2024 Partnership Board Members Discuss Top Priorities, Impact Work

Published Feb 15, 2024 by Hailea Schultz

Partnership Week, a multi-day networking and impact-driven experience for Greater Houston Partnership members, concluded with an exclusive event introducing several of the Partnership’s 2024 board members.

In panel discussions, board members delved into their top priorities and revealed what drove them to further their involvement in the Greater Houston Partnership.

Dr. Melanie Johnson, President and CEO of Collaborative for Children, shared that she devotes her time to the Partnership due to its commitment to community betterment and driving economic prosperity in the region. She specifically highlights the organization’s Upskill Houston and One Houston Together initiatives, emphasizing their alignment with her work in ensuring that all children have access to the learning skills necessary for success.

Furthermore, Mario Castillo, Chancellor of Lone Star College, expressed his commitment to advancing Upskill Houston's initiatives. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, he aims to contribute valuable perspective to the Partnership and is dedicated to creating programs tailored to address the specific needs of the region's workforce.

Centered on the theme of providing opportunity for all, Melinda Yee, Houston Managing Partner of Deloitte, highlighted the significant value she sees in the Partnership's ongoing initiatives to strengthen racial equity within the region. Yee expressed that it all comes down to making Houston a great place to live and work for everyone already here.

While education, workforce development and racial equity stand as integral pillars of the Partnership’s mission, the organization also actively works to cultivate an opportunistic landscape, convening local business leaders to foster collaboration and catalyze transformative change within the region.

This was one of the many reasons why Solugen CEO and Co-Founder Gaurab Chakrabarti chose to deepen his engagement in the Partnership. During the organization’s Annual Meeting held last week, Chakrabarti shared that he was able to meet with many business professionals, forging impactful connections that ultimately led to a new partnership for Solugen.

Additionally, Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean and 2024 Partnership Chair Eric Mullins engaged in a fireside chat, summarizing key highlights from their addresses at Annual Meeting.

Kean and Mullins reaffirmed that the driving force behind the Partnership’s impact work in 2024 is expanding opportunity for all Houstonians. This overarching goal encompasses three specific areas of focus including public education, workforce development and mental health.

“There is no better place to be than the Partnership, said Judson Robinson, President and CEO of the Houston Area Urban League. The organization has “some of the brightest people working on the city’s biggest issues.”

The Partnership is pleased to welcome our 2024 class of board members:

Mario Castillo, Chancellor, Lone Star College
Denise DeLaune, VP of Operations USGC & Site Director of Texas Operations, Dow, Inc.
Randy Fowler, Director, Co-CEO and CFO, Enterprise Products Partners LP
Robert Hilliard Jr., CEO, Legacy Community Health Services
Tom Jorden Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & President, Coterra Energy
Andy Krieger Senior Vice President Gulf of Mexico and Canada, bp America
Tomikia LeGrande, Ed.D, President, Prairie View A&M University
Brad Little, Vice President, Global Head of Professional Services, Google Cloud Google
Pat Mann Phillips, Chairman of the Board, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Nancy Meyer, Publisher and President, Houston Chronicle
Chad Michael, President, TPH&Co.
Stephen Morse, Managing Director & Co-Head of Strategy and Excellence, Russell Reynolds Associates
Kennedy Oates, Vice President Global Procurement, Amazon
Marty Phillips, Managing Partner & Founder, EnCap Investments L.P.
Melinda Yee, Houston Managing Partner, Deloitte