Meet The Team
Marnie Pate
Marnie, friendliest face in the office, is our owner. Marnie is a Real Estate Broker and well-respected member of the Port Aransas community for 35 years. Marnie invests her time into her community through volunteer work and by being on the Board of Trustees for the Port Aransas Independent School District. She is a pet parent and all-around animal lover. She is also a grandmother of 2 with a 3rd on the way!
Harry Collins Jr
A proud member of our team since 2015, Harry is our office manager. When he isn’t assisting guest or solving problems, he’s out hunting or attending one of his kids’ games. Harry loves a good joke and is a favorite of our Winter Texans.
Harry Collins III “Tripp”
Meet Tripp. A Port Aransas local and father. A member of our guest services team, specializing in grounds since 2021. When he’s not a work, Tripp enjoys spending time with his family or watching various sports.
Sara Mendoza
Sara is a dedicated member of our team. She is our Administrative Assistant and Onboarding Specialist. She has been an integral part of our team since 2020. An avid DIY-er, she loves a project! Sha is also a proud mom of 2 kids and 3 fur babies. Between her love for her family and the arts, she also has a love for music. If you’re walking past her office, you can often hear her radio, always set at 93.9.
Derek Palmer
Meet Derek! He is our HVAC certified member of our maintenance team. He has been an esteemed member of our team since 2022. Derek is a devoted father of 3 and spends all of his time outside of work with his family. He coaches for all the sports his kids are involved in with his wife.
Elaine Peterson
Elaine is our Director of Owner and Guest Relations. She joined our team in 2024 and has been vital to our success since! Elaine is also a real estate agent and the President of the GFWC in Ingleside. Elaine is a mother and spends a good deal of her time with her family. She one of our office’s biggest coffee enthusiasts and can often be found making a new cup. Elaine has the best stories, especially from her time working in the state’s capital.
Shelby Gallegos
Shelby is a member of our Owner and Guest relations team. Started as Front Desk in 2024, Shelby quickly moved through our ranks. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and shows up with a smile. Shelby enjoys fishing and doing a little bit of retail therapy in her off time. Like most in our office, Shelby is also a devoted pet parent to a cute cat and adorable dog.
Sarah Biggs
Meet Sarah! Sarah B is our Reservations Manager and a valued member of our Port A family! She started out as Front Desk in 2014, working hard for going on 11 years! She is a proud pet parent to 2 cats and a very sweet Doberman named Cuda. In her off time, Sarah is crocheting projects, big and small. Sarah works remote but is always present with her big personality!
Tyler Gallegos
Tyler is an esteemed member of our maintenance team, since 2024. Between work orders, Tyler is always happy to help others around the office. When it comes to work, Tyler is very detail oriented. Outside of work, Tyler enjoys gaming and spending time with his cat.
Sal Gallegos
Sal is our Maintenance Supervisor. He has been a proud member of our company since 2020. Sal is a father of 4. He is our office ‘Do it all’ guy. Outside or work, Sal enjoys travelling with his wife and spending time with his family!
Niki Peterson
Started out in our Owner and Guest Relations department, Niki is now, proudly, the manager of our Bay Tree office. She is cat mom of 2, Fen and Han. In her off time, Niki has a Bachelor’s in Applied Arts and Sciences and is pursuing her Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling.
Rudy Garcia
Our specialty maintenance man since 2023. A project needs getting done, Rudy will do it! From carpentry to painting, Rudy is your guy. He enjoys travelling and being with his family.
Eli Soto
A proud member of our guest services team beginning in 2025. Eli is detail oriented and always happy to come into work. She is a pet parent of a German shepherd, a lab mix, and 2 cats. In addition to inspecting for Port A Escapes, Eli is studying to be an X-ray tech. She is also a proficient cook!
Angel Larson
Angel has been a valued member of our reservations team since 2023. She is always a sweet smile and charming voice with our guests. Angel loves to help and strives to offer the best to our guests. Angel holds a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Administration. Angel is a dog mom and loves going for drives on the beach with her husband.
Bret Leader
Meet Bret! Bret is a member of our maintenance team. Originally from Colorado, Bret is a recent addition to our Port A Escapes family! Bret is a father of two twin boys and a pet parent of a very sweet puppy! Bret enjoys hiking, spending time with his kids, and vintage videogames.
Kyndall Bradstreet
Introducing Kyndall! She is a member of our guest services team. As one of our inspectors, Kyndall is detail oriented and a quick study! In her free time, she uses her attention to detail for painting and sculpting. Other than the arts, Kyndall spends her time watching movies with her boyfriend and their tabby, Milo.
Nic DeLao
Nic is our esteemed Director of Operations. After starting as an inspector in 2022, Nic has quickly moved through our ranks. Nic is our biggest team player, if something needs to get done, he will rise to the occasion to accomplish it. Nic is always available to help if anyone needs it. In his spare time, Nic runs a successful business in carpet cleaning. He is also a fitness fanatic. Like so many in our office Nic and his fiancé, Maddy, are avid pet parents. If you ever see a blur of black curls, that’s probably just their dog Sophie.
Melissa Murphy
Melissa is our Senior Reservationist and Social Media Coordinator. Beginning in 2020 as a Reservationist and Front Desk, she has proven herself as a dedicated member of our team. Her coworkers would say she is a fierce and loyal friend. You can always count on her to help. After office hours, Melissa spends her time taking care of her father. She is a writer, artist, and fellow coffee enthusiast.