Bay Area Turning Point

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Leadership

Our Management Team

Board of Directors

Rachel Phillips has been a member of the Bay Area Turning Point Board since September, 2020, and currently serves as Vice Chair. and I’m currently serving BATP as the Board of Directors, Vice Chair. She was born and raised in Monroe, Michigan, and has served as an Engineer and Manager in support of the NASA International Space Station (ISS) Program for the last 24 years. She has a BS in Engineering Physics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida and an MBA from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. She is a certified Project Managment Professional (PMP) and Lean Six Sigma (LSS) Black Belt.

Currently, Rachel works for Leidos as a Project Manager, supporting ISS Cargo Integration and Orion Hardware project management on the Cargo Mission Contract (CMC) as well as a Task Order Manager on the Research, Engineering, Mission Integration Service (REMIS) Contract. She lives in League City with her husband, Rob Phillips, and two children, Lyra (9) and Micah (8).

In her free time, Rachel volunteers as an early childhood Sunday School teacher at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Houston and teaches infant care classes at Anchor Point crisis pregnancy center in League City. She has a passion for using her talents and experience to support underserved women and children and to battle the impacts of racial and gender inequality in her community.
Brock Bassett joined the Bay Area Turning Point Board in 2022. As the location manager of Forest Park East Funeral Home, Brock guides families through their darkest hours with care and compassion. Brock grew up in Hamshire, Texas, and graduated from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, kinesiology and health. For 12 years, Brock served as a youth pastor in Texas and Northwest Louisiana, as well as volunteering as a camp counselor and camp director at Disciple Oaks Camp. In search of other ways to serve his community, Brock enrolled in the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service and became a licensed funeral director. He was named to his current position at Forest Park East in 2019. Following the murder of his colleague and friend, Savannah Kinchen, at the hands of her husband, Brock — together with Savannah’s family — launched the Savannah Memorial Walk to raise funds in support of Bay Area Turning Point’s mission and to bring awareness to domestic abuse. In its inaugural year, the event raised $9,000 for Bay Area Turning Point.

In his spare time, Brock hangs out with his dog, Snickers, plays kickball, travels and attends as many of his nephew’s sporting events as possible
Shirley Kinchen joined Bay Area Turning Point Board of Directors in 2022.

Shirley was born in Galveston, TX and has lived on the Gulf Coast her whole life. She has been married to her husband, Michael, for 46 years. Together, they raised a daughter, Savannah.

Giving back is a priority in her life. Shirley has been a substitute teacher, Girl Scout leader and licensed Private Investigator. In addition, she has been very involved in her church, First Christian Church of Pasadena for many years. Shirley has served in many capacities including Board Chair, Education ministry and Outreach Ministry. She has also served many years as a youth leader at Disciple Oaks Camp & Retreat Center working with grades 2nd through 12th. Shirley’s most cherished role is that of mother and grandmother. Shirley tragically lost her daughter to domestic violence in 2020. This has given her a new journey and purpose. She is now a devoted advocate to raising awareness of domestic violence, victim rights and bail reform by sharing her story and working with BATP. Along with Forest Park East, Savannah’s employer at the time of her death, Shirley and her husband began the Savannah Memorial 5K in 2021 to honor the legacy of their daughter and raise awareness of domestic violence.

The proceeds of this annual event benefit Bay Area Turning Point and the Disciple Oaks Camp & Retreat Center. Shirley and Michael have adopted their daughter’s children which keep them very busy. Shirley also enjoys traveling, live music, reading, gardening and spending time with family.
Jim Overman is an accomplished business leader with 40 years’ experience in the downstream energy sector. He retired after a distinguished career with Shell Oil Company. Jim received his BS Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and his MBA from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Jim is a seasoned Bay Area Turning Point Board member and currently serves as Treasurer. Jim was recently elected to represent the Central Region on the Purdue Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Additionally, he volunteers with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and ESCH (Executive Service Corps Houston) advising small businesses and non-profits in developing robust business plans to achieve their goals. Jim and his wife, Diane, split their time between Houston and Galveston and have two adult children, Catherine (Chicago, IL) and Michael (New Orleans, LA).
Dan Garrison has served on the BATP board for about six years. He is the current Board Chair and previously served as Treasurer. Dan has spent 30-plus years as a NASA contractor and is employed by Barrios Technology. His career began in the laboratory, where he worked as a scientist in the field of planetary geoscience research in the mid-1980s. Dan received his MBA from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in the mid-1990s, which led to a series of management positions. He is currently the Deputy Director of the Science and Exploration Department on the Jacobs/JETS contract at Johnson Space Center. In this role, Dan oversees a range of planetary science research and both robotic and manned mission science activities. He has a history of volunteering with nonprofit organizations, generally serving in administrative or financial management positions. These include roles at his church, in community government, at local schools, and on university advisory boards.

Away from work and volunteering, his interests include travel, hiking and skiing in Colorado, and endlessly working on the family house with his wife Shauna, a singer. Dan and Shauna have three grown children who are all married and off successfully living their lives much to the delight of their (empty nest) proud parents. Dan has a life-long desire to be part of solutions to tough problems and is proud to support the mission of Bay Area Turning Point
Tim Hinson is employed by Disney as the Vice President of Technology for ABC-13 KTRK in Houston. A life-long Texan, he was raised in a small Southeast Texas town called Port Neches and graduated from the University of Texas Austin with degrees in Radio/Television/Film and Advertising. Tim also received his MBA from LeTourneau University in 2021.

After college, Tim worked at NASA Johnson Space Center for 16 years in various media and management roles, including a videographer crewmember aboard the famous reduced-gravity aircraft most commonly known as the Vomit Comet.

Outside of work Tim is actively involved in his community. He is a former board trustee for Bay Area Christian School and Operation Redemption. He and his wife Jamie also spend time volunteering with their two teenage kids at local organizations and charities such as the Birthday Joy Program, Houston Food Bank, League City Animal Shelter, and Bay Area Turning Point. He is an avid hiker, travel enthusiast, and makes the world’s finest homemade salsa.
LaRinda Horan was born and raised in southeast Arkansas, the youngest of five kids. She graduated from Henderson St. University in Arkadelphia, AR, with a degree in music education. After teaching Choral music in both Arkansas and Oklahoma for five years, LaRinda attended graduate school at Baylor University. After graduate school, she taught high school choir for 25 years in the Houston area. The last 21 of those 25 years were spent at Clear Lake High School, where she retired in 2011.

LaRinda met her husband, Guy Cagle, through a mutual friend while singing in choir in the summer of 1988. They have three children, two son-in-laws, one daughter-in-law and seven grands. Guy is a retired minister of music and current Director of Senior Adults at University Baptist Church in Clear Lake.

Carla Medlenka has been a free-spirited entrepreneur much of her life working in publishing, marketing, media, and communications, and currently works for a small non-profit physician certification board. She has had a lifelong passion for helping others and has been a volunteer of some sort since elementary school – supporting individuals and small, local organizations where her resources can directly improve quality of life for people in her community.


This is the primary reason she has been involved with Bay Area Turning Point for nearly 20 years, and has served on the Board of Directors for XXX years. Their small, dedicated staff and volunteers have a huge positive impact on local families suffering from domestic violence and sexual assault.


Carla has three grown kids and lives in League City with her husband, Galen; Lylah the rescue dog; Moby the old Beagle; and Eggo the barn cat.

Ray Swope joined Bay Area Turning Point in August 2023 and currently serves as a board member for the Board of Directors. Ray was born in Tacoma, Washington and grew up in Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania before moving to South Carolina for university where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Bob Jones University in 2008. Additionally, Ray received his MBA from Western Governor’s University in 2016. Ray worked as a professor of biological sciences at the Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences in Shanghai, China before settling in Houston, Texas to pursue a career in law enforcement in 2012.

Currently, Ray Swope is a Houston Police Department sergeant who serves in the Special Victims Division, Crimes Against Children Unit, investigating domestic and sexual violence against children. Ray is a TCOLE licensed Master Peace Officer, and he lives in Friendswood with his husband, two daughters and son.

In his free time, Ray enjoys traveling, music and being outdoors with his spouse and children.

John Braun became a board member of Bay Area Turning Point in 2024. After serving honorably in the United States Marine Corps, John became a real estate professional. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business, as well as professional credentials CCIM, CPM, and is Broker, President, and Owner of Bayou Properties Realty & Management. He has been practicing real estate for over 20 years, heavily focused on Commercial Real Estate. John began his association with Bay Area Turning Point on a professional level and is the non-profit’s long-time real estate broker.

John has a long history of volunteering and holding leadership positions in civic, private, and professional organizations.  He served on the City of Seabrook’s Board of Adjustments, Vice President of the school board for Westminster Christian Academy, various leadership positions at his church, and has professionally served on the Board of Directors for the Houston Association of Realtors and the Texas Association of Realtors.  John also holds many professional accomplishments, such as being voted 20 Rising Stars in 40 in Real Estate by HAR.  John resides in Clear Lake with his family.

Susan was born in De Smet, South Dakota. She moved to East Texas in 1981. She began her career in the funeral and cemetery industry in 1991, in Lufkin, Texas. She earned her Associate of Applied Science degree in Office Administration from Angelina College, Lufkin, Texas.  She relocated in 2004 to Forest Park East Funeral Home and Cemetery, Webster, TX where she holds the position of Office Manager.

Susan continues to participate and support the Savannah Memorial 5K Walk in memory of Savannah Kinchen, an employee at Forest Park East who tragically lost her life as a result of domestic Violence. The Savannah Memorial 5K provides financial support for Bay Area Turning Point.

Susan is a member of League City United Methodist Church. When she isn’t traveling to Lufkin to visit her daughter, she spends time with her beloved Chihuahua, Sophie. Susan also enjoys attending Astros games, sewing gifts for friends and family and bike riding. 

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