|
|
Executive Team Bios
Known for her vision and creativity, Angela Blanchard has spent more than two decades on community investment and transformation in Houston as President and CEO of Neighborhood Centers Inc. and in previous positions. Ms. Blanchard serves on various boards, advisory boards and steering committees for organizations such as United Neighborhood Centers of America, Greater Houston Partnership, and the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. Ms. Blanchard has received national recognition for her nonprofit management from the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with the 2004 Edward A. Smith Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership; by the Harris County Women’s Political Caucus with the “2002 Shattered Glass Award;” and by the Houston YWCA with the “2000 Outstanding Woman of Achievement in Community Service Professional” Award.
Ms. Blanchard is a gifted public speaker who addresses topics such as immigration, Houston's potential, and organizational leadership with exceptional clarity and vision. To hear excerpts of recent speeches, please click here.
Douglas Shadle joined the Executive Team in August of 2001 after serving as a volunteer and board member for two years. Mr. Shadle brings to Neighborhood Centers Inc. 25 years of experience as a marketing and communications executive with Exxon as well as experience in the areas of strategic planning, visioning, and implementation. Mr. Shadle is a proven team builder with organizational and employee development expertise and extremely strong management and administrative skills. Following his work with Exxon, Mr. Shadle signed on as President and Chief Operating Officer of StellaCom Inc., a NASA contractor. More recently, Mr. Shadle served as a school principal and teacher.
Before joining Neighborhood Centers Inc. as CFO, Mr. Chung was a business consultant specializing in mergers and acquisitions of small and mid-sized companies. From 1995 to 2000, Mr. Chung 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 1995, Mr. Chung gained experience as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of a privately held milling and baking mix company, as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Wyndham Foods, Inc., and as Vice President of Finance of Riviana Foods, Inc.
A seasoned information systems/information technology executive, Mr. Comella brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in large-scale projects and programs to Neighborhood Centers Inc. He has a successful track record in leading major migrations/implementations to new technology while reducing costs. Mr. Comella has experience as Director of Information Systems and Communications for OakBend Medical Center; Manager of KPMG, LLP; Chief of Operations for the Department of Defense Health Affairs Advanced Technology Integration Center; Chief Technical Officer for Air Combat Command; Chief Information Officer for Davis-Monthan AFB Hospital; Director of Medical Logistics for Griffiss AFB Hospital; LAN Administrator; System Programmer/Analyst for Air Force Management Engineering Agency; and System Programmer/Analyst for Air Training Command.
Emelda J. Douglas
Ms. Douglas joined Neighborhood Centers Inc. in 2006 and was formerly the Vice President of Community Investment for the Greater Houston Community Foundation, a public charity with assets of more than $160 million that supports nonprofit organizations in the greater Houston area. In that role, Ms. Douglas worked with families to fulfill their charitable intentions by facilitating their grant making, organizing philanthropic educational experiences and providing other significant services to charitably-inclined individuals. Prior experience includes posts as Marketing Director for the Houston Defender Newspaper, Houston’s leading African American newspaper, and eight years of experience in a top energy company, now known as Kinder Morgan, Inc., where Ms. Douglas was responsible for business development and financial systems implementations.
Now responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with individuals, companies and foundations on behalf of the Agency, Felix Fraga has worked continuously for Neighborhood Centers Inc. since 1946. Mr. Fraga is particularly well known for his work to improve the social, economic and physical surroundings of Houston's Second Ward. Mr. Fraga was a City of Houston District H Council Member from 1994 to 1999 and served as a trustee of the Houston Independent School District for four years before that. Mr. Fraga has been honored numerous times for his tireless service and efforts throughout his career.
Ann Hilbig began her career at Neighborhood Centers Inc. as an Intake Manager in 1981. After spending three years with Covenant House Texas as Director of Residential Services, Ms. Hilbig returned to Neighborhood Centers Inc. to work with a federal/state-funded child care subsidy program. A Licensed Master Social Worker, Ms. Hilbig’s professional associations and volunteer work include Past President of the Houston Area Association for the Education of Young Children; Past Chair of the Texas Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies; founding faculty member for the UH Graduate College of Social Work’s Nonprofit Executive Certification program; and member of the Advisory Committee for the State Center for Early Childhood Development.
Pamela Sailors had 25 years’ experience in public education prior to joining Neighborhood Centers Inc. ( NCI) in July of 2005. As the Superintendent of Choices in Education, Ms. Sailors oversees NCI’s continuing commitment to providing quality educational opportunities to underserved populations in the Houston area. She was a classroom teacher for twelve years, working with children in grades 1 through 5. She was also an instructional supervisor, and reading specialist before becoming the principal of Piney Point Elementary School in Houston ISD in 1997. Piney Point was rated ‘Unacceptable’ by the Texas Education Agency when Ms. Sailors was named principal. Under Ms. Sailors’ leadership, the school had earned the status of ‘Recognized’ within three years. Ms. Sailors earned her B.A. in Sociology and M.Ed. in Elementary Education from the University of Houston. She received her Mid-Management certification at the University of St. Thomas. When they can fit her into their schedule, Ms. Sailors enjoys spending time with her two college-aged children.
|
|
|
|