Peña Search Assists To Be Like Me with the Recruitment of Executive Director
June 16, 2026 – Peña Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Lauren Rowe as the new executive for To Be Like Me (TBLM) in Dallas, TX. Travis Hillier, Carlos González Peña, and Thaise Pereira led the assignment. She replaces To Be Like Me founder Hollis Owens, who has served as executive director since 2018 and initiated the search for her replacement last year. “I started To Be Like Me while working as a physical therapist for people with disabilities,” Ms. Owens said. “My tiny idea to foster understanding and empathy has grown beyond all my expectations. It became clear that we needed to find a leader with the executive experience to manage the exciting growth ahead. I have tremendous confidence in Lauren.”
“Lauren is an inspiring and results-driven leader whose passion for advocacy and community engagement aligns perfectly with our mission,” said Tom Erickson, board chair of To Be Like Me. “Her experience in building out infrastructure for rapidly growing organizations is what really made her stand out in our search.”
Ms. Rowe brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector. Most recently, she served as executive director of Lone Star CASA, where she led strategic growth that more than doubled the organization’s size and increased net resources by 257 percent, generating an additional $1.2 million to support advocacy for children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
Prior to her role at Lone Star CASA, Ms. Rowe served as director of child & club safety for Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Southwest Region, where she advised more than 200 organizations across eight states. She also held national leadership roles at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), overseeing victim services strategy, program development, and nationwide training initiatives.
In her new role, Ms. Rowe will lead To Be Like Me’s strategic vision, operations, and community engagement efforts, with a focus on expanding education programs in Texas schools, strengthening partnerships, and increasing awareness and understanding of individuals with disabilities.
“I am honored to join To Be Like Me and advance a mission that fosters empathy, engagement, and understanding,” said Ms. Rowe. “I think this organization is poised for tremendous growth in the coming years, and I look forward to working alongside the board, staff, and community partners to expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities. As a long-time Richardson resident and parent to two elementary students, I am especially thrilled to join an organization doing such inspiring work with schools in our local community.”
Founded in 2018 by three healthcare professionals, To Be Like Me was born out of a shared realization: many of the barriers people with disabilities face are not just physical—they are human. Through their work with patients and families, the founders saw a lack of community education around disability, which fueled stereotypes, misunderstandings, and exclusion. To bridge that gap, they created TBLM to build meaningful connections between people with disabilities and their communities.
Related: Peña Search Seeking Philanthropy Lead for The Rees-Jones Foundation
Headquartered in Dallas, Peña Search’s specialties include: non-profit organizations, mission-driven organizations, foundations, higher education, independent schools, religious organizations and educational institutions, human services organizations, museums, collective impact organizations, professional and trade associations, art culture and humanities organizations, environment and animal welfare organizations, fundraising, chief financial officers, chief executive officers, healthcare organizations, chief development officers, and advocacy organizations.
Proven Search Consultants
Sherman Peña is founder and CEO of Peña Search. Over a 20-year career in recruiting, she has a track record of successful, high-level placements across the United States and in Mexico. Currently, Ms. Sherman Peña leads many of the CEO-level searches while also managing and assisting team members. She also practiced law for seven years, focusing on cross-border transactions and trade.
Mr. Hillier joined Peña Search in 2015. He conducts and supports searches at many different levels, and is committed to finding and placing the right leaders that will have a demonstrable impact in their communities and organizations. Mr. Hillier has search experience across a broad array of sectors and positions, bringing expertise to searches on behalf of educational organizations, those with religious affinities or affiliations, and agencies with international programmatic or fundraising components. He has also carved out a niche on the Peña Search team for his skill identifying development officers.
Mr. González Peña’s fascination with non-profits began while earning a master’s degree at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs. It was there that he was exposed to how influential these types of organizations are in improving quality of life across the U.S. He helped found Peña Search in 2009 to serve mission-driven organizations. Mr. González Peña is committed to finding the best cultural fit for each individual candidate and institution. He currently leads many of the CEO-level searches while also focusing on growth and team management.
Mr. Pereira brings extensive talent acquisition experience and a psychology background that fuels her passion for connecting talent with opportunities. She began her career in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, recruiting for roles across sales, finance, IT, marketing, and regulatory affairs, which deepened her ability to assess candidates holistically.
Related: Peña Search Recruits CEO for the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
