Every interaction matters. That belief has guided Kathleen Brown throughout her distinguished career as an educational leader dedicated to empowering students, developing leaders, and strengthening communities. A transformational leader, Brown is known for building systems, cultivating talent, and fostering environments where people can learn, grow, and thrive. As Deputy Superintendent of Operations for Fort Bend…
Born in Venezuela, Paola Barbieri’s early life was shaped by an international upbringing that spanned three countries and two continents. As a child, she moved with her family to Massachusetts while her father pursued graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her family later relocated to the Netherlands, where she developed a deep…
Throughout her distinguished twenty‑five‑year career, Emily C. Anderson, P.E., P.Eng., P.M.P., has spearheaded transformative infrastructure initiatives across the United States and internationally, including work in Iraq, the West Bank, Libya, Australia, and Canada. A seasoned strategic leader, she currently serves as Vice President and Senior Client Advisor at Halff Associates, Inc. in Houston, Texas, where…
Dr. De’Monica Cooper Amerson is an accomplished educational executive, school improvement leader, and leadership coach with more than 24 years of progressive experience transforming schools, developing leaders, and driving districtwide improvement initiatives. Throughout her career, she has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, Director of Professional Learning, and Executive Director of School Improvement and…
Dr. Liza Alonzo is a native Houstonian who grew up in southeast Houston and attended HISD schools. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD), where she co-founded the Xi Chapter of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority, Inc., the university’s first Hispanic sorority, which continues to thrive today. She later…
Deshonda P. Charles, Esq., was an award-winning attorney, seasoned entrepreneur and respected community leader with more than 23 years of legal experience. As the founder and CEO of D. Charles Law Firm PLLC, she led a boutique Houston based practice focused on estate planning, probate litigation, business succession planning and civil litigation. In 2026, she…
