Tameka Hughes
Tameka Hughes has devoted over 27 years to supporting children and families through social services, with a specialized focus on children with disabilities and early intervention. Her career began as a substitute teacher and paraprofessional, and after earning her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Ellis College, she worked with Child Protective Services in Houston, Texas. Tameka later transitioned into foster care, serving as both a case manager and a case manager supervisor, gaining extensive experience in family advocacy, case management, and child development. For nearly a decade, Tameka worked as an Intervention Support Associate, providing support to children ages 0–5 with mental health challenges and disabilities. In this role, she collaborated with teachers, parents, and mental health professionals to develop individualized behavior support plans, facilitate community referrals, and advocate for children with special needs. She also created inclusive classroom strategies and coordinated multidisciplinary meetings, consistently prioritizing the well-being of the children and families she served. Currently, Tameka serves as a CWD Mentor at HGAC where she mentors childcare teachers working with children who have identified disabilities. She conducts classroom observations across a multi-county region, developing inclusion-focused recommendations to ensure children feel supported and included in daily activities. Known for her open-hearted, non-judgmental approach, Tameka has built lasting relationships with families, educators, and service providers, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to helping children and their families thrive.
• Mental Health First Aid Certification for Children and Adults
• Ellis College - BA
What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to being open to learning. Everyday I learn something new and I just feel like being open-minded, being able to engage and being able to ask questions. I feel like that's part of my success and where I'm at, and along with my experiences along the way. All the experiences I've had throughout my career have shaped who I am today.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is not to be deterred and to never give up. I applied for jobs for over 5 years, trying to get back to what I love doing, and I kept getting rejected. At first it was very discouraging, but then I noticed a pattern - many of the jobs I applied for ended up dissolving their departments within a year or two. I realized that if I had gotten those jobs, that would have been me losing my position. So all those no's were actually leading me to the right position, the one I have now where I truly love what I do. It was all worth the wait. I learned that it's not in your timing, it's in His timing. When it's time for you to move, then you'll be moved. So my advice is don't let the no's deter you, never give up, and don't overthink it.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women entering my industry is that first of all, you have to be open. You have to listen. And you don't want to just do the job for a paycheck. Put your heart and passion into it. Let it be something that you love doing. When you get up in the morning, you want to go to that job, you want to help, you want to be a helper and see how you can help. Find something that you're gonna love doing, because that makes all the difference in the world.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I've faced in my field is workplace bullying, particularly being bullied by a supervisor. If you can't trust your supervisor, that makes for a very hard and uncomfortable work environment. When you have a supervisor working against you, it's very difficult. On the opportunities side, I've had the chance to attend trainings in different cities and different states. I've had opportunities to listen to many different speakers on disabilities and learn about how disabilities affect families, communities, and teachers. The opportunity for continuous learning has been invaluable.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
One of the biggest values I live by is honesty. Honesty is a very big thing, and it plays a big part in both my personal life and my work life. I always want to do what I need to do so that I can be trusted, and I've always taught my kids to tell the truth. My grandmother always told me, if you can't give a person your honest word, there's nothing more valuable that you can give anybody. That has stuck with me throughout my life. Family time is also extremely important to me. I have two adult children, and it's very important that we get together and hang out and talk about what's going on in each other's lives. I'm a proud mom, and spending quality time with my family and friends means everything to me.
Locations
HGAC
Houston, TX 77379