Meet Jonte Rollins
Jonté Rollins is a living testament to the power of community support, intervention, unconditional love, and empowerment. She believes everything happens for a reason, and you can always learn from life’s lessons. She believes in second chances. Values such as integrity, competence, social justice, and service are infused not only in her professional work history, but in her personal mission of life. FAITH, LOVE, HOPE, and HAPPINESS are the underlying forces that drive all facets of her life (spiritual, personal, and professional). Her life’s mission is to inspire those around her to be the best they can be despite circumstance.
She is originally from Dayton, Ohio but grew up in Urbana, Illinois. After graduating from Urbana High School, she obtained a B.S. in Sociology from Illinois State University, and completed some coursework towards her Masters of Social Work from the University of Illinois. She has been employed in the social service arena for the last twenty-one years.
She relocated to Houston in 2016 because she needed a change of scenery and wanted warmer weather. She was searching for something different.
“I grew up in urban areas, but they were small-town urban…I really wanted that big city opportunity. I was looking for more of a social atmosphere as well as professional mobility.”
Jonté drove across the country in her Jeep Cherokee with a small U-Haul trailer hitched to the back. She left most of her belongings in Illinois, only bringing her clothes, bedroom furniture, and television. She hadn’t secured a job yet but was full of faith that everything would fall in line.
“I was coming regardless. You know, I made jokes. Like, I didn't care if I'm in a one bedroom place with a mattress on the floor starting off, like I'm gonna do what I got to do. I had several job interviews lined up, but it still ended up taking way longer than anticipated to find the job I wanted. And so during that time, I had to learn a lot about myself and my willingness to survive, which was a little different and very humbling.”
Jonté worked as a waitress and as a temp telemarketer in a call center, determined to make her transition to Houston a success. After three months of unsuccessful interviews, Jonté had almost lost hope, but then she found her dream job. She was hired as the executive director of Noah’s House, a local nonprofit here in Houston that provides a safe place to live for adults with intellectual disabilities.
“Working at Noah’s House has been such a blessing to me. The residents are the joy of my life and provide me with a sense of purpose I didn’t know I needed. Being responsible for them is the greatest honor I’ve ever had. It’s gratifying being able to coach them through every day life, help them obtain the independence and self-sufficiency they desire; and give them the freedom to live life to the fullest!”
Jonté is passionate about serving disadvantaged individuals. She considers herself to be a servant leader in all aspects of her life. This isn’t just evident through her professional work, but also through her philanthropic work here in Houston. Jonté attends Clear Lake A.M.E. church where she is an active member of the Women’s Missionary Society. She is also an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Soririty, Inc.- Clear Lake, TX chapter. She is a proud member of Leadership Houston Class XXXVII.
Although she’s only been in Houston for a short amount of time, Jonté has claimed the city as home. She brags to everyone how down to earth people are. She loves the Houston culture and enjoys all the social opportunities. She especially enjoys the variety of restaurants, festivals, and live entertainment.
