Elsa Aguilera, MSW
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Vice-President, Healing Initiativeselsailovestellamaris.orgElsa was born and raised in the border town of Laredo, Texas where her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews still reside. She moved to Houston, TX as a transferred student to attend the University of Houston (Go Coogs! ) with plans to finish her bachelors in psychology in two years and return to Laredo.
As a bilingual person, Elsa encountered the many opportunities available in a big city like Houston and decided to stay. She worked for ten years at DePelchin Children’s Center, an agency that offered children’s counseling and psychological services, and worked in various capacities where she enjoyed promoting community programs in adoption, post adoption, school based prevention, counseling, foster care, and undocumented child and parent reunification. She loved the social services field so much that she decided to return to school and pursue a degree in social work. She graduated from UH with a master’s degree in social work and a concentration in public policy.
Her focus and work included anti-human trafficking laws and bills presented during the 80th Texas Legislative session. She worked as a Youth Service Specialist in the Aldine School District. She worked as a Student Support Counselor for YES Prep Charters schools providing grief counseling and conducted student support groups.
Most recently, Elsa worked as an Associate Director for the Office of Family Life Ministry in a brand new area, Family Life Transitions. As a social worker, family life minister and creative grief counselor, Elsa provided presentations, workshops, and training in grief, loss, bereavement, separated and divorce ministry, domestic violence, and suicide prevention. Additionally, she assisted numerous parishes in starting their bereavement support groups throughout the archdiocese.
For fun, Elsa loves traveling. She enjoys the arts, crafting, DIY house projects, and spending time with her amazing Pit Bull Ginger!
Elsa is a member of The Society of St. Therese the Little Flower, the Association of Death Education and Counseling, and Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence Advisory Council.
