Honoree 2016, If you’ve cared for any cause at all since you were born, you have probably heard of, seen, or met with Farida Abjani. This is especially true, if you live in Houston. Having a true passion for everyone receiving the quality healthcare that they deserve, she is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shining…
Honoree 2016, Dr. Laura Murillo is President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. With the support of the Chamber board and staff, she has set unprecedented records, including leading the Chamber to be the largest Hispanic Chamber in the country. She serves as the Founding President & CEO of the Chamber’s foundation,…
Honoree 2016, Denise Castillo-Rhodes was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Texas Medical Center on December 1, 2008. In this position, she is responsible for accounting, finance, billing and collections, tax compliance and investments. Denise serves as Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee of Texas Medical Center Central Heating and Cooling…
Honoree 2017, Barbara Vilutis has over 30 years of financial experience. Vilutis joined Amegy Bank in 2002 to establish the Wealth Management Group. She currently is the Executive Director of Strategic Growth at Amegy Bank. She leads the bank’s initiatives for extending market coverage, improving community relationships and managing strategic relationships. She previously served in…
Honoree 2017, Carrin Patman is chair of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. She is METRO’s first woman chair, appointed in 2016 by Mayor Sylvester Turner. She previously served on the board from 2010 to 2013. Patman was a partner of Bracewell where for three decades she worked as a trial lawyer representing diverse…
When you look at the way Deborah Duncan grew up, it is no surprise that she ended up in the communication business. Raised in a military family, her early years were spent in Taiwan and Japan. As her family constantly moved around, young Duncan attended five different elementary schools. At each school, determined to learn…
Honoree 2017, In 2012, Cynthia Cisneros was appointed Vice President of Community Affairs at ABC13. She was hired at ABC13 in 1989 and while no longer filing daily reports, she is deeply involved in community efforts. As a native Houstonian, Cisneros has witnessed much of the city’s astounding growth firsthand. Growing up in the city…
Cydonii Miles is a prominent corporate lawyer, with almost 20 years of corporate finance, governance and securities law experience. As Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of American Capital, Ltd., a publicly-traded private equity firm and global asset manager, she has served for the past 13 years as the lead in-house attorney…
Honoree 2017, Dr. Margaret Jeanelle Allen was born in Lafayette Louisiana, the youngest of nine children. Dr. Allen knew in high school that she wanted to work in the field of dentistry. She enrolled into the Debakey High School for Health Professions and it was then that she decided to become a dental hygienist. Dr….
Honoree 2017, Karina Barbieri was born in Venezuela, daughter of doctors and the youngest of six. She is married to the love of her life, Carlos Barbieri, an Italian petroleum engineer graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and with an MBA from MIT. They have been married for over twenty years. Barbieri is the…
