More Than a Story of Survival: Meet 2026 Keynote Speaker Mejean Cline
When Mejean Cline takes the stage at the 2026 Texas Conference on Ending Homelessness, she won’t just be sharing her story, she’ll be sharing what’s possible when people are met with opportunity, support, and belief.
Today, Cline serves as a Flight Software Engineering Manager for Umbra Space after spending eight years at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where she helped maintain the computer systems aboard the International Space Station. But years before leading engineering teams and building technology for space missions, she experienced homelessness as a college student and a mother of two.
When Survival Comes Before Success
Cline always dreamed of becoming an engineer. Inspired by a childhood fascination with technology and problem-solving, she worked toward a computer engineering degree while balancing work and raising her family.
Then life changed in an instant.
After her husband lost his job, the family struggled financially. Soon after, Cline was struck by a car while walking to class. Due to her injuries, her husband has left his new job to care for her. Medical bills mounted and the family eventually lost their home.
For a time, Cline, her husband and their two young children lived in a homeless shelter while she tried to continue her education. She often faced impossible choices between buying food, paying for transportation to class and keeping her family afloat.
“I had to make a choice between getting to class and feeding my family,” Cline recalled. “That was a decision I had to make daily.”
The Power of Community
As overwhelming as those experiences were, Cline says they also revealed the life-changing impact of community.
Scholarship donors, university mentors, service providers, and shelter staff stepped in during a time when she felt she had nothing left to give.
“When I had nothing left, I had a community that surrounded me and held me until I could get back on my feet,” she said.
One person, in particular, changed the course of her life.
As Cline prepared to leave school, believing she couldn’t continue, scholarship donor Dr. William A. Brookshire encouraged her to stay.
“He looked me in the eyes and told me that he believed in me,” Cline said. “I wouldn’t have come back if it wasn’t for Dr. Brookshire.”
That encouragement helped her return to school, complete her degree and launch the career she had dreamed about since childhood.
Why Her Story Matters
Today, Cline is passionate about sharing her journey with audiences across the country because she believes it reflects the potential that exists in so many people experiencing homelessness.
She often reminds service providers that their work creates ripple effects they may never fully see.
“Sometimes people think what they’re doing is small, but it’s not,” she said. “If you have a willing heart and some time, you can help folks.”
She also challenges audiences to recognize that when people are focused on survival, they rarely have the opportunity to demonstrate their full potential.
“Where we stand today doesn’t define where we’re capable of going,” she said.
Looking Ahead
At this year’s Texas Conference on Ending Homelessness, Cline will share a message of resilience, hope, and the extraordinary difference that community support can make.
Her journey reminds us that homelessness does not define a person’s future and that a single act of encouragement can change the course of a life.
Join us September 23–25 in Houston to hear Cline’s inspiring keynote and connect with hundreds of advocates, providers, and leaders working to build stronger homelessness response systems across Texas.