Houston Chapter

NLC Houston trains, connects, and uplifts the next generation of leadership in Houston.

Since 2014, NLC Houston has built a bench of cross-sector leadership in this diverse and dynamic city. Representing business, education, non-profit, and government sectors, our alumni are creating change rooted in equity and justice across Houston. NLC Houston is committed to connecting Fellows, Alumni, and community partners together so we can create the changes our communities deserve.

10,000

Hours of training provided to emerging leaders in Houston since 2015.

123

Total alumni who have been trained through the NLC Houston Institute since 2015.

40

Events held across Houston since 2015.

“Being a part of the 2018 NLC cohort has taught me so much and opened my eyes to information I had never known. I believe I will be a much better business owner and community leader because of my experience with NLC Houston. I am implementing as much inclusiveness as possible at all Wanderstay Hotel properties, including: gender neutral bathrooms, inclusive vocabulary when referring to staff and guests, and community events that promote inclusiveness with all people no matter their race, gender, sexuality, and other held identities. I believe the most important piece I’ve gotten from New Leaders Council is what I’ve learned about acceptance and learning how to implement that in my business, my community, and my own personal life.”

– Deidre Mathis (she/her)
2018 NLC Houston Fellow

“As the Harris County Elections Department official who created Drive Thru Voting for the 2020 elections, I am gravely concerned by our state government’s current efforts to kill Drive Thru Voting and other innovative tactics our office implemented to make voting easier for all. We need NLC to build a pipeline of young progressive leaders to change the face of Texas politics and implement common sense policies that protects democracy for all Texans.”

– Ben Chou (he/him)
2021 NLC Houston Fellow

2024 NLC Houston Fellows

NLC Houston Alumni

2022

Ashley Cruz
Britney Turner
Brittney Jenkins
Chris McCarthy
Dolores Lozano
Gary Lynn
Julia Holstine
Juliann Losey
Kelly Johnson
Malcolm Wagner
Mashal Awais
Mayra Valle
Orze Killgo
Rolando Coronado
Sashikala Nisankarao
Verniss McFarland

2021

Alexsaundra Preston

Antron Johnson

Audrianne Doucet

Benjamin Chou

Blair Wallace

Cynthia Milian

Daniel Cohen

Dawn Jones

Delilah Agho-Otoghile

Eric Bakota

Karen Martinez

Kylie McNaught

Leticia Rojas

Marilyn Bekolo

Melissa Allala

Nneka Iheanacho

Nora Olabi

Tamira Samuel

Tracy Daniel

Uyiosa Elegon

2020

Austin Eldridge

Benjamin Hernandez

Crystal Brumfield

Destiny Woodbury

Donua McDaniel

Griffin Winkworth

Iryna Ilyk

Janae Johnson

Lisle Bull

Maricela Alvarado

Melody Tan

Nathan Dorcey Johnson

Nick Wertsch

Nisha Randle

Odus Evbagharu

Omar El-Halwagi

Shayna Schlosberg

Sonja Marrett

Sophie Dulberg

2019

Amanda Rocha

Andrea Segovia

Anneliese Bustillo

Cassie Mira Nicholson

Christopher G. Hollins

Constance Luo

Jessica White

Johannah Thompkins

Kelly Hubbell-Hinton

Kelsey Reynolds

Lisa Sargent

Malkia Hutchinson

Mario Castillo

Mor Regev

Rosemary Akachukwu Jackson

Sana Shahid

Sasha Legette

Selene Arrazolo

Silky Malik

Yolanda Barnes

2018

Aaron Cano

Belinda Moreira

Berlinda Mojica

Caroline Duble

Ching-In Chen

Chloe Walker

Deidre Mathis

Iris Gonzalez

Isbah Raja

James Nortey

Jamie Gonzales

Jeremy Rankins

Kristen Schlemmer

Liz Peterson

Maria De La Cruz-Morgan

Mohamad Maarouf

Naushaba Patel

Neal Sarkar

Porschia Harris

Ryan Dennis

Sarah Syed

Steven Wu

2017

Alycia Welch

Aurora Harris

Bianca Mahmood

Carrie Schneider

Christopher Valdez

Derrick Bass

Eduardo Marquez Certucha

Fatima Hassan Ali

Jace Valcore

Jason Smith

Jeffry Faircloth

Jose Rivera

Julia Retta

K. Alexis Gunn

Mallory Mincberg

Mary Raffetto

Melanie Pang

Pamela Hernandez

Robert Icsezen

Sabiha Gire

2016

Abbie Kamin

Alex Triantaphyllis

Alison Young

Annette Ramirez

Ariell Hardy Ojumah

Biko Gray

Brandon Mack

Cheryl Lovelady

Eureka Gilkey

Geneva Englebrecht

Isabel Longoria

Jay Jenkins

Jay Mays

Jylise Smith

LaTashia Irving

Marc Eichenbaum

Summer Rudd

Thomas Kim

Uche Chibueze

Vinh Ho

2015

Aaron Limonthas

Andre Evans

Beth Matusoff Merfish

Bich-May Nguyen

Carla Brailey

Caroline Evans

Danyahel Norris

Deborah Chen

Diana Featherston

Fran Watson

Hany Khalil

Jerry Peruchini

Jose Eduardo Sanchez

Michael Webb

Samia Mirza

Shailey Gupta-Brietzke

Stephen Chao

Sue Deigaard

Tawny Tidwell

Veronica Bernal

Zhen Mahoney

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