​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Meet the Board of Directors

Wendy Montoya Cloonan 

Experience

• Houston Managing Partner (Jan. 2023 – Present) at Cantu Harden Montoya LLP, a public law and public finance firm
• Founder and Sole Shareholder (Aug. 2019 – Dec. 2022) of The Law Office of Wendy Montoya Cloonan, PLLC, a public law and public finance firm based in Houston, Texas
• Senior Program Officer in Education, Assistant General Counsel and Director of Legal (Feb. 2015 – July 2019) at the Houston Endowment, Inc., a private foundation that partners with other organizations in the non-profit, public, and private sectors to improve quality of life for the residents of greater Houston
• Public law and finance attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP (formerly Andrews Kurth LLP) (2013 – 2015), Schwartz, Page & Harding, L.L.P. (2011 – 2013) and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (2006 – 2011)

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• Commissioner—Port of Houston Authority and Chair Business Equity/Procurement Committee, Community Relations Committee, Governance Committee, Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Dredge Task Force Committee (2019 – Present)
• Board Member—Harris County Hospital District Foundation (2021 – Present)
• Executive Board Member—ALMAAHH—Advocates of a Latino Museum of Art & Architecture Houston/Harris County (2021 – Present)
• National Association of Corporate Directors Tri-Cities Chapter (2021 – Present)
• Morgan Stanley Women Energy Directors Network (2021 – Present)
• Latino Corporate Directors Association (2021 – Present)
• Chair (2024 – Present) and Board Member (2023 – Present), Harris County Commissioner Precinct One Community Foundation
• Executive Board Member and Secretary Officer—Houston Downtown Management District (2016 – 2021)

Earl M. Cummings 

Experience

• Managing Partner (2012 – Present) of MCM Houston Properties, LLC, a real estate fund that invests in single family residential properties in Houston, Texas
• Served in various positions, including currently as Chief Executive Officer, at The BTS Team (1997 – Present), that started as an information technology and staffing firm providing solutions and services across various regions and evolved into a company that also invests financial resources in various industries
• Chief Executive Officer (2008 – 2014) of BestAssets, Inc., a private company providing real estate portfolio management and related services

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

• Halliburton Company (2022 – Present)
  

Other

• Texas Children's Hospital (2022 – Present)
• UH Energy Advisory Board (2021 – Present)
• Board of Visitors of University of Houston (2016 – 2018)
• Yellowstone Academy (2004 – 2017)
• C-STEM Robotics (2002 - 2017)

Barbara J. Duganier

Experience

• Held various positions (2004 – 2013) of increasing responsibility as a Managing Director including the position of Global Chief Strategy Officer of the Outsourcing Business and Global Growth and Offering Development Lead of the Global Business Process Outsourcing Business at Accenture plc, a leading provider of strategy, consulting, technology and operations services to various industries and sectors.
• Independent Consultant, Finance Transformation Program (2002 – 2003) at Duke Energy North America, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, one of America’s largest energy holding companies that provides electric utility and natural gas services.
• Held various positions (1979 – 2002) of increasing responsibility as an equity Partner including the position of Global Chief Financial Officer and Partner-in-Charge, Business Consulting, Southwest Region at Arthur Andersen LLP, an accounting firm that provided auditing, tax advising, consulting and other professional services to large public corporations.

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

U.S. Public Company

• Texas Pacific Land Corporation (2021 – Present)
• MRC Global Inc. (2015 – 2024)
• Noble Energy, Inc. (2018 – 2020)
• Buckeye Partners, L.P. (2013 – 2019)
• HCC Insurance (2015 – 2015)

Other Public Company

• Arcadis NV (ENXTAM) (2023 – Present)

Other

• McDermott International (2020 – Present)
• Pattern Energy (2021 – Present)
• John Carroll University (2019 – Present)
• National Association of Corporate Directors Texas Tri-Cities Chapter (2015 – 2024)
• West Monroe Partners (2018 – 2021)

Christopher H. Franklin 

Experience

• Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President (2015 – Present) of Essential Utilities, Inc., a public company providing regulated utilities, including water, wastewater and natural gas, to customers in 10 states; Has served in various roles of increasing responsibilities at Essential Utilities, Inc. (f.k.a. AquaAmerica, Inc.) since 1992

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

• Chairman, Essential Utilities, Inc. (2015 – Present)
• ITC Holdings (2011 – 2016)

Other

• University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees (2015 – Present)
• ​Franklin Institute of Philadelphia (2017 - Present)

Raquelle W. Lewis 

Experience

• Held various positions (2008 – Present) of increasing responsibilities including the position of Southeast Texas Director of Communications & Public Information Offices (2017 – Present) of TxDOT, a state government organization that plans, constructs, operates, and maintains Texas’ integrated transportation system including highways and multimodal programs
• Served as Special Advisor to TxDOT Executive Director and the Executive Administration (2015)
• Held various positions (1998 – 2008) of increasing responsibilities including the position of Supervising Planner/Program Manager at Parsons Brinkerhoff, Inc., a multinational engineering and design firm that specializes in strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, energy, infrastructure, and community planning

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• Success House A Road to Recovery, Inc. (2023 – Present)
• South Main Alliance Advisory Board (2022 – Present)

Other Professional Experience and Community Involvement

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) – Houston Branch
• WTS International
• Leadership Women, Inc.

Thaddeus J. Malik

Experience

• Principal (2022 – Present) at S2T Solutions, LLC, a transactional advisory services company
• Partner (2010 - 2022) at Paul Hastings, LLP, a global law firm
• Partner (2002 – 2010) at Jenner & Block, LLP, an international law firm
• Vice President and General Counsel (2000 – 2002) at Lante Corporation, a former publicly traded technology consulting company

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• Health Care Service Corporation (2019 - Present)
  
• President (2022 – 2024) and board member (2009 – Present) of The First Tee of Greater Chicago
• Illinois PGA Foundation (2005 – Present)
• The TimeLine Theater Company (2014 – 2020; 2023 – Present)

Ricky A. Raven 

Experience

• Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel (2021 – Present) at Allstate Insurance Company, a publicly traded property and casualty insurer
• Partner (2013 – 2021) at Reed Smith, LLP, an international law firm

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• National Judicial College Board of Directors (2022- Present)
  
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers Board of Directors (2022 – Present)
• University of Houston Board of Regents (2021 – Present)
• Southwestern University Board of Trustees (2015 – Present)
• City of Houston Civil Service Commission (1999 – Present), previously serving as the Commissioner of the City of Houston Civil Service Commission

Phillip R. Smith 
Independent Chair of the Board

Experience

• Chief Financial Officer (2023 – Present) and previously President and Chief Executive Officer (2019 – 2022) of Marathon-Sparta Holdings, Inc., a private company involved in non-healthcare related employee benefits programs and affiliated through common ownership with Torch Energy Advisor Inc.
• President and Chief Executive Officer (2013 – 2019) of Torch Energy Advisor Inc., a private energy company with interests in oil, gas and renewable energy, including the development of wind and solar renewable projects
• Partner (2002 – 2012) at KMPG LLP, a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• Health Care Service Corporation (2021 – Present
• Oilstone Energy Services, Inc. (2014 – 2016)
  

Barry T. Smitherman 

Experience

• President and principal attorney (2017 – Present) of Barry Smitherman, P.C., a law firm specializing in water, electricity and natural gas
• Managing Partner (2017 – Present) of Smitherman + Associates, a firm providing consulting services to energy infrastructure-related entities
• Adjunct Professor (2016 – Present) at The University of Texas School of Law
• Partner (2015 – 2017) at Vinson & Elkins LLP, an international law firm
• Managing Director and National Head of Tax-Exempt Securities (1999 – 2002), Banc One Capital Markets (later acquired by J.P. Morgan)

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

Public Company

•  NRG Energy, Inc. (2017 – 2018)

Other

• Chairman and President, Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance (2022 – Present)
• Chairman, Brookwood in Georgetown (2018 – 2023)
• Centric Infrastructure Group, LLC (2019 – 2021)
• Chairman (2012 – 2014) and Commissioner (2011 – 2014), Railroad Commission of Texas
• National Association of Regulatory Utility Commission (2011 – 2014)
• Southern States Energy Board (2011 – 2013)
• Member, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (2011 – 2013)
• Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Regional State Committee (2008 – 2011)
• Member, U.S. Department of Energy Electricity Advisory Committee (2008 – 2011)
• Vice-Chair, Texas Advisory Panel on Federal Environmental Regulations (2008 – 2009)
• Chairman (2007 – 2011) and Commissioner (2004 – 2011), Public Utility Commission of Texas
• Electric Reliability Council of Texas (2007 – 2011)
• Member, Texas Public Finance Authority (2002 –2004)
  

Jason P. Wells 

Experience

• President and Chief Executive Officer (2024 – Present) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
• President and Chief Operating Officer (2023 – 2024) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
• President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer (2023) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
• Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2020 – 2022) of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
• Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2019 – 2020) of PG&E Corporation, a publicly traded electric utility holding company serving approximately 16 million customers through its subsidiary Pacific Gas and Electric Company. PG&E Corporation filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on January 29, 2019 and successfully emerged from bankruptcy on July 1, 2020
• Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2016 – 2019) at PG&E Corporation
• Vice President, Business Finance (2013 – 2016) at Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Other Boards (For Profit and Non-Profit Entities)

• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Board of Visitors (2022-Present)
  
• Kinder Rice Institute for Urban Development Advisory Board (2021 – Present)
• Central Houston, Inc. (2022 – Present)
• Bauer College Board of the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston (2022 – Present)
• Executive Committee and Board, Greater Houston Partnership (2023 – Present)