Today we’d like to introduce you to Saundra Halstead.
Hi Saundra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey to becoming the Executive Director of In My Shoes is deeply personal because in many ways, I see pieces of my own story in the women we serve.
When I was 19 years old, I became pregnant with my son. At the time, I was lost and didn’t fully understand how my own childhood experiences, past trauma, and desire for affirmation and acceptance had influenced many of my decisions. My boyfriend, who is now my husband of 26 years, and I chose to raise our son together. Shortly afterward, he joined the military, and we spent five years living in Japan.
Those years were formative for us. We grew up together, learned how to be parents, learned how to be a family, and matured in ways that prepared us for the future. In 2003. we returned to the United States, and after several years in San Antonio, we moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2011.
Not long after moving here, a spiritual mentor introduced me to an organization called Mercy House, a maternity home for single pregnant women. I was fascinated because I had never known such places existed. As someone who had experienced an unexpected pregnancy myself, I immediately connected with the mission and began volunteering as a mentor to the moms.
That volunteer opportunity eventually grew into serving as Volunteer Coordinator and later joining the Board of Directors, Then, in 2019, when the Executive Director stepped down, I was asked to step in temporarily. What was intended to be a short-term assignment quickly became something much bigger. Through that experience, I felt a clear calling to lead the organization.
The truth is, I didn’t feel fully prepared for the role. The organization was struggling and facing significant challenges. But over the next few years, we essentially rebuilt it from the ground up. I rebuilt the team, redesigned the program, strengthened operations, and helped transform it into a respected maternity home that was producing meaningful outcomes for mothers and babies. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding seasons of my life.
In 2022, I felt it was time for a new chapter. I took time away to focus on adopting our youngest child, and I also invested in my own professional development by earning certifications in nonprofit management and fundraising. After that, I worked for a transitional housing community serving single mothers in Fort Worth.
That experience taught me a great deal. I saw both effective practices and leadership challenges, and I gained valuable insight into what healthy organizational culture and strong leadership should look like. Sometimes our greatest lessons come not only from what works but also from what doesn’t.
During that time, I learned about the opportunity at In My Shoes. The more I learned about the mission, the more convinced I became that this was where I was being called next. What resonates with me most is that In My Shoes doesn’t simply provide housing or services- it helps women address the deeper issues that often contribute to crisis pregnancies and instability. We focus on empowerment, life skills, spiritual development, healthy relationships, and community.
Because of my own journey, I understand what it feels like to be a young woman searching for direction and identity. While my circumstances were different from many of the women we serve, I know what it means to need support, guidance, and people who believe in your potential. Today, I have the privilege of leading an organization that helps women discover that their past does not have to define their future, and that’s work I feel deeply called to do.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road.
I was navigating adulthood, marriage, and parenting all at the same time while trying to understand my own identity and heal from past wounds. Looking back, I can see how much my unresolved trauma and desire for acceptance influenced my choices, and there was a lot of personal growth that needed to happen.
Professionally, one of the biggest challenges came when I stepped into executive leadership. When I became the interim Executive Director at Mercy House, I inherited an organization that was struggling. We faced financial challenges, staffing issues, program gaps, and the difficult reality that trust and credibility had to be rebuilt. There were many moments when I felt overwhelmed and questioned whether I was the right person for the job. I had to learn quickly, make difficult decisions, and lead through uncertainty.
Another challenge was recognizing when it was time to leave. After investing so much of myself into rebuilding the organization, stepping away was not easy. But I knew the organization needed something different for its next season, and I needed space to focus on my family, heal, and continue developing professionally.
Even my most recent experience taught me valuable lessons through difficulty. Working in an environment with poor leadership reinforced the importance of healthy culture, accountability, clear communication, and servant leadership. It reminded me that the way we lead people is just as important as the mission we’re trying to accomplish.
Through all the challenges, I’ve learned resilience, humility, and the importance of surrounding myself with wise mentors and strong teams. The struggles have shaped me into a stronger leader and have given me greater empathy for the women we serve, because I know firsthand that growth often happens in the hardest seasons of life.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In My Shoes exists to help single pregnant women and mothers move from crisis to stability and ultimately to independence. We provide a safe, supportive residential environment where women can address not only their immediate needs but also the deeper challenges that may have contributed to their circumstances.
What makes us unique is that we don’t simply offer housing. We take a holistic approach that focuses on the whole person. Our program combines life-skills development, parenting education, financial literacy, career and educational support, spiritual growth, healthy relationship development, and individualized case management. Our goal is not just to help a woman get through her pregnancy, but to help her build a foundation for long-term success for herself and her child.
We are rebuilding a community where we are known for creating a space where women are seen valued, and empowered. Many of the women who come to us have experienced trauma, instability, broken relationships, or lack of support. We help them discover that their past does not define their future and that they are capable of creating a different path for themselves and their children.
What sets In My Shoes apart is our commitment to transformation rather than temporary relief. We walk alongside our resident for an extended period, providing time, tools, accountability, and the support necessary for lasting change. We believe that true success is not simply securing housing or employment, but helping women develop the confidence, skills and resilience needed to thrive independently.
What I am most proud of is the life change we witness every day. We see women who arrive feeling overwhelmed, fearful, and uncertain leave with stable employment, healthy parenting skills, stronger support systems, a renewed sense of purpose, and generational poverty broken. The most powerful part of our work is watching women realize they are capable of far more than they ever believed.
At its heart, In My Shoes is about hope. We are building stronger families, healthier futures for our children, and generational change- one mother at a time.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was sassy, spunky, energetic, and always on the go. I loved to sing, play outside, and spend time with my siblings. One of my favorite childhood games was playing post office because we had those windows that pushed out, and they made the perfect “service counter.” I loved riding my bike and playing in my kitchen. I valued my church family and spent a lot of time serving in our church community.
I was also raised as an Air Force brat, so we moved around quite a bit. That taught me how to adapt to new environments, make friends quickly, and be comfortable with change. Looking back, those experiences helped shape the resilience and flexibility that have served me well throughout my life and career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.liveinmyshoes.org
- Instagram: live_inmyshoes
- Facebook: In My Shoes
- LinkedIn: In My Shoes, Inc.
