Meet the Better Together team

Megan came to understand the value of empowering families with support and resources through her own journey. When she was young, her father went through recovery and the family was split apart. He was able to get healthy, while strangers came alongside her family and showered them with support. Soon, her parents and family reunited. Those powerful lessons of compassion were the early inspiration for a life and career dedicated to the calling of strengthening families and reminding people of their dignity, worth, and value.

In addition to her passion for her helping families, Megan has a wealth of education, over 10 years of dedicated experience in social services. She holds an undergraduate degree from Liberty University in Psychology and a Master’s in Human Services with a dual concentration in Executive Leadership and Family and Group Dynamics. After college, Megan worked abroad as a nanny, then returned to Florida where she worked for four years as a child welfare case manager before becoming director for a foster care agency. In 2015, she founded Better Together.

Megan was the recipient of the Manhattan Institute Civil Society Award in 2018 and was accepted into their Fellowship in 2020. In October 2020, Megan was featured on the cover of Grandeur Magazine for her work at Better Together and also earned the Cape Coral Community Foundation’s Rising Organization of the Year Award.

Family is everything to Megan, and she counts her husband Mason and their five children, Brady, Ellie, Emma, Ava, and Tanner, as her greatest blessings in life. Megan and her family approach this ministry together, and routinely host children in their home. They are a team, and her family continually supports her wonderful adventure as the leader of Better Together. She feels blessed to have her family’s support behind her and to be a part of a team of talented, passionate individuals who love people and want to help equip the faith community to grow the Better Together mission.

Kayla comes to us after 12 years in the field of education, most recently as an assistant principal. Years of working with children who have experienced the trauma of a broken family has made her extremely passionate about keeping families together. Kayla believes that one life can change the world, through the power of Jesus, and that each and every one of us is made on purpose for a purpose. It was that belief that led her to Better Together, after hearing CEO Megan Rose speak at her church about the incredible impact the organization is having on families and the community.

Kayla serves on the worship and kids’ ministry teams in her local church and engages in ministry serving children in the foster care system, residents in a local drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, and people who are in need of free dental, optical, and medical care through an organization in the local community. Kayla has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a minor in Latin American studies and a master’s degree in educational leadership, both from the University of Florida. She is currently working on her doctorate in education in Christian leadership from Liberty University.

Kayla and her husband, Alex, have four beautiful children who they are looking forward to bringing alongside them in serving families through Better Together.

James joined the team to provide leadership and support focused on growing the impact of Better Together. His leadership will be an invaluable addition in strategy, marketing, and across the organization.

Professionally, James is an operations and product leader with experience driving transformational growth across fintech, consumer technology, and heavy industries. James combines deep expertise in product strategy, go-to-market execution, and operational optimization with a proven track record of delivering multimillion-dollar value creation. James brings an analytical rigor grounded in consulting at McKinsey & Company, where he led analytics-driven turnarounds and operational improvements generating over $1 billion in cumulative EBITDA improvements. James has helped build and scale several tech companies, including a focus on AI and machine learning.

Personally, James believes the church is uniquely positioned to love and meet the needs of their neighbors. Since his first hosting experience with Better Together, he’s been passionate about helping the team achieve their mission. James grew up on the mission field and has spent over 20 years living and working abroad across five continents. He, his wife, Kelly, and their four children love to go on adventures as a family.

Claudia serves as Vice President of Finance and Administration at Better Together, where she brings more than 15 years of experience in accounting and tax with a strong focus on nonprofit organizations. She oversees the financial and administrative systems that sustain Better Together’s growth and long-term impact. Before stepping into this role full-time, Claudia supported the organization for several years as its accounting manager while also serving as Senior Corporate Tax Accountant at TaxSavers.

Over the past six years, she has worked closely with CEO Megan Rose and developed a deep passion for Better Together’s mission of keeping families together. Claudia is currently completing her CPA designation and pursuing her Master’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Beyond her professional work, Claudia is rooted in her community and guided by her love of adventure. She has a lifelong passion for traveling and sailing, having explored destinations from the South Pacific to the Alps. She lives in Port Charlotte with her English Bull Terrier and is an active member of Deep Creek Community Church, where she serves and volunteers faithfully.

Devin McKnight serves as Better Together’s Senior Director of Church Relations and Volunteer Mobilization, where he works with CEO Megan Rose to expand the organization’s programs and strengthen church and volunteer engagement nationwide. In this role, he leads the strategic team responsible for cultivating new partnerships and serving as the primary liaison between church partners and Better Together’s internal team.

Devin joined the nonprofit as executive director for the North Central Florida region, where he guided local operations and expanded Better Together’s presence in the community. His background includes 14 years as a learning and development professional in the insurance industry and five years as an executive director for his local church, giving him both organizational and ministry leadership experience.

He earned a degree in family, youth and community science with a minor in business from the University of Florida and is currently pursuing a seminary degree in ministerial studies.

Travis serves as Better Together’s Senior Director of Workforce Relations. He has a passion for helping families and businesses achieve their goals. He brings to Better Together more than 15 years of experience in business development, client and employer relations, sales, and customer service. His career spans both the nonprofit and for-profit worlds, a valued combination as he helps businesses make a positive impact on their communities through Better Together.

Steve Epstein brings more than 30 years of educational leadership experience spanning both charter and district schools, with a career rooted in developing people, building culture, and serving communities. Throughout his journey, Steve has served in a variety of leadership roles including Assistant Deputy Director for CSUSA Florida, K-8 Principal, High School Assistant Principal, Dean of Students, and Algebra Teacher. While his experience across schools and systems is extensive, those who know Steve best would describe him first as a relationship-driven leader who believes people always come before position. 

In addition to his work in education, Steve is a certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach with the Maxwell Leadership Team, where his personal mission is simple yet impactful: Engage. Connect. Serve. Whether working with school leaders, educators, nonprofit teams, or community organizations, Steve is passionate about helping others grow personally and professionally through authentic relationships, mentorship, coaching, and leadership development. Steve strives to lead with positivity, empathy, and purpose in every environment he serves. 

Beyond his professional work, Steve remains deeply committed to community involvement and service. As a Rotarian, along with his support of numerous organizations in his community, he continues to dedicate his time and energy toward causes that make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Through every role he has held, Steve’s heart for people and passion for service remain at the center of his journey. 

Steve and his wife are proud to share a blended family of five children and are passionate about investing in the next generation. Together, they actively serve in their church by supporting student ministries and creating meaningful connections with students and families.