• About Us
• Advanced Philosophy of Care
• Mission, Values and Service
• Our Commitment to Safety
• Our History
• Senior Leadership Team
• Devereux Board of Trustees
• Annual Reports
• Devereux in the News
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
• Recognizing Our Employees
• Celebrating Our Devereux Families
• Sharing Messages of Hope

Servant Leadership Snapshot

Devereux’s talented and hard-working team members lead to serve, while inspiring others to learn and grow. Our “Servant Leadership Snapshot” series shines a light on exemplary servant leaders across our organization who empower all those around them to be their best selves. Look below to read features written by these compassionate collaborators as they help their teams, programs, departments and centers reach even greater heights through Servant Leadership.

Gabriela Puente, Lead Teacher

Center/office location: Devereux Texas/Victoria, Texas

Length of service: April 2021

How do you embed an inclusive, Servant Leadership mindset into your daily processes?

As a teacher, I shape my classrooms into places of growth and learning, not only for our students, but also for our youth care professionals (YCPs). By prioritizing and putting others first, and treating people with respect and fairness, I provide a safe environment where our individuals can grow and develop ever-lasting life skills.

How do you inspire others to embrace Servant Leadership practices?

I inspire others to embrace Servant Leadership practices by leading by example, and by being respectful and kind, no matter the circumstances. I believe in the Golden Rule: Treat others as you want to be treated. All can be accomplished if we serve each other with selflessness and love.

Share an example or story of how you demonstrated compassion or delivered quality customer service at your center.

Throughout my journey with Devereux, there have been occasions in which I have been needed to take on extra duties. As a lead teacher, I gladly take on these additional responsibilities because I am there to serve our YCPs and all my team members in their time of need. In addition to serving, encouraging my team in and out of the classroom is part of my daily routine. This demonstrates compassion and quality customer service because my team knows that I am available at all times, and will always be on the sidelines cheering them on, saying, “Sí, se puede!” (Yes, it’s possible!)