MEET THE TEAM

Kayla Carter

Founder & CEO

Kayla Carter
Activist, Founder & CEO

Kayla Carter is the visionary founder and CEO of For Her, a transformative organization dedicated to empowering women in San Antonio and beyond. With a deep commitment to addressing systemic barriers to upward mobility, Kayla has dedicated her career to fostering equity, inclusion, and social capital for women facing challenges in their personal and professional lives.

Since establishing For Her in 2013, Kayla has leveraged her personal experiences and community support to develop programs that promote healing, growth, and success for women. Under her leadership, For Her has become a vital resource, offering innovative solutions and creating equitable opportunities for women to thrive in a supportive environment.

Kayla is passionate about challenging traditional philanthropy models and advocates for creative approaches to community welfare that ensure long-term success. She believes in the power of collaboration and reciprocity, uniting individuals and organizations to drive meaningful change.

An active member of her community, Kayla has been a part of the H-E Butt Foundation and the San Antonio Area Foundation Capacity Building Cohort. She has successfully secured funding from local, state, and federal sources to support her organization’s initiatives. Additionally, she has served on the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women for District One and is an alumna of Leadership San Antonio’s Class 47. Kayla is also a member of The Non-Profit Council and has contributed to various efforts, including the Alamo Area Coalition Against Trafficking (AACAT) and the S.T.O.P. Task Force. Her story and her work have been featured in the San Antonio Report, and most recently, Echoes Magazine, an H.E. Butt Foundation publication.

Through her unwavering dedication and innovative leadership, Kayla Carter continues to inspire change and uplift the lives of countless women in her community.

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Mari Zavala-Lopez

Director of Community Engagement

Mari Zavala, Director of Community Engagement

Mari Zavala-Lopez is a connector at heart — someone who believes that when women are given the right resources, relationships, and support, they can change the trajectory of their families and their communities. As Director of Community Engagement at For Her, she brings over a decade of nonprofit leadership, partnership-building, and economic development experience to the work of advancing opportunity for women across San Antonio.

Before joining For Her, Mari served as Director of Partnerships at Geekdom, where she cultivated corporate and philanthropic relationships and secured transformational investments to expand access to programming and resources. As Executive Director of Maestro Entrepreneur Center, she guided the organization through significant growth and launched initiatives that strengthened economic mobility for hundreds of families. Throughout her career, she has championed entrepreneurs, small business owners, and underserved communities with both strategy and deep personal investment.

Mari is also a civic leader in the truest sense. She currently serves as Chair of VentureLab San Antonio Advisory Council, where she works to expand youth entrepreneurship and innovation across the region. She holds bachelor's degrees in Corporate Finance and Finance & Risk Management and earned her MBA from St. Mary's University.
Above all, Mari is a proud wife and mother whose daughters remind her daily why this work matters. She believes in the power of community, courage, and collaboration — and she shows up for women in San Antonio with all three.

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Chris Lowak

Director of Programs

Chris Lowak, Director of Programs

Chris Lowak grew up traveling the world as part of an Air Force family. With each new assignment there was more to learn about the culture and the people of the new community. Tapping into her ENFJ personality, she naturally gravitated toward education and spent decades working as a teacher and a campus leader in San Antonio. She has seen firsthand the power of community and connections in supporting growth.

Chris graduated from St Mary’s University with a BA in political science and also obtained her teacher certification, then earned a Master’s degree in educational leadership from Trinity University. As a teacher, dean, assistant principal and principal her goals were to support students and teachers in their personal and professional development. She took this passion for developing others to her position as a leadership coach at Trinity University and then to her role as a school improvement consultant at Region 20 before joining the Charles Butt Foundation as the Director of Raising Blended Learners. In this role, she oversaw a statewide multi-million dollar, multiyear grant initiative as well as leading regional and statewide learning events across the state and a pilot cohort of teachers undertaking national board certification. When not at work, she loves nothing more than trying new recipes, working in her garden, spending time with family and friends, and reading.

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Bethany Anderson

Executive Assistant

Bethany Anderson
Executive Assistant

Bethany Anderson is a dedicated and compassionate professional with a Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida State University with a special focus in Social Work.

With a passion for community empowerment and crime victim advocacy, Bethany is committed to fostering collaboration and delivering impactful solutions. Her experience, combined with a deep alignment with For Her’s mission, makes her a strong advocate for creating supportive networks for those in need. If she isn’t traveling or at a concert, you’ll likely find Bethany with an iced coffee in one hand and her dog Benny’s leash in the other.

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Tracy Chica

Program Manager

Tracy Chica
Program Manager

Tracy is passionate about advancing equity and inclusive growth by expanding access to knowledge, opportunity, and community for women. With a background in Public Administration and Policy, she brings a strategic, systems-oriented lens to program development, partnerships, and impact-driven decision-making. At For Her, she leads initiatives that translate this commitment into meaningful, community-driven impact.

Outside of her professional work, Tracy is a proud cat mom, volunteer, and outdoor enthusiast.

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Rasyne Joyner

Program Coordinator

Rasyne Joyner
Program Coordinator

As a social worker, Rasyne brings a deep passion for advocating for and empowering individuals from historically marginalized communities. Rasyne has a heart for service and a strong commitment to equity and inclusion. She strives to create opportunities that uplift and support those facing systemic barriers. Her creative mind allows her to approach challenges with innovation, crafting engaging solutions that inspire change, amplify voices, and build stronger, more resilient communities. Whether through advocacy, storytelling, or program development, Rasyne remains dedicated to making a lasting impact in the lives of those she serves.

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