Staff Spotlight: Nancy Rodriguez, Advocacy Development Specialist

Nancy Rodriguez is the Finance and Business Operations Director at Texas CASA and brings more than 45 years of nonprofit accounting experience. Before Texas CASA, Nancy worked with several nonprofits such as the American Red Cross, NAMI, For Children’s Sake, Austin Minority Business Development Center and CPA firms that specialized in nonprofit accounting. She brings her experience along with family-centered values she was raised with to support the agency’s mission of helping children and families thrive.

Tell us about yourself and what drew you to working in the child welfare space. 

I have a husband who is retired, two daughters, two grandchildren and our newest addition is our great-grandson who is 8 months old. I have spent most of my career working in the nonprofit field and that experience has always drawn me back to working in any capacity that involves children and child welfare. Coming from a huge close-knit family (12 siblings) has always drawn me to working in any way where I can make difference in a child’s life. Even though I don’t work directly with children in this position I feel that my work behind the scenes is important and makes a difference in keeping the agency running smoothly.  

How long have you worked for Texas CASA, and how did you get involved with the CASA mission?

Before joining Texas CASA, I worked at a CPA firm where I assisted several nonprofits in Austin with their financial related needs. In 2007, Texas CASA requested our services to aid in implementing a new accounting system and assist with day-to-day accounting and auditing procedures. In 2013, I was hired on as a fulltime employee, so it is almost 20 years that I have been directly associated with Texas CASA.

Tell us about your work in the Administration team and your role as Finance & Business Operations Director.

In my role as the Finance & Business Operations Director I am responsible for ensuring efficient, accurate and consistent financial and administrative functions on a daily basis. A huge part of my role is to manage budgets, work with grantors and auditors to provide complete and accurate records, and to ensure compliance in all financial related areas. We have a very strong and dedicated Administration team that makes sure that every staff member has the tools and information to do their best work.

How does your personal experience impact your work at Texas CASA? 

I come from a close-knit family where my parents taught us strong morals and values and the importance of getting along with each other. There are 12 siblings and I am right in the middle as #6, so I naturally became the ‘go-to’ person for all things family related. I am the organizer of events, including our family reunions and family holidays. My siblings would say that I am the problem solver and the one who keeps everyone informed. Those same traits and values have an impact on my daily work at Texas CASA.

What is your favorite part about your job?

My favorite part of my job is that it allows me to stay true to my values because Texas CASA is family-oriented and feels like home. Even though my job is more behind the scenes I feel that I am making an impact because I know it helps my coworkers who work more directly with children focus on the meaningful work they do.