“How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!” -Maya Angelou *All positions held at the time of publishing* Top 30 Women of Houston Icon Honorees: Cynthia Cisneros – Vice President of Community Affairs, ABC 13/KTRK-TV Shauna Clark – Head of Employment and Labor, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP Deborah…

In 1994 when Judge Vanessa Diane Gilmore was sworn in, she was then the youngest sitting federal judge in the nation. The native of Silver Spring, Maryland was also the youngest member of her freshman class at her alma mater, Hampton University in Virginia. Gilmore decided to undertake a career in law after she represented…

Twila Carter enters her fourth season as Executive Director of the Astros Foundation and Senior Vice President of Community Relations for the Astros.  She made the transition to baseball in 2011 with Jim Crane’s purchase of the Astros franchise and has worked with The Crane Group in various capacities since 1998. Carter oversees all fundraising,…

Being a wife, mother and church leader are at the core of this astonishing woman of God. Torsha Johnson is spiritually gifted in leading women to the heart of God by developing and mentoring and nurturing women of Higher Dimension Church and across the nation. As a supportive wife, mother of four and church leader, Johnson is committed to helping women…

 Tamar, known as the muse and favorite singer of her mentor Prince, gained notoriety for beingThe music legends “Protégé” while co-writing their Grammy-nominated duet “Beautiful, Loved and blessed” (Universal Republic). A native Houstonian and graduate of University of SouthernCalifornia’s Thornton School of Music, Tamar recently released her independent, sophomore album, “I Am the Storm” through…

Shauna Johnson Clark runs one of the world’s five largest combined global law firms and manages its US operations. A born leader, she has long managed many aspects of her law firm, including serving as: a Global Executive Committee Member; a US Management Committee Member; the US Head of Employment and Labor; a Steering Committee…

State Representative Shawn Thierry represents House District 146, a district that covers numerous communities in the Southeast and Southwest parts of greater Houston. Representative Thierry is a native Houstonian as well as a life-long resident of House District 146.  Thierry spent her early childhood in the South Park community. She is the proud product of…

Rep. Senfronia Thompson’s legacy is one built from strong principles of faith, an unwavering defense of freedom, and a staunch belief in fairness. She exemplifies the American ideal that one person can make a difference. Texas native Senfronia Thompson represents District 141, which includes Northeast Houston and Humble. A Houston attorney, Rep. Thompson is currently…

Regina Mellinger is President and CEO of Primary Services. Mellinger stands for creating an expanding world where people are valued, their opportunities are realized, and their contributions improve the future. She drives the formulation and execution of Primary’s strategic direction; heads the senior leadership team; and partners with Primary’s portfolio of Fortune 500 customers at the…

Paula McHam currently serves two roles for Cigna in the Houston market.  As Account Executive working with the City of Houston, a Cigna client, she is the primary liaison with the City for its medical benefits administration as well as health and wellness engagement programs offered by Cigna.  In her role as Community Involvement Lead…

Nicole Streeter is a native Houstonian with an exceptional background and strong commitment to community service in her hometown.  Ms. Streeter has been a young leader in the community for many years and has had many unique opportunities to build and support the infrastructure of our community.  She has proven to be an outstanding leader…

Monica Lewis is a leading expert in the industry of etiquette and protocol. She is also an avid believer that social presentation and behaviors are important to be successful in today’s society. Seeking to promote awareness of this fact, Monica is a passionate instructor who is dedicated to providing quality and professional training to her…

Mary Moreland is the Director of Strategic Planning – Latin America, at Quanta Services, Inc. Quanta Services safely provides engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for comprehensive infrastructure needs in the electric power and oil and natural gas industries. The bulk of Moreland’s 20-year legal career has been spent working on transactions outside the United States,…

A product of private, catholic, and public schools, Mary Young breezes through life knowing her strength comes from above. She graduated from James Madison Senior High School at the age of 16 years old and already determined she would do something special with her life.  She earned several degrees respectively and she credits much of…

For over 30 years, Lea Bogle has been a trail blazer in the wireless industry and has served as President and CEO of Premier Wireless since 1993. She started at the bottom, working as a telemarketer in 1983, selling pagers. She spent nearly 10 years in the paging industry and was always ranked in the…

LaTreace Harrison grew up in Houston, Texas and graduated from Jack Yates Sr. High School.  After graduating from Yates High School, Harrison went on to pursue both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Health Education from Prairie View A&M University. She has 25 years of nursing experience, with 19…

Kristin Tassin’s passion for equal opportunities and a high-quality education for all children has guided both her personal and professional life. Her personal experiences with her own children, as well as her professional experiences with the children of many others in the Fort Bend community, have shaped her strong belief that all children deserve to…

Kim Stith has practiced employment law for over 26 years and is currently Vice President and General Counsel at Waste Management contributing to the Company’s Employment Law, Benefits, Compliance, Security and Executive Compensation strategies by providing leadership and legal counsel for matters impacting the Company’s 40,000 employees across the United States and Canada. Stith is…

As founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Kelley Taylor oversees strategic growth projections for TCM. Her executive oversight spans accounting, administration, staff development, legal, and marketing for the firm. She brings with her a 17-year track record that includes talent acquisition consulting and leading special projects at multiple Fortune 100 firms in the USA. Taylor…

Juuhi Ahuja is the Founder, President & CEO of Wise Men Consultants. Since its inception in 1997 Wise Men has grown from an IT Staffing firm into a full blown technology service provider offering IT Solutions, Consulting, Outsourcing, Managed Services and Support with 600+ employees and offices in the US, India and Dubai. Ahuja’s focus…

Johnte’ Archer, JD is the CEO of J. Archer Insurance Group/Archer Commercial Insurance Group, a multi-national independent insurance brokerage.   Founded in 2009, the affluent firm, is a notable Arthur J. Gallagher and Willis Towers Watson Diversity Solution partner, an M/WBE firm selected based on their proven capabilities and their track record of exceptional performance. The…

Ige Johnson​ is celebrated as the broker and owner for the RE/MAX of Texas 2016 Rookie office of the Year, for RE/MAX Generation. Ige Johnson, a Houston Top 100 Realtor and 13 year Real Estate industry professional that serves buyers and sellers in the greater Houston area. Johnson delivers her unmatched skills, dedication and industry…

Dr. LaQuita Carter is a passionate educator who has been touching the lives of children and families for more than 25 years. Influenced by her life-story; she is a servant leader with a giving heart – not only valuing community but working to create community as well. She takes great pride in having received a…

Dr. Hill was raised in Columbus, Ohio and was number 7 of 8 children.  Her siblings set a high bar for education and career accomplishments and continue to keep her humble. She knew she wanted to be a doctor in kindergarten when girls were traditionally encouraged to pursue nursing.  She graduated from The Ohio State…

Fueled by a passion for her God given purpose, Dr. Jacqueline Horton-Cobbin has thrived as a multi-dimensional entrepreneur with an influential role in the field of education as CEO of Cobbin & Associates Consulting, LLC and as a Professional Service Provider for the Texas Education Agency. Fort Bend Business Journal recognized her as “one of…

Dorinda Walker is Vice President of Consumer Strategy and Key Initiatives within Multicultural Marketing for Prudential’s U.S. Businesses. Walker is responsible for supporting, planning and executing profitable growth strategies among diverse consumer segments. To expand new business opportunities, she incorporates strategic planning, targeted marketing campaigns, program management, event planning and community engagement. In addition, she…

Diedra Fontaine is the Executive Director of the Office of Development for Prairie View A&M University. Fontaine previously served as the Director of Diversity for United Airlines. Fontaine holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Computer Information Systems from the University of North Texas and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Southern University. Fontaine is…

Diane Englet is Senior Director of Corporate Community Relations for CenterPoint Energy. She leads the company’s philanthropic efforts, volunteer activities, and community and education outreach initiatives. In this position, Diane often sees the hardships that people – and communities as a whole – can face. Fortunately, she and her team are able to help make…

Ms. Delesa O’Dell-Thomas, a distinguished educator with 26 years of education expertise in teaching and administration. She has successfully educated, motivated and encouraged students to succeed despite any obstacles. She instills in her students to believe their future is limitless. She is a native New Orleanean who moved in 1994, and now considers Houston home….

Debra Clark Stewart is Director of Supplier Diversity and Diversity Outreach for Shell.  In this role, she leads a team responsible for developing and implementing strategies and programs that support U.S. supplier diversity, a critical component of U.S. local content, and for leading Shell’s collaboration with major U.S. diversity advocacy organizations. With a Bachelor and…

Dawn Ullrich grew up in Barron, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, majoring in political science and business administration.  During college, she worked summers at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where she met her husband, Lee, a native Houstonian.  Following graduation, she moved to Houston and received a law degree…

Courtney Johnson Rose is the Principal Broker of George E. Johnson Properties LLC, an affiliate company of George E. Johnson Development Inc. GEJ Properties is a full service real estate firm specializing in residential and commercial brokerage services co-owned by Courtney Johnson Rose and her father, George E. Johnson. In her role as Principal Broker,…

Cheryl L. Duncan, BSN, RN, CVRN – Founder of the Ashley Jadine Foundation (AJF).  AJF was started in loving memory of Cheryl’s daughter, Ashley Jadine Duncan, who died by suicide five years ago, at age 17. The Foundation’s mission is to increase community awareness about teen suicide prevention and help stop the stigma of mental health. The Centers…

Carneta Hunte-Larkin was born on the beautiful island of Christiansted, St. Croix- United States Virgin Islands (USVI) and was raised in Baytown, Texas. Hunt-Larkin serves as President and Social Work Consultant for Pinnacle Care Management, Inc. and Founder and President for I Love My Children, Inc. bringing forth her successful experience as an entrepreneur, social…

Carla Kuaiwa has been married for 22 years and has two children in college attending Texas A&M in College Station. She owns a Consulting Firm, Cross OD Consulting, LLC, providing services in HR Compliance, Leadership Development, and Talent Acquisition. She focuses on small to medium size businesses, serving as a dedicated contractual HR Department. Her…

Antoinette M. “Toni” Jackson is a commercial real estate partner at the law firm of Jones Walker concentrating in affordable housing and community development law. Ms. Jackson focuses on closing transactions utilizing specialized public/private financing structures including tax credits, bonds and other specialized financing. Jackson has represented clients developing multifamily housing and mixed-use developments throughout…

Dr. Nguyen currently works as the Director of Development and Marketing for Institute for Civic Education in Vietnam (www.icevn.org), a US based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization specializing in civic education and humanity science for the students in Vietnam and worldwide. She has been a community activist and an educator all her life. Dr. Nguyen believes the…