Jennifer St. Julian Wooden wears many hats, holding several roles in her career, volunteer and family life. She has almost two decades of experience in the fields of public relations, performing arts, design and sales and marketing. Wooden currently serves as the director of the Humble Civic Center & Arena Complex, the Charles Bender Theatre…

Dr. Tamara Williams is the president of Chamberlain University’s Houston campus. She brings nearly 20 years of combined experience in nursing practice and nursing education to her role. Prior to joining Chamberlain University, Dr. Williams was a cardiac clinical nurse specialist at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She has extensive clinical experience…

Carolyn Watson is Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at JPMorgan Chase.   She directs the JPMorgan Chase Foundation’s philanthropic investments for Houston, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso, which collectively employ more than 10,000 people.  The approach of each high-impact investment is to leverage the company’s strength – and the dedication of its talented employees – to…

Bridgette Smith-Lawson is the Managing Attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Regions 5 & 6 consisting of 23 counties in Southeast Texas.  Smith-Lawson began with the Department of Family Protective Services as a Regional Attorney assigned to Adult Protective Services and then to Child Protective Services.  Smith-Lawson supervises a division of…

Mya Smith-Edmonds, a native of Houston, Texas, is the first female African-American Next Generation McDonald’s owner/operator, owning seven McDonald’s Restaurants in Central Indiana. She serves as a board member in the Indianapolis region and has earned the Trailblazer Award for the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO Indianapolis), was a recipient of the Galore…

People have different drives and aspirations, which can either make them the leader or the follower. True leaders are also good followers and come from all occupations. They are able to build lasting relationships, forge bonds, and develop trust with the people they encounter. One of those people is Sherrie Sams, who manages to succeed…

Gabriella “Gaby” Rowe is the CEO of Station Houston, the city’s largest hub for startup technology acceleration, corporate innovation and entrepreneurship. Station Houston’s membership includes over 200 active startups, 350 members, 130 mentors and 40+ high-impact strategic partnerships with the corporations that lead the key industries of Energy, Transportation, Aerospace and Construction driving Houston’s economy….

Marilyn A. Rose is a Certified Public Accountant.  She is the Accounting Administrator in the Finance Office of the Executive Bureau at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.    She has worked in various capacities in her six year tenure there.  Before coming to the Sheriff’s Office Rose spent nine years at the Harris County Tax Assessor…

Eileen Perilla has worked for Shell for 15 years in a variety of roles across the Group.    She joined Shell in the Lubricants business as Cluster Finance Manager, Business to Consumer North America.  After three years in Lubricants, she spent three years in Upstream, first in The Hague with Upstream Commercial Finance (now Mergers &…

Eureka Patton, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, moved to Houston, Texas in 1978. While she cherishes her fond memories of Mardi Gras, arts and heritage festivals, Cajun cuisine, crawfish and music (especially jazz), the greater Houston area is where she has made an indelible mark in the professional business sector. This highly proficient and…

Chau Nguyen is the Chief Public Strategies Officer for the Houston Area Women’s Center, tasked with managing and expanding key partnerships while positioning HAWC as thought leaders in order to drive broad awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault, with a goal of reducing interpersonal violence and changing cultural norms about how survivors are understood….

Jamila Mensah is an Employment and Labor partner in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Houston office. Her practice covers all areas of employment law, including extensive experience in discrimination, retaliation and wage and hour issues. In particular, Mensah litigates on behalf of her clients in federal and state court and before administrative bodies, such as the Equal…

Native Houstonian Paula Mendoza is an entrepreneur, innovator, advocate, barrier-breaker and tireless volunteer recognized not only for the quality of her work, but for the passion she brings to every endeavor. For the past 19 years Mendoza has been in leadership at Possible Missions, Inc. (PM), a company she established in 2001, specializing in Project…

Shawntell McWilliams, a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, has resided in Houston for seven years and currently serves as CEO of not one, but two enterprises, one being SM Global Consulting, LLC, which assists nonprofit organizations, small/ medium businesses and individuals with developing philanthropic branding, community relations programs, event production and specialized fundraisers. McWilliams is also…

Christine Mack has been with BP for 10 years and serves as the Regional Head of Procurement for the Americas within the Global Business Services organization in Houston, Texas. Her experience at BP includes a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across the categories of Human Resources, Professional Services, Business Consulting, Property, Travel, Meetings and Events and Contingent Labor…

LaMonica Love is the founder of The Love Law Group and Consulting Services, PLLC, which provides top-notch legal services and business solutions to start-ups, entrepreneurs and small/medium sized businesses. She previously worked as a corporate attorney and business management consultant for two Fortune 500 companies, representing those companies in corporate multi-million-dollar transactions. Her practice areas include…

Angela Lee is a native of Tyler, Texas. She is a graduate of the highly recognized Louisiana Tech University School of Architecture and Interior Design. Her career has consisted of working with residential and commercial companies as well as providing contract services for smaller firms. Lee is married to William Lee and resides in Fortbend,…

Dr. Grenita Lathan was named interim superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in March 2018. Under her leadership as chief academic officer and interim superintendent, 92% of HISD’s campuses were rated Met Standard in 2018 (252 out of 275 rated campuses).  In 2019 under her leadership, Kashmere High School, the longest running improvement required…

A recipient of the 2017 United States of America President’s Volunteer Service Award, Olivera Jankovska is a champion of children’s rights and represents UNICEF as a Global Citizen Fellow. In her role, Jankovska empowers youth in the United States with the resources and skills to be effective global citizens – thinking globally and acting locally…

Kelly Irving, MSN, RN, has more than 26 years of nursing experience, including 22 years in various nursing leadership positions. As Associate Director Patient Care Services (ADPCS), she serves as a key member of the medical center senior management team; providing leadership and expert knowledge for the VA’s state-of-the-art medical facility and nine community-based outpatient…

Tami Renata Hunter serves as Advisor of Compliance, Global Supply Chain for ConocoPhillips, the world’s largest independent exploration and production company based on production and proved reserves. Her career with ConocoPhillips began in 1988 when she joined the company as a contractor supporting the commercial trading organization. She was new to the Houston area and…

Addie Heyliger is an accomplished technology professional with over two decades interfacing with senior business executives and technical teams. She provides leadership to a technology organization in the areas of business engagement, project management and portfolio value and delivery. While Heyliger has excelled professionally and won many awards in her career, her true passion is…

Native Houstonian Mia Gradney is an Emmy Award-winning talent and the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. anchor at KHOU 11 News in Houston, Texas. For two decades, Mia has covered everything from historic hurricanes to major Hollywood red carpet events and national sports championships. She specializes in breaking news/continuous coverage and special events with interests…

Dr. Melissa N. Gonzalez is President of Houston Community College-Southeast.  Dr. Gonzalez holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, an MBA and doctorate in international business management from the University of Texas-Pan American.  She was formerly the Chief of Staff for Houston Community College Chancellor, Dr. Cesar Maldonado.  Prior to her position at HCC, Dr….

Michelle Garrison is the Chief Financial Officer of GetixHealth, LLC, a privately held multi-million-dollar Revenue Cycle Management Services Company. Garrison joined the GetixHealth team in 2015 and is currently responsible for managing all financial aspects of the company in joint with the CEO. With her guided leadership her team ensures that GetixHealth has the proper…

Leona Filis, owner of The Filis Law Firm, P.C., in Houston, is an attorney who focuses her time and energy on helping families with children with special needs. Filis has built her practice by being a partner and a resource to parents, helping them navigate through tough decisions regarding their child’s care.  Filis grew up…

Dr. Rachel Andress Davis, PharmD, RPh is a licensed pharmacist currently practicing in the Pharmacy Benefit Management sector at OptumRx, a division of United Health Group.  Additionally, she manages the pharmacy practice at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, where she oversees pharmacy compliance within their seven local clinics.  During her 17 years of pharmacy practice she…

Audrey Marie Cosby, committed to the care and nurture of family and the faithful, is a proud native of Chicago, Illinois who studied nursing at Hampton University. While in Virginia she began care for homebound persons in the home health care field. She now ensures that the same care she provided for others in Virginia…

Connie L. Cochran serves as Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations & Special Events at Texas Southern University, carrying more than 29 years of experience in her field. Cochran moved to Houston from Chicago, Illinois where she previously served as Executive Director of Alumni Relations & Special Events at the largest College of Medicine in…

Dr. Courtney Jacocks Chance is a committed general dentist within the Houston metropolitan area. She is co-owner of Oaks Point Pediatric Dentistry in the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest community with her husband, a board certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Christopher W. Chance. She is a Cum Laude graduate of Howard University, received her Doctor of Dental Surgery…

Houston native Michelle Bythewood is president of Salata Salad Kitchen. As president, Bythewood is responsible for management of operations and logistics and creating, communicating and implementing the organization’s vision, mission and overall direction. With Salata’s strategic growth initiative focused on franchise sales and restaurant openings, Bythewood works closely with Salata’s franchise sales team to determine opportunities for…

Juliet Breeze, MD, a healthcare entrepreneur, is the CEO and Founder of Next Level Urgent Care and the Vice President of Vantage Hospice. Dr. Breeze has developed multiple medical organizations including a comprehensive orthopedics practice, a rehabilitation hospital and several surgical centers as well as her two current ventures.  She has a deep interest in…

Colleen Banks is currently a Senior Associate at Wealth Development Strategies LLC after getting her start serving the financial service needs of the Lutheran community through Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.  As a financial associate with Wealth Development Strategies, Banks helps clients achieve independence that incorporates cash management, risk management, college funding, retirement strategies, mutual funds…

With more than two decades of experience in Global Trade Compliance, Tracey Anthony is an industry expert dedicated to helping clients meet the rules, restrictions and protocol of international shipping.  Anthony is a strategic operational executive with extensive trade compliance management experience and expertise in anti-corruption and anti-trust.  She is a certified import specialist, and…

Leanne Dobard Alvarez is President and CEO of Leading Edge Enterprises, LLC, doing business as The UPS Store at Shadow Creek Ranch in Pearland, Texas. LA Holdings, LLC is her real estate ventures business located in both New Orleans and Houston. Her businesses have been operational for over 13 years. Alvarez is currently President of…

Vanessa E. Wyche is deputy director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC), an organization of nearly 10,000 civil service and contractor employees in Houston and White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She assists with leadership of a broad range of human spaceflight activities, including NASA’s astronauts, Mission Control, development and operation of…

Lisa Trapani Shumate was appointed Associate Vice President (UH System) & General Manager, Houston Public Media (UH) in 2011, with dual roles of responsibility including serving as Executive Director of the Houston Public Media Foundation. Lisa is responsible for raising funds for and managing an operational budget of $23 million, as well as strategically positioning…

When Kim Padgett isn’t managing her public relations firm, The Padgett Group, this media maven can be found supporting charities throughout Houston. Padgett has spent the last 25 years combining her passion for public relations and charity work. She believes that no matter what you give, whether it’s time, treasure or talent, it’s important to…

Award-winning journalist Melanie Lawson is a proud Houstonian and a product of Houston schools. Journalism has always been in Lawson’s blood. She started first as a full-time general assignments reporter at Channel 13, then went on to become the co-anchor of Live at 5 and Channel 13’s midday show, Eyewitness News at 11am. Lawson also…