Our Staff
Christian Rodriguez, BSW
Executive Director
Christian majored in Social Work and completed his final field placement at Trinity Center before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. Before coming on staff he worked for a campus ministry serving college students in the Central Texas area.
Christian’s desire to serve and show compassion, combined with communication and organizational skills, brought him to the center first as our Operations Coordinator, and now as our Executive Director leading our team. In his spare time, Christian enjoys listening to good music, watching movies, and spending time with the people he loves.
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Contact Christian at christian@trinitycenteraustin.org
Bart Whittington, MSS
Case Manager Supervisor
Bart earned his Master of Science in Social Work in 2018 from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. He became interested in working with those who are unhoused/unstably housed through lived experience.
He enjoys studying about the neurobiology of trauma, complex PTSD and OCD. In his free time, Bart enjoys reading, writing, photography, and long walks in nature.
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Contact Bart at bart.w@trinitycenteraustin.org
Robert Parent
Case Manager
Robert is originally from New Hampshire, and moved to Texas in 2016. His passion for providing social services to unhoused adults is rooted deep from lived experience in addiction, and mental health. Since overcoming personal challenges in 2018, he have leveraged his experiences to assist individuals facing similar struggles, transitioning from volunteer work to a formal role as a permanent supportive housing case manager in 2020.
He is currently pursuing a BAS in Computer Science online at Southern New Hampshire University with a projected graduation date of December 2025. In November 2022, he earned his SOAR adult certification, and he is committed to client advocacy, building authentic relationships and continuing to drive impactful change in each person’s life.
In his free time, he enjoys woodworking, thrift store shopping, and cooking.
Contact Robert at robert.p@trinitycenteraustin.org
Manuela Arango
Volunteer and Communications Coordinator
Manuela holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications and Journalism, with a background in content creation, and digital marketing. Throughout her career, Manuela has worked in different fields such as medical and immigration law, yet Trinity Center holds a special place in her heart. In her own words, it represents the perfect place to utilize her skills to amplify the voices and stories of neighbors, humanize their experiences, and engage the community around us.
She is originally from Colombia but has been residing in Austin for the last three years. Manuela likes to spend her free time cooking at home and vlogging delicious recipes on social media. She enjoys reading, dancing, and snuggling with her two cats, Cricket and Bizcocho.
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Contact Manuela at manuela.a@trinitycenteraustin.org
Bishop Turner
Kitchen Assistant
Bishop does a wonderful job at preparing and serving delicious meals, keeping our kitchen tidy and fully stocked, and leading our volunteers in kitchen duties. Bishop first sought us out for services to help his situation and became a frequent visitor. He then joined us as our Computer Lab Volunteer — signing neighbors in and out and ensuring anyone who needed assistance was given it.
For months Trinity Staff observed his passion to give back, his kindness toward others, and his contagious and life-giving optimism. We are so grateful for his ‘yes’ when being invited to apply for our kitchen position. He is hard-working, loves to serve the public, keeps everyone around him laughing every day, and always has great music playing!
Alex Peña
Case Management Intern
Alex is a dual degree student with Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the University of Texas studying divinity and social work. Alex hopes to use his teachings to be of better service to the community of Austin.
He enjoys long walks around the city, live music, and photography, and he is also proud to be a member of the Trinity Center team.
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Contact Alex at InternA@TrinityCenterAustin.org
Mahira Jiwani
Operations and Case Management Intern
Mahira is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work degree from The University of Texas with the expected graduation of July 2025. Mahira has also completed her Bachelor of Social Work from The University of Texas in December 2023. She hopes to join the medical social work field after graduation.
She has prior experience with youth after completing an internship at Communities in Schools (CIS) and working at Youth Advocate Program (YAP). She is excited to learn more about the unhoused and be an advocate through Central Presbyterian Church and Trinity Center!
Mahira enjoys watching T.V., taking long scenic walks, swimming, traveling, and baking!
Contact Mahira at mahira@cpcaustin.org
Payton Lykes
Case Management Intern
Lauren is currently a senior at the University of Texas at Austin and is pursuing her Bachelor of Social Work which she is set up to graduate with in the Spring of 2025. Her personal journey of mental health advocacy is what fuels her passion to help others and she looks forward to pursuing that at the Trinity Center along with her work at UT Health Biomedical Informatics. Lauren is committed to fostering positive change and to do her best to support the individuals and communities she will be working with.
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Contact Lauren at InternB@TrinityCenterAustin.org
Will Kniep
Case Management Intern
Throughout his diverse career, Will has dedicated himself to meeting people where they are and helping them reach new personal milestones. Over the last several years, he has held government, education, social services, and healthcare positions.
After two years of directly supporting individuals in their mental health recovery, Will has returned to his governmental and policy roots to instigate change at the institutional level. Social work offers a distinctive approach to leading human service organizations by focusing on people within their environments, advancing human rights, and promoting leadership through example and empathy.
As a social work student, he is passionate about uniting individuals and families and connecting them with transformative resources to enable lasting changes in their lives and communities. His undergraduate education in history and government provides him with a comprehensive understanding of individuals and the cultural competencies needed to connect with and empathize with diverse populations.
Will's professional experience in congressional casework and education has equipped him with advanced skills in research, data management, and quantitative methods, which are essential for effective communication in service-oriented environments.
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Contact Will at InternE@TrinityCenterAustin.org