Leadership & Advisory Panel
Dr. Marilyn Parker, LPC-S, NCC, Founder/CEO
Dr. Parker is the Founder/CEO of The Wise Pearl Foundation where she provides community education primarily for children and families. Dr. Parker is a Texas and Louisiana State Board Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Supervisor, Texas and Louisiana State Board Certified Superintendent, Principal, School Counselor, Teacher, and Public Speaker/Trainer. Dr. Parker is the owner of Counseling Network Group Professionals, LLC where she practices as a licensed therapist serving those in need of mental health services, career coaching, and clinical supervision for LPC interns. Dr. Parker is an eclectic public school leader with over 20 years of expertise in developing highly qualified classroom teacher leaders, holistic and accelerated academic and social development of students, and serving as a school community liaison optimizing resources and support for student diversity, equity and inclusion.
Dr. Parker obtained her doctorate in Professional Educational Leadership from the University of Houston in Houston, Texas where she also received her LPC supervision certification. She received her masters’ degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, Counseling, and Educational Administration as well as her undergraduate degree in Finance and Psychology from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. She is a continuing education provider/trainer for the Texas Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, Texas Board of Social Workers Examiners, and the Texas Education Agency.
Dr. Parker has received numerous awards and recognition, including the D-MARS Top 50 Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Houston, YMCA Minority Achievers’ Award, and the Houston Police Department Youth Police Advisory Council (YPAC) Recognition. She serves as an instrumental mentor to children and young adults in Houston, Texas and its surrounding areas. She is a member of the Texas Counseling Association, Louisiana Counseling Association, National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), HAABSE, and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Advisory Panel
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Janna W. Shepherd is an accomplished Tax, Accounting and Information Technology Project Manager with over 25+ years of work experience. She has served since 2003 as a Managing Partner at Elite ERP Consultants of Texas, a boutique Global ERP Tax Technology consulting firm providing services to Fortune 100 companies. Her previous positions include working for a Big 4 Consulting Firm and Oil & Gas companies to implement tax accounting software packages. She previously served on the Board of Directors of Julia F. Thompson, Inc, The Wise Pearl Foundation and the Girls & Boards Prep Academy. She earned a BS degree in Accounting at Southern University, MBA in Finance at Texas Southern University, MS in Information Systems and University of St. Thomas and a Project Management Certification at Stanford University.
Tarique J. Rashaud - BSME, Principal Consultant, Xemplar Power & Energy
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Mr. Rashaud has over 25 years of experience in the Energy Industry which spans from Naval Nuclear Power to Renewable Energy greenfield projects. In his current role as Sustainability Finance Advisor with NRG Energy, Inc., he advises large Commercial & Industrial asset owners on methods to secure long-term sustainable energy project financing to preserve their CAPEX budgets and increase project IRR and cash flow. He also contributes to the US Business Council for Sustainable Development as the Co-Lead of their Electrification Workgroup. Within the spheres of academia and outreach, he sits on the Industrial Advisory Board of Prairie View A&M University’s Engineering Dept., and contributes to the Biomimicry Institute as a Subject Matter Expert /Panelist in the areas of Sustainability and Renewable Energy.
As a Principal Consultant, he provided leadership for his firm on various commercial and industrial projects involving Energy Procurement, Energy Efficiency, Project Development, and Clean Energy Finance. Within the residential market, his commitment to community enabled his consulting firm to secure utility energy efficiency incentives and grants for providing services to many financially challenged (LMI-C) customers in multiple utility service regions - at no cost to the homeowners.
He received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from PVAMU, and business instruction through Texas A&M's Executive MBA Program. He holds a patent in Personal Protective Aerosol Technology, and has also Co-Authored publishings on controlling Nitrous Oxide Emissions resulting from collaborative research with Alstom Power, Sweden and MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Melissa Morris - Managing Partner, Morris Law Firm
Janna W. Shepherd - MBA, MSIS, Managing Partner, Elite (ERP) Consultants of Texas, Inc.
Zachary Jones - Lead International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Thermal Systems Group, NASA
Melissa Morris is an accomplished criminal and family attorney for the states of Texas and Arkansas. Attorney Morris is a pillar in the Houston, Texas community known for her activism for diversity, equity and inclusion for all. Attorney Morris believes in transforming the lives of others by empowering them to "change the narrative" for greater outcomes.
Attorney Morris obtained her juris doctorate degree from Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall Law School. She completed her undergraduate study at Prairie View A&M University obtaining a BS in Political Science.
Zachary Jones - Lead International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Thermal Systems Group, NASA
Zachary Jones - Lead International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Thermal Systems Group, NASA
Zachary Jones - Lead International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Thermal Systems Group, NASA
Zachary Jones is an administrative leader in developing project engineers in the field of national aeronautics and space at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Mr. Jones is an exemplary leader in STEM implementation and production.
Mr. Jones obtained his MBA from the University of Houston C.T. Bauer College of Business and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana Tech University.
Ashley Davidson - Lead STEM Lab Educator, Public School System
Zachary Jones - Lead International Space Station (ISS) Environmental and Thermal Systems Group, NASA
Ashley Davidson - Lead STEM Lab Educator, Public School System
Ashley Davidson is a leader in her educational career and community. As a former Teacher of the Year and Technology Integration Specialist, she volunteered to participate in a STEM Lab Pilot program and helped to shape the curriculum for classrooms in her district. She currently teaches an interactive elementary STEM lab to grades K-5 and coordinates a coding and robotics club for students.
Mrs. Davidson is a proud Cougar having earned her BS degree in Education from the University of Houston. She attended the Logo Institute, Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy and has earned multiple LEGO Education certificates. Mrs. Davidson mentors high school students in support of STEM college and career readiness.