee, 7 years of Development Committee for March of Dimes, 3 years fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Association, and many others.

“Family Support Services allows me to touch lives in so many different ways helping those in need. I have seen many incredible things happen and alter the future of so many of our local community. It is an honor and such an amazing feeling to get to be a part of that.”

Julie also has a passion for teaching and has been a national certified Fitness Instructor for over 20 years teaching for Gold’s Gym. In her spare time she loves watching her son, Shae play football and track for Amarillo High School, going to the lake, volleyball and any outdoor activities.

Robin is a native of Amarillo, Texas. Robin received her J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in 1996, and began her legal career that same year as a criminal prosecutor for Douglas County, Nebraska. Eventually, she became the supervising attorney over the Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit. During this time, Robin also worked as an adjunct professor for Creighton University School of Law.

Robin eventually returned to Amarillo and in 2008, she open the doors of her law practice. During her tenure as a solo practitioner, she navigated those affected by family violence through the legal system by assisting them in seeking and obtaining various legal remedies, including protective orders and child custody and support orders.

Currently, Robin serves as the Coordinator for the Legal Studies Program at Amarillo College. As Coordinator, she has challenged students to realize their potential, to achieve goals of graduating and working in the legal community. In 2015, she created the first Amarillo College Walk-in Legal Clinic to assist students who face legal issues.

Robin has been committed to serving the community for many years. She has participated in many community service projects. She regularly participates in pro bono legal clinics and workshops. Also, as a member of Anderson Chapel Sanctuary of Praise, Robin helps provide food to the Amarillo homeless population as well as providing school supplies to needy children.

​Robin loves spending time with family, traveling, and serving the community. Each day, Robin reminds herself that happiness does not depend on external conditions, instead happiness is attitude driven.

Robin currently serves as the Board President of the Amarillo I.S.D. Board of Trustees

Kelly currently serves as Sr. Branch Operating Officer at Happy State Bank. Her responsibilities include overseeing all 35 branches from an Operations and Retail perspective. She ensures all branch operations are running smoothly! With 21 years of banking experience, Kelly brings a wealth of knowledge to her place of employment; Happy State Bank. She’s from the big town of Booker, Texas but has lived in Canyon since 1997. On top of her banking expertise, Kelly graduated with a Bachelors in Business Management. Kelly and her Husband Jason have 2 children, Braelly and Brixton. When Kelly isn’t working, she loves to spend her time shopping, fishing, and “chasing two very active kids.” Kelly loves to work hard and have fun, she has a true passion for customer service and doing the right thing.

Alex Yarbrough is an associate at Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC where he practices civil litigation. He devotes a significant portion of his practice to representing cities, counties, law enforcement, and the railroad industry.

Alex received his bachelor’s degree from Angelo State University in 2007 and earned his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2011. Alex and his wife, Kelsey, are the proud parents of three-year-old Payton and eight- month-old Zane.

Raised in Amarillo, TX, Cheryl has worked in the finance Industry for over 30 years. Cheryl has been involved with FSS since 2009. She has actively chaired the annual FSS Harley Party for 9 years Cheryl has a heart for service and is very active in the community.

Her FSS involvement includes:

Family Support Services Harley Party Chair 2008-2017
Family Support Services Board Member 2009-2015
Family Support Giving Heart Award 2010
Family Support Volunteer of the Year 2011
Family Support Services Board Member 2017
Family Support Services Board President 2018

Other community involvement includes Beta Sigma Phi City Council Women of the Year 2015, Maverick Boys Girl Club board, the Amarillo Harley Owners Group, Daughters of The Nile, Ambucs board, Amarillo Panhandle Humane Society; City of Amarillo 2009 Paw of Approval Award, Original Annual Toy Run Coordinator 2010-2017, and the Amarillo Crime Stoppers board

Cheryl enjoys riding her motorcycle, traveling, and enjoys being with family.

“My heart is with FSS, all of the programs they have to help the community, and the people they touch each year. I am proud to be on my second term with such a great agency!”

Ernesto came back home to the Texas Panhandle in 2003 after living in the Concho Valley for many years. A proud Texan, Ernesto graduated high school in the tiny town of Christoval, Texas in 1995 and attended a small trade school in nearby San Angelo. Before graduating from American Commercial College in 1998, he began working with an architectural design firm in San Angelo and has been in the architectural design field ever since.

Ernesto has been with the long-time Amarillo firm of Shiver-Megert and Associates Architects and Engineers since his return to the Panhandle. In 2012 Ernesto attained the designation of LEED Green Associate. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a rating system designed by the United States Green Building Council to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage sustainable design.

Ernesto came to Family Support Services in 2013 by volunteering with the annual Mardi Gras Party and then the Harley Party, before becoming a board member. Ernesto is also a member of the facilities committee at Family Support Services. Ernesto will continue to proudly serve the board of directors and volunteer for the annual fundraisers.

In his spare time Ernesto loves to be behind the lens of a camera searching for that classic black and white American photograph. Ernesto also loves to research his Native American and European roots and claims he learns something new about it every day.

Becky was born in Lubbock, and has lived in Amarillo for the last twenty years. In her early twenties, Becky adopted her niece and her two nephews and has raised them as her own. She enjoys spending time with her husband, their young son, and their four dogs. The Murphy family’s free time is filled with lots of dear friends, various home improvement projects, and making their world-famous tacos.

Becky has worked in cosmetics at Dillard’s for the last sixteen years, and is currently a cosmetics manager. What was supposed to be a part-time summer job turned into a career; and with that, a passion for makeup and empowering women of all ages to find confidence and their own beauty.

Becky’s passion for helping families break the cycle of abuse stems from her personal experiences with domestic violence and sexual abuse. It was thanks to resources like Family Support Services that Becky’s mother was able to escape her violent husband and start over. She feels her involvement with FSS is a way to honor her mother and has been part of a healing process for her.

Though it’s been a long road, Becky is working towards earning her degree in Psychology and Social Work to further help families in the Panhandle.

Brad is the Director of Customer and Community Relations for Xcel Energy for the Texas Panhandle and Southeastern New Mexico. He is a native of Pampa, TX and holds a degree in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University, beginning his career with Xcel Energy immediately following college. Brad and his wife Shyla have three children, daughters Peyton and Blakeley, and son Brenham. Outside of work, Brad enjoys time with the Church, his family, and learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Nathan Morrow is a board member at Family Support Services. Nathan is married to his beautiful wife, Chelsea, and has a five year old daughter, Cami Kay, who he spends a lot of time with, and enjoys to teach. Chelsea is a counselor, which gives Nathan a different perspective than your average person on issues such as homelessness or poverty. Nathan wants to help make Amarillo a friendlier, more understanding place for people of different religions, races, and sexual orientations.

Carla Burr is originally from Liberal, KS, but calls herself a Texan, having lived here now most of her life. She moved to Canyon to attend WTAMU and graduated from there with a BA in Mass Communications. Carla was hired by the Amarillo Police Dept in 1993 as a police dispatcher. In 1996, she attended the Amarillo Police academy and has worked for APD ever since. She is currently assigned as the Sergeant over the Crime Prevention Unit and Public Information officer for the Amarillo Police Department. Carla enjoys running and CrossFit. She also enjoys traveling around the US and also has been to Iceland, France and England

David Meraz is the Director of Marketing & Public Relations for Street Volkswagen of Amarillo. He has lived in the Panhandle since he graduated from West Texas A&M University in 2011 where he earned a degree in Mass Communication. David loves to volunteer with Family Support Services because of all the great programs and work they do in Amarillo and the Panhandle, and this is also the reason he joined the board in 2018. David has been a Loaned Executive with United Way since 2015.

David is also a board member for Dove Creek Equine Rescue and the American Advertising Federation in Amarillo. He is also on the Executive Leadership Committee for the American Heart Association in Amarillo. Los Barrios de Amarillo and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named David “Hispanic Man of the Year” in 2016. David is also a recipient of the Amarillo Chamber’s “Top 20 Under 40” Award, WTAMU’s “Rising Star” Award, United Way’s “Loaned Executive of the Year” Award and the American Advertising Federation’s “Outstanding Member” Award.

When David isn’t at work, he spends his time running, working on his home, reading and listening to podcasts. He loves to travel and hopes to one day retire and move to Madrid, Spain.

Born and raised on the Texas Gulf Coast Carole grew up barefoot on the sands of Port Aransas,
TX. After marrying her husband in 2014 a native Amarillian they moved to Amarillo in 2017.
Carole is licensed as a Property and Casualty Insurance agent for over 11 years, working in the
commercial lines department as a customer service representative. She is also a certified Personal
trainer, Les Mills Body Pump, RPM, Silver Sneakers, and TRX instructor. However, she only
teaches class as time permits, which isn’t much as she is a full-time student earning her bachelors
at WT in Social Work. When not bestowing love on her husband, 3 children, daughter-in-law, 2
grandchildren, mother-in-law, numerous nieces and nephews and just about any other human
being God puts in her path, her primary purpose remains to work with women. Carole was once
living in a women’s shelter in South Texas, by God’s grace and hard work she is a success story;
her cycle is broken. Her passion now is to help, or try to help every woman she can, either in
person or vicariously, out of any kind of abusive relationships or behavior. She feels that as she
was there, and slept in the beds they have slept in, perhaps she can make a positive difference in
their lives, and a definite unique voice as a member of the Board.

Sabre was raised in Amarillo, Texas and graduated from Amarillo High School and West Texas A&M with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Sabre has been a social worker for 24 years: ten years at Texas Panhandle MHMR and 14 years with Amarillo ISD as a Social Worker for San Jacinto Elementary. Sabre also works for Heal the City Free Clinic as their Social Worker.

Sabre has been an FSS board member since January 2018. Her other past and present community involvement includes:
Eveline River’s Christmas Workshop Board for 6 years
Red Cross Mental Health Disaster Team
Junior League
United Way Team Leader for 12 years
YMCA Board for 2 years

Sabre was raised in Amarillo, Texas and graduated from Amarillo High School and West Texas A&M with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Sabre has been a social worker for 24 years: ten years at Texas Panhandle MHMR and 14 years with Amarillo ISD as a Social Worker for San Jacinto Elementary. Sabre also works for Heal the City Free Clinic as their Social Worker.

Lisa was born and raised here in Amarillo. She attended Lubbock Christian University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. While Lubbock was fun, she couldn’t wait to get back to Amarillo, where her heart has always been! She is an Assistant Vice President and Trust Officer with Amarillo National Bank where she’s been employed for over ten years!
Even though Lisa believes whole heartedly in the famous quote by Audrey Hepburn, “As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others,” this was something that she learned at a young age, walking in the footprints of her parents. Through Family Support Services, Lisa hopes to continue to promote and spread awareness with our mission and services to help overcome and breakdown barriers.

Lisa’s past and present involvement include organizations such as: Eveline River’s Christmas Project, The Junior League of Amarillo, Hope and Healing Place, The United Way of Amarillo and Canyon, Children’s Learning Centers, Daughters of the Nile, Homer’s Backyard Ball, and Khiva Shriners. When she isn’t at work or volunteering, Lisa enjoys shopping, watching movies, fun adventures, fast cars, traveling (especially if there is sun, sand, and water involved), spending time with family, friends, and most of all her four-legged fur babies, Brooklyn, Ziggy, and Obi.

Freida Toler is a Family Nurse Practitioner currently employed at Amarillo Medical Specialists in Endocrinology. She earned her Bachelors Degree in Nursing from WTAMU, Canyon Texas, in 1998 and her Masters Degree in Nursing from WTAMU in 2010. She has been a certified Family Nurse practitioner since 2011 and is certified by American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Freida was born in Albuquerque New Mexico at Sandia Air Force Base. She is a graduate of Des Moines High School Des Moines, New Mexico. She is a published author in JAANP (Journal of American Academy of Nurse Practitioners) publishing the article entitled, “Females with Down Syndrome Neglected in Primary Care”. She has held offices in the local Amarillo Harley Group and currently holds office in the Panhandle Nurse Practitioner organization.

She is a current board member of Family Support Services of Amarillo and Panhandle Nurse Practitioner Association. Freida believes in the value of volunteering for her community. She has and is a volunteer for Family Support Services of Amarillo in various capacities including annual Harley Party, Mardi Gras and going Over The Edge. She has volunteered for the Mavericks Boys and Girls Club, Pantex annual Christmas Project, United Way, M.S. organization as well as helping with the Tripps Harley Davidson annual toy Run. She has been a guest speaker for Panhandle Nurse Practitioner annual symposium – Topic: A Look at Women’s Healthcare Guidelines. 

Her current membership’s include: 
Panhandle Nurse Practitioner Association-Sigma Theta Tau
International Honor Society of Nursing 
Texas Nurse Practitioner Association
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 
NAMS (North American Menopause Society)