New Interim Executive Director 

The new Interim Executive Director is Ms. Teresa Nira. Ms. Nira states, "Because we, like many ecumenical organizations across the nation, are currently challenged by changes in denominational worship, social priorities and the economy, the TCC is operating on a streamlined budget and staff. Even so, the TCC is committed to better serve the ecumenical community through shared worship, formation, community advocacy and service. A MAJOR EMPHASIS OF THE NEW MISSION IS TO BUILD STRONGER TIES WITH, AND PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR, LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECUMENICAL NETWORKS." This new direction will be featured during the combined Annual Assembly and Faith & Order Conference on November 16 & 17 in San Antonio. Workshops will showcase ecumenical networks throughout Texas in the areas of hospital, disaster recovery, advocacy, military, prison, and campus ministries.

Ms. Nira brings three decades of expertise in establishing and managing ministries on the local, state, regional and national level. She was the founding director of the Southwest Region of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, the ecumenical Southeast Austin Caregivers, Social Ministries of St. Louis Parish (perhaps the largest ministry of its kind at that time), and Dolores Parish in Austin, and the founding Latino Outreach Coordinator for NETWORK Catholic Lobby in Washington, D.C. She served two terms as Moderator of the North Central Austin Community of Churches. At the request of Austin Metropolitan Ministries, she authored three ecumenical ministry models now in use by local networks.

She wrote successful grants for two innovative ecumenical programs funded by state and national funding groups: a self-sufficiency model contained inside a new affordable housing community in Manor, Texas, of which the Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs commented: "This is the first such collaborative program that our agency has awarded: a combination of three entities--faith-based, non-profit, and government;" and a local initiative to inaugurate and implement the State of Texas Family Pathfinders program with funds from the Daughters of Charity.

Ms. Nira holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas, with post-graduate studies at St. Edward's University and the University of St. Thomas. Ms. Nira is a lay Associate of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary based in Monroe, Michigan.