Who We Are
An advocate for the growth of our clients,
our employees, and our community
About Us
Building Promising Futures Together
Martha J. Morrissey,
Founder
Promising Futures Inc. was founded through a personal journey of a mother navigating life with her daughter, Tiffany, who was diagnosed with autism at a time when few understood the condition. Driven by love and a determination to help her daughter thrive, she immersed herself in a journey of learning, and exploring therapies—gaining hands-on experience and building a fifty year foundation of knowledge in behavioral support and individualized care.
Over time, her work in private schools and developmental programs exposed her to both effective practices and deeply troubling care systems. As her daughter grew older, so did her urgency to create safe, nurturing living environments—especially after witnessing firsthand neglect, overmedication, and abuse often found in institutional settings and small living environments. Fueled by these painful experiences and a desire to ensure that vulnerable individuals who need protection, would find safe living environments and that model of protection is implemented throughout Promising Futures Inc. residential homes and day treatment programs.
With encouragement from mentors and guidance from her faith, she applied for and was awarded a grant to open the first Promising Futures home—despite initial doubts and the challenges of starting from scratch. A powerful moment of spiritual clarity and confirmation gave her the strength to move forward. What began as a mother’s mission has grown into a thriving organization that has served families challenged with developmental disabilities for over 40 years.
Through God’s faithfulness and inspiration, He built three homes, the last home to serve individuals her daughters age. Faithful donors, dedication of remarkable staff and the support of the community, have made it possible to provide a rich environment of learning, experience the dignity of independance and the satisfaction of a jobwell done, while maintaining safe environment with compassionate care that enriches lives and empowers people every day.
Our Mission
Promising Futures mission is to deliver premier, person-centered services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on behavioral needs. Through Individualized programs, we foster independence, dignity, life skills and meaningful community inclusion, empowering every individual to reach their fullest potential.
Our Vision
To build a thriving, inclusive community where individuals with disabilities live full lives, families feel supported, staff feel inspired, and every person is empowered to reach their highest level of independence and belonging.
What We Stand For
Empowerment
We focus on each person’s strengths and help build the skills to bring out their full potential, cheering them on along the way.
Personalization
With a 1:3 staff-to-client ratio, we give each person the personalized support they need to thrive.
Inclusion
Everyone is welcomed and respected, with opportunities to participate in ways that feel safe and comfortable for them.
Meet Our Dedicated Team
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Gina Parra
Executive Director
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Jennifer Valencia
CIA Director
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Tanner Harvey
Art Director
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Alex Watson
CIA Program Administrator
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Makaila Jenkins
QIDP
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Johnny Lopez
Director of Finance
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Sherry Pendray
Director of Human Resources
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Ashley Gondek
Transportation Coordinator-Support Specialist
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Elizabeth Guth
Administrative Assistant
Changing Lives, One Step at a Time
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“I am externally grateful for the purpose and meaning Promising Futures provides for our daughter Sonja. Knowing that she is productive and enjoying her days brings us peace and joy and allows me to work with the knowledge she is safe and having a great day. Best ay program ever!”
Mom & Dad Reiner
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“Colin has been part of the Promising Futures family for 20+ years. Within 6 months we saw a difference in Colin, and today at 40yrs he is a productive/happy/content guy always with a smile. The personalized support, specialized teaching strategies, and patient, knowledgeable staff helped him grow in confidence and ability. A large part of his success is due to the caring and nurturing staff at both the home and day program, as well as the overlapping IEP development and consistency. Promising Futures absolutely made a difference in our journey. It was a hard decision to put our faith in Promising Futures, but it did not take long to know we made the right decision. Colin has found his niche in the world because of Promising Futures.”
The Gilley Family
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“We are incredibly grateful for the support and care provided by Promising Futures for many years now. The staff is exceptionally patient and kind and ensures that Kier is engaged and challenged in the program. He is always treated with dignity and respect. The staff knows what Kier likes and incorporates those preferences into his program, making his experiences enjoyable and fulfilling.
Our family benefits greatly from the several hours of respite most weekdays, allowing us to refresh and better care for Kier. The staff keeps Kier safe, and the training and education program for him is structured and well-executed.
Thank you for making such a positive impact on Kier and our family.”
The Williams Family
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“Promising Futures is an organization providing services for adults with various disabilities comprising of a residential and day program. Our son is fortunate to be a participant in both programs. We appreciate the daily exchange of communication between the programs. Clients are treated with dignity and taught to be independent to the best of their abilities. During our son’s time at the programs, we have seen much growth and improvement. We are relieved to have found this gem of a program. We feel at ease to travel knowing our son will be in excellent hands. This program offers hope for families looking for peace of mind.”
The Eng Family
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“Promising Futures was already started when we desperately applied to place our daughter Staci. Both Mom and I had to work in order to pay the bills and try to keep Staci in school. She was a handful, and the special ed teachers at the time, did not have the skills to deal with Staci’s rants, physical confrontations, and meltdowns. When Staci was accepted and moved out of our home and into a new home, and shared her new shelter with 5 boys, Mom and I had mixed emotions. Promising Futures changed all of our lives as it brought Staci a safe place to live with regulations put into place that brought Staci special medical attention and care, a learning place to mentally grow and deal with everyday life. Promising Futures also brought us as parents, peace of mind when it comes to Staci’s well being.”
The Wismont Family
Commonly Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for any programs?
No. We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and our programs are supported through funding from the San Diego Regional Center, as well as community donations.
Do I have to be a resident to participate in the CIA?
No, the Center for Independent Achievement (CIA) day program is open to both residents and non-residents. Participants must be a client of the San Diego Regional Center in order to partake. Many participants live at home or in other supported settings and attend CIA during the day.
Let’s Stay Connected!
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE PFI ART STUDIO! ✨🎨
Our members are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their incredible artwork, with the support of our amazing Art Studio staff and our incredible Art Director! 💛
We’re officially counting down the days until TURN THE …PAGE: Promising Futures’ 40th Anniversary Art Show! 🎉 Every brushstroke, detail, and finishing touch is bringing us one step closer to show day, and we can’t wait for our community to see what our talented members have been creating!
🔗 Check out the link in our bio for all the event details—and while you’re there, reserve your spot for our first-ever Paint & Sip or grab a VIP Experience Bundle to make the most of the celebration! 🖌️🥂
📅 October 17 | 2–6 PM
🎟️ General admission is FREE!
The countdown is ON! ⏳🎨💛
#growingwithpromisingfutures #promisingfuturesinc #turnthepageartshow #lifeatpfi #elcajon
🎨✨ TURN THE PAGE ART SHOW ✨🎨
Celebrating 40 Years of Promising Futures
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon as Promising Futures celebrates 40 years of serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout San Diego County! 💛
Our Turn the …Page Art Show is a celebration of creativity, community, connection, and the incredible talents of our PFI members. Come explore member-created artwork, connect with our PFI community, learn more about Promising Futures, and celebrate this incredible milestone with us!
🎟️ GENERAL ADMISSION IS FREE & OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY!
✨ WHAT TO EXPECT:
🎨 Original artwork created by PFI members
🖌️ Paint & Sip Experience* BEGINS AT 3 PM
⭐ VIP Experience*
🎁 Silent Auction
🎟️ Raffle* BEGINS AT 4:30 PM
🎨 Face painting
🎸 Live music by Rings & Rumors
🍴 Food & beverages
🎉 Activities, entertainment & more!
⭐ VIP EXPERIENCE
Upgrade your visit with our special VIP Experience, including food, 2 drinks, one Paint & Sip entry, and one raffle entry!
🖌️ PAINT & SIP
Get creative with us during our special Paint & Sip experience! This is a paid experience with limited availability, so purchasing your ticket in advance is highly encouraged to reserve your spot.
VIP Experience and Paint & Sip require an additional purchase. General admission to the Turn the Page Art Show is completely FREE.
📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 145 E. Lexington Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92020
Whether you’ve been part of the Promising Futures family for years or you’re just getting to know us, everyone is welcome! Come meet our members, experience their creativity, and help us celebrate 40 incredible years of Promising Futures.
💻 Visit our website for full event details, purchase your Paint & Sip tickets, and check out our Silent Auction! LINK IN BIO!
https://promising-futures.org/turn-the-page-promising-futures-40th-anniversary-art-show/
💛 Save the date, invite your friends and family, and join us as we Turn the Page into the next chapter of Promising Futures!
#TurnThePageArtShow #PromisingFutures #40YearsOfPromisingFutures #SanDiegoEvents #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
☀️ FIRST FRIDAY WITH OUR EAST COUNTY COMMUNITY! ☀️
We had another wonderful morning connecting with our community at the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce First Friday Breakfast! 💛
@sdeccc
This month, we were especially excited to share a little piece of …Promising Futures by raffling off artwork created by our talented PFI members! 🎨✨ We also had the opportunity to invite fellow community members to join us for our upcoming Turn the Page Art Show, celebrating 40 years of Promising Futures!
And the countdown is officially ON… ⏰
🎉 ONLY 15 DAYS TO GO! 🎉
📅 Saturday, October 17
⏰ 2:00–6:00 PM
📍 145 E. Lexington Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020
🎟️ FREE admission & open to the community!
We can’t wait to welcome our East County community for an afternoon celebrating creativity, connection, and the incredible talents of our PFI members. 💛🎨
Visit our website for more event information — link in our bio!!
#PromisingFutures #TurnThePage #PFI40Years #EastCountyChamber #FirstFridayBreakfast
🎨 Your seat is waiting… now all you need is a paintbrush! 🖌️✨
Make your visit to our Turn the Page Art Show even more memorable by joining our Paint & Sip with @hookedonpainting !
Spend part of the afternoon getting creative, following along with Hooked on …Painting’s talented artist, and leaving with your very own finished painting. 💛 No painting experience needed — just come ready to have fun!
🎟️ Spots are limited and advance purchase is required.
Head over to the Promising Futures website to reserve and pay for your Paint & Sip ticket. While you’re there, you can also find all the details about our Turn the Page Art Show, VIP Experience, Silent Auction, and more!
https://promising-futures.org/turn-the-page-promising-futures-40th-anniversary-art-show/
📅 October 17 | 3-4:30 PM
📍 145 E. Lexington Ave., El Cajon
✨ Don’t wait until the day of the event — reserve your Paint & Sip spot ahead of time so you don’t miss out!
#PromisingFutures #TurnThePage #PaintAndSip #HookedOnPainting #PFI40Years
🎨🥂 PAINT & SIP with @hookedonpainting ! 🥂🎨
Grab a paintbrush and join us for a special Paint & Sip experience with Hooked on Painting during our Turn the Page Art Show, celebrating 40 years of Promising Futures! 💛
Come relax, get creative, and follow along …with our talented Paint & Sip artist as you create your own painting to take home. No painting experience necessary! 🎨✨
📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 Promising Futures, Inc. | 145 E. Lexington Ave., El Cajon
🖌️ Guided Paint & Sip experience with Hooked on Painting
🎨 Painting supplies provided
✨ No experience necessary
⭐ Paint & Sip is also included with our VIP Experience!
🎟️ READY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT?
Paint & Sip tickets can be purchased directly through the Promising Futures website! Visit our Turn the Page Art Show page, where you can reserve and pay for your ticket online.
You’ll also find additional event details, VIP information, our online silent auction, activities, entertainment, and more all in one place!
**Spots are limited and Paint & Sip tickets must be purchased in advance so our artist can prepare supplies for everyone participating.
✨ General admission to the Turn the Page Art Show is FREE and open to the community!
Visit our website to learn more and secure your Paint & Sip spot:
https://promising-futures.org/turn-the-page-promising-futures-40th-anniversary-art-show/
Come paint, create, and celebrate with us! 🎨🥂💛
Our first SDRC Resource Fair is officially in the books!
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by our booth, talk with our team, learn more about Promising Futures, and even simply admire the beautiful artwork created by our incredibly talented …members. 💛🎨
We are so grateful to be part of a community that gives us opportunities like this to share who we are, what we do, and why we are so passionate about the individuals we serve.
Connecting with families, community members, and fellow organizations throughout San Diego County was such a meaningful experience, and we loved getting the chance to introduce more people to the Promising Futures community.
Thank you to the San Diego Regional Center for bringing our community together and giving us the opportunity to share the mission that means so much to us. 💛
Until next time! ✨
@sdregionalcenter
#PromisingFutures #SDRC #SanDiegoRegionalCenter #SanDiegoCommunity #IDDCommunity
🎉🎂 Celebrating our September Birthdays! 🎂🎉
As we near the end of September, we took some time to celebrate our amazing PFI members with September birthdays! 🥳💛
We love making birthdays feel special and having another reason to come together, celebrate, and enjoy …some sweet treats. Wishing all of our September birthday members another year filled with happiness, fun, and plenty of reasons to smile! 🎈✨
Happy Birthday from your Promising Futures family! 💛🎉
#HappyBirthday #SeptemberBirthdays #PromisingFutures #PFIFamily #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
🎉 Promising Futures is headed to the 4th Annual SDRC Resource Fair!
We’re excited to join 300+ exhibitors at the San Diego Regional Center Resource Fair this Saturday! 💚 Come stop by the Promising Futures, Inc. booth to meet our team, learn more about the services and programs we …offer, and discover how we support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout San Diego County.
📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 San Diego Convention Center
🎟️ Open to everyone!
Whether you’re a family member, self-advocate, community partner, or simply interested in learning more about local resources, we’d love for you to stop by and say hello! 👋
Get your tickets and register for the Resource Fair here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sdrc-resource-fair-at-san-diego-2026-tickets-1976655537924?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUhMhxwZG9mAWZkaWQWUO8RMN3MI0ZeIQX8xrAIUmRjKUMhoWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7BIqav4PcjAaFBYO3sPz6capZiEji3Y3mz0e2pilU9MKQBOqjCHrt7HqysaA_aem_Ynk3L6CaFSEb0ytCAJR2QQ
We can’t wait to connect with families and community members and share more about Growing With Promising Futures! 🌱💚
#PromisingFutures #SDRC #SDRCResourceFair #IDDCommunity #GrowingWithPromisingFutures
📚 Learning, growing, and bringing new knowledge back to PFI!
Members of our Promising Futures team recently attended the Therap Conference in Anaheim, where they had the opportunity to further their knowledge of the system we use every day for documentation, data collection, reporting, …and supporting the services we provide to our members.
@therap_services
Throughout the conference, our team learned directly from Therap experts, explored tools and features, strengthened their understanding of data-driven practices, and connected with other professionals in the human services field.
At PFI, we believe continued education is an important part of providing high-quality, person-centered support. Opportunities like this allow our team to bring new knowledge, resources, and best practices back to PFI so we can continue strengthening the services we provide to our members.
We’re excited to put what they learned into practice! 💜
#PromisingFutures #GrowingWithPromisingFutures #Therap #ProfessionalDevelopment #ContinuedEducation
A day filled with creativity and furry friends! 🕯️🐾💜 Our members had a great time making their own candles and enjoying a special visit from some of their favorite furry friends from Love on a Leash!
@loveonaleashsan
There’s nothing better than combining hands-on …activities with a little extra love from our four-legged visitors. 🐶✨ We’re always so grateful to Love on a Leash for bringing so many smiles to PFI!
#GrowingWithPromisingFutures #PromisingFutures #LoveOnALeash #CommunityConnections #CreativeActivities
🎬🍿 Friday at the movies!
Our PFI members spent their Friday enjoying a movie outing together at the theater! They watched Coyote vs. Acme, munched on popcorn and snacks, and enjoyed some quality time together outside of the studio. 💜
We love creating opportunities for our… members to get out into the community, try new experiences, and simply have fun together!
#GrowingWithPromisingFutures #PromisingFutures #CommunityInclusion #FridayFun