About Us

SPONSORING TRUE ADVOCACY FOR CHALLENGED YOUTH is an organization advocating for children with special needs and their families through diverse programs and partnerships in the Greater Sacramento Area.

Our Goals

  • Create a valuable scholarship program for students who seek to further serve our community by advocating for people with disabilities.
  • Support and educate siblings of individuals with special needs on how to become advocates.
  • Be a reliable, steady source of volunteers for worthy community events organized by partner organizations.
  • Coordinate STACY sponsored events promoting causes desired by our community.
  • Cultivate partnerships with nonprofits and businesses in our community that commit to shared values.

Our Board

Paul Houser, President, Chief Executive Officer

Paul is proud to be a unique sibling. Paul's older sister Stacy faced physical and mental challenges for over 26 years. Stacy's passing motivated Paul to create an organization that advocates for children and adults with special needs. Having participated in many events throughout his sister's life, Paul has been involved with remarkable organizations such as United Cerebral Palsy, Alta California Regional Center, Sacramento County Office of Education, Warmline Family Resource Center, Special Olympics, Easter Seal's, Apoyo de Padres Para Padres (Support for Parents by Parents), Fiesta Educativa, Children's Receiving Home of Sacramento, UC Davis MIND Institute and numerous school districts' special education programs. Paul's education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government-International Relations completed at California State University, Sacramento and a Master of Science degree in Homeland Security with a specialization in Emergency Management and Counterterrorism from San Diego State University. Paul has been working for the State of California since 2006 in capacities related to disability evaluation, health and safety, security, workplace violence prevention/investigation, community care investigations, emergency management, and a variety of governmental business services. He served in the Army National Guard as a Military Police Soldier for six years. Paul enjoys socializing with family and friends, reading, outdoor activities, and watching sports. Paul lives in Sacramento, California with his wife and kids.

Brent Houser, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Brent is the youngest of three children. Brent’s older sister Stacy confronted many challenges over her life. Growing up in a family with a sister who was not able to talk or walk presented a unique family experience. Stacy is an inspiration to Brent through her perseverance, determination, courage and grit to overcome any challenge that came her way. As a sibling of a person with special needs, he has participated in various activities aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities. Such activities include a variety of events sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy, Alta California Regional Center, Sacramento County Office of Education, Warmline Family Resource Center, Special Olympics, Easter Seal's, Apoyo de Padres Para Padres (Support for Parents by Parents), Fiesta Educativa, UC Davis MIND Institute and Down Syndrome Information Alliance. Brent served as the Chair of the Disability Advisory Committee for his previous employer, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development for over three years. He currently is working at the Department of State Hospitals as a manager. Brent received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Legal Studies and a Master of Public Policy and Public Administration degree at California State University, Sacramento. Brent hopes to be a dedicated and passionate public servant while continuing to advocate for persons with disabilities for the rest of his life whether formally or informally in the community. In addition to Brent’s career and volunteer activities, he is an avid sports fan, enjoys leisure time with friends and family, and watching movies.

Erica Eisenlauer Drury, Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer

Erica serves STACY in many capacities outside of finances. Erica is Director of Government Affairs for Maxim Healthcare Group, and previously served as the Assistant Deputy Director of Policy within the Office of Legislative and Governmental Affairs for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), as well as a Legislative Manager for CDPH and a Legislative and Policy Analyst for the Department of Consumer Affairs. While attending Sacramento State, Erica worked side by side with Paul and Drew in the classroom and in raising funds for their respective sorority and fraternity philanthropies. Erica was honored to join STACY in 2012 and enjoys motivating others to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of others. Erica received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Entrepreneurship from California State University, Sacramento. As a collegiate, Erica was Vice President of her sorority, Alpha Phi, and she continues to serve the organization today as President of the Epsilon Gamma Chapter's House Corporation Board. Erica also previously volunteered as a Recruitment Advisor for Chico State from 2009 to 2012. Erica has a history of fundraising and orchestrating events for several nonprofit organizations. Erica enjoys being part of a compassionate organization that wants to make a difference in the community. Erica has worked with children with special needs and loves the unique perspective they bring to her life. Erica has a passion for real estate and holds a California Real Estate salesperson license. In her free time, Erica enjoys traveling, reading, shopping and helping others. Erica lives in Sacramento, California with her husband and two daughters.

Drew Rymer, Legal Advisor

Drew became involved with STACY not only because of his desire to give back to the community but because he has a close relationship with the other board members. Drew knows his experience will help further the organization's mission and he enjoys being a part of such a promising organization. Drew graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, Accountancy and a minor in History from California State University, Sacramento where he served on the executive council of his fraternity, Sigma Chi, with Paul. Drew received his Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law where he was on the Dean’s Honor List. Drew now is an Associate Attorney at Young, Minney & Corr, LLP where Drew represents many of California’s new and emerging Charter Schools. Drew’s primary areas of practice are special education and charter school finance. Prior to joining Young, Minney & Corr, LLP, Drew worked for the Office of Legal Affairs for Governor Schwarzenegger and at TFLG, a Law Corporation whose primary focus was on business and real property law in Davis, California. Drew is a member of the Sacramento County Bar Association. Drew is from Mountain View, California, but currently lives in Sacramento, California. In his free time, Drew enjoys attending professional sporting events, traveling to new places, educating himself on microbrewing, and spending time with his friends and family.

Steve Stephen, Parent Advocate

Steve provides valuable experience to STACY. He is a father of three, including his oldest child with special needs and two siblings with great perspective. The strong common bond between Steve, Paul and Brent Houser led to creating a team ready to embark on a mission which was the formation of STACY. Steve cares deeply about advocating for our youth facing many challenges and joined STACY to make a positive impact. Steve's education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with a minor in Education from the University of California Davis, he received his teaching credential from National University, then his Masters in Educational Leadership and administrative credential from the University of La Verne. Steve has over 20 years of teaching experience, the majority of which at Mira Loma High School where he was the Physical Education Department Head for 12 years, Head Football Coach for 7 years, and Head Track Coach for 5 years. The last few years, Steve has been serving as the Head of Physical Education Department at El Camino High School and was recently hired as Head Football Coach at Bella Vista High School. He has coached youth baseball, youth basketball, flag football, and youth soccer. Steve serves on the Orangevale Pony Baseball Board and the Fair Oaks Soccer Club Board. Steve lives in Orangevale, California with his wife of 20 years, Amy and their 3 children, Macy, Kinsey, and Jackson. Steve and his family like to stay active with outdoor sports and activities. Steve loves to play and watch sports, exercise, and focus on his children's activities.