Meet Our Staff & Mental Health Counselors

Robert "Bob" Williams, Founder and CEO

Bob Williams is the Founder and CEO of Ranch Hands Rescue. After suffering a stroke in 2007, Bob decided to retire from Motorola. After a year of rehabilitation, he decided to start a not-for-profit organization that would save animals and help people.

Landon Dickeson, MS, LPC, Director of Clinical Services

Landon is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a focus on trauma-informed interventions. Landon completed his BS in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience from Texas A&M University, then pursued his graduate education at...

Laura Guerra

Laura is the Business Development Manager for the South Texas Region. She has many years of experience in the nonprofit field and a huge heart for helping underrepresented populations. A native Houstonian, Laura holds a master's degree in Public...

Kim Robinson, PhD

Dr. Robinson has had the joy and honor of working as a nurse, a licensed professional counselor, and a psychologist. Each of those roles have taught her volumes about human behavior, human limits and strengths, and how each of us are at different...

Carla O'Hara, MA, LPC

Carla specializes in providing individual and group counseling. Her focus has been working with children, teens and adults with a wide range of treatment issues. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) trained in Trauma-Informed Therapy...

Gerardo Blanco, MS, LPC, LMFT-S, RPT

Gerardo is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Supervisor, and Registered Play Therapist with over 18 years experience working with children, adolescents, adult individuals, and families in a variety of clinical settings.

Monique Van Houten, MS, LPC

Monique is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate with a passion for animal assisted therapy and working with people who have experienced trauma. Monique completed her BA in Psychology at the University of North Texas, where she also...

Eryn Butler, MS, LPC-A
Supervised by Pedro Blanco, PhD, LPC-S
Therapist

Eryn completed her Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences with a minor in Counseling from the University of North Texas, then pursued her graduate education at North Texas where she obtained a Masters of Science in...

Charlavan Cranford,
Executive Assistant

Charlavan joined RHR as the Executive Assistant to Bob, Landon, and the RHR team. She has a long career as an Executive Administrator and is always eager to learn new things. She enjoys helping to make a company and its people successful.

Sarah-Jean Benjamin

Sarah-Jean Benjamin is in training to be the Ranch Hand Supervisor for Ranch Hands Rescue. She has always loved animals, and was lucky to grow up alongside all kinds of critters from her mothers and grandmother’s passion for animal rescue...

Jack Hailey

This is Jack. He is currently a college student working on getting his degree in criminal justice. His goal is to become a game warden after graduating from UNT. During his free time he enjoys taking his dog to the dog park, fishing, and hanging out...

Jason Smith, MS
House Manager

Jason is the House Manager at Bob's House of Hope. Jason completed his BS in Psychology at Tarleton State University and acquired his MS in Applied Clinical Psychology from Texas A&M University - Commerce.

Rachel Martinez, MA
Case Manager

Rachel completed a BA in Psychology from the University of North Texas. She is currently pursuing a MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus on Play Therapy. She believes that play is an important part of life no matter how old you are.

Ruth Thunderhawk, BS
Resident Assistant

Ruth Thunderhawk serves as a resident assistant at Bob's House of Hope. Ruth earned her bachelor's of science in human development and family studies with a focus in family and intervention at the University of North Texas.

Rachel Pahnke, BFA
Resident Assistant

Rachel served in the US Marine Corps for six years as a military correctional officer, a parole and release assistant, and a victim/witness assistant. During that time, Rachel became a registered yoga instructor, and began teaching yoga to Marines...

Jessica Meeks
Resident Assistant

Jessica is currently pursuing a BS in Psychology from the University of North Texas and is on track to graduate with Honors in 2022. She has a background in social services working primarily with dementia patients and their families.

Preston Gould
Resident Assistant

Preston is currently in the process of obtaining his BA in psychology from the University of North Texas. After graduation, he hopes to attend a graduate or doctoral program in clinical psychology with a focus on trauma and...

Alice Goodrick
Resident Assistant

Alice Goodrick is a Resident Assistant at Bob’s House of Hope. Alice is completing her BS in Music Therapy at Texas Woman’s University. She hopes to do her internship, and later on facilitate music therapy within the scope of trauma, and mental health.

Alyssa Vaughan
Resident Assistant

Alyssa Vaughan is a resident assistant at Bob’s House of Hope and works to ensure that the residents are cared for in all areas of life. Because of her time of working with the residents, she has come to believe that relationships can be one of the most...