About PurposeWorks

Helping people find hope, purpose, and meaningful work thought practical career support, encouragement, and community.

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More Than Finding a Job

Losing a job, or feeling stuck in one, can affect every part of life.

Confidence fades.
Relationships become strained.
Purpose feels unclear.
Hope can be difficult to hold onto.

At PurposeWorks, we believe work is about more than earning a paycheck.

It's one of the ways God uniquely designed each of us to contribute, serve others, and live with purpose.

That's why we don't simply help people find jobs.

We help people rebuild confidence, discover purpose, develop practical career skills, and move forward with hope.

For more than 17 years, we've walked alongside thousands of professionals throughout Greater Austin during one of life's most challenging seasons.

What Makes PurposeWorks Different

Practical Career Support

Resume reviews
Interview preparation
LinkedIn
Networking
Career Coaching
Career Workshops

Encouraging Community

Weekly Meetings
Small Groups
Prayer
Accountability
Relationships

Purpose-Focused

Discover how your strengths, experiences, and faith connect to meaningful work.

Grow Beyond Your Next Job

We're here for your next career step and the one after that.

Mission Statement

PurposeWorks empowers, equips, and guides professionals to find purpose and fulfillment in every stage of their lives and careers through relationship, encouragement and training.

Vision Statement

Every person is finding fulfillment by pursuing God’s purpose in life and their career.

Our Story

When the economic downturn left many professionals searching for work in 2008, Craig and Debbie Foster recognized that people needed more than job leads.

They needed encouragement.

They needed practical tools.

They needed community.

And they needed hope.

PurposeWorks was founded to meet those needs through Christ-centered encouragement and practical career support.

Since then, the ministry has grown into a thriving community serving thousands of individuals throughout Central Texas.

Meet Our Founders

Craig Foster

Executive Director

Craig spent 20 years in corporate management, including 11 years as an executive with an Austin high tech company. He has his BBA and MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Craig has helped and taught job seekers on and off for over 20 years. He was the volunteer Executive Director of the Interfaith Job Search Council and volunteer Director of the Career Transition Workshop.

When the economy hit hard times again in late 2008, Craig and his wife Debbie founded PurposeWorks.

Debbie Foster

Co-Founder and Founding Board Member

Debbie was a founding board member and set up and implemented many of the original processes and procedures and continues to support PurposeWorks by volunteering in the areas of finance, registration and prayer. Debbie has a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas. She worked in the Telecom industry before transitioning to volunteer and non-profit work. Her background also includes management and leadership in various organizations and associations. Debbie’s calling is Luke 4:18 and spends much of her time now ministering to people through prayer, healing and deliverance.

By the Numbers

17+

Years Serving Greater Austin

14,000+

People Served

FREE

Weekly Meetings

100s

of Volunteers, Coaches, and Speakers

Statement of Beliefs

You don’t have to believe any of the following statements of beliefs to attend our meetings, but we wanted to let you know what we believe. Everyone is welcome to our meetings and we do not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, or age, church or religious background. If you don’t want to talk about spiritual matters, let us know, and we’ll respect that.

PurposeWorks' Statement of Faith

Absolute moral truth exists.
The Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches and is the highest authority for what I believe.
A person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works.
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin.
Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for sinful humanity, was buried, rose bodily from the tomb, ascended into Heaven where He ministers on the behalf of those who have trusted in Him, and someday will come again for His own.
The Holy Spirit actively ministers to the world. This ministry includes restraining evil, convicting the unsaved of sin and bestowing God’s goodness on mankind. We also believe He ministers to every believer in Jesus Christ in numerous ways: regenerating, sealing, indwelling, baptizing into the Body of Christ, and the giving of spiritual gifts. Other ministries to believers include filling, assuring, teaching, guiding and comforting.
God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today.
Christians have the responsibility to share their faith in Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ with others.
Jesus is the only way for eternal life and salvation.
Although there is only one God, He exists eternally in three persons as the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Satan is considered to be a real being, not merely symbolic.
The local church has the twofold purpose of the edification of believers and the evangelization of the unsaved.
Sin is anything contrary to the character of God and biblical teaching.
The Bible is God’s written revelation to humanity and is inspired by God, authoritative in all areas of life, without error in the original manuscripts, and is preserved reliably today and throughout history.
We believe in the complete deity of Jesus Christ, his complete humanity, his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death on a cross to provide our redemption, bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven, present ministry of intercession for us, and his return to earth in power and glory.
The deity of the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of new birth in an unbeliever and indwells believers, enabling them to live a godly life that would otherwise be impossible if attempted in our human efforts.

Want to engage deeper with us?

Join the Circle of Purpose! A group of PurposeWorks' supporters who engage more deeply and purposefully to impact others through the PurposeWorks mission.
Volunteer with us! We welcome volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds who align with our mission.

Founders

Leadership

Shane Stephens

Board Chair + Secretary

After Shane graduated from Texas A&M, he started his career in Austin as a developer with National Instruments, worked as a Business Architect with USAA in San Antonio and led Partnership Development at TrueCar. Shane is the Co-Founder of AMP Street working in automotive business development. He serves as a nonprofit coach in the Goodworks Community Ministry Advancement Academy, and currently serves as the Board Chair & Secretary for PurposeWorks. Shane, his wife Casie and their three children all get to know, love and serve Jesus Christ through Austin Christian Fellowship.

Ed Gillispie

Board Treasurer

Ed is bringing his expertise as a Senior Executive in a variety of high tech companies, including Dell and Lenovo, and an active ministry volunteer to PurposeWorks. Ed first came to PurposeWorks as a participant over 10 years ago and quickly became a volunteer coach and Board Advisor before landing at Lenovo. He’s a passionate servant leader with a recipe of success driving profitable growth, operational excellence, customer satisfaction and winning culture. He’s a master networker and loves to help people most of all. He’s served in a variety of ministries at Hill Country Bible Church, on the Community Advisory Board of Caritas, and several of his kid’s sports teams. Ed and his wife, Stephanie, have three daughters.

Zach Thomas

Board Member

Zach Thomas, the Owner of Growth Horizons Wealth Management, is dedicated to empowering individuals to have the confidence to make complex financial decisions. His journey in wealth management was sparked by a profound desire to assist others, influenced by witnessing his grandfather's financial struggles after exiting his business. Drawing from lessons in business acumen inherited from his grandfather and a strong work ethic instilled by his parents—a middle-school teacher and postal worker—Zachary embarked on a journey in the world of finance. Outside of finance, Zachary is a devoted husband, fitness enthusiast, devout Christian, and nature lover. He firmly believes in the power of planning and action, both in financial matters and in life. He has a passion for all things faith at work and helping people find more meaning in life and that brought him to PurposeWorks.

Lori Griffin

Board Member

Lori worked over 25 years in institutional financial services with Schwab’s Retirement Plan Services. For most of her career, she led Relationship Management Teams responsible for client success and satisfaction in the mega-market segment. She also previously held a variety of leadership roles in project services, business development, and sales. Lori has always believed strongly in modeling servant leadership and prioritizing faith, authenticity, and esteeming others in the workplace.

Lori graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She earned the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. She holds FINRA Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses and has completed Executive Education at the Hass School of Business at The University of California, Berkley.

Lori and her husband Tim, have a son away at college. They attend Austin Ridge Bible Church.

PurposeWorks Staff

Becky Terry

Adjunct Trainer + Coach

Becky has provided guidance in career direction, job search strategies and career management for the past 25 years. She currently provides career coaching and training through PurposeWorks as an adjunct trainer and coach, One Day Academy, and her own private coaching practice, Career Path Advising. Her past experience includes career counseling at a top 5 MBA program, several undergraduate universities, and human resources recruiting & training with a Fortune 50 company. She has an M.S. in Counselor Education and a B.S. in Psychology and B. A. in Elementary Education. A very popular PurposeWorks workshop series, which she developed and teaches, Design & Focus, serves over 125+ participants each year.

Madelyn Butler

Marketing + Program Coordinator

Madelyn came to PurposeWorks because of the impact PurposeWorks had on her husband during his unemployment. Prior to being on staff at PurposeWorks, Madelyn worked in the interior design and fashion industries. She brings a unique skill set with a background in design, social media, marketing, and event planning. In addition to her creative knowledge and gifting, Madelyn is analytical, has a focused attention to detail, and loves Excel. She has a B.S. in Apparel Merchandising from Auburn University. Madelyn has a servant’s heart for people and building relationships and serves in leadership roles in various women’s and community ministries.

Jacki Janos

Administrative Assistant

It excites Jacki to help others realize their God given purpose. Her professional background is in Marketing in interior architecture and lighting engineering industries. Jacki has a B.S. in Communications from Hope College and also a B.S. in Marketing Management from the Institute of Art Chicago. She has served in leadership roles at Austin Ridge Bible Church, local outreach at Hill Country Bible Church, teaching Community Bible Study ASK and is on the Women's Ministry team at Lakeview Bible Church in Steiner Ranch. It is her passion to encourage and empower others in faith to boldy step into God's calling on their life.