We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maisha Colter, LCSW, JD. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maisha below.

Maisha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, folks often look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight – but that often obscures all the nitty, gritty details of everything that went into the growth phase of your business. We’d love to hear about your scaling story and how you scaled up?

We have built a strong reputation in the community doing the unique work we do. We have made collaborators of stakeholders. We do not duplicate services, and we try to offer something relatively unique and solution-focused.

Maisha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Maisha Colter, LCSW, JD, has devoted her professional career to championing the needs of children and families facing crises. Her work consistently integrates the strengths derived from her educational background in both social work and law. Maisha completed her education in New York, earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Social Work and Public Policy from Syracuse University. She went on to obtain a Masters in Social Work from New York University, subsequently becoming a licensed social worker in Brooklyn, New York, where she tirelessly served children and families under the auspices of the State’s Child Protective Services Authority.

In 2001, Maisha earned her law degree from Rutgers University. Following her relocation to Texas in 2003, she discovered AVDA and expressed her interest in volunteering to the Executive Director. However, she was instead hired as the agency’s sole staff attorney. Remaining with AVDA for nearly four years, she returned in 2012 to assume a leadership role, guiding a distinguished team of attorneys, paralegals, trauma counselors, and case workers, to advocating for countless victims of domestic abuse the Greater Houston Community. After a national search, Maisha was promoted to serve as AVDA’s Chief Executive Officer, a position she assumed on August 1, 2019 and currently holds.

AVDA is a nonprofit organization that has served the Houston community for 45 years with the mission to end family violence by advocating for the safety and self-determination of victims, promoting accountability for abusers and fostering a community response to abuse. AVDA is dedicated to providing multilingual, transformational, life saving services to survivors of abuse and their families. AVDA believes in non-violent, non-abusive, mutually respectful, mutually satisfying, and growth promoting relationships. AVDA believes all people have the right to live without fear of abuse, especially as members of a family.

AVDA is unique in that we are one of only nine legal aid organizations in the nation—and the only one in Texas—exclusively dedicated to representing survivors of domestic violence. We operate using a staff attorney model, meaning each client is assigned a dedicated attorney who remains with them throughout the entire legal process. We handle matters such as divorce, custody, child support, and protective orders. In addition, AVDA houses the largest Battering Intervention and Prevention Program in the state. Our holistic approach distinguishes us: we serve both survivors and those who use violence, working toward long-term safety and accountability.

I am most proud of the transformational impact AVDA has on the lives of those we serve. Our work is not just about resolving legal issues—it’s about restoring dignity, safety, and hope. We want supporters to understand that their involvement helps sustain life-changing services for survivors and their families, while also contributing to the long-term goal of breaking the cycle of violence in our communities.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Our consistency, compassion, and commitment to excellence have been key. We prioritize client-centered services and continuously evaluate and improve our work. By holding ourselves accountable to high standards, we’ve built trust with clients, partners, and funders alike.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I have had some strong mentors and role models in the field as well as in the legal community. I try and learn from the modeling and advice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://avda.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avda_tx/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstonavda
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/avda/
• Twitter: https://x.com/avda_tx