Dorothy Zayatz Baker is Professor Emerita in the Department of English at the University of Houston. During her career at the university, she published five scholarly books and many articles, taught courses in the fields of early American literature and translation theory, held multiple administrative positions, and was an invited speaker at national and international conferences. Dorothy is a first-generation American who speaks French and Russian. Originally from upstate New York, she and her husband, Larry, have lived in Houston for more than 40 years where they raised their two children. They now have the joy of three grandchildren. Passionate about the Red Cross mission, Dorothy is also a Tiffany Circle member for our Region.

Lance is currently Vice Chair with the Greater Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross. Professionally, Lance has over 25 years of experience in talent acquisition and human capital consulting. Lance is currently Vice President of Talent Acquisition with J.B. Poindexter & Co., a private-equity business with a portfolio of businesses that manufacture commercial truck bodies. Prior to join J.B. Poindexter & Co., Lance spent a number of years with consulting and executive search firms such as Ernst & Young, Heidrick & Struggles and Maxwell Drummond International. Lance received his MBA from Texas A&M University.  Personally, Lance is the father of twin daughters who are both attending Texas A&M.

Todd Denton is Senior Vice President of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and Field Operations Support for Phillips 66, a diversified energy company. Denton has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, with an extensive background in pipeline and terminal projects and operations.

Before his current role, Denton held a series of leadership positions in Midstream for Phillips 66, most recently as Vice President of Midstream Operations.

Denton previously worked for NuStar Energy as Vice President, Pipeline & Terminal Operations. He spent the majority of his early career with Diamond Shamrock and Valero in various engineering positions related to pipeline and terminal projects.

He serves on the board of directors of DCP Midstream, LP and the American Red Cross Greater Houston Chapter. Denton previously served on the board of directors of the Liquids Energy Pipeline Association and on the U.S. DOT Technical Advisory Committee, appointed by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao in 2017.

Denton earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 1986. He later earned a Master of Science degree in Finance and Economics in 1996 from West Texas A&M University.

Tim Glowa, author of "Smart Board Governance for the AI Revolution" (2023), is a former Big 4 consultant and equity partner with expertise in Human Capital (Compensation), Strategy, and ESG. He has been a strategic advisor to executives and Boards across various sectors, championing the "voice of the employee." His global influence has empowered organizations to make informed decisions on employee attraction, retention, rewards, engagement, development, and off-boarding. Mr. Glowa has counseled C-suite executives and boards across diverse industries, emphasizing data-driven decision-making.

As a renowned thought leader in marketing, human capital, strategy, transformation, and ESG, he currently spearheads an HR-focused artificial intelligence (AI) startup. Mr. Glowa previously served as an equity Partner at Grant Thornton, where he launched the Employee Listening and Human Capital Analytics practice, helping clients navigate the pandemic's workforce challenges. His role as an Executive Director at Ernst & Young centered on addressing critical talent issues. Additionally, he's a successful entrepreneur who raised venture capital, established a marketing and human capital analytics consulting firm, and successfully sold it to Deloitte. He earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Calgary and an M.B.A. from the New York Institute of Technology.

Mr. Glowa's commitment to education shines through his engagements with the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), where he educates Independent Directors on human capital considerations, employee turnover risks, low engagement, and culture alignment. He collaborates primarily with the Human Capital, Compensation, ESG, or Strategy Committees and possesses experience with the Nominating Committee. His qualifications include an International Board Director Competency Designation (IBDC.D) from M. A. Pfister Strategy Group, membership in the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), and completion of Wharton Business School's Executive Education Certificate in Corporate Governance for Board Directors. Additionally, he holds a Global ESG BoardCertification (GCB.D) in Environmental, Social, and Governance from Competent Boards.

Bruce Robinson has been a key figure in the field of global security, technology, and leadership development for nearly two decades. His extensive experience includes diplomacy work within the US federal government and the development of global corporate security and cybersecurity programs in the private sector. Bruce is currently based in Houston, Texas, but his global experiences have greatly enriched his life.

In his role at Microsoft, Bruce heads the Security Incentives & Partnerships team within the Microsoft Security Response Center. This initiative is crucial for driving innovation and collaboration among security researchers, security software providers, and Microsoft's experts. The programs Bruce leads are designed to empower cybersecurity professionals to explore new frontiers and safeguard digital environments worldwide.

Bruce began his career in the Foreign Service of the US government, where he advanced through the ranks to eventually join the ranks of corporate executives. His innovative approach has revitalized traditional security programs, transforming them into proactive, risk-based strategies that enable businesses to operate securely and successfully.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Bruce is passionate about mentoring individuals and teams. He believes that effective security and leadership practices are essential for success in any setting. Bruce is dedicated to promoting growth and resilience, whether he's advising a startup or a multinational corporation.

In his personal time, Bruce is committed to preserving his multilingual abilities and pursuing his varied interests. He enjoys capturing moments with his camera, engaging in outdoor activities, and giving back to his community by volunteering with Non-profit organizations and serving those in need.

Sarah Smith is a driven executive with success leading high-performing teams in complex environments exceed customer and stakeholder commitments. She has steered large-scale organizations from an impactful vision to actionable and sustainable change strategies across diverse industry and business models.

With an operational excellence foundation in manufacturing leadership, Sarah has proven her ability as a multi-faceted leader of global functions such as P&L ownership, safety, quality, supply chain, procurement, and continuous improvement. Sarah is valued as a leader who cuts through ambiguity to define meaningful, ambitious goals. She cultivates a shared sense of ownership amongst her team and across the organization with her pragmatic approach to deliver results.

Sarah was recently appointed Chief Operating Officer of Novo Logistics. She is trusted to guide the logistics and warehouse solution provider through strategic growth. Sarah was recruited to W.R. Grace as Chief Procurement Officer in 2022 to help lead the company’s enterprise transformation and professionalize the function. She applied her prior experiences to reset on foundational procurement processes and establish a comprehensive strategy to best-in-class performance.

Sarah was recognized by Purdue University as an Outstanding Mechanical Engineer in 2022 and was inducted into the Professional Practice (formally Co-operative Education) Hall of Fame in 2017. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and completed her Executive Master of Business Administration through Texas A&M University.

Brian Suggs is HP’s Vice President, Personal Systems Operations Quality. In his present role Brian is responsible for quality assurance across the enterprise’s global network of manufacturing sites, original design manufacturers and contract manufacturers.

In his previous role at Rockwell Automation Brian served as the Senior Director of Quality, responsible for multiple organizations including Product Quality, Customer Quality and Supplier Quality. His teams worked to ensure that all Services & Solutions, Components, Hardware and Software products met all necessary requirements & standards.

Brian has had success implementing and improving Quality systems in several different industries including Automotive, Commercial Vehicles, Automation and major Components.

He is a senior quality / operations executive with a record of success driving Customer Quality, Advanced Product Quality, Supplier Quality and Operations Quality – to reduce cost and improve customer satisfaction.

Throughout his career, Brian has established new customer quality and supplier quality departments, drove quality in the new product development process, and implemented quality management systems, corrective action preventative action systems, inspection standards, and supplier performance improvements.

Brian earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Industrial Business/Manufacturing Management from Kettering University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Operations Management from Phoenix University. He is active in multiple professional organizations; National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), American Society of Quality association (ASQ) and performs volunteer work for several organizations; including serving on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross.

Kani Udoh is a Corporate Finance Leader in the Energy Industry. She has over 15years of Corporate Finance experience with expertise in Treasury Management, Investment Analysis & Management, Financial Planning & Budgeting, Internal Audit & Controls, Risk Management, and Process Optimization. She also had the opportunity to hone her advisory skills early in her career providing Pro-bono advisory on Fundraising strategy and Board development to non-profit Boards in the Washington, DC area through Compass Pro Bono, an organization that seeks to forge ties between nonprofits and local professionals to empower thriving communities. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Kani believes that to whom much is given, much is required, and that deeply interconnected communities are thriving, equitable and resilient communities. She seeks to bring these important skills she has acquired through her academic and corporate experiences to the service of others, while also establishing deep connections with her community. She currently serves as a volunteer mentor with Tamina youth outreach and as an active advisor on her church Welfare and Building committees.

Audrey Zheng is a senior at Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts in the classical piano department and hopes to pursue a public health degree next fall! She started with the Red Cross in 2021 as a volunteer screener for the youth, but soon gained more involvement, joining the IHL Youth Action Campaign, the Youth Service Council, the Field Ambassador program, and more!