History and Recipients of Southeast Texas Woman of Integrity Awards

Georgine Guillory has served as a Port of Beaumont Commissioner since 2003. She was elected board president in June 2021, becoming the first woman appointed to the position. Guillory was the board’s secretary-treasurer from 2007 to 2020. 

​A lifelong resident of Beaumont, Guillory is employed as a Resource Coordinator with Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas and is very active in civic and community affairs. She serves on the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, the Lamar University Alumni Association board and the Julie Rogers Gift of Life Foundation board.

​Guillory is the founder of Pioneering Women, an organization which honors women in the community for their professional, philanthropic and vocational contributions, and helps promising students pay for higher education. She also volunteers for the American Legion Post No. 817.  

​Guillory is a graduate of Lamar University, a member of the 2000 class of Leadership Beaumont and the Texas Leadership Academy.  She has been recognized by state and federal lawmakers, was named Woman of the Year by the National Association of University Women-Beaumont and was called a Most Influential Woman by 12News-KBMT in 2018

A-1 Peterson Plumbing was founded 55 years ago by a young married couple who began their lives as orphans, Richard (Dick) Peterson and wife Donna. They began their company with no help other than their teamwork and commitment, and with one Roto-rooter machine, operating out of the trunk of their car. Donna took the small pantry in their kitchen and converted it into an office space.

Dick, a Navy Veteran, soon became a Master Plumber and Donna became one of Texas' first female Plumbers. They did it while raising 4 children & volunteering in Boy and Girl Scouts, PTA, Lions, CASA, VFW and other civic and charitable organizations. Work was 7 days a week and vacations were nonexistent.

On “career day” at her daughter’s school, Mrs. Peterson wore her uniform and took a small drain cleaning machine to the school to show the girls non-traditional roles for women. The local Newspaper put her on the front page and named her “the Lady Plumber.” Her company soon grew to provide complete plumbing and septic services to the major industries of Orange County and throughout the Golden Triangle.

Despite several economic downturns in the U.S., and 3 major Hurricanes which repeatedly destroyed most of what the couple had built, A-1 Peterson Plumbing has survived to celebrate 55 years in business, a feat less than 1% of all businesses can claim. During Hurricane Rita in 2006, Mrs. Peterson opened their damaged plumbing company to help feed and provide laundry facilities to local residents while other family members cleared roads for emergency vehicles. She could not have known that she would be giving CPR to a neighbor in the driveway a few days later while waiting for first responders! Then, after barely rebuilding from the hurricane, Mr. Peterson passed away.

For her generosity of spirit and community commitment she was chosen a “Hometown Hero” by the Houston Astros. She threw out the first pitch at an Astros game only a few weeks after her husband’s funeral. The walls at A-1 Peterson Plumbing are lined with certificates, recognitions and awards; a tribute to civic pride and love of people. Donna is particularly proud that A-1 Peterson received the BBB Torch Award for Ethics in Business in 2020 and was certified as a Woman Owned Business the same year.

She survived early intimidation and rejection as both a worker and a boss. Donna recalls the irony that the first plumbing call this Lady Plumber went on was a Beauty Shop in Orange! Her positive attitude and love of God kept her going. Now at 88, she is proud of the legacy she will leave behind: a loving family and grandchildren, and a successful and well-respected business operated by her two sons, Bill and Richard II, and daughter, retired Army Major Donna Peterson who was also one of the first women graduates of West Point. 

“I can do all things through Christ which gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Tamica Clark was born in Beaumont, Texas and partially raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  She with her family made her way back to Southeast Texas after graduation in 2002.

She is the Public & Government Affairs Administrative Specialist at ExxonMobil supporting Beaumont, Baytown, Baton Rouge and the Permian area.

Tamica in 2021 was named one of Southeast Texas’ 40 Under 40 recipients and one of the Top Young Leaders to Watch from 100 + Black Women Coalition, Inc. She is a 2019 Leadership Beaumont graduate, a 2019 Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Mentorship Program graduate and a 2015 McCloney’s School of Ministry graduate. Ms. Clark currently serves on the ExxonMobil Culture of Health and Wellness Committee; serves as the logistic chair for the Alzheimer’s Association: Houston & Southeast Texas Chapter; is a United Way Day of Caring volunteer, Pioneering Women organization member; Bibles & Bags Community Back to School for young girls volunteer; a 2018 100+ Black Women Coalition, Inc. Scholarship Board member, among other organizations.  She is also a former mentor/member of P31 Ministry and is actively involved at New Birth Assembly of God Church under the leadership of Pastor Herbert & Rosa McCloney.

In 2019, she started a Community Diabetes Awareness Walk called “Faith & Strength to Endure,” which referenced from Hebrews 11:1,”faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen.”  The community walk educates adults and children on the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices and recognizing the signs of diabetes.  With support from the community, funds are raised to assist local families battling diabetes.

Her passion for health and wellness and educating the community on the importance of being healthy inside and out has inspired Tamica to continue her education.  She received her Personal Fitness Trainer certification from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).  She is the CEO/Fitness Trainer of M.C. Fitness 413, motivating individuals to build a healthy lifestyle. Her faith and strength will allow her to become all that God created her to accomplish: her goals, and to inspire, motivate and give back to her community.

Cynthia Stinson, Chair of the Dishman School of Nursing Lamar University Beaumont  and Associate Professor, is a first-generation college student. She graduated in the first nursing class at Lamar University in 1975. After graduating with her associate degree, she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at LU in 1980, a master’s degree in nursing in adult health from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1994, and her Ph.D. from Texas Woman’s University in Houston in 2006. 

Some examples of local community service include a long-time commitment to the Gift of Life Program in Southeast Texas. Following treatment for breast cancer in 2007, Dr. Stinson wrote an article for the Beaumont Enterprise to educate people about breast cancer. Due to the article, she was contacted by the Julie Rogers Gift of Life program to work with that group. Within this organization, she has provided education, served as a board member for the Pink Power Support Group, participated in survivor groups and programs, including the Wise Woman Program. She also organized the “Cancer Crusaders”, which was an educational series for lay people and health care providers in the area. As a representative of the Julie Rogers Gift of Life organization, Dr. Stinson has shared her survivor story and education at survivor celebrations, via television news spots, and at civic and church meetings throughout the Golden Triangle.

In 2015, Dr. Stinson was honored by the Julie Rogers Gift of Life as an “Angel Among Us” at the Julie Rogers Walk for Cancer. In 2016, she formed a collaboration between the Gift of Life and the JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing to teach high school students about the dangers of tobacco, vaping, and risks of cancer. She organized teaching materials and worked with community nursing faculty to begin the initiative. In 2019, she was awarded the Julie and Ben Rogers Community Service Award. In 2020 Stinson was appointed to the Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors. She serves as the only nurse on the board. More recently in 2022, she along with Dr. Ruthie Robinson was awarded the State Research Award by the Texas Organization of Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Education for their research focusing on “Compassion Fatigue and Resiliency During the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a recognized National Hartford Geriatric Distinguished Educator and is a certified Medical-surgical nurse. 

Dr. Janeal White believes that we can change the world through research, equitable teaching, and service to community. She is currently the Internship Coordinator and Assistant Professor for Lamar University’s Family Studies program. Janeal has a Bachelor’s in Applied Arts and Sciences, Master of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences both from Lamar University, and PhD from the Louisiana State University School of Social Work.

She is a Certified Family Life Educator and has conducted award-winning research on homelessness, resilience, and dignity for almost 20 years. In her 2021 study of women in homeless shelters across Texas, she developed the Life Model of Homelessness which has the potential to transform how professionals provide prevention and intervention support. She is currently working on a study funded by the Lamar University Center for Resiliency to increase disaster preparedness for families experiencing homelessness throughout Southeast Texas.

As a faculty member at Lamar University, Janeal works to equip students for careers that strengthen families through education, service, and advocacy. Before returning to academia as an educator, Janeal worked in the nonprofit sector in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana for more than 25 years. Her passion for understanding the conditions in society that contribute to homelessness led her to explore poverty’s impact on educational attainment. Dr. White excels at removing barriers for students experiencing poverty while also integrating innovative teaching strategies, technologies, and mentorship into fully online courses. Janeal has received several notable awards recognizing her expertise in equitable teaching including the 2023 Advancing Family Science Emerging Mentor/Teacher Award from the National Council on Family Relations.

In addition to her work at Lamar University, Janeal also serves as a consultant for the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission for whom she leads the regional response to homelessness. In her work with the Southeast Texas Coalition for the Homeless, she brings together 187 community organizations to strengthen the network of service providers and homeless services in our community and she is responsible for the federally mandated annual Point-In-Time Count to assess the prevalence of homelessness in Jefferson, Orange, and Hardin Counties.

Dr. White currently serves as Steering Committee Chair for the National Council on Family Relations’ Mentoring Academy whose goal is to facilitate positive mentoring relationships for students and emerging professional members of the national organization. She is past president of the Southeastern Council on Family Relations and is an incoming national board member for NCFR. Janeal previously served on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Jefferson County, Texas Council on Family Relations, and was past president and sustainer of the Service League of Port Arthur.

Janeal is originally from Port Arthur and now resides in Beaumont with her family. She is a proud member of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas. 

My name is Elena Xintavelonis, I am from Venezuela, I came from a family of Greek immigrants who gave me the opportunity to grow and be loved. I completed my MD at Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela and later on I came to USA in 2010 to finish my Internal Medicine residency at UTMB Galveston in 2013. Since then, I have lived in Beaumont Texas. I have been practicing primary care, hospice and hospital medicine in Lumberton and Beaumont for the last 10 years with Diagnostic Group physicians and Harbor hospice. I am a collaborator at Baptist Internal medicine residency program, and currently I am developing my focus in functional medicine towards hormone replacement and anti-aging measures. Also I am a mother of an autistic kid who emphasized in me the need to look for the influence of better nutrition and an excellent physician’s wife and also diver! who is my complete half and teammate!

Sally Broussard was born in Wimbledon, England.  She came to the USA as a teenager with her parents for a 2 year stay, and has never left!  She graduated with her Bachelor's degree at the age of 17 from (now) Texas State University and her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Stephen F. Austin University.  She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Texas and a Nationally Certified Counselor.  Before retiring earlier this year, Sally spent her 42 year career working in the behavioral health field with Spindletop Center and Baptist Hospital Behavioral Health Center. 

Sally has been instrumental in bringing many new and innovative behavioral health programs and treatments to Southeast Texas, including assisting with a successful program to  train law enforcement officers and pair them with mental health professionals to respond to people in a psychiatric crisis, and  helping create the only children's inpatient behavioral health treatment program between Houston and New Orleans.

Sally has served on many local boards,  including as a BBB Southeast Texas Board Director, as a Trustee on the BBB Education Foundation, and a supporter of the Student Integrity program, and additional Foundation events. Her greatest passion, however, has been to create and serve on the local Critical Incident Stress Management Team since 1998.  The team responds to traumatic incidents by providing debriefing to first responders and the community after a traumatic event.  Sally proudly responded to Ground Zero several times after the tragic events of 9/11 where she and the team helped NYPD officers who were first dispatched to the site of the Twin Towers.  She also served following the school shooting at Santa Fe High School, as well as numerous local tragic events.

Sally is married to Brian Broussard and has 2 amazing adult children, Brittany Swanson and Melanie Coats and has the 5 smartest and cutest grandchildren in the world.  Sally proudly became a US citizen two years ago!

Dawanna Jones MPA, M.ed. was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. After attending local schools, she graduated from Central Senior High School. She then went on to obtain an associate’s degree in Management Development from Lamar Institute of Technology, a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Lamar University, a Master’s degree in Educational Technology from Lamar University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Arkansas State University.

Dawanna has a servant attitude and loves helping others achieve their personal and professional goals. She has been a high school business and financial educator for 12 years. Motivating, inspiring, and teaching others financial literacy and entrepreneurship is her passion. With a passion and gift to help others succeed, she has found that developing leaders and individuals is what she loves most. A woman of many hats, she has founded several small businesses including a craft business, personal & business consulting, financial consulting, bookkeeping, website and social media management, photography, editorial services, tax preparation and educational consulting. She is also the founder and president of Black Business Professionals of SETX and Senoj Professional Business Services.

In 2021, Dawanna was recognized as a young leader to watch by the 100 + Black Women Coalition of Beaumont, Inc. She has been featured in several publications and guest speaker for several events. Dawanna loves serving the Lord and is an active member in her church. She is a member of several organizations and enjoys giving back to the community. Dawanna has partnered with BBB on business workshops and has served on the Volunteer Planning Committee for the Professional Women's Conference. 

Dawanna also has a commitment to life-long learning and takes pleasure in reading and learning new things. In her free time, she enjoys being a crafter, cooking, and the outdoors. 

An award-winning journalist, Kimberly Rusley is a main anchor for KFDM 6 in Beaumont. Kimberly was promoted to the position in October 2022 after serving three years as the main anchor for the sister station, Fox 4.

Kimberly has 12 years of experience in the industry, working in multiple states and wearing a variety of hats. In 2017, Kimberly was hired as a General Assignments reporter at KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas. She covered major stories that went national such as the mass shooting at Power Ultra Lounge, the 60^th anniversary of the integration of Little Rock Central High School (Little Rock 9), and a hearing-impaired teen getting to meet George Strait in Las Vegas. Kimberly appeared on CNN for coverage of the mass shooting. Prior to that, Kimberly was a multi-media journalist at KTAL in Shreveport, Louisiana. She also covered several major stories that made national news. But it was at KSLA in Shreveport where Kimberly got her start in 2008. She was hired on as a production assistant, but eventually received promotions to become a web producer then newscast producer.

Over the years, Kimberly has spear-headed multiple special reports and special projects, including a Black History Month webinar in 2022; which was a first for KFDM.

A commitment to high quality work has garnered Kimberly numerous awards over the years, including 1st place in the News Anchor category in the 2019 Press Club of Southeast Texas Awards, 1st place in the Continuing Coverage category for a newscast on the Santa Fe school shooting, and 1st place in the Special Reports category for her story on former Jasper County Sheriff Billy Rowles and the James Byrd Jr. dragging death case.

Kimberly’s professional and personal passion has always been to connect with people, report on impactful stories, and give a voice to the voiceless. Kimberly loves her career and looks to spend many more years in Southeast Texas. 

She has worked with BBB Southeast Texas on a number of stories and reports and has graciously served as an Emcee for our Torch Awards and for our Virtual Women's Conference.

When she's not working,  Kimberly LOVES to eat, listen to music, travel, read, volunteer, and host different events. She's ready to be immersed in the different communities across Southeast Texas! So, if you see her out and about, please don’t hesitate to say hi! Of course, if you have a story idea, shoot her an email at krusley@sbgtv.com

Belinda Trest is co-owner of KAT Excavation & Construction Inc, in Sour Lake. She was born & raised in Kirbyville, Texas. She entered the workforce at 14 years old as a dish washer at the Dinner Bell Café. After graduating high school, she entered nursing school where she spent the next 28 years working in the healthcare field.

Prior to working for KAT, she was a Community Resource Director for a Behavioral Hospital and assisted in the startup and developing of hospitals in Louisiana and Texas. She came on board with KAT at her husband's request and they dug their heels in to survive the great oil fallout of 2009. 

Together, they regrouped and diversified the company putting complete confidence in Their Faith, Their TEAM, Their Communities, & Extra Mile Services.  Determination and teamwork have made a steady pathway to finding success in the Construction Industry.  Together,  they have achieved and overcame obstacles gaining national recognition for KAT and Southeast Texas  from  Caterpillar & Equipment World, locally they have been the BBB Torch Award Receipts for Large Business, Texas Workforce Commission Award for Small Business Employer Finalist for Texas, Texas Workforce for Best Employer of SE Texas multiple times,  People’s Choice Award, Business Leadership for Sour Lake, Impact Award  for Hardin County, Mr. & Mrs. East Texas 2022 for community & business leadership, Numerous local, state and national recognition for safety achievements from the AGC and Work Comp Group.  Most importantly an accredited member of the BBB for SETX with and “A” plus rating since 1992.

Belinda has been a keynote speaker for the local AGC, sat on the board for the JNPHD, Hardin Count Strong Board, Executive Board for the BBB, Ambassador to Lumberton Chamber of Commerce, Events committee with AGC, works with Long Term Recovery post Harvey, volunteered with The American Cancer Society and for 5 years worked with Christus on Women's expo for Jasper & Tyler County as well as several other community organizations.

Kerry & Belinda's true heartbeats are for their family of 5 children and 8 grandchildren, family is everything, being mindful, your work and home communities are your family as well. The balance, you must give to receive.

Michelle Brewer works in the Hardin County Office of Emergency Management  as the Disaster Recovery Director under the direction of County Judge Wayne McDaniel. She is the Executive Director for Hardin County Strong, the recognized 501c3 non-profit organization that leads individual assistance long term recovery following a disaster. For the last 3 years Michelle has been working to help individuals and families rebuild their homes and lives after Harvey. 

Prior to her tenure with Hardin County, Michelle worked in the non-profit realm with Better Business Bureau serving Southeast Texas and the Julie Rogers Gift of Life Program.  Michelle enjoys staying involved with local community and hometown projects and participates in various volunteer efforts. Most rewarding is her involvement with the children’s bus ministry at First Pentecostal Church of Silsbee. In 2019 Michelle accepted an appointment to the Disaster Leadership Team, a national volunteer group of recovery leaders that deploy to disaster impacted areas across the United States to offer training, mentorship and support at no cost.

Michelle lives in Silsbee with her husband of 31 years, Justice of the Peace Charles Brewer.Together they have 4 grown, married, successful children, Chad, Kaylee, Blake, Dollie, and 9 grandchildren. Michelle believes that any successes she may have are due to God’s grace, the Christian leadership of her pastor and church, and the people God has put in her life to help shape, mentor and inspire her to do good with the talents and resources she has been given. 

“God has given me opportunities that I didn't earn or deserve, but most of all He has given me a
good life. It’s my responsibility to serve others, much in the way I have been served.”

Michelle says the greatest treasures in her life are her children and their families. She’s looking forward to their next Brewer family vacation at Disney World, which she says is as close to perfect as life can get!

Meg Baertl Brown was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania. She made her way to Southeast Texas with her family in 1995.
She received her Bachelors in Nursing from UTMB Galveston and has been a nurse for 14 years in the pediatric, obstetrics and gynecology and hospice fields. Meg graduated from Lamar University in 2015 with her Masters in Nursing Administration. She is currently a case manager at Compassion Hospice and is working towards her post-master’s family nurse practitioner certificate at West Coast University.

Meg was nominated as a Houston Chronicle’s Salute to Nurses 150 Outstanding Nurses in 2015, a Southeast Texas 40 under 40 Professional nominee in 2017, and a member of Lamar University’s Alumni
Advisory board from 2017-2020. She was crowned as Ms. United America Petite 2019. She recently graduated from Leadership Beaumont program in 2020 and has served on several local non-profit boards including the ARC of Greater Beaumont and Sea Rim Striders. She is currently on the board of the Rainbow Room of Orange and Orange Community Players. Meg is the Rotary Club of Bridge City-Orangefield President Elect, CASA advocate, Junior League of Beaumont sustainer, Service League of Orange member and is on the planning committees for both the Beaumont Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Southeast Texas Out of the Darkness Experience for 2020. Meg was on the BBB’s Southeast Texas Women’s Conference Planning Committee and a conference volunteer in 2019.

In 2019, Meg started the PeriodPower Pantry to provide period products to the girls and women of Southeast Texas. She collects donations from the community and assembles the period packs which includes menstrual pads, tampons, deodorant, hand sanitizer, body wipes, and an inspirational card. She has delivered over 200 packs to local high schools, nonprofits, and has recently made packs to aid in the Hurricane Laura relief.

Jennifer Burch was raised in Southeast Texas. She is the CEO and Founder of Best Hospice Care of Texas.

Jennifer has been in the hospice industry since she was 9 years old, working in her family business growing up and volunteering with her paternal grandparents serving in a nursing home ministry program.  She
has served professionally in hospice the last 19 years, making it her mission to advocate and educate about hospice and healthcare services available to our aging community. 
 
Jennifer is a servant leader and serves on the board of the Anayat House, the board of the Better Business Bureau Serving Southeast Texas, a member of the Speakers Bureau for the Alzheimer’s Association, member of the Beaumont Rotary Club, member of BNI, volunteers with the American Heart
Association, American Cancer Society, Gift of Life, Nutrition and Services for Seniors, and Symphony League of Southeast Texas. Supporter of CASA of the Sabine Neches Region, Orange Service League, and the United Way of Orange and Beaumont. Jennifer was awarded 2017 40 under 40 by the Southeast Texas Young Professionals Organization, a 2013 Leadership Beaumont and 2013 Leadership Southeast Texas graduate.  Best Hospice Care of Texas was awarded the 2019 BBB Torch Award - Large Business Category. 
 
Jennifer is married to Chris Burch, whom were set up via blind date by their grandparents, and wed during Hurricane Ike. They have two beautiful daughters Madison (17) and Gracie (10), and three dogs a
Bulldog named Breezy, a Goldendoodle named Maximus, and a Berniedoodle named Moose.

Dena Gray Hughes serves as the CEO of TAN Healthcare, a Federally Qualified Health Center, providing primary care, behavioral health services and medical care management to residents of Southeast Texas. Mrs. Hughes served as Executive Director for a couple of years before being named Chief Executive Officer.  Under her leadership, TAN Healthcare has doubled in size and become a comprehensive family health center offering primary medical and behavioral health services for people of all ages.

Dena has over 20 years of successful nonprofit/government management, advocacy and consulting experience. Prior to joining TAN Healthcare, Dena led the housing services division for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. She was executive director for Bread of Life, Inc.,and director of advocacy for People with AIDS Coalition Houston. She also started Concept 2 Resource, a consulting firm that focuses on non-profit organizational management. She has conducted hundreds of presentations and hosted her own radio show. In 2011, Dena was named a recipient of President Obama’s CHAMPION OF CHANGE AWARD and was recognized locally with her own “Dena Gray” day on June 24th by Houston Mayor Annise Parker. And in 2016, Hughes was named Pride Houston’s Ally Grand Marshall.

In 2016, Mrs. Hughes relocated to Beaumont from Houston, Texas, to join the organization, while also graduating two children from the first class of Beaumont United High School in 2018.  Her family roots go deep in the Beaumont community, her family being a part of the farming settlers in the Pear Orchard in the early 1900's.  She currently lives in the house her great-grandfather built with her husband, Daniel and their three dogs.  Mrs. Hughes is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Epsilon Theta Omega Chapter, Port Arthur, Texas and a member of the Beaumont Rotary Club.  

Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Shawn attended Hardin Jefferson High School and went on to earn her BS in Psychology and minor in Marketing at Texas A&M. She joined the family business, Howell Furniture, in 1998 and in 2013 her mother, Carol Brantley, passed down her share of the company. She’s served on multiple boards over the years, including the Shorkey Center and Christus SETX Foundation and has been a BBB Board Member since 2005, and was Board Chairman for 2015. Howell Furniture makes many contributions to local nonprofits and plays an active role in the SETX Community, recently and notably in their Hurricane Harvey and Tropical Depression Imelda recovery efforts. Shawn has also been a mentor with the Leadership Beaumont program and Howell was the 2004 BBB Torch Award recipient. Shawn is very proud to be a part of the 3^rd generation running this locally owned and operated family business that is celebrating their 60^th anniversary.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Gisela immigrated to the U.S in 1950 and has since become a pillar in the SETX community. With 25 years’ experience in insurance, she also has an extensive background in accounting, tax and financial planning and was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in the Business and Finance category. Gisela currently sits on several boards, including the Lamar University Foundation, the Lamar State College-Orange Foundation and the Lutcher Theater. She is a past Board member, Chairman and Founding Member of many SETX organizations including CASA of Orange County, Leadership SETX and BBB of Southeast Texas. Gisela has received many honors and accolades including Citizen of the Year by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce and the Frances Monk Award for Leadership. The Houseman Company was the 2009 recipient of the BBB Torch Award.

After graduating with a MS in International Marketing, Rebekah Maxwell started her own consulting business, ReStep Marketing, in 2013.  She works with businesses and non-profit organizations to build a positive online presence. While continuing her business, Rebekah also started working at Lamar University in 2015 as the Reaud Honors College Coordinator.  This past May, she accepted the position of Director of Scholarships working with a new team. Rebekah keeps busy between her work at Lamar and her own business. She remains highly involved in organizations such as the Rotary Club of Beaumont, the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Beaumont, the National Collegiate Honors Council, Phi Kappa Phi, and Southeast Texas Young Professionals.  She prioritizes volunteer opportunities because she enjoys serving others on local and international levels. Rebekah is a long time supporter of BBB Southeast Texas and is a 2020 BBB Spark Award nominee.

Mrs. Kathryn Veal is the founder and CEO and Head Instructor of Kathryn's Music Academy in Beaumont. She studied Music Theory at Berklee College of Music and attended Lamar University for Child Care Development.  Mrs. Veal began her practice of the piano, organ and keyboard at the age of 4 and at 7 began playing for her father’s church. She has taught music to kids and adults for over 20 years, with a gift of teaching those with special needs. She’s played many great venues including Beaumont’s Julie Rogers Theater and has played for churches throughout Houston, Beaumont and Maryland. She has the distinct honor of playing for Dr. Castile Colbert Jr., pastor of The Gospel of Jesus Christ Church, for over 27 years and has shared the stage with the likes of Dr. Cindy Trimm and Benny Hinn. Mrs. Veal’s vision at Kathryn's Music Academy is to create a peaceful and diverse environment; to provide a positive atmosphere wherein they develop and enrich natural musical talent. Kathryn’s Music Academy has proudly promoted their BBB Accreditation for 10 years.