PRESIDENT & PRECINCT 4 CHIEF OF STAFF

Alice Lee currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Harris County Precinct 4.

She brings over 30 years of experience in public service, including a 13-year tenure at Hawes Hill & Associates, LLP, a firm that specializes in special purpose districts, Executive Director for the Southwest Management District, Chief of Staff to both Council Member Martha Wong and Council Member Chris Bell, and Administrative Coordinator for Mayor Pro-Tem Gordon Quan and Mayor Pro-Tem Carol Alvarado.

Lee has also served as President of the Chinese Professional Club Scholarship Fund, Inc. and President of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Houston Lodge.

She is married to Mark Lee, a native Houstonian, and they have two children, Eric and Katherine.

VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER

Paulina has woven together a career of public service and philanthropy, firmly rooted in data-driven strategies to maximize people’s opportunities through public policy, research, and innovation.

Currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer at Harris County Precinct 4, she spearheads finance operations, strategically shaping data-driven planning and optimizing performance for fiscal responsibility and efficient, measurable government operations. Her journey at Harris County spans various roles within Precinct 4 and the Office of County Administration.

Paulina holds a Master's Degree in Economics and Public Policy and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from Tecnológico de Monterrey. In her personal life, she enjoys the company of her husband and two beloved dogs.

SECRETARY

A Houston attorney with experience in both affirmative and defensive civil litigation.

Ayala most recently served as judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4. Prior to this, Ayala served as an Attorney for the Harris County Attorney's Office. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Duke University in 2014 and law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2017. Drawn to public service, she worked with the UT School of Law’s Domestic Violence Clinic while still in law school.

Ayala lives in Houston with her husband and their two Great Pyrenees rescue dogs.

BOARD CHAIR

Founder, J.C. Madden, LLC

Mr. Madden is a public affairs consultant in Houston, Texas, and he previously served as Chief of Staff and Senior Strategist for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and as the Director of Public Policy for Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Born and raised in Houston, Mr. Madden graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and has since crafted public policy on the local, state, and federal level through various roles in the public and private sectors.

Managing Partner, Paul Alexander Company

Mr. Cannings is the Managing Partner of Paul Alexander Company, where he is responsible for managing the firm’s investment funds, capital markets, and oversight of real estate development and advisory activities. Mr. Cannings passions lie in community building as he currently serves on a total of six boards and sits as the Co-Chair for one.

President and Chief Executive Officer, Cole Chemical & Distributing, Inc.

Ms. Cole founded Cole Chemical in 1980, and grew the company into a leader in chemical sales and chemical supply chain management solutions. Additionally, she co-founded Pantheon of Women, a production company telling stories of strong women in film. Ms. Cole was accepted as a member of the Board of US-Japan Council and serves on six additional Boards. Most notably she served on President George H. Bush President's Export Council in 1991-93.

Consultant, EnFocus Group

Ms. Leal currently serves as the Houston Arts Alliance vice chair and has previously served on the Latino Texas PAC, El Centro de Corazón, Latin Women’s Initiative, and the Montrose Center. Additionally, she served as an advisor for various local candidates and elected officials, including state Rep. Christina Morales, Houston City Council candidate Sandra Rodriguez and Santa Fe City Council Member Fidencio Leija. Additionally, she campaigned to represent District 148 in a special election in 2019.

Business Strategist and Entrepreneur

Mr. Le is an attorney, entrepreneur, and business strategist who co-founded Houston Health Ventures, LLC, a healthcare accelerator, and venture capital firm. He currently serves as Strategic Advisor for Channel Factory, an international social media and brand strategy firm.

Partner, Corporate Department, Paul Hastings

Ms. Mendoza is a partner in the Infrastructure and Energy practice at Paul Hastings based in Houston, where she advises mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and project development.In recognition of her exceptional accomplishments and professional excellence, Ms. Mendoza received the 2023 “Top Lawyers Under 40” Award by the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Director of Philanthropy and Counsel, Rosewood Family Advisors

Ms. Ugwu is an attorney and trusted strategic advisor based in Houston with extensive experience working with multidisciplinary and international teams in support of various large-scale projects, initiatives, and investments. Currently, she advises philanthropic clients passionate about making a social impact in areas including education, health care, science, and technology as a part of Rosewood Family Advisors LLP. In previous roles she has represented accounting firms in litigation and worked as a financial analyst for Fortune 25 corporations.

Vice President, Prosperity Bank

Mr. Ozuna works in Compliance and specializes in CRA and Fair Lending. Currently he serves on the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. He recently served on the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Advisory Council for the 2017-19 term.

Business Development, Entech Civil Engineers, Inc.

Ms. Harris is a business development professional at Entech Civil Engineers, Inc., a Houston-based engineering firm that provides services for municipal, county, and state partners. It is the largest Hispanic owned Civil Engineering firm in Texas, with a focus on projects that improve the quality of life for all. She stays active in her community, and currently serves as the President of Houston Hispanic Architects and Engineers.

Partner, StoneTurn

Mr. Ratliff is a CPA and attorney who serves as an accounting and economics expert. He served as a U.S. Court of Appeals law clerk, lawyer in a global top 10 law firm, and a National Practice Leader in a Big 4 international CPA firm. He is a past president of the Federal Bar Association for the Southern District of Texas and has chaired five non-profit boards including a governmental 501(c)(3) for the City of Houston. He is currently a U.S. Olympic Trustee, school board trustee, and executive committee member for Theater Under the Stars.

Founder, Art by Katharine Ligon

Ms. Ligon began her career working with children in foster care. She then transitioned into a role as a staffer and advocate at the Texas Capitol, where she focused on physical and mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice. Ms. Ligon worked in community development, specifically coordinating Red Cross funds to assist Houstonians in rebuilding their homes destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. She currently works as an artist and her work has been displayed throughout the greater Houston area.

Senior Vice President, Master Planned Communities, W Land Development

Ms. Clark has served for over 20 years as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Houston. Her 30-year career in the industry includes numerous awards and “firsts” for her many accomplishments in improving the political and economic climate for homebuilding and development in the Greater Houston area.

Owner and Senior Vice President, Masterson Advisors LLC

Mrs. Blomquist helps public entities finance public projects and infrastructure needs at Masterson Advisor LLC, a public finance firm. She is an active community member and serves as leader on a myriad of boards and organizations.

Director, Texas Government Affairs, BP America

Ms. Kemp is an attorney and policy professional who is passionate about building diverse coalitions. In her current position at BP, she is responsible for developing and leading strategic operations in government affairs, legislative advocacy, community relations, and communications. Prior positions include serving as Manager of Municipal Affairs at the City of Houston and Public Policy Coordinator for Children at Risk, among others.

Attorney, Arnold & Itkin

Ms. Arnold is an attorney at Arnold & Itkin in Houston, where she utilizes her experience in the contract and business law arena to assist the firm in its high-stakes commercial and business dispute cases, and where she fights tirelessly for victims of offshore oil industry accidents. Tara lives in Houston with her husband, Kurt, and their two children, Jaxon and Isla. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Saint Paul’s Methodist Church Foundation.