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Staff
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 Will Reed
Executive Director
As one of the early visionaries and organizing board members of Houston HOPE, Dr. Will Reed serves in a shared executive capacity as the Executive Director. Dr. Reed also serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Technology For All. Dr. Reed is a United Methodist Minister with extensive nonprofit and fundraising experience, as well as experience in church administration and leadership. Prior to his leadership with Technology For All, Dr. Reed served as Director of Development for the Samaritan Center for Counseling and Education, Senior Pastor of several Houston area churches and Associate Minister of Evangelism at the Memorial Drive United Methodist Church. He has a B.A. from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas and Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Reed is President of the Mission Milby Community Development Corporation Board of Directors and serves on several other boards, including Technology For All-Houston and the Houston Graduate School of Theology. Representing Technology For All, he serves on the Technology Infrastructure Task Force of the Greater Houston Partnership and is also a member of an FCC Advisory Group on Telecom Policy. Dr. Reed is the author of several journal articles on a variety of subjects and also writes blogs for both Houston HOPE and TFA. |
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 Mary Collins
Managing Director
Mary Collins, the Managing Director of Houston HOPE, also coordinates the fundraising and development activities of Technology for All and Mission Milby Community Development Corporation.
Mary is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Houston Chapter and the Workforce Development Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership. She also holds advisory positions with several organizations, including Collaborative For Children’s Beginning at Birth Initiative, South Union Community Development Inc. Fundraising Committee, the Clinton Park/Tri-Community Program Planning Committee, and the Independence Heights Community Assessment Project. In February 2007, Mary successfully completed Comprehensive Fund Development: A Rice University Certificate Program.
Mary comes from a large Houston family with a strong history of community service. Her areas of service have included volunteering for the Houston Area Women’s Center, Casa de Esperanza, the Children’s Assessment Center, and the board of The Friends of Houston Hospice. Mary, a native Houstonian, graduated from Duchesne Academy prior to attending the University of Texas. Preceding her commitment to develop and manage Houston HOPE, Mary was a financial advisor and managed small businesses. To contact Mary directly call 713.454.6419. |
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 Pamela Gardner
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Supervisor
Pamela Gardner is the Director of AmeriCorps*VISTA for Houston HOPE. Mrs. Gardner supervises the AmeriCorps*VISTA team members who’s goal is to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income families in Houston HOPE communities out of poverty. Managing the Community Technology 2.0 (CT 2.0) Project is one of her major responsibilities as Director of Community Development & Support. The CT 2.0 Project is a collaborative program between Houston HOPE and Technology For All that expands the capacity of existing Community Technology Centers in Houston HOPE neighborhoods.
Mrs. Gardner’s professional experience has included positions as Director of Human Resources for the University of Houston—Downtown and Texas Southern University. At Texas Southern University, Mrs. Gardner was also Director of the University’s Total Quality Management Program and the College of Technology’s Enrollment Management Grant Project. Since retiring from her administrative roles in higher education, Mrs. Gardner worked as a Management Consultant for several local and state governmental agencies and corporations.
Pamela has a Lifetime Teaching Certification from the Texas Education Agency and has taught at the high school and university level. She earned a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Business Management from Prairie View A&M University. Her professional affiliations have included service with the Fort Bend United Way as Vice President of the Board of Directors, Vice President of the Board of Fort Bend’s Women Center and member of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce’s Diversity in Business Task Force. Pamela currently serves on community outreach projects in Fort Bend and Houston, including the Education Policy and Workforce subcommittees of the Greater Houston Partnership.
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 Natasha Wade
Project Assistant
Natasha Wade was born and raised in Southeast Houston. She joined Houston Hope in 2006 to develop valuable skills in community organizing and nonprofit management.
At her alma matter, University of Houston, Natasha was an active and dedicated member of the American Humanics Student Association, Caribbean Students Organization and NAACP at University of Houston.
Natasha received a certificate in nonprofit leadership within the American Humanics Certification Program in May 2007. She also earned a B.S. in Sociology and a minor degree in African-American Studies. She aspires to use the knowledge gained thus far to help empower communities socially and economically.
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 Shamara Peppers
Project Assistant
Shamara Peppers is a native of Dallas, Texas and now resides in Houston. She graduated in 2005 from Prarie View A&M University, where she earned her Bachelor in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems. Shamara has recently received her Masters in Sociology and constantly aims to help those living in the same predicament and economic background that she grew up in.
Shamara joined Houston HOPE in July 2006 as an Americorps*VISTA, working as a key contact in the Clinton Park/Tri-Community. She continues to be an asset to Houston HOPE through serving, building relationships, and aiding in the elimination of poverty in Houston's seven most impoverished neighborhoods.
Shamara's interests include working with her community service organization, Karnation Kourt Incorporated, reading, and caring for her pet ferret, Emma. Her aspirations include continuing work in the nonprofit area directing focus on technology.
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 Yunchiu Chang
University of Houston Intern
Yunchiu Chang is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies and is also a candidate for the American Humanics Nonprofit Management Certification at the University of Houston. Having had the experience of growing up in two vastly different places, Taipei and Houston, Yunchiu has developed an interest in community organizing and development. She's joining the Houston HOPE team to advance the organization's efforts to improve quality of life for Houston's poorest residents while gaining valuable knowledge in nonprofit management.
Yunchiu is also an active member of the American Humanics Student Association and the Rotaract Club of River Oaks Rotary.
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AmeriCorps*VISTAs
AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations, and public agencies to create and expand programs that ultimately bring low-income individuals and communites out of poverty.
Through AmeriCorps*VISTA, ordinary people provide extraordinary service in more than 1,200 projects nationwide.
Click on the AmeriCorps logo to learn more about this and other AmeriCorps programs...
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 Twanna Proctor
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Twanna Proctor is a Native Houstonian. She attended elementary and middle schools in the North Forest ISD. Twanna graduated from the Barbara Jordan High School for Careers in the Houston ISD. She obtained an Associates of Applied Science Degree from North Harris Montgomery Community College. Twanna plans to pursue her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Accounting at Sam Houston State University, where she is currently classified as a senior.
During the eleven years Twanna was employed by an Oil and Gas Manufacturing Company, she held positions as HR Administrative Assistant, Leasing Specialist, and Sr. AP Analyst. At this point in her career, Twanna decided to turn her attention to community service full time by becoming an AmeriCorps*VISTA member.
Twanna’s interests include reading, writing poetry, and working with the children in her church, Little Union Missionary Baptist, where she is currently the Matron for "The Kings Men", a mime team for boys. The church is located in Settegast, which is one of the Houston Hope neighborhoods; Twanna stays busy by supporting her children in all of their positive goals, aspirations and activities. Knowing that she can't save the world, she likes to think that every little bit counts. |
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 Amy Felan
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Amy was born and raised in a small rural town near Corpus Christi, TX. She moved to the Greater Houston area to attend the University of Houston and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science.
Amy began work at Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical center as a coordinator for the Pediatric Endocrinology Department. She then moved to Los Angeles, California and served as a coordinator in the Planned Giving department at Pepperdine University.
Amy has returned to the Greater Houston area and is now serving as an Americorps*VISTA for Houston HOPE. |
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 Bobbie Williams
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Bobbie grew up in the quiet, suburban town of Cottage Grove, Minnesota and recently graduated from University of Minnesota with a B.I.S. in African-American Studies, Mass Communication and Political Science. She now happily resides in the City of Houston with the ambition of obtaining her law degree.
Throughout the years, Bobbie has been deeply involved in public service. Her volunteer experience includes donating her time to battered women shelters, homeless shelters and reading to young children. She was also dedicated to organizations that strived to educate and engage their local community such as the Black Student Union, African Students Association and the Pre-Law Society.
As a new team member of Houston HOPE, Bobbie is looking forward to contributing to the growth of communites she works in by expanding residents' knowledge of resources and services available to them. |
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 Holly Hanna
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Holly Hanna is a native Houstonian who just graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. At UT, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Government and History while volunteering in the nonprofit sector. Holly has joined the Houston HOPE team to obtain skills in nonprofit community development and grant writing.
In college, Holly devoted her time to organizations that encourage students to volunteer in their communities such as Alternative Spring Break and Gamma Beta Phi. She was also deeply involved in community organizing activities, ranging from planning multicultural events to leading a student group of volunteers to New Orleans after Katrina.
Holly currently serves on the board of the Sudanese Education Leadership Organization (SELO, Inc), an emerging nonprofit in Houston and plans to obtain her Master’s in international relations or anthropology in the near future. |
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Phi Doan
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Phi was born in Galveston, TX and grew up in the rural town of Angleton, about 45 minutes south of Houston. She received her B.A. in Biochemistry and Spanish with a minor in Mathematics from Baylor University in Waco in Spring 2005. She also graduated from the Honors College and participated in programs such as the Spanish Honor Society, Pre-Medical Society, Student Involvement Board, and served as an orientation leader with Baylor Ambassadors. Phi then moved to New York City and, soon after, received her Master’s in Biotechnology in Spring 2007.
Her natural interest in science led her to pursue a career in scientific research during graduate school. She worked for laboratories performing research in neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Phi also was employed by Baylor College of Medicine as a Research Associate for an immunology lab researching tumor vaccinations.
Phi has recently decided to transition from the research environment into the field of public service through the AmeriCorps*VISTA program. Now living in Houston, her personal goal is to eliminate the poverty that has become alarmingly more present in Houston. In the future, she hopes to continue public service by using her science background to attend medical school and pursue a career as a physician. |
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 Ana Hernandez
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Ana Hernandez is a native Houstonian and has always valued the importance of volunteering. Throughout high school and college, Ana participated in various Houston festivals and SNAP (Spay and Neuter Program) events. Ana donated her time to various assisted living homes, East End school fairs and was also a long-term volunteer at Neighborhood Centers. Besides being a dedicated volunteer, Ana was involved with Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Fraternity, and chartered Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity. She graduated from the University of Houston with Honor College membership in May 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders.
Ana joined the Misiòn Milby Community Development Corporation family in the year of 2006. She worked as a case manager with at-risk and adjudicated youth in South East Houston in the Reclamando Nuestro Futuro program funded by the Latino Coalition. Ana worked closely with the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office in transitioning youth from gang life to more productive programs until December 2007.
Ana now works as an AmeriCorps*VISTA at Houston HOPE and is focusing on developing programs for the Misiòn Milby Community Technology Center and implementing the Magnolia Park Human Services Action Plan. |
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 Jacob Cartwright
AmeriCorps*VISTA
Jacob A. Cartwright has chosen to work with Houston HOPE through the Americorps*VISTA program. He aspires to give back to Houston, the city where he was born and that has helped him and his family so much.
As an Eagle Scout, he was taught the importance of community service and learned valuable leadership skills. Jacob carries these ideas and principles with him everyday in order to serve his community and to help eradicate poverty which continues to negatively affect our neighborhoods.
Jacob draws inspiration from the following quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson—“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can significantly try to help another without helping himself.” |
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