“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” –Hillary Clinton **All Positions Held at the Time of Publishing** ICONS Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee…. 18th Congressional District of Texas Donna Cole…………………………………… President & CEO, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc Dr. Patricia Brock……………………………. Founder & Chairman Emeritus, Medical Bridges TOP 30 Influential Women of…

18th Congressional District of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is an influential and forceful voice in Washington, D.C., serving the 18th Congressional District of Texas, centered in Houston – the energy capital of the world. Rep. Jackson Lee is in her tenth term as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Considered by many…

Carla Lane is President and CEO of LaneStaffing, the largest minority woman owned employment solution provider in the southwest. Lane began working in the staffing industry while attending The University of Houston as an accounting student. In 1993, she became the first staff member of BestStaff Services, formally the largest minority owned staffing firm in…

Director of Community Relations, Houston Airport System Rhonda C. Arnold is the Director of Community Relations for the Houston Airport System and is a dedicated and compassionate civic leader. Arnold promotes Houston Airports and their economic importance to the region by maintaining positive, collaborative relationships with the business community, area chambers of commerce, local government,…

Assistant Vice President, South Texas CRA Manager Corporate Public Affairs & Community Reinvestment, Comerica Bank Vanessa Reed is Assistant Vice President and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Manager of programs for Comerica Bank – South Texas. Reed is responsible for community development and involvement for Comerica Bank for Houston, San Antonio and Kerrville. Her priorities include…

Pharmacy Manager, President & CEO, Clinical Care Pharmacy, LLC Dr. Anjanette Wyatt is the Pharmacy Manager, President and Chief Executive Officer of Clinical Care Pharmacy, LLC. She also serves as Consultant Pharmacist for the Mother of Many Children’s Home and the Heavenly Care Residential Facility in Houston. Dr. Wyatt obtained her Bachelor and Doctor of…

President, NCA Investigations Nicole West managed success on both the corporate ladder and entrepreneurship tracks for several years before taking the full leap in 2002 to invest her time solely in NCA Investigations, Inc.  NCA was West’s first fulltime endeavor with multiple clients, certifications and financial success. NCA is a private investigation firm that looks…

President, North Houston Frontiers Club & Managing Partner, DeMand Staffing & Consulting, LLC Wilma Evans moved to Houston from San Antonio, Texas and began her career with Arthur Andersen & Co. and Langham Petroleum Corporation. She retired in 2004 from the North Forest ISD after a 22-year career. She cofounded in 2009 and presently serves…

Executive Director, Women Contractors Association Susan Mitchell Repka has served as a champion for small businesses in the Houston area for more than 15 years. During this time she has had an opportunity to interview hundreds of women business owners about their successes, challenges and even their failures. The hours spent interviewing and brainstorming with…

Vice President Network Management, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Shara McClure joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) in 2005. As vice president of network management, she is responsible for provider relations, provider contracting, and provider services statewide. Prior to her current position, McClure was divisional vice president of Houston Healthcare…

Director, Muslim Democratic Caucus of Texas Nargis Ahmed was born in Karachi, Pakistan. She knew from a young age that she wanted to make a positive change in the lives of others. While in Pakistan, Ahmed was actively involved in helping to better her community. She worked as a consular for battered women for several…

United States Immigration Court Anyone who knows Judge Mimi Yam understands that she is one of those rare persons who is a deep well of kindness and goodwill. Judge Yam is one of those individuals who instinctively taps a natural reservoir of positive energy and radiates that energy to all who come in contact with…

Anchor, Fox 26 KRIV-TV Melinda Spaulding is the co-anchor of FOX 26 News at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. Spaulding joined the FOX 26 family shortly before the start of 2005 as a live reporter for FOX 26 News at Nine and a fill-in anchor. In 2006, she was named co-anchor of FOX 26 News…

SVP, GP Industrial Contractors, Inc. Marlene Petry is Senior Vice President of GP Industrial Contractors, Inc., which she and her husband Roosevelt have owned since 1998. Petry received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston and her Master of Science in Nursing from Regis University in…

General Manager, Momentum BMW West Maria Moncada Alaoui is the general manager for Momentum BMW West on the Katy Freeway. She’s been in the automotive industry for more than 20 years and held several positions, working her way up from administration to sales to management. Moncada Alaoui has been with Momentum BMW West for almost…

Associate Vice Chancellor, Houston Community College As the Associate Vice Chancellor of Workforce Instruction, Dr. Madeline Burillo oversees all workforce instruction for Houston Community College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from The University of Puerto Rico, a Master’s in Organizational Management from The University of Phoenix, and a Doctorate in Education in…

Director, Corporate Communications, Port of Houston Authority Lisa Ashley is Director of Corporate Communications for the Port of Houston Authority. She is responsible for developing and managing internal and external communications. This includes corporate events, issues and crisis communications management, editorial, public awareness strategies and campaigns for the Port Authority. Ms. Ashley also serves as a…

Cosmetic and Neuromuscular Dentist, Cosmetic Dental Texas Dr. Ka-Ron Y. Wade is a premier cosmetic dentist with an office in Midtown Houston. She completed her undergraduate studies at Wiley College and received her Bachelor of Science in Biology. She then attended Texas Woman’s University and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She obtained her…

Chief Operations Officer/Principal, The Principle Partnering Group, LLC  Karen Becerra is the co-founder and COO of the Principle Partnering Group, LLC. She leads and directs the firm’s activities in all aspects of business development, and program planning and implementation. The firm is a premiere management consulting organization with an unsurpassed track record in helping companies…

State Representative Carol Alvarado is a native Houstonian and a lifetime resident of Houston’s East End. Before being elected to the State House she served on the Houston City Council from 2002-2008 and as Mayor ProTem from 2004-2006. Rep. Alvarado is a tireless fighter for policies that focus on strengthening overall quality of life. She…

Founder, Pretty Girls with Cancer Kandice Rose was born and raised in Houston, and is the youngest child of Larry and Roslyn Rose. She has two sisters and one brother. She attended Langham Creek High school in Cy-Fair where she enjoyed playing sports. By the time Rose went to college at Huston –Tillotson University in…

Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA) Dr. Jonita Reynolds, affectionately called “DrJ”, is a native Houstonian and notable leader in the community. Upon graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Houston in 1992, she began working for the Houston Independent School District as an English teacher at Sterling High School. In…

Project Manager, Farouk Systems Inc. Jamilah Shami is a Palestinian-American organizer dedicated to civil and human rights. She served as a board member of several organizations, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination (ADC), the largest Arab-American Grassroots Organization. She also served as an ADC National Board Member and as Chapter President of the Washington D.C. Area Chapter…

COO & Pastor, New Light Christian Center Church Pastor Irishea Hilliard, daughter of Bishop I.V. and Pastor Bridget Hilliard was born on June 7, 1977 in Houston. She is definitely wise beyond her years. After attending The University of Oklahoma and Sam Houston State University and majoring in accounting, Pastor Hilliard decided to stop pursuing…

President, Bradlink, LLC Helen Callier is the president of Bradlink LLC, a go-to Technical Services Firm that provides Program Management, Construction Management, Facilities Design, BIM, and Operations/Maintenance services primarily in the public sector. Some of Bradlink’s clients include the Houston Airport System, AECOM, TDIndustries, XEROX, and CH2MHill. Callier has Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering….

Orthodontist & Owner, Dr. Heather Brown Orthodontics Dr. Heather Brown is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from Meharry Medical College and her specialist certificate in Orthodontics at Howard University where she graduated as Valedictorian of her class. Considered one of Houston’s most prominent orthodontists,…

Associate Vice President, University Advancement – Communications & Marketing – Texas Southern University As the Associate Vice President for University Advancement, Eva Pickens is responsible for the image, branding, communications and marketing at Texas Southern University, the third largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the country. Pickens has 25 years of overall professional…

SVP and Chief Development Officer, Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Emelda Douglas is a veteran leader in the local philanthropic community.Her passion is to ensure that young people have the resources, education and connection to build better lives for themselves and their families. She is living her dream at the crossroads of this passion and her profession…

President & CEO, The Source for Women “It’s not what we’re against, it’s what we’re for. We’re here for her.” -Cynthia Wenz, CEO of The Source for Women. She has proven those words time and again as a pioneer in the field of women’s holistic reproductive health. When she accepted the position of unpaid CEO…

Chief Strategist for Innovation and Research, Lone Star College Christina Robinson Grochett currently serves as Chief Strategist for Innovation and Research at Lone Star College – University Park. Grochett spearheads the expansion of innovative ideas across the Lone Star College system and engages cross-functional teams in delivering strategic outcomes. Grochett is a champion of higher…

Chief Operations Officer, Amerigroup Catherine Mitchell is the Chief Operations Officer (COO) for the AMERIGROUP Texas, Houston and Beaumont health plans. Mitchell is a native Houstonian who has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Sam Houston State University and has been with AMERIGROUP for more than seven years. She has an extensive background…

Facial Plastic Surgeon, Facial Plastic Surgery Associates Dr. Angela Sturm is an Associate at Facial Plastic Surgery Associates located in the Texas Medical Center. She has been named one of Houston’s Top Docs for facial plastic surgery and recognized as a 2013 Top Women in Business. Dr. Sturm attended medical school at Baylor College of…

Founder & Chairman Emeritus, Medical Bridges Dr. Patricia Brock: wife, mother, physician and global health advocate is the founder of Medical Bridges, a nonprofit group that donates surplus medical supplies to developing countries. It was founded in 1997. She was born and raised in Madison, Ind. and studied nursing and graduated magna cum laude from…