Events

Representative Ann Johnson is a former Chief Human Trafficking Prosecutor, current teacher,
and small business owner who works as an attorney in our criminal justice system for victims of
sexual exploitation and those who cannot afford a lawyer. Ann Johnson is a Houston native
elected to serve as State Representative for Texas House District 134 in 2020, and re-elected in
2022 and 2024. During the 89th legislative session, she serves on pivotal House Committees,
including as the Vice Chair of Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, Calendars, Public Health, and
the Subcommittee on Disease Prevention & Women’s & Children’s Health. Ann has successfully
cut through the gridlock in Texas to pass legislation to provide life-saving healthcare, address
public safety, reform our criminal justice system, and increase access to mental health
resources for our most vulnerable.

Have you ever looked at abstract art, scratched your head, and felt utterly confused? As an
artist, Mallory Agerton will share ideas on how to understand abstract art and enjoy it. In addition, she will talk
about a few of her paintings, and will bring some special tools that she uses to apply paint.

Ms. Agerton is a Signature Member of the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society (NOAPS); and an Associate Member, Oil Painters of America, (OPA). Her works have won numerous awards, including the Best Painting Award--NOAPS Best of America national juried exhibition, Signature & Masters Division, Principle Gallery, Charleston, SC, in 2023.  She was the featured artist in Southwest Art magazine, April/May 2022, and exhibits her work at the Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art gallery in Charleston, SC, and the Foltz Fine Art gallery, Houston, TX (Realist landscapes only).  Her educational accomplishments include being a Graduate of Creative Visionary Program (CVP) with Nicholas Wilton and Faculty, 2024; completing the Abstract Painting Workshops with Jenny Nelson and Larry Moore; being a Graduate of The Landscape Atelier, 2015; completing Post-Graduate studies at the Art Students League, New York, NY: 1976-1978; and receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, summa cum laude, from the University of Texas, Austin: BA in 1976 where she was a member of the Friar Society.

Reginald DesRoches is Rice University’s eighth president. He also serves as a professor of civil
and environmental engineering, and professor of mechanical engineering. As president,
DesRoches is the chief executive officer of the university and its 8,800 plus students, eight
schools and more than 900 faculty. He previously served as Rice's Howard Hughes Provost and
William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering. Before his appointment at Rice, DesRoches
served as chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
DesRoches’ top priorities are to position Rice as the world’s premier university for both
teaching and research and to enable the university to reach a new level of distinction nationally
and internationally for world-class teaching, impactful research, award-winning scholarship and
insightful creative work.

He is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts
and Sciences, Philosophical Society of Texas, and is a fellow of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science and the Structural Engineering Institute. DesRoches is also a
Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a member of the Academy of
Distinguished Alumni in Civil Engineering at his alma mater Berkeley and was named an
honorary alumnus of Georgia Tech.

DesRoches was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and grew up in Queens, New York. He earned his
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and a
Doctorate in Structural Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.

DesRoches is married to Paula DesRoches, a highly accomplished healthcare professional, nurse
practitioner and administrator recognized for her leadership in occupational health. Paula is also
a university associate at Rice. The couple has three children, Andrew, Jacob and Shelby, who
graduated from Rice in 2023.

DEMYSTIFYING PROBATE: Judge Simoneaux, the presiding judge of Harris County Probate Court #1 will the explain the probate process, address some misconceptions, and introduce the club to one of the most powerful courts Rotarians might not know about — the highly specialized Probate Courts—of which there are only 25 in 12 of Texas’s most populous counties.

I’m Courtney Boudreaux, Advancement Director at Blood Cancer United, where I lead strategic fundraising initiatives and work closely with donors to ensure their contributions directly support our mission. With seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, I specialize in building meaningful relationships and translating generosity into measurable impact.

Blood Cancer United is the world’s largest nonprofit health organization dedicated to creating a world without blood cancer. Since 1949, it has funded lifesaving research, provided free support services, and advocated for patients and families affected by leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers.

As a Houston native and cancer survivor, my work is deeply personal. I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to the fight against blood cancer, advocating for hope, healing, and progress. Outside of my role, I’m a proud wife and mother, and I remain committed to serving my community with purpose and heart.

Chris Canetti is President of the Houston 2026 World Cup Host Committee, leading the city’s preparations to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup after successfully spearheading Houston’s winning bid. A longtime sports executive, he spent 19 seasons in Major League Soccer, including 13 years with the Houston Dynamo—eight as President—guiding the club to multiple championships and overseeing the creation of the Houston Dash and the development of Shell Energy Stadium. Recognized among the most influential figures in U.S. soccer and Houston sports, Canetti has also been deeply involved in community initiatives, including relief efforts after local tragedies and national events like “Soccer Night in Newtown.” A former minor league baseball general manager and Quinnipiac University graduate, he continues to make an impact in sports and civic leadership throughout Houston.

Anthony Flynn joined Covenant House Texas in May 2025, bringing 30 years of experience in business, nonprofit and community-based work. Anthony previously served as the CEO of WorkFaith where the mission was to provide faith-based career training and coaching for people facing major barriers to employment. During Anthony's five-year tenure, the organization grew from serving 500 people annually to more than 10,000 people annually. Anthony's professional background along with his personal story of being born to a teenage mother in poverty position him as a holistic candidate to best serve in his position for Covenant House Texas.

Anthony earned a bachelor's degree in Sales from The University of Memphis and a Master of Arts in Religion from Memphis Theological Seminary. Anthony has also acquired numerous certifications over the years including Strategic Planning, the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Businesses Program and The American College of Corporate Directors which credentials him to serve on boards of publicly traded and private held companies. Anthony's greatest claim to fame is having the privilege to be a husband and father to two amazing, adult children. In his spare time, he loves reading, working on his physical fitness and mentoring emerging young professionals.

Kay has lived in Houston for 27 years and has raised two children here. She is passionate about children, literacy, and education equity. A practicing musician and former educator, Kay started COR Houston after seeing the enormous need for food, clothing, and hygiene items first-hand at an HISD middle school close to her home.

With over 35 years of experience in physical therapy and more than two decades in private practice, Bill Case brings unmatched expertise and dedication to the CASE Physical Therapy team. A graduate of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Bill earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy in 1982 and went on to complete a postgraduate specialization in Sports Physical Therapy in 1987.

Bill is a nationally and internationally recognized lecturer on orthopedic injuries and a published author across several respected platforms. His work has appeared in The Physician and Sportsmedicine, Men’s Health, Self, Fitness, and Prevention magazines. He also co-authored the widely respected text Sports Physical Therapy and produced the senior-focused wellness DVD Keep Fit and Moving, which supports balance, posture, flexibility, and strength. His book, Stand Tall, Don’t Fall, reflects his passion for empowering individuals—especially older adults—to maintain functional independence.

A true innovator, Bill is the inventor of the Diagonal Rotary Patterning Machine, for which he received a patent in 1988. His approach to care is deeply goal-oriented, focusing on improving flexibility, strength, posture, and balance through individualized treatment plans with measurable outcomes.

Eddie Nuñez was named Vice President for Athletics at the University of Houston on
Aug. 17, 2024, after successfully holding leadership positions at the University of New
Mexico for seven years and several roles at LSU spanning 14 years.
A former college athlete, Nuñez played collegiate basketball at Miami-Dade CC and the
University of Florida, playing for Billy Donovan, then as a graduate assistant coach
under Donovan at Florida.
A native of Miami, Florida, Nuñez received degrees from Miami-Dade Community
College and the University of Florida. He and his wife Jane are proud parents of two
daughters, Elizabeth and Anna.

Al Massey serves as the Executive Relations Manager for the Prison Entrepreneurship Program
(PEP), where he coordinates monthly events at the Oliver J. Bell Unit in Cleveland, Texas. He is
also responsible for recruiting prospective volunteers and supporters through meetings and
public speaking engagements.
A graduate of the University of Houston, Al brings over 35 years of management experience in
the transportation industry. He joined PEP in 2008 as a program participant and has since held
several key roles, including In-Prison Manager, Re-Entry Manager, and his current position as
Executive Relations Manager.
Al’s journey is a testament to transformation and resilience. At the age of 55, he was incarcerated
for intoxication manslaughter and served 5 years and 4 months of a six-year sentence. Following
his release, he began working with PEP, dedicating his life to helping others achieve second
chances and building a legacy of impact and leadership within the organization.

Irene was born in Uruguay to European parents and speaks 3 languages.  She attended ORT University in Montevideo and graduated with honors from Alliance Francaise in Uruguay.  Irene has been an entrepreneur since age 13 and she formed her first company, I.C. International, in Houston at age 26, and her second company 10 years later.  After selling both companies, she decided to go into Real Estate based on her experience as a real estate investor and flipping houses.  She has had a successful Real Estate career for over 18 years, receiving high production awards every year and RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2021, and a very high client satisfaction rating.   Her passions include travelling and volunteering.  She has two daughters and a granddaughter. 

Dr. Sherwin K. Bryant is a scholar of the African Diaspora whose work addresses the histories of slavery, race and colonial rule stretching from the North Andean territories of modern-day Colombia and Ecuador to the coastal lowlands of North Carolina's lower Cape Fear region that comprise Brunswick and New Hanover Counties. 

Bryant's first book, Rivers of Gold, Lives of Bondage: Governing through Slavery in Colonial Quito (UNC Press, 2014) explored the political importance of slavery, showcasing the ways that enslaved Africans and their descendants confronted and challenged Spanish colonials efforts to elaborate Atlantic slavery as a system of race governance.  To date, his work has informed debates about how enslaved rebels and litigants alike influenced and shaped law and jurisprudence in Latin America. 

Bryant was the 2021-22 ACLS-Mellon Scholar and Society Fellow, whose work with the African American Heritage Foundation of Southeastern North Carolina (AAHFSNC) has led to Just Beyond the River: A Black Black Humanities Initiative , an ongoing, community-engaged research project that includes the forthcoming film Just Across the River. The film reveals aspects of Black community life and history along the Gullah-Geechee corridor of southeastern North Carolina and the AAHFSNC's efforts to collect oral histories across the region.

Bryant's work has been funded by the Fulbright and the Ford Foundation, appearing in journals such as The Americas and Colonial Latin American Review. In addition to the film and his ongoing work addressing histories of community formation in Brunswick County, North Carolina, Bryant is currently at work on a book addressing slavery and sovereignty in the Afro-Pacific lowlands of Colombia during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Shannon currently serves in a leadership marketing role at River Oaks District in Houston, one of the city’s most distinctive luxury retail and lifestyle destinations. There, she oversees strategic marketing efforts that position the District as more than a shopping center — but as a vibrant gathering place where fashion, dining, culture, and community converge. Her approach reflects a deep understanding of placemaking and the evolving role of retail in today’s environment.

Chandler Snipe is the Project Manager for Midtown Houston, where she oversees district-wide cultural initiatives and community engagement projects. She currently manages HueMan:Shelter, a $1 million public art initiative awarded through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. Chandler’s work on HueMan:Shelter focuses on using public art as a civic tool to address social issues, strengthen public-private partnerships, and support workforce development for individuals with lived experience of homelessness. She has a background in nonprofit management, graphic design, and arts administration, and collaborates closely with the City of Houston, Houston METRO Transit Authority, and local service organizations. Chandler is passionate about placemaking, storytelling, and leveraging the arts to drive measurable community impact.

Paula Swain is in the Structured and Project Finance Division of EXIM Bank and her career focus is the oil and gas value chain. She has financed or raised financing for many Project Finance Magazine’s Deals of the Year and specializes in Mexico, national oil & gas companies and large energy project financings.
Paula originally joined EXIM Bank in 1992 and was in the newly formed Project Finance Division before her return to the private sector in Texas in 2000. Prior to rejoining EXIM Bank in 2011, Paula was with El Paso Corporation (former Fortune 500, acquired by Kinder Morgan) for ten years where she financed El Paso’s international power projects, pipeline projects in Mexico, U.S. regulated pipelines and a U.S. LNG regas facility.
 

ABOUT EXIM:
EXIM Bank (The Export-Import Bank of the United States) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. Please visit: www.exim.gov for more information