Speakers

Dr. Nicolle Byrd-Stephens has served communities notably as a change agent for more than three decades. She started as a student at Jack Yates High School as a peer counselor for Over the Hill recovery organization. She was featured in her first city-wide publication, the Houston Chronicle as a community leader through her church for the Nancy Reagan “Just Say No” initiatives. She was later published in multiple publications including the LaVida News Weekly as “Citizen of the Week”. She also received honorary commendations from Houston Mayors for impacting the lives of Katrina and Harvey victims. 

Her credentials are numerous which include multiple degrees, graduating as Summa Cum Laude with honors and valedictorian for both her masters and doctoral. She also has received numerous certifications including Victim and Crisis Chaplaincy with Psychological First aid, serving with Law Enforcement to help manage family trauma from death notifications relating to victims, Youth Protection Training (Boy Scouts of America), Stewards of Children Authorized Facilitator (Darkness 2 Light) and most importantly, she is a Credible Messenger due to her life experience as a Survivor Thriver of child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, attempted suicides, homelessness, living in a crack house and mother of a murdered son. 

Despite life’s challenges, Dr. Nicolle’s work has always selflessly extended beyond her, so that she could equip and advocate for the health and wholeness of the voiceless, broken, discouraged and disenfranchised. She knows too well the trauma of sexual abuse as a child and adult and the dreadful, dead-end roads, left unresolved, the suppressed pain can lead to. However, she is very well known to the grace of God and the possible reality of living a healthy and whole life, free of the trauma traps that hinder true liberty, peace and mental stability. 

As CEO and Founder of Resuscitate Inc., Dr. Nicolle is humbly, yet intentionally committed to providing prevention and awareness tools that can help mitigate the risks of any child ever experiencing sexual abuse and preserving future generations from ever needing intervention. Ultimately, her vision is to expand Resuscitate Inc to an international table that will address the cause of protection for children and healing for survivors glocally: international with a local touch. 

She’s reminded daily that she is blessed to still be here because as she states, “My Presence Has Purpose and My Purpose Has Power”. Child Sexual Abuse is 100% Preventable and we all have a role to play towards its extinction.

Our featured speaker is Hank Moore, internationally known business guru.

For this holiday meeting, his topic is “The Music of Your Life" and his latest book “Pop Music Legends,” which has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.  This makes Hank’s seventh Pulitzer Prize nomination.

Hank Moore has been inducted into more halls of fame than any other business figure in Texas, the first to be inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame in 1992 by Sonny and Cher.

He received the Lifetime Achievement Award, as one of Houston's community leaders.

He is the highest level of business overview expert and is in that rarified circle of experts such as Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, Steven Covey, Peter Sengie and W. Edwards Deming.  Drucker termed Hank Moore's Business Tree™ as the most original business model of the past 50 years.

Hank Moore advises companies about growth strategies, visioning, planning and Big Picture issues which profoundly affect the business climate.  

He has presented Think Tanks for five U.S. Presidents and has spoken at seven Economic Summits.   Please welcome one of the world’s true business legends, Hank Moore.

KP George was born in a tiny village in Kerala in southern India.  His father was a truck driver who earned little money, but enough to provide an education for KP and his six siblings. KP grew up poor having to walk to school barefoot and studying by the light of kerosene lamps in a thatch-straw hut. After receiving excellent grades in school, KP was admitted to the state university in Kerala were he earned a Bachelor of Science. He came to the United States in 1993 on a visa to work for a financial firm. After working for the financial firm for a number of years, KP continued to pursue his American Dream by opening his own financial planning business. 

KP and his wife Sheeba moved to Sugar Land in 1999 to raise their three children. KP was always involved in his community in Fort Bend, as a member of Indo-American groups, the Sugar Land Rotary Club, the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, and numerous education advocacy groups. KP also focused his efforts on establishing the Hightower High School Academies' Booster Club and went on to be the president of the booster club. In 2014 he was elected to the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees. 

KP was elected as County Judge for Fort Bend County in 2018 and was re-elected this past November.  Currently, Judge George is the highest ranked Asian American executive officeholder in the United States.

Dr. Christie Whitbeck became superintendent of Fort Bend ISD, the 8th largest district in Texas, in September 2021. She previously served as the Superintendent of Bryan ISD and the Deputy Superintendent of Fort Bend ISD.

She is regarded statewide as an award-winning, consensus-building leader. She has served on numerous state committees to support public education in Texas. 

https://www.fortbendisd.com/domain/149

 

Eddie Merla, PMI-ACP, PMP is the owner and founder of Duende Project Management Services, a training and consulting company. Over his many decades of experience, Eddie has implemented project management programs, strategies, and best practices for multiple organizations and in multiple industries.

Communicate, Lead, and Transform: Behaviors to Break Free from Your Mental Wheel Ruts:   https://a.co/d/bqavIXF 

 

 

The City of Sugar Land recently completed an economic study of the Sugar Land Regional Airport, and Elizabeth will talk about some of the current airport projects.  

 

 

Elizabeth Rosenbaum is Director of Aviation for the Sugar Land Regional Airport, and has worked at the City of Sugar Land since 2006. She worked her way up to Director of Aviation and has been in this position since 2020. 

 

Beth is responsible for managing the Airport operating budget and oversees the Airport fee structure.  She also serves as the liaison between the Airport and the fuel provider, a multi-million dollar contract critical to airport operations. 

 

Beth works closely with TxDOT Aviation for grant funding, and is involved in public and departmental relations.   She strategically develops and implements the goals for the future of the Airport and how to continue its success.   

 

Beth has a Bachelor of Science in Government from Texas Woman’s University, and a Graduate Degree in Professional Studies from George Washington University. She was recognized by Airport Business Magazine on the “Top 40 under 40” list in 2014. The recognition began to highlight “up-and-coming” leaders in the aviation industry.  In 2016, Beth became a certified member through the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Currently, she is working on A.A.E accreditation through AAAE.