Roxana Aviles was 20 years old, a young mother and a manager at McDonald’s when Holly Moore offered her a job cleaning houses. Maids and Moore was barely more than an idea at the time.

“I saw total potential in her,” Moore recalled. “It was just me and her. And we were struggling, wearing all the hats.”

Sixteen years later, Aviles is director of operations for the Texas company and the winner of the ISSA Residential Office Team Member Award, which honors the office professional a residential cleaning business depends on most. She oversees three offices in Austin, Conroe and Houston, with about 150 cleaning technicians and 15 management team members reporting through her.

A year and a half with a mop

Aviles spent her first year and a half at Maids and Moore in the field as a cleaner. She was then promoted to office manager, later served as general manager of the Austin office and took on her current role about two years ago.

That frontline experience shapes how she leads. According to her nomination, submitted by Maids and Moore CEO Katelyn Langley, Aviles understands the practical challenges cleaning teams face and uses that insight to streamline workflows without cutting corners on quality. Her leadership helped scale the company from a small operation to 65 full-time cleaning teams while keeping customer satisfaction high.

Moore sees her as proof that the residential side of the industry is maturing. Residential companies are adding layers of management much like commercial firms have, and Aviles rose to the top as a manager rather than an owner.

“Roxana is the industry standard as far as office team members and what she does every day,” Moore said. “She’s really actually leading other office team members every day.”

Recognition from her peers

Aviles was surprised when she learned about the award. Pride came right behind it.

“I was surprised but super excited and felt very proud, not just for myself but for the team as well, because I wouldn’t be here without my team,” Aviles said. A week later she attended a cleaning industry event. “I was being congratulated by almost everyone there, and it felt very exciting,” she added.

Moore watched other attendees seek Aviles out with questions. “It was so special to see her in that room and to gain the recognition that she deserves,” she noted.

Room to grow, for everyone

Asked what she likes most about the work, Aviles pointed to opportunity. “There’s always room to grow. And that’s something that I appreciate here,” she said. “And not just for myself, but for my team members.”

The nomination describes a leader who mentors constantly, communicates openly and encourages feedback. Staff at every level respect her because she has done their jobs. Langley credited her with boosting morale and reducing turnover.

Moore connects that culture directly to the customer experience. “You have happy employees, you have happy customers,” she explained.

Aviles believes the work matters more than outsiders realize. “Some people see a cleaning service as just a cleaning service, but we do have an impact on people’s lives,” she said. “Having a clean home clears your mind.”

Customers notice. One wrote that Aviles treated her with kindness and respect when she needed help most. “She made a tough day a whole lot better,” the customer shared.

Service beyond the schedule

Aviles personally coordinates the company’s volunteer days for Cleaning for a Reason, the nonprofit that provides free house cleaning for people undergoing cancer treatment. Under her leadership, the Austin office has become one of the organization’s most active partners in the country.

She also created Operation Santa, an annual program that fulfills Christmas wish lists for families in need, and she has organized food drives that bring staff and clients together to stock local pantries. When a team member hits a crisis, she often steps in.

Doing it right when nobody watches

For office staff hoping to follow a similar path, Aviles kept her advice simple. “Take pride in your work and always be open to changes and learning new things and growing along with your company,” she said.

Moore added a lesson from building the company alongside her. Doing things the right way “when people aren’t looking and doing the right thing ethically is something that will pay off,” she said.

Looking back at what the two of them built from a two-person start, Moore summed it up. “We’re like, we can do anything.”