About
EMPOWERING WOMEN OUT OF PRISON.
At EWOP, we believe every woman is more than the circumstances that led to her incarceration.
Many of the women we serve faced adversity long before entering prison. Their stories often include trauma, addiction, poverty, abuse, family instability, and limited access to opportunity. While every story is different, the women share one desire: the chance to build a different future.
EWOP exists to help women discover that future.
Through education, entrepreneurship, character development, mentoring, and long-term support, we walk alongside women as they prepare for life after release. Our goal is not simply successful reentry. It is lasting transformation: helping women build lives marked by purpose, stability, dignity, and hope.
When women thrive, families are strengthened, children gain new possibilities, and communities become healthier and more connected.
Mission
WHAT WE DO.
Transforming and empowering incarcerated women to realize a life of freedom, through an entrepreneurial spirit, noble character and purpose, revealing their God-given potential.
EWOP offers a twelve-month leadership and entrepreneurship program within Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, followed by ongoing support after release.
Inside prison
Women take part in personal development, business and workforce training, financial literacy, mentorship, and practical life preparation. The program asks each woman to take responsibility for her past while she builds the skills, confidence, and support network she needs to move forward.
After release
EWOP keeps walking alongside graduates through mentoring, employment support, community connections, and the resources that help women navigate reentry.
The work does not end at graduation. It continues as women rebuild relationships, find meaningful work, build economic stability, and lay new foundations for themselves and their families.
Our story
OUR STORY.
EWOP was founded on a simple belief: transformation is possible.
In 2017, founding board member Bert Smith saw the impact of an entrepreneurship and leadership program inside a Texas men’s prison. He also saw a gap. Women preparing for release often carry challenges shaped by trauma, family responsibility, addiction, and economic instability, and few programs were built for them.
That gap became the reason for EWOP.
In 2020, EWOP launched its first in-prison leadership and entrepreneurship program. It combined personal development, character formation, mentorship, and workforce skills to help women prepare for the years after release.
Today, EWOP serves women across Texas through both in-prison programming and post-release support. A community of staff, volunteers, mentors, donors, and partners sustains EWOP. They believe every woman deserves the chance to build a new future.
Every graduate’s story shows the same thing: lasting change happens when women are given both accountability and support, challenge and encouragement, opportunity and hope.
The Five Driving Values
THE VALUES THAT GOVERN THE WORK.
The organization, board, staff and participants live by these driving values.
We take ownership of our actions, honor our commitments, and faithfully steward every opportunity and resource entrusted to us. We hold ourselves and others to high standards while maximizing our impact with integrity and responsibility.
We do what is right, tell the truth, and pursue excellence in everything we do. Our character, honesty, and commitment to continuous improvement build trust and inspire confidence.
We believe every person has the potential to change and deserves the opportunity to succeed. We turn hope into action by following through with discipline, purpose, and measurable results.
We lead by serving others with humility while embracing creativity and innovation to overcome barriers, challenge assumptions, and create new opportunities for those we serve.
We create a culture of compassion, encouragement, and joy. We treat others with kindness and respect, celebrate successes together, and believe meaningful work should also be rewarding and life-giving.
The team
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WORK.
Board of Directors
Karen El-Tawil
Board Chairperson
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Karen, a retired oilfield services executive, has been an active volunteer and donor with the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) since 2012. She has been involved with the women’s program since its inception and served as Interim Executive Director in EWOP’s inaugural year. The women in Lockhart know Karen for her dedication, servant-leader heart, and can-do spirit.
Bert Smith
Board Member
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Bert is the former CEO of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) and has been involved with the organization since 2005. He has a law and investment background, with many years of experience across a variety of industries. Bert is currently the President of the National Christian Foundation, where he helps nonprofits and donors connect to change lives and grow.
Neha Agrawal
Board Member
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Neha is a real estate entrepreneur. A true Texan, she was born and raised in Houston, earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from the Jones School of Business at Rice University. She is glad to be part of EWOP, which combines two of her passions: giving women a voice and learning about a range of industries.
Andrie Leday
Board Member
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As Vice President of US Commercial Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASC), Andrie believes in the transformational power of medical devices to enhance our lives and the future of healthcare. He focuses on long-term strategies and business plans that accelerate market growth across multiple therapeutic portfolios: total joints, sports medicine, and trauma. His 20 years of leadership and sales experience in healthcare have given him the opportunity to build collaborative, winning sales teams, diverse in skills and background.
Staff
Pam Thomure
Executive Director
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Pam has led a variety of nonprofit organizations over the past 25 years, with a focus on strategic planning and growth for start-up nonprofits. As an entrepreneur, she founded Southwest Senior Solutions, a for-profit business helping senior adults downsize and relocate. She served on the National Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors, building relationships and increasing awareness for arts education across the nation. Pam is a member of One Voice Central Texas and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She has a heart for seeing women thrive and is blessed to be part of the EWOP family.
Courtney Trujillo
Director of Programs
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Drawing on years of experience in nonprofit program development, Courtney oversees both the education and reentry programs at EWOP. Through the discipline, resilience, and leadership skills she cultivated as a veteran, she helps create opportunities for women to build critical skills, confidence, and long-term stability. She is committed to meeting women where they are and encouraging growth through trust, accountability, and purpose. Courtney is proud to lead a dedicated, driven team of case managers and education coordinators.
Paige Lovett
Director of Development
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Paige has extensive leadership experience in social work, trauma-informed care, and direct reentry services. She brings both strategic vision and deep compassion to her work, leading fundraising, partnerships, and community engagement to advance EWOP’s mission. She has spent many years in direct care serving diverse populations, from youth in foster care and survivors of sex trafficking to women in prison. That background gives her a rare perspective bridging development and lived impact, ensuring fundraising is not just about dollars raised, but about stories told and lives changed.
Bobbie Pacheco
Education Program Coordinator
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Bobbie joins the team as a lifelong learner with a heart for service and a love of technology and entrepreneurship. She brings over 25 years of experience in various educational roles in nonprofit settings. For the last 17 years, Bobbie has been an educator, supporting her students in shaping their character, developing technology skills, and believing in their ability to start a business. As the Education Program Coordinator, she facilitates EWOP classes designed to support and empower women as they rebuild their lives.
Heather Moss
Reentry Case Manager
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Heather serves as our Reentry Case Manager and is a proud graduate of EWOP. After navigating the challenges of reentry herself, she returned to support women walking a similar path. Her lived experience allows her to offer both practical guidance and deep empathy to the women she serves. Heather is passionate about helping women see that transformation and a new beginning are truly possible.
Lucy Ross
Administrative & Volunteer Coordinator
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Lucy brings a background in social work and public service, grounded in a deep commitment to community engagement and relationship-building. Her experience across government and nonprofit spaces equips her to support collaborative, community-driven initiatives that bring people together and drive positive change. As the Volunteer Coordinator and Administrative Assistant, Lucy is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for involvement that empower volunteers and ensure they feel supported, valued, and inspired in their service.
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