Michael Hernandez is the first full-time staff member of Heart of Texas Outreach and a foundational part of the organization’s work. Originally from La Porte, Texas, Michael moved to Austin in 2013 to attend the University of Texas at Austin.

He began his career in homeless services in 2017 at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH), where he first worked alongside Megan Boyd. Since then, Michael has held a variety of roles within Austin’s homeless response system, building deep on-the-ground experience and strong relationships across the community.

Michael has been instrumental in developing many of the programs and approaches that define Heart of Texas Outreach today. His consistency, institutional knowledge, and commitment to people experiencing homelessness make him a critical member of the HOT team. In his spare time, he enjoys movies and hanging with his dog, Isla.