Her story did not begin in boardrooms or the White House. It began in a small Texas border town marked by poverty, instability, and adversity.

As a young woman, Rebecca became a teenage mother, dropped out of high school, and faced circumstances that could easily have defined the rest of her life. Instead, they became the catalyst for a different future. Armed with determination, faith, and an unwavering belief that her story was not over, she earned her GED and began rebuilding her life one decision at a time.
 

Her first opportunity came through a welfare-to-work program at the Texas State Treasury, where she landed a job working for Texas icon Ann Richards. There was no master plan, only a commitment to keep learning, keep growing, and never stop moving forward. Along the way, Rebecca sought out mentors, embraced personal responsibility, and built the discipline that became the foundation for everything that followed. Her mentors didn’t make her choices for her. They helped her see what was possible once she made them.
 

That journey led to senior leadership roles for Texas Governor George W. Bush. From there she was appointed to the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Associate Director of Presidential Personnel. She later served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Human Capital Officer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. After more than fifteen years of public service, she founded AvantGarde LLC in 2011, an award-winning national consulting firm she still leads as President and CEO.
 

Through all of it, Rebecca never forgot who opened doors for her, or how many young people never get that chance.
 

Why LaunchPad Exists

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Rebecca and her husband, David, co-founded LaunchPad, a nonprofit in Austin, Texas, dedicated to serving underserved youth and families. LaunchPad exists to give the next generation what once changed everything for Rebecca: opportunity, mentorship, encouragement, and someone willing to see their potential before they can see it themselves.

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Rebecca believes leadership is not reserved for people with power, status, or influence. It begins the moment someone decides to take ownership of their life, their choices, and their future. As a Latina leader who once faced the same odds many LaunchPad students face today, she knows that a single relationship or a single opportunity can change the direction of an entire family.

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Girls of Legacy

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Rebecca also founded Girls of Legacy, an initiative that mentors, encourages, and equips young women to become confident, purpose-driven leaders. Through mentorship, community, and scholarships, Girls of Legacy helps girls see that their circumstances are not their limits. Over the past five years, Girls of Legacy has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships to girls attending Title I schools across Texas.

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Every scholarship represents more than financial support. It tells a young woman that someone believes in her future, and that her story, like Rebecca’s, is not over.

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The Story Behind the Mission

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Rebecca shares her journey in her Amazon bestselling memoir, Lost Girl. It is the story of overcoming poverty, shame, and self-doubt to build a life of meaning, faith, service, and success. The story will reach new audiences through the Lost Girl film adaptation, targeted for 2028, for which Rebecca serves as Executive Producer. In her speaking, writing, and advocacy, she carries the same message she brings to every LaunchPad student: your circumstances, failures, labels, and past experiences do not get to define you.

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Her signature message reminds audiences that even the smallest light can shine brightest in the darkest places. At LaunchPad, those lights are the students and families who walk through our doors.

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A woman of deep faith, Rebecca believes our greatest challenges often become the preparation for our greatest calling. For her, that calling is paying forward the investment others once made in her.

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Join the Mission

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You can mentor a student, fund a scholarship, or partner with LaunchPad in the community. Any of these makes you part of the same kind of turning point that changed Rebecca’s life. Her mission remains the same: to help young people recognize that they are not defined by where they started, but by the courage they have to become who they were created to be.

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Your story is not over. Neither is theirs.

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Partner With Us.

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