MEET THE MEMBERS OF CLASS XI...

Mark Barber served as Executive Director for Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Houston during most of his Leadership 20/20 year. He recently took a position as President of the United Way of Southeast Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Mark says that Leadership “expanded my capacity to see a variety of needs in the community and it motivated me to take a more active role in striving to make a difference.” He gives kudos to his wonderful classmates and program director Melanie Simmons and says he leaves 20/20 and Houston with a renewed vision to make every day count.

Michael Bast is a petroleum engineer who has been with ChevronTexaco for 5 years. He says he is grateful for the opportunity to be a member of Class XI not only because he learned more about Houston and Texas but also because he made some very valuable contacts and friendships along the way. He “couldn’t possibly have expected as much from any one program,” and he looks forward to providing the same great opportunities for Class XII next year. He and his wife live in Katy and enjoy their “babies”—two Golden Retrievers.

Allison Bech is a native Houstonian who received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas. She is currently an associate in the Corporate Securities Group of Bracewell & Patterson, LLP. She enjoys traveling, cooking, dancing, and photography and says that Leadership 20/20 gave her “the opportunity to know more about what our city has to offer and the opportunity to meet a fabulous group of people to share it with.”

Joseph Darby has been with ChevronTexaco for over 22 years and is a Senior Database Consultant. He is currently a member of the Information Technology Company’s Diversity Council. He received a dual master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas in Finance and Marketing in 2001. He and his wife Connie have three lovely daughters. Joseph believes that Leadership 20/20 has been invaluable in his personal and professional growth. “I will treasure the friendships and networking opportunities for years to come. There is no way that I could have seen what I’ve seen, gone
where I’ve gone, or experienced what I experienced without being a member of Leadership.”

Peggy Faulk received her MBA from Rice University in 2000
and currently works for Harris County coordinating all grant
activities in the county. She also keeps very busy with duties on
the board of directors at her church, serving as a Sunday School teacher, working as a Cub Scout den leader, and being Horn Academy’s PTO Community Liaison. She says, “My
organization did not pay the tuition cost nor did it allow me paid
time off to attend. I paid the full cost out of my own pocket, and it was worth every penny.”

Trina Fowlkes has been a banker for 20 years and is with now
with SouthTrust Bank. She and her husband Steve have three daughters. She particularly enjoys reading, walking, and being
with her family. Trina says she met a “great bunch of people” at Leadership. She especially enjoyed the chance to see how such
a large city as Houston is interconnected in so many layers. She
says, “The program captured the idea that the sum is stronger than
its individual parts.”

Judy Hershberger is a native Texan who grew up in Bellaire.
She and her husband Chris have three children. She is with Bank
of Texas-Bellaire and has been a banker since 1978. She is already
active in several community groups including her church, Lions
Club, Rotary, and the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of
Commerce. She enjoyed building friendships with other
community-minded individuals in her class and feels that she has
“found an area in the community where she can make a real
contribution.”

Lori Ann Hood came to Houston from California. She is a partner
with the law firm of Baker & McKenzie where she practices commercial and employment litigation. She and her husband Dan
McClung have three beautiful daughters. She is an avid basketball
fan and loves the Comets. She signed up for Leadership 20/20 to expand her vision of Houston. She says the Class X facilitators did
a great job showing her class the elements of our community—both
negative and positive.

Matthew Hunter is a production engineer at ConocoPhillips, a position he has held since 1999. He is a UT graduate and enjoys fishing and boating. He and his wife Kimi have been married for three years. He feels that Leadership gave him a chance to interact with a diverse group of wonderful individuals and gave him a much better understanding and appreciation for the city of Houston. He feels having the opportunity to observe the leaders of the community in a working environment was an invaluable experience.

Chris Jessee is a UT graduate with a master’s degree in social work. She and Steve have been married for 26 years and have two children. She serves as Development Director for the non-profit group I Have a Dream-Houston. Chris says that through Leadership she “gained friendships with fellow class members and knowledge about the Houston community’s challenges, successes, leaders, and potential for the future.”

Tony Ponce de Leon moved to Houston from Mexico when he as a child. He graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in finance. After working for ExxonMobil for several years, he recently opened his own insurance agency in southwest Houston. Tony says, “From government to culture, and many aspects in between, Leadership 20/20 gave me a rare view into the workings of our community. Thanks to the opening retreat, program days, and the bond built with my classmates, I’ve grown closer to being the community leader I hope to be.”

Yolanda Slade is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University with a BBA in marketing. For the past 6 years she has been with CenterPoint Energy as a service consultant. She is involved with the Children’s Ministry “Temple Kids” at Williams Temple COGIC and loves to read, relax, and spend time with family and friends. Because the program gave Yolanda a “fresh perspective” on life and business in Houston, she thinks Leadership 20/20 is one of the best things she has done, both professionally and personally.

Janet Stevenson moved here from New York City in 1990. She attends Houston Graduate School of Theology where she is pursuing her Masters of Divinity degree. She is a certified candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church. Currently she works at Gracewood, a transitional living facility for mothers with children. She is a mother of one and grandmother of three. She says of the Leadership program that it showed her the balance and imbalances in Houston which need to be addressed. “I was impressed and encouraged to continue my spiritual leadership development process so that I, too, can be part of the solution in making Houston an even greater city.”

Stacey Lynn Waggoner is a geologist with ConocoPhillips. Originally from St. Louis, she has been in Houston for four years. Her objectives in joining Leadership 20/20 were to learn more about the inner workings of the community, meet community leaders, gain confidence, and “get out” more. Through Leadership 20/20 she gained a greater insight into the Houston community and was exposed to areas in which she can make a positive impact and benefit from what Houston has to offer.

Robert Ward is an engineer with ChevronTexaco in the Exploration and Production Technology Company in Bellaire. He says that Leadership 20/20 provided him with an opportunity to grow, to meet and network with a great group of individuals, to see firsthand the various sectors of our business community and to better understand how they operate and how they can improve.” It also provided him with an opportunity to contribute to a community project and work with his classmates.