ABOUT US & LEADERSHIP

"Changing the world...one child at a time."

These words aren’t just our motto; these are the words our staff and foster parents live by. Every minute of every day, Texas children fall victim at the hands of their parents. They are abused, neglected, and mistreated in ways that the general public cannot begin to imagine. The children enter the doors of A World For Children foster homes with terror, uncertainty, physical scars, and emotional trauma. A World For Children’s foster parents, along with the 24-hour support of A World For Children’s staff, spend every day changing uncertainty into undying stability, mending physical injuries, and providing in-depth treatment for emotional trauma.

A World For Children leadership team

Our Story

A World for Children was founded in April of 1997, in a small office in Round Rock, Texas. The founders, Paul and Sharon Willis and Rebecca Allen, shared a dream to make a better world for God's children. That humble dream unfolded into a foster care agency that currently spans the entire state. Currently, we serve children in foster homes in the following cities: Amarillo, Brownwood, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, McAllen, Round Rock, San Antonio, Tyler, Victoria and Wichita Falls. With this extensive reach, foster parents in all areas of Texas have an office close to their home that can provide any ongoing and thorough support and guidance that they may need.

Leadership

Ashleigh Wilkes

Executive Director

Ashleigh Wilkes received her Bachelor in Business Administration, with a focus in Finance, from the University of Texas, and then went on to pursue her Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Texas Tech School of Law. After finishing her education, she practiced commercial litigation and Family Law. Though the legal field was interesting, it did not fulfill her passion of working with children in need. She joined A World For Children as General Counsel in 2010, and took the position of Executive Director in 2015. Her legal and business backgrounds give her a unique perspective in the field of child welfare.

Marni Morgan, LPC, MA, LCPAA

Statewide Program Administrator

Marni has been working with children and families for the last 26 years, and has been part of the AWFC family since 1999. Marni has experienced working as a case manager, a foster home developer, Regional Director, and Statewide Program Administrator in her tenure at AWFC. Marni has worked with families and children in a residential treatment setting as well as serving as a CPS State caseworker. She has built her career in serving “at risk” youth and families and her passion revolves around helping others.

Marni received her Bachelor of Arts from the Metropolitan State College of Denver in Behavioral Science. She received her Master’s in Counseling from Wayland Baptist University in which she was awarded the Outstanding Graduate for the Master’s of Arts in Counseling program. Marni is a Licensed Professional Counselor as well as a Licensed Child Placing Agency Administrator. She received the highest award that can be given to a civilian from the Chief Master Sargent from the United States Airforce at Randolph for “what she does for the children.” Marni also received the coin from the FBI crimes against children’s squad, to represent “carrying the torch” and “holding the line” in serving children in honor of those who lost their lives in doing so. Marni believes strongly in working with the community and has been an active member in working with many collaborative groups including serving as the IFCC President from 2006-2011. Marni uses her sense of humor to connect with others in an effort to form a collaboration that has a common interest in helping abused and neglected children.