Chelsea Steele
CEO of ABC of Southwest Texas
By Rudy Arispe | Photography by David Teran
Chelsea Steele is not one to shy away from a challenge. On the contrary, she embraces them. Because over the years, she has discovered that when faced with the impossible, she is able to muster her inner strength and courage and tackle any hopeless situation staring her in the eye.
“I love challenges and like to think creatively and to reimagine things, so to me it’s my love letter to all the kids and families we serve,” said Steele, a mother of four, who took the helm as President & CEO of ABC of Southwest Texas in August after serving for a while as chief impact officer. “I’m looking at how we can do better for our families and raise the bar. I’m excited about where we’re going.”
For the past 43 years, ABC of Southwest Texas has been serving families of children and teens, from infants to 18 years old, with physical and mental healthcare needs. Formerly known as Any Baby Can, the new name is part of the agency’s rebranding. “We want people to understand we do more than just serve babies,” she said, adding that the nonprofit serves 16 counties besides Bexar County.
Indeed, there is a clear purpose and mission behind the agency’s name and services they offer, which Steele is eager to share. ABC, she explained, focuses on the organization’s three pillars: A includes autism, education, and training. “Our team goes out into the community to offer classes in person or virtually to caregivers, special education teachers, police cadets, and firefighters about what it’s like navigating through life with autism and how that looks,” she said.
B covers bereavement services, including grief counseling and financial assistance with funeral costs, such as caskets and cremation. “It doesn’t have to be a child who has died from a disability,” Steele said. “It’s also any parent or caregiver who has lost a child.”
C is for case management, which is the nonprofit’s foundation, Steele stresses. “A lot of times, families will call and say, ‘We just got a diagnosis, and we don’t know what to do.’ Our case managers do a lengthy, in-take consultation with them to assess their needs to determine how we can help them,” she said.
Since assuming the role of CEO this summer, Steele has jumped in full steam ahead. Because, as anyone who has ever worked in the nonprofit arena will tell you, there’s no rest for the weary. The work is demanding but immensely rewarding – and the families and children whom the organization serves are the driving force for her and the entire ABC of Southwest Texas team.
“With any nonprofit, you have to hit the ground running,” Steele said. “You’re making key decisions by the third or fourth day … You wear so many hats. You’re fixing a leaky faucet, cleaning toilets if you have to, or doing a song-and-dance to get donations. You have to love the work and understand why you’re doing it to be connected to the mission. At the end of the day, I’m the person who has to make sure every decision honors our mission and that we’re helping the community.”
With a solid background in nonprofit experience, Steele is known by colleagues and co-workers to possess the gift of transforming struggling organizations into vibrant, impactful ones, which she attributes to having been the vice president of a medical staffing company and overseeing an $83 million budget prior to her foray into the nonprofit world.
“I have a savvy business side,” Steele said. “I’m always looking at inefficiencies. I’ve always been a fixer. If something is outdated, let’s update it. I also love tech and innovation. That’s helped me be successful.”
Away from work, you can find Steele at the San Pedro Playhouse, volunteering to scan tickets or serving as house manager, because of her long-time love of theater. But there’s no acting when she speaks about the incredible things happening daily at ABC of Southwest Texas. It’s straight from the heart.
“More than anything, ABC is home to our staff and the 350 families we serve,” Steele said. “It’s full of love, laughter and hope. I’ve experienced miracles here, and we continue to give families miracles.”
For more information, visit https://abcofswtx.org/
