Dr. Leah Pouncy-Dean, LCPAA
Dr. Leah Pouncy-Dean, LCPAA, is the CEO of 1Archangle Services Inc., a foster and adoption agency based in Stafford, Texas, where she leads community outreach efforts focused on supporting children and families in need. With over 13 years of leadership experience, she combines expertise in public relations, human resources, staffing, and program development to deliver services that strengthen foster care systems and create stable, nurturing environments for children. She also oversees TXNEAD, a multifaceted organization providing staffing, consulting, IT/GIS services, and project management for public agencies and community partners.
Throughout her career, Dr. Pouncy-Dean has remained deeply committed to advocacy and service, particularly within the foster care and adoption space. She is widely recognized for her hands-on leadership in developing programs that support vulnerable youth, including organizing donation drives, community events, and outreach initiatives that provide resources and emotional support for families. Her work emphasizes collaboration, education, and building systems that ensure children receive both immediate care and long-term stability.
In addition to her executive leadership roles, Dr. Pouncy-Dean is an author, mentor, and public speaker dedicated to empowering others through knowledge and opportunity. She has contributed to initiatives that expand access to foster care services and strengthen organizational capacity within social service systems. A graduate of Texas Southern University, she continues to build on her academic foundation while advancing her mission of creating lasting, positive change in communities through compassionate leadership and service-driven innovation.
• Administrator License
• Certified in Lead Testing
• DNA Testing
• And Urinalysis
• Pen Seminary- Ph.Div.
• Texas Southern University- B.S.
• Alumni of the Year Award from Texas Southern University
• Lifetime Membership Award from Texas Southern University
• Women of the World Making History Award
• Texas Southern University College Committee (Treasurer)
• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Volunteer (ticket sales and Black Heritage Committee)
• Iconic Academy Board Member (teaching STEM to young kids and after-school programs)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to life itself and the people I've met along the way. I still have elementary school friends - I have a best friend who has been my best friend since we were 6 years old, and we've never, ever had an argument in life. My family is very, very close, and being close-knit holds you up for all the life challenges. That fabric, that close-knit fabric holds you when you come up against things. My faith is so strong - it scares me sometimes. And then I have my daughter, who is powerful. She is my mini-me and she keeps me smiling all the time. My best friend has been through a lot of health challenges, from having sarcoidosis to other various health problems that could be deadly, but she's never complained. When I looked at her and how grateful she carries on, I said I will never complain about a headache, I will never complain, period. And I try to live by that. That family thread is very, very important.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value to me is meeting people where they are. I feel that society states that people could be one way, but given their environment and background that they've grown up in, you have to meet them where they are. You can't assume that they are this, or had that, or ate this. I tell all my staff and my foster parents that I train that depending on your background, you may have different experiences - like my dad fixed breakfast every morning, that was a staple in our house, but other places they get breakfast at school or skip breakfast altogether. You may have eaten noodles for breakfast, but if that's your normalcy, then that's where you're meeting that person. You can't judge them based on where they came from. It's understanding a person for who they are, and not who society says they should be. I also believe strongly in investing in my team - I tell everybody it starts from the top, and if I care about them and invest in them, they will pour back into our company. Without the team, there's no company. Mental health is very important with my employees, keeping them where they enjoy coming to work. Everything is about uplifting and connection, community connection.