Executive Team

During the past decade, Angela has centered the transformational vision at NCI on helping people empower themselves. This assets-based approach focuses on opportunities rather than needs. It builds on existing human, social, and cultural strengths unique to each neighborhood. It nurtures stronger families and builds stronger communities.

Guiding an organization like NCI, with 700 employees and 2,000 volunteers who serve more than 200,000 individuals and families each year at 58 neighborhood locations—and doing so while keeping administrative costs at less than 5%—is not simply a management challenge. It’s also an organizational and leadership challenge.

“A key to our success,” Angela notes, “has been marrying the decision-making strategies of the private business sector with the mission of the non-profit model in providing services. You build on your human assets, not only within the organization, but within the communities you serve.”

Using this strategic approach, NCI met the unprecedented challenges of Hurricane Katrina, and is effectively responding to challenges for economic integration, immigration reform, and options in education. As a result, NCI has increasingly been seen as an organizational model elsewhere in the U.S. Angela now is working with a range of local, state and national organizations in adapting the NCI experience to their own communities, including the people of New Orleans.

In recognition of her skills as a leader and catalyst for change, Angela has received numerous awards, including the “Edward A. Smith Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership” from the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, and the “2007 Everyday Freedom Hero Award” from the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for her work as an advocate for our nation’s working immigrants.

Angela is a member of the Greater Houston Partnership’s Executive Women Partnership, the JPMorgan Chase Community Advisory Board, and has served on the boards of United Neighborhood Centers of America, Washington Center for Complexity and Public Policy, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, and Harris County Child Protective and Regulatory Services.

Douglas E. Shadle joined the NCI Executive Team as Senior Vice President and COO in August 2001 after serving as a volunteer and Board Member for two years. Mr. Shadle brings 25 years of experience as a marketing and communications executive with Exxon to NCI, as well as experience in the areas of strategic planning, visioning, and implementation. He is a proven team builder with organizational and employee development expertise and extremely strong management and administrative skills.

Mr. Shadle started his career with Exxon as a salesman in 1961. He climbed through many positions, including Sales Supervisor, Economics and Business Analyst, and Product Sales Manager before becoming the National Product Manager in 1977 where he was responsible for forecasting, production, and distribution of $20 million of Atlas Tires per year. In 1982, Mr. Shadle joined the Advertising and Communications Group, where he supervised several aspects of Exxon advertising, including print, radio, and outdoor advertising. As Executive Producer of Exxon’s training seminars, he produced multi-image productions that were used to train thousands of Exxon dealers and distributors in the latest business methods. Mr. Shadle created and produced videos and live presentations selling business “excellence” concepts and providing basic management skills training.

He served as a school principal and mathematics and science teacher in a private school – Eagle Academy. In 1995, he became the Associate Pastor of Liberty Revival Church, a non-denominational church in Northwest Houston.

Mr. Shadle earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University and his Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University. He and his wife Patricia stay active water skiing, scuba diving, and snow skiing, among other outdoor activities. They especially treasure family trips taken with their three sons, wives, and seven grandchildren.

Kathryn Butcher joined Neighborhood Centers Inc. in January 2009 after having served on the NCI board of directors and chairing the Agency Development Committee. Prior to joining NCI, Ms. Butcher was Vice President of Community Relations for Wells Fargo for nearly 10 years. In that role, she identified opportunities for Wells Fargo to serve the community through volunteer activities and charitable gifts and managed a $1 million-plus annual contribution budget for the Houston region. While at Wells Fargo she also managed media relations for several years.

Ms. Butcher’s experience also includes positions as Community Relations Manager with the University of Houston marketing department, development director of an education foundation and more than 20 years in the field of church music as an organist and choral director. She is a former board member of AAMA and currently is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Houston.

Ms. Butcher graduated from Emory & Henry College in Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and holds a Master of Music degree and a Master of Science degree in communication, both from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Ray Chung joined the Neighborhood Centers Inc.’s Executive Team in 2005 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to his current position, Mr. Chung was a business consultant specializing in mergers and acquisitions of small and mid-sized companies.

From 1995 to 2000, he was a Partner of Dartford Partnership, a privately held partnership he co-founded that was engaged in the acquisition and management of packaged food businesses and companies. Prior to forming Dartford, Mr. Chung was co-founder, Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer of a privately held milling and baking mix company with $385 million in annual revenues.

From 1987 to 1990, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wyndham Foods, Inc., a cookie company formed through the acquisitions of small, regional cookie companies. At the time of its sale to President Enterprises in 1990, Wyndham was the third-largest cookie company in the United States.

Mr. Chung was formerly employed by Riviana Foods, Inc., most recently as Vice President of Finance. Riviana is one of the leading manufacturers and marketers of packaged rice and rice mixes in the United States.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University. He is married and has two children.

Thomas Comella is Vice President of Information Technology and Capital Projects; and Chief Information Officer of Neighborhood Centers Inc. He is responsible for leading the information technology and physical infrastructure, information systems, and telephony services for NCI’s 60 locations. Mr. Comella considers his work providing the infrastructure critical to executing the crucial services that NCI provides in the neighborhoods it serves. He is committed to providing the most efficient and effective solutions to serve NCI and the community.

Prior to his work at NCI, Mr. Comella served as the Director of Information Services at OakBend Medical Center in Richmond, Texas. He enjoyed serving his community by strengthening and providing efficient and effective controls and the infrastructure to assist in meeting the medical needs of the growing Fort Bend County. He also served in the for-profit world as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) National Champion for KPMG.

Upon returning to Texas from his military relocations throughout the country, Mr. Comella engaged himself in the community, participating in the Richmond/Rosenberg Leadership Class 2004. He served as Co-Chair of the Texas Hospital Association’s Information Systems Advisory Board and as voluntary Co-Chair of Texian Market Days of George Ranch, the primary fundraising event for the Fort Bend Museum Association. Mr. Comella is also active as a volunteer on the Commercial Exhibits Committee of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Mr. Comella is a native of Abilene Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Information Systems from Southwest Texas State University. He has had numerous technical certifications, including Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

Emelda Douglas enjoys the gentle art of fundraising. Guiding charitably inclined individuals and organizations through the philanthropic process is her strength. With an uncompromising commitment to excellence, achievement, and innovation, she unites stakeholders through their common interests with the many effective programs offered by Neighborhood Centers.

Ms. Douglas joined Neighborhood Centers in 2006. She comes to NCI with extensive knowledge of the nonprofit community. She is responsible for the strategic direction and implementation of NCI’s fund development, which includes major and principal gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations and annual giving program.

Prior to joining NCI, she was Vice President of Community Investment for the Greater Houston Community Foundation and facilitated the distribution of annual grants of more than $34 million to local charities. The previous decade of her career was in the private sector in business development for a natural gas liquids pipeline company.

Ms. Douglas is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, accounting major, and graduated with honors from Stephen F. State University. She and her husband Roy live in Humble, Texas and have two wonderful children: Alicia and Alexander.

Felix Fraga, Vice President of External Relations for Neighborhood Centers Inc. since 1990, is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with individuals, companies, and foundations on behalf of the Agency. Mr. Fraga has worked continuously for NCI since 1946, beginning his career with the Agency as a youth worker at Rusk Settlement, which later became the Kirkland-Ripley Community Center. In 1970, he was promoted to Center Manager over Ripley House Community Center. His continued support and acclaim throughout the Houston Community have served Neighborhood Centers Inc. in the many community improvements and programs undertaken by the Agency.

In addition to his service to NCI and its clients, Mr. Fraga has served on numerous volunteer boards and committees, as well as on a variety of task forces and councils. Mr. Fraga is particularly well known for his work to improve the social, economic, and physical surroundings of Houston's Second Ward. He is a member of the Houston Committee for Private Sector Initiatives, Houston Housing Development Corporation, the United Way Campaign, and the Housing Finance Corporation. He has also served on the Chinquapin School Board, Cultural Arts Council of Houston, Neighborhood Housing Service, and the Houston Housing Authority. He was also a member of the Board of the Houston Independent School District for four years where he helped to increase parent participation within the entire School District.

Mr. Fraga has been honored for his tireless service and efforts throughout his career. In 2000, he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Houston Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers for his work in improving Houston’s inner city and received the Metro Salute to Hispanic Families. Mr. Fraga and two of his brothers, Lupe and Angel Fraga, were honored with the Community Service Award by the Mexican American Bar Association in 2001.

A member of the National Association of Social Workers, he earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston and his Master’s in Social Work from Our Lady of the Lake College in San Antonio.

Ann Hilbig is Vice President of Program Planning and Evaluation for Neighborhood Centers Inc. In her 23-year tenure with the agency, she has held a number of positions, beginning in the subsidized child care program, where she played a major role in the development of systems that increased the efficiency and effectiveness of child care subsidy management. Since joining the executive team in 2001, Ms. Hilbig has held responsibility for program design and operations at all of the agency’s community-based sites. Her accomplishments include the establishment of an elementary charter school; dramatic expansion of collaborations in early childhood programs; incorporation of the asset-based community development philosophy into program operations; doubling the number of senior center sites and adding an evidence-based senior fitness program; and the implementation Stay Connected to provide a compassionate case management response to disasters.

Ms. Hilbig is a member of the Executive Committee for the Texas Early Care and Education Coalition, the Governing Council of Care for Elders (Chair of the Quality and Workforce Committee), the Houston Community College Adult Education Advisory Committee, the One Voice Early Childhood Education work group, and the National Association of Social Workers. Other professional associations and volunteer work have included the Houston Area Association for the Education of Young Children (Past President), the Texas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (Past Board Chair), and the Advisory Committee for the State Center for Early Childhood Development. She is a 2005 graduate of Leadership Texas, and in 2006 was named Outstanding Alumni for the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work.

Ms. Hilbig is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Welfare. A Licensed Master Social Worker, Ms. Hilbig completed her graduate studies at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work with a concentration in Planning and Administration.

Pamela Sailors had 25 years of experience in public school education prior to joining NCI in July of 2005. Ms. Sailors was a classroom teacher, an instructional supervisor, a reading specialist, and an assistant principal before becoming the principal of Piney Point Elementary School in Houston ISD.

In 1997, at least 98 percent of Piney Point’s student population qualified for free or reduced lunch, and 65 percent were second language learners. It was also rated “Academically Unacceptable” by the Texas Education Agency when Ms. Sailors was named principal. Under her leadership, the school earned “Recognized” status within three years.

As superintendent, Ms. Sailors oversees NCI’s continuing commitment to providing quality educational opportunities to underserved populations in the Houston area. The Choices in Education Division includes three elementary charter schools, as well as ten Head Start/Pre-kindergarten Centers, and two Early Child Development Centers. Two Head Start Centers also house Early Head Start Programs for children from birth through age three. Training for the Child Development Associate and Family Development Credentials are provided by the CiE division Training Department.

Ms. Sailors earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Master’s in elementary Education from the University of Houston. She received her Mid-Management certification at the University of St. Thomas. Ms. Sailors enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her two grown children - when they can fit her into their busy schedules.