Session Speakers
Mohammad F. Anwar
President & CEO, Softway and Culture+
Co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book "Love as a Business Strategy"
Mohammad is the youngest of five children and was born and raised in Saudi Arabia by Indian parents from Bengaluru. He graduated from the University of Houston (Go, Coogs) with a BS in Computer Science and started Softway at age 20, where he still serves as president and CEO.
Mohammad lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with his amazing wife, Yulia, a Russian diver and five-time Olympic medalist, and his beautiful children, Sufia and Mohsin. In his spare time, he enjoys fitness, watching college sports, and butchering American idioms.
Frank E. Danna
Director, Softway and Culture+
Co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book "Love as a Business Strategy"
Frank, the oldest of six children, can often be found perfecting the art of brewing, drinking, and sharing coffee with friends and family. Frank is an entrepreneur at heart, having successfully sold his first startup at age 25.
Frank is a pop culture connoisseur, world traveler, and citizen of Disneyland. In his spare time, he bakes award-winning cookies, makes silly videos, and enjoys fitness (to offset the cookies). Frank lives in Houston, Texas, with his gorgeous wife, Megan, and awesome children, Emma and Levi.
Jeffrey F. Ma
Director, Softway and Culture+
Co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book "Love as a Business Strategy"
Jeff spent the first decade of his career working in the video game industry, from game testing to project management. He continues to bring his love for games into everything he does, from playing with his kids to training and coaching leaders.
Jeff has a burning passion for board games, magic tricks, Agile, and growth mindsets. He was born and raised in Texas, where he and his beautiful wife, Maggie, dote on their wonderful children, Cody and Penelope.
Christopher J. Pitre
Vice President, Softway and Culture+
Co-author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book "Love as a Business Strategy"
Chris is a student of the world and enjoys anthropology, history, travel, and culinary experiences. His interests in global cultures naturally led him to travel around the world,
cofacilitating Culture Rise, a leadership development training program, and managing client relationships globally.
Chris is a native Houstonian who loves everything Beyoncé. He has a BA in Business Administration from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
.jpg)
Dolly Brenneman
President and Founder, Soaring to Greatness
Dolly is a servant leader, executive coach, strategic leadership consulting for organization transformation in healthcare delivery system, energy, banking, investment, education, fundraising for non- profit and faith-based organizations. She brings fresh creative approaches and unique perspectives. Through her coaching program, clients gain new insights, learn techniques to minimize stress, find calmness, new directions, achieve goals and strive to live the best life that they have been given.
Dr. April Day
President, Women's Business Enterprise Alliance (WBEA)
Dr. Day oversees two SBA Resource Centers. The WBEA is a leading economic business development entity for the small business community. WBEA provided services for over 2700 business owners and procured $380,000 in grant funds to provide free programming and enhance capacity for business owners. Dr. Day, recently launched WellDays, a wellness company dedicated to reducing burnout and optimizing our best life without sacrificing health.
Dr. Day gives back to the community by volunteering within the non-profit and business community, serving as adjunct faculty, and a corporate business trainer.
Dr. Day is a Houston Business Journal Women Who Mean Business honoree and LUX Magazine Women of Impact. Dr. Day is a Certified Nonprofit Professional, Leadership Houston Alum, American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and member of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
David W. Leebron
President and CEO, Texas 2036
Texas 2036 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan state policy organization working to ensure Texas remains the best place to live and work through the state’s bicentennial in 2036 and beyond.
Prior to joining Texas 2036 in 2024, Leebron served for 18 years as president of Rice University where he is now President Emeritus and remains on the faculty as University Professor. Under Leebron’s guidance, Rice underwent a period of growth and transformation increasing its undergraduate and graduate student populations, enhancing the campus with over $1.8 billion in new construction and ongoing capital improvements, extending its research endeavors and international presence, deepening its relationship with its home city of Houston, and earning greater visibility locally, nationally and internationally.
Prior to taking the helm at Rice, Leebron was dean of Columbia Law School. Originally from Philadelphia, he is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, where he was elected president of the Law Review in his second year. After graduating in 1979, he served as a law clerk for Judge Shirley Hufstedler on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He began teaching at the UCLA School of Law in 1980 and at the NYU School of Law in 1983. In 1989, Leebron joined the Columbia Law School faculty. David lives in Houston with his wife Ping Sun who is active with several nonprofit organizations in Houston and serves as counsel to the law firm of Yetter & Coleman LLP. Leebron and Sun have two adult children.
Eduardo R. Nunez
Co-Founder and Co-President
Blue Wave
Blue Wave is a certified minority-owned corporation that helps diverse suppliers understand the international standards required by major corporations and government entities using the Blue Wave Supplier Development Program which is a suite of proprietary methodologies, technologies, training curriculum, and document library. Blue Wave’s mantra is very inspirational, and it reflects the company’s purpose: Changing the World, One Supplier at a Time!
The Blue Wave Supplier Development Program helps diverse suppliers perform a self-assessment against international standards and business requirements used by major corporations and governmental organizations in their supplier selection process. The Blue Wave platform provides diverse suppliers with the training, processes, tools, and KPI’s required to close their gaps, reach compliance, and be ready for prime time. The standards and business requirements are cross-industry, apply to all diverse suppliers (classes I to IV), and are organized across seven pillars, including HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental), Cyber Security, Quality, Corporate Policies, Financials, Technical Capabilities and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance). The international standards are complex and very comprehensive, making it almost impossible for small and medium size suppliers to understand all the complex requirements. For example, the HSSE international standard includes thousands of expectations, or best practices. Blue Wave has selected those expectations or best practices that are applicable to small and medium size businesses and consolidated them in the Blue Wave engine that runs in the Amazon cloud. In this manner, in less than 2 hours, small and medium size businesses complete their initial self-assessment by responding to the 650 questions of the Blue Wave questionnaire across the seven pillars. The Blue Wave system automatically produces gap reports by supplier and pillar in priority order, as well as the mitigation plans recommended to close gaps.
Efforts to Increase Coverage of Diverse Businesses across the USA and Internationally. Since Blue Wave was launched in 2019, the Blue Wave Supplier Development Program has been deployed to more than 600 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by major corporations, governments, and non-profit organizations across the USA, Mexico, South America and Africa
Christine Schwyn Harrison, Ph.D.
As a racially conditioned whited woman, Christie is a seasoned anti-racism and equity researcher, consultant, and executive coach. She is also an advisor, and facilitator at the Center for the Healing of Racism (CFHR) in Houston, TX.
While dedicated in her research to youth and adult development, through the CFHR, Christie supports whited individuals, educators, and executive leadership teams in their journeys to understand systemic and individual forms of racism; its impact on their lives, communities, business success, and educational outcomes. She is also a Fellow at the Institute for Social Justice at Fielding Graduate University and an advisor for anti-racism leadership programs. Developing stamina and courage among whited folks for individual and systemic corrective action against racism is where Christie’s passion lies.
Jim H. Lee
Founder and Coach
B-SPOKE
Jim Lee is dedicated to transforming leadership through inclusivity, empowerment, and influence. With over 25 years experience in Fortune 500 companies he demonstrated that great results come from teams led with empathy and humility, not just authority. For the past 10 years, through his platform at B-SPOKE, Jim guides clients in tech, nonprofits, and small businesses to break barriers by amplifying diverse voices. His work inspires everyone to “Be Heard, Be Seen, and Be Known.”
Outside of work, Jim volunteers with nonprofits, travels with his wife, Jane, and spends quality time with their daughter, Charlotte, building his own community.
Austin Davis Ruiz (he/him/his)
President, Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus is the oldest, non-partisan, LGBTQ+ civil rights organization in the South. Austin is one of the youngest presidents in the organization's history, and the first Latino male to serve as president. Outside of his advocacy work, he serves as Community Engagement Manager for Harris County Precinct 4, managing the precinct's team of community engagement coordinators to community build, meet constituent needs, and execute the vision of Commissioner Lesley Briones.
A native Houstonian, Austin graduated from Duke in 2017 with a double major in Theater Studies and Public Policy Studies. He's previously worked at Young Audiences of Houston and, most recently, the Montrose Center.
.jpg)
Pranika Uppal Sinha
Managing Director, Organizational Development and Culture
Greystone
Pranika Uppal Sinha leads Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Greystone. In this role, she is responsible for DEI strategy and initiatives, including education, resources, and programming. She ensures Greystone’s DEI efforts are sustainable and progressing forward to build belonging. Greystone’s DEI committee and overall DEI program are award-winning and recognized nationally. Pranika also oversees organizational development, including performance management, training, leadership programs - creating impactful content for employees and leaders at all levels.
Pranika previously worked at Oxy in Houston, Texas, where she spent over nine years in various talent and development roles overseeing development programs, culture, and diversity/inclusion efforts. Prior to Occidental, Pranika held talent development, training, and diversity-focused roles at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston and 21st Century Consulting, Inc. in Chicago, IL.
Pranika earned a B.S. in environmental engineering at Northwestern University and an MBA at Rice University. She is a graduate of Leadership Houston, Class XXXIV. She has been involved with the Texas Diversity Council and the Diversity Summit in Houston for many years. Pranika serves as a DEI lecturer at Rice University’s Business School. She is also involved with Boys and Girls Clubs both locally and nationally. Pranika is based in Houston, TX where she resides with her husband, Samir, two daughters, and a rescue dogs.
Arianne Dowell
Vice President, Chief Culture and Engagement Officer
Houston Methodist
Arianne Dowdell is the Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for Houston Methodist. Arianne is responsible for leading the vision for unparalleled safety, quality service and innovation through diversity, equity and inclusion by stewarding system-wide DEI strategy implementation and development through key partnerships. She also serves as Associate Director of Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center where she is focused on building a DEI department to increase representation amongst its employees in the cancer center.
Arianne joined the Houston Methodist Hospital Foundation in July of 2019 and was appointed to her current role in September 2020. Prior to joining Houston Methodist, Arianne worked in higher education where she was the Senior Director of Operations and Partnerships at Syracuse University. She also held leadership positions at Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, Virginia and The Rockefeller University, in New York. She also served as the Communications Director and then President of the National Association of Black Automotive Suppliers. With a passion for journalism, Arianne began her career in television where she worked at Court TV and Madison Square Garden Network. A former attorney, Arianne previously practiced as a labor and employment lawyer in Detroit, Michigan. She holds a JD from Wayne State University, an MA from Syracuse University and a BA from Hampton University.
Carlecia Wright
Chief Business Officer
Port of Houston
Carlecia Wright is a strategic leader with extensive experience in fostering inclusive workplace cultures and advancing business growth. In May 2024, she joined Port of Houston as Chief Business Officer, where she leads organizational development, human capital initiatives, and business development programs. Carlecia is committed to embedding inclusive practices across the port’s operations and strategic initiatives.
Prior to joining Port Houston, Wright served as Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Culture and Engagement Officer at Lone Star College, where she strengthened community engagement and workplace culture. She also led the City of Houston’s Office of Business Opportunity, where she helped award over $4 billion in contracts supporting small and disadvantaged businesses.
Wright chairs the Harris County Opportunity Fund and serves on several boards. Her accolades include recognition by the Houston Business Journal, the Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, and Walker’s Legacy. She holds degrees from Columbia College Chicago and New York University, along with various leadership certifications.
Denise Hall
US DEI Advisor
Shell
Denise Hall joined the Shell family on October 18th, 2021, as the US DEI Advisor. Denise's role is pivotal in Shell's DEI initiatives. She oversees the twelve Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) within the United States, regularly consulting with all leaders within the ERGs, DE&I Councils, and HR and
Company leaders to offer guidance and structure to their groups as they continue to align with Shell’s initiative of the three C’s: Career, Culture, and Community for their ERGs. In
addition to overseeing the ERGs, she also assists on various DEI projects for the US, supporting Shell’s vision to become one of the most diverse and inclusive organizations in the
world, a place where everyone feels valued and respected.
Denise Hall is not just a dedicated professional, but also a native Houstonian and a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University, holding a BS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Organizational Leadership from LeTourneau University. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and the Order of the Eastern Stars. Denise's deep commitment to serving her community is a testament to her character and a key part of her identity and values.
Julie Ho
Partner
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Julie is a Partner in Deloitte & Touche LLP's Cyber Risk Services practice. She has over 25 years of expertise in business and technology risk management. Specializing in application security and internal control implementations for both cloud and on-premise Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Julie helps her clients design cost-effective solutions for complex regulatory and compliance issues. She also leads diverse teams to help organizations address cyber risks and protect critical system information.
Passionate about nurturing and supporting the success of future leaders, Julie serves on the Board of Ascend's Houston Chapter and was the past President for the Chapter. She also leads other equity and inclusion initiatives within her practice. Outside her professional life, she is an avid traveler and actively contributes to several non-profit organizations.
Paula M. Mendoza
President & Chief Executive Officer
Possible Missions, Inc, Pos Mis, Inc. & Possible Properties, LLC
Native Houstonian whose parents were born in Mexico; Paula Mendoza is an entrepreneur from the Northside and a graduate of Lone Star North College. Recognized not only for the quality of her work, but for the passion she brings to every endeavor. Owning and managing three businesses; Possible Missions, a procurement firm, Pos Mis Inc, a project management firm, and Possible Properties, LLC a real estate company. Under her leadership, Possible Missions, Inc. (PM), a company she established in 2001, has experienced exponential growth. Beginning with $100 in the
bank to creating a multi-million-dollar business.
Over the years she has offered her time and talent as a speaker, event organizer and
community leader to countless organizations and has spent a considerable amount of
time with organizations that focus on youth and education.
Denise Malloy
Immediate Past, Senior Vice President and Chief Belonging Officer
Walmart Inc.
Denise Malloy joined Walmart Inc. in 2023 as the first-ever Chief Belonging Officer, an evolution
of the Chief Diversity Officer role. As Chief Belonging Officer, Denise leads Walmart’s global
diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy to create a workplace of belonging, where associates feel
valued and supported to reach their full potential every day.
Denise is a senior corporate executive skilled at developing new markets, developing people,
and generating unparalleled revenue and market growth globally. Her success as a global sales
and people leader afforded her the opportunity to work alongside CEO’s and corporate board
members. Personally tapped to develop and sustain corporate culture and sustainability
programs is what landed Denise in the DEI space. Prior to joining Walmart, Denise served as
Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Johnson Controls, where she spearheaded the
company’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy across 150 countries. Denise particularly
focused on incorporating DEI practices into ways of working across every level of the company,
in both business and philanthropy. This work led to Johnson Controls' addition to the Forbes
2021 Best Companies for Diversity & Inclusion list.
Denise served in several senior leadership roles at Johnson Controls, including vice president of
commercial real estate services, where she excelled in sales, customer experience and growth
strategies. She also held senior management and business development positions at Enron
Energy Services, J.P. Morgan, and Xerox.