MEET OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
OWNER
Gabrielle Alvarado
Gabi is a former elementary school administrator and classroom teacher with Houston ISD. She has worked in an elementary school setting for 15 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and two Master's Degrees of Education: A M.Ed in Administration and Supervision and M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction. She is certified with the State of Texas as a Principal, Early Childhood and Elementary Generalist, Reading and Language Arts Specialist, Generic Special Education Teacher and English as a Second Language Teacher. She is a licensed Program Director with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Gabi loves working with children in the school setting and establishing lasting relationships with her students and their families. After 3 is an extension of the value she places on quality educational support programs.
OWNER
Christine LaBita
Chris is a former elementary school classroom teacher in Houston ISD. She has opened two elementary schools and is familiar with all aspects of project planning and program development as a result. Her teaching experience includes Pre-K, Kindergarten and 2nd grades. Chris is certified with the State of Texas as an Early Childhood Educator, Elementary Generalist, and English as a Second Language Teacher. Chris enjoys the development of new programs and overseeing the monthly thematic activities at the school sites. She is very creative and loves to see her plans come to life in the hands of a child. Chris is the math whiz in the office. If it has to do with numbers, she’s our girl!
AREA LEADER/SITE OPERATIONS/Interim site director ashford ES
Coty Wright
Ashford, Mark White, Oak Forest, & Tanglewood
Coty is a Certified State Director and has worked with children in child care and after school care settings for over 17 years. Coty is the mother of two wonderful boys. Coty's enjoyment of her job, and true passion and love of working with children, shines through in all she does. Her favorite things about working with children are seeing the expression on the face of a child that has just discovered something new, and watching them perform a new skill without assistance for the first time. Coty is well loved by parents, staff, and students alike. She is an After 3 Veteran and has been with us since we were just an idea! Coty's program at St. George has been our flagship that served as the model for our future schools. Under her direction the program excelled and produced 4 of our current site directors! Coty is always willing to help in any way she can. She is a true asset. Coty is responsible for training and supporting new site directors and caregivers, and for assisting all of our After 3 campuses as our area leader.
AREA LEADER/SITE OPERATIONS
Imman Ekwere
Briargrove, Durham, Oak Forest, & Lanier
Imman joined HISD in 2009 as a part time employee as a way to follow her son through elementary school. Part time soon blossomed into a full time supervisory position that lasted over 6 years. Imman now has 10 years of experience working with children from infant to 13 years of age. She has been with After 3 for 6 years and has gained an abundant amount of training and experience from her directors and colleagues. Imman is now a State Certified Director and under her direction she will support, train and assist our site directors and caregivers. She is very driven and self motivated. Imman can do anything she puts her mind to. She loves her role as an area leader and mentor for our After 3 campuses. She is the mother of 2 wonderful boys ages 9 and 14. Imman loves to cook and eat. We like it when she cooks for us!
COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR
Gretchen Stockberger
Gretchen is a graduate of the University of Houston, Victoria with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. Gretchen worked for Katy ISD in special education for 13 years, and most recently as an investigator for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Care Licensing. While in college, she worked as a caregiver with After 3, and is now our Compliance Director. She has the tough job of making sure everyone adheres to the rules set forth by the state and After 3, but there is no one better for the job. She is a great coach and instructor. Gretchen has been married for 25 years, has two sons, a daughter, and three beautiful grandchildren. We are so pleased to have someone with her knowledge and experience with us at After 3.
CURRICULUM SPECIALIST / COMPLIANCE DIRECTOR
Kateley LaBita
Kateley is a graduate of Katy ISD. She has worked with children most of her teen and adult life. Most recently she served as the Program Director for Children’s Learning Adventure. Kateley came to us as a caregiver, but rapidly showed strengths in areas of leadership, creativity in arts, and curriculum development. She has written an entire summer and fall S.T.E.A.M. based curriculum specifically for the After 3 program, and is hard at work on the activities for spring. Through Kateley’s curriculum all sites have grade level, hands on, 30-45 minute FUN projects that combine science, technology, engineering, art and math into individual and group based products. She is a fantastic organizer with an eye for detail. Kateley has been a very beneficial addition to our team!
SITE DIRECTOR
Gardenia Arroyo
Briargrove Elementary
Gardenia has been with After 3 since 2012. She looks at every day as a learning experience as she continues to grow with our program. Gardenia loves her job immensely and she truly enjoys going to work each day! Gardenia works with After 3 and goes to school full time at The University of Houston to work on her degree on psychology. She served as a site director for After 3 at St. Augustine for the 2014-15 school year, and served in the same role at Oak Forest elementary from 2015-2018 alongside Lamar Fike. She opened our program at Briargrove for the 2018-2019 school year and did a fantastic job. She is back for year 2 and ready to rock! Gardenia is a wonderful person and it shows in all she does.
SITE DIRECTOR
Robbie Bailey
Tanglewood Middle School
Robbie is a graduate of Lee High School. He is currently the plant operator at Briargrove Elementary, and has been employed with HISD for the last 14 years. Robbie has worked with children since he was a junior in high school. He has been with After 3 as a counselor, lead counselor, and now Site Director for 9 years. Robbie and his wife are the proud parents of 3 beautiful children. Every child that has been in After 3 knows and loves him. Robbie is the rare combination of a responsible adult who still loves to play! He is enthusiastic and his energy is contagious. We are so pleased to have him as our campus leader at Tanglewood.
SITE DIRECTOR
Lamar Fike
Oak Forest Elementary School
Lamar started as a summer camp and after school counselor with the YMCA while working his way through college. He knew from early on that he enjoyed working with children. He moved to Houston in 2000 to work with families and children to raise money to promote healthier lifestyles and activities for all. He also was a volunteer sports coach during this time. In 2009 he returned to the YMCA, but in 2011 joined the After 3 team. He has worked in both our middle and elementary school After 3 programs, and has been in a lead/supervisory role with us since 2011. He has developed strong and positive relationships with the parents, school staff members, and students he has worked with along the way. In 2012 Mr. Fike became Coach Fike when he accepted a position as an assistant PE coach at Oak Forest. He was named as site director of Oak Forest After 3 in 2015 and obtained his State Director Certification. Coach Fike enjoys organizing games and activities that promote physical activity and develop teamwork and self esteem. For the 2018-2019 Lamar and Edlin led the Oak Forest team to be awarded as The Leader’s Reader’s Choice Best After School Program for 2018-2019!
assistant site director
Edlin Puente
Oak Forest Elementary
Edlin has worked with After 3 for 6 years now. She fell in love with the program when she began, and since then, has loved coming to work everyday. Edlin started with After 3 as a Kindergarten Counselor and was recently promoted to Assistant Site Director. She is currently an undergrad at the University of Houston Downtown and is working on her Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Education). Working with children has taught Edlin a lot in the last few years and she hopes to be able to continue in this field so that she can promote positivity and guidance for all children. Edlin has a beautiful soul and a smile to match. The kids and adults adore her.
SITE DIRECTOR
Ashlee Lemos
Durham Elementary
Ashlee began working with children part time in 2008. She began as a nursery worker at Chapelwood Church. While there she worked with children ages infant to 5th grade. In 2009, she got second job as an after school teacher at River Oaks Elementary. A few years later, she was promoted from nursery worker to Director of the Childhood Nursery Program and Event Planner at Chapelwood. Ashlee still kept her after school teaching job, but was transferred from River Oaks to both Briargrove and Horn Elementary. In 2012, Ashlee left Chapelwood after being promoted to an After School Director at Horn Elementary. Later she left Horn to begin working with After 3 at Durham and begin her schooling to be a baking and pastry chef. Ashlee took a year off to finish her Associates Degree. In 2018, she returned to Durham as the Site Director after receiving her Associates Degree. She is excited to be back with all the students again for her second year there! Ashlee is a phenomenal leader.
SITE DIRECTOR
Ana Grimaldo
Lanier Middle School
Ana has worked with After 3 since 2013. She began as a kindergarten counselor while attending college full time. Ana is a graduate of the University of Houston Downtown, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. After receiving her Bachelor's degree, Ana worked at a middle school as a case manager, and continued to work for After 3 part time. During this time Ana transitioned from kindergarten to first grade, and was later placed at Katherine Smith Elementary as the person in charge of the after school program. Today, she is the Site Director at Lanier Middle School and enjoys going to work everyday. She wishes to continue her education, and would love to one day to go back to the University of Houston and pursue her Master's Degree in Social Work. Ana is gracious, kind and very dedicated to her students. She is an exemplary leader.
SITE DIRECTOR
Amanda Ridge
Mark White Elementary School
Amanda is not new to After 3, or after school programs. Amanda started our After 3 program at Durham Elementary in 2015. In addition to this, she began the after school program at Briargrove the year before that. She is a State Certified Director and has been working with children since she graduated from The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She has a Degree in Music Education and still teaches cello and violin. She recently obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, with a Minor in Psychology, and is in the application process for the role of an HPD police officer. Amanda is fair, organized, caring and great at communicating with her team and her families. She is the proud mother of a great son who has attended After 3 and loved it! We are so happy to have her back! We know she will do great things this year.
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Kelley Clark
Kelley is a graduate of the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. She has spent several years covering social media outlets for multiple small businesses and had the privilege to serve as an inspirational coach for a popular fitness program. Kelley’s love for children has brought her to After 3, where her ideas and skills will assist in the growth and outreach of our program. She is also the proud mom of two precious kiddos. Kelley is extremely excited and brings plenty of enthusiasm to After 3!