Our Board Members

Cyndy and Jay GusslerCyndy Gusler – Founder and Executive Director

Cyndy has been involved in ministry for over 25 years. In 2008, God gave her the vision for From the Vine Ministries. At that time, she was in a position of leadership in a local church. Despite a growing women’s ministry with ample resources, she felt Him calling her to go outside of the church’s walls. He wanted her to reach women who, for whatever reason, did not feel comfortable stepping inside a church. FTVM is her passion, and she not only teaches Bible Studies at The Vineyard, but is involved in some way in most of the groups that meet there.

Cyndy graduated from Spring Arbor College with an English Major/Drama Minor and Secondary Teaching Degree. She went on to earn a Masters Degree from Michigan State University in Organization and Communication. After teaching in middle and high schools for 10 years, she now focuses full-time on FTVM. She plans and directs programs that God puts on her heart as women present their needs. Cyndy’s hobbies include reading, cooking, hosting and entertaining, teaching God’s Word, and laughing and hugging – a lot. To hear more of Cyndy's story, click here.

 

Raechell Braxton – President

Raechell Braxton has a heart for disillusioned people. Whether it be a teenager who needs to realize her self-worth or a divorced woman who needs to find her true identity, she utilizes God's Word to empower. Her volunteer activites include co-writing for Refuge Temple Ministries, Inc., drama team, i.e., TRUTH-IN-ACTION PRODUCTIONS; co-directing the Women's Ministry Auxiliary, where she oversees and mentors women; and Minister/Teacher of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Auxiliary.

Raechell earned her B.A. is Mass Communication from the University of Southern Misssissippi. Her career has included diverse roles such as marketing and project management for residential remodeling and specialized banking services. 

 

Zaundra Grant - Vice-President

It’s with 20 years of corporate oil and gas experience, a B.S. and a MBA that Zaundra is a certified Divorce Recovery Coach and has been for the past 9 years.  Zaundra is also the #1 Best Selling author of Better Than Okay and the recently released divorce recovery workbook titled Journey to Better Than Okay.

It is with passion, heart, integrity that Zaundra helps others grow stronger mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially then create the life experiences they most want to enjoy after divorce. With her tools that include the divorce recovery workbook her own signature coaching that is completed in 3 ways/online, in groups or 1 on 1 Zaundra creates a safe, nonjudgmental space for healing, breakthroughs enabling others to move from tears and fears to living, loving and thriving in life after divorce.

 

Kerry O'Malley Holmes - Secretary

Kerry is founder and president of Marketects, Inc., a full service marketing communications agency that works almost exclusively with industrial clients in the Houston area. She brings almost 35 years of marketing experience, both in corporate and agency settings, to From the Vine Ministries. Since 1998, under Kerry's leadership, Marketects has helped countless industrial companies increase brand recognition, bring new products to market, solve image problems, and develop marketing strategies that have injected new life into their business and ultimately increased sales opportunities.

Kerry and her husband moved to the Cypress area from Kingwood mid-2018, when she was introduced to The Vineyard and immediately felt called to volunteer her marketing communication skills to further the mission of the ministry.

 

Vanessa Harris - Board Member at Large

Vanessa Harris, M.D, M.S. is a blogger, and the author of DADDY's Girl Forever and its devotional.  She’s also a physician turned stay at home mom, who’s never lost her NY wit.  She needs it for the three inventive children she raises with her husband, Mark.  Read more from Vanessa at vinelifefaith.com, where she compassionately shares truth that transforms.

 

 

Michelle Warren – Board Member at Large

Michelle is a Louisiana native who has been in the Houston area for almost 10 years. She is a graduate of TCU (BA, Theatre, Radio-TV-Film) and Emerson College (MA, Theatre Education) and is a children's theatre director and public school teacher. Michelle is also active in her church community, serving as a small group leader with her husband, Kevin. They have 3 young children who keep them busy!

 

 

Karen Ruhe - Board Member at Large

Karen has worked in the Construction Industry for over 25 years, primarily in Fire Protection. For 14 years, she was an H/R Manager and is currently a Safety Manager / Contract Specialist. Karen has lived in the Cypress area for 25 years, and is the proud grandmother of two grandchildren. Karen has a passion to help others, both in her professional and personal life. After personally experiencing the pain of divorce, she became a Certified Divorce Recovery Coach, which allows her to share the gift of compassion and understanding with others who are going through divorce - and then help them to move on to healing, and the next chapter in their lives.

 

 

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Bill St. Clair

Bill has over 30 years experience in the CFO, Controller and Internal Audit areas.  He spent nine years at Exxon, where he sharpened his financial evaluation, financial reporting and internal control skills. In 2002, he began using his skills to assist a small company that needed the experience of a CFO but could not afford one full-time.   Since then, he has served as a strategic business partner for small business owners in a wide variety of industries.  He possesses high-level skills in strategic business planning, establishment of operational/financial controls, systems integration, and risk management. Bill has also developed financial forecasts for clients in order to raise capital and support their business plans.

For 3 years, Bill served on the Board of Literacy Advance, which provides services to adults in Houston.  He serves on the Board of the Friends of the Texas Medical Center Library, which serves all of the hospitals and students in the Texas Medical Center.  As Director of the spiritually based Upward Basketball and Cheerleading league, he helps serve hundreds of children in the Houston area. He serves on the Legislative Committee of the Cy-Fair ISD, keeping citizens and legislators informed of the impact of potential legislation on area schools.  Bill is also active in the Greater Houston Partnership and the Cy-Fair Chamber of Commerce. He earned his BSBA in Banking and Finance from Mississippi State University and his MBA specializing in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sheila Kelly

Sheila works part-time and loves to travel. Her true heart is in servanthood, after experiencing the deaths of two brothers, her own baby, and a niece to suicide. The Lord has helped her to be brave enough to share her story and bold enough to share the Lord’s grace with those who want to hear. Sheila has two adult sons and three grandchildren.