MEET THE BOARD

A Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Tuere Coulter, has made her mark in medicine and has become a highly sought-after physician in the Houston and Galveston areas. She is the owner of Family & Aesthetics Medical Centers (F.A.M.) located in Pearland, TX and has been recognized as “Top Doctors In Texas” for 7 consecutive years.

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Dr. Coulter received her undergraduate degree from Tennessee State University and her Medical Doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee School of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Fort Worth, TX and an Obstetric Fellowship in Chicago, IL. Dr. Coulter has worked as faculty at Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston where she has helped to train both medical students and resident physicians for a career in medicine.

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As a Family Medicine Physician, sheenjoysaring for the entire family and creates lasting bonds with her patients. She is most proud of her own family and enjoys spending time with her wonderful husband and handsome son.

Felecia Henry is a highly skilled mental health practice manager with over 21 years of experience in business operations, employee recruitment, and marketing. She has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive revenue and enhance patient growth within the healthcare sector. Felecia is deeply committed to community service, having held significant leadership roles such as Scholarship Chairman for the Tennessee State Alumni (Houston) Chapter and Co-Chairman of Corporate Donations for the Ivy Educational and Charitable Foundation. She has also spearheaded initiatives focused on mental health and breast cancer awareness.

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Felecia earned her degree in Business Management with a minor in Mass
Communications from Tennessee State University and holds a Master’s in Business
Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Administration from Texas Southern University. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for 24 years, she is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community. Currently residing in Houston, TX, Felecia enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Waylon, and their energetic toddler, Gianna. She is enthusiastic about contributing her expertise to the Sandy Minnie Initiative.

Kimberly T. Henderson, MBA, is a proud Black Eskimo, born in Anchorage, Alaska, and raised in Atlanta/College Park, GA. She is an esteemed graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana, where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. She earned her Masters in Business Administration at Fontbonne University in St. Louis Missouri. With over 20 years of experience in the CPG industry, Kimberly has worked for top  Fortune companies such as Altria Group Inc, Reynolds American, Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s now known as Kellanova.  She has had various sales, marketing and management position throughout her career and received many notable honors and awards for her work and community service. Kimberly is a founding member of the Kellogg’s Away From Home Diversity Council, connecting people from diverse backgrounds, celebrating differences, and ensuring everyone's voice is heard. She also collaborates on multicultural marketing and community partnerships and she has been actively involved in recruiting Black and African American talent through Kellogg’s University Relations. In February 2023, she earned a certificate in Mastering Sales from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. In 2024, Kimberly joined the Retail Sales Team as an Area Sales Manager, responsible for $150M+ in assets while leading a team of sales representative, covering North and South Carolina as well as Virginia.

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Brenda Asare joined The Alford Group in 2004 and assumed the role of President & CEO in 2014. Brenda brings nearly 30 years of management and cross-sector experience and has assisted clients in raising over $2 billion, focusing on campaign execution, strategic planning, corporate partnerships, board leadership development and organizational design.

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Prior to joining The Alford Group, she was Chief Development Officer with the American Red Cross in Chicago where she led various disaster fundraising efforts raising over $100 million.

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Additionally, Brenda is Chair of the Giving Institute, the national association dedicated to thought leadership in philanthropy. Brenda is a frequent speaker on the intersection of diversity and philanthropy and has mentored many talented development professionals. In 2019, Brenda was recognized as Crain’s Notable Minorities in Consulting for her remarkable work in the nonprofit sector and Crain’s Notable Black Leaders and Executives In 2021.

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From a very young age it was clear that Ardis had the gift of gab, a way with words and a prevailing passion for people. She believed that every new kid at school needed a friend, every puppy without a home should be rescued and every underdog deserved a victory. It’s no wonder that her compassion and convictions then transformed her into the innovative and impactful fundraiser, creative and compelling communicator, and engaging and effective relationship builder she is today.  Always hungry and eager to help, Ardis decided that whenever she had a seat at any table, she would bring a hearty appetite for fairness, inclusion, innovation and resolution with her. She would also leave those around her craving the same.

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In her current leadership role at INROADS, Inc., Ardis is responsible for identifying and growing business leads and relationships with community, corporate and individual philanthropic partners that amplify internship program opportunities, cultivate career pathways and advance equity among underrepresented high school and college students.  Likewise, as CEO of CartBlanch Communications, LLC —her newly formed boutique editorial, ideation and events firm— Ms. Blanchard draws from more than 25 years’ experience to help startups, small businesses and established corporations thrive. 

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A self-assured HBCU graduate, Ardis earned her bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and a master’s from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana.) She has spent her diverse and distinguished career, which includes major roles at JET Magazine, Junior Achievement, Inc. and Morehouse College, promoting education, equity and empowerment in underserved communities; especially those impacting youth, women and African Americans.  

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The proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., is also an ASPCA Guardian, Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude and Nature Conservancy benefactor, as well as a JSU and Illini alumni supporter.

Sheliah Gray has a career in education spanning over 25 years as an administrator and most recently as an In School Suspension Facilitator with the Douglas County School System. Her experience with nonprofit organizations and public schools continue to inspire and motivate students to make wise choices – with the realization that “no decision they make affects only them”.

 

Sheliah has a degree in Business Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. She is the owner of several travelling exhibits (African Americans, Hispanic and Inspiring Women). Each exhibit showcasing the creativity and history behind commonly used items today. She lives in the metro Atlanta area with her husband and they are the proud parents of two children. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, researching information about inventions, playing table tennis and event planning.

Veronica Legette is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major with 24 years of distinguished military service and extensive professional experience in rehabilitative counseling and human resources. She is a Certified Rehabilitative Counselor with more than 12 years of experience in recruitment, retention, and career development.

 

As a Vocational Rehabilitative Counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She supported individuals in achieving sustainable employment and long-term career outcomes. Her professional background includes workforce development, career readiness, and counseling services that strengthen education-to-employment pathways and support career financial goal achievement.

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Veronica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education from North Carolina Central University, a Master of Arts in Human Resource Development from Webster University, and a Master of Arts in Rehabilitative Counseling from South Carolina State University.

 

She is retired and resides in Columbia, South Carolina, with her spouse, Preston. Although retired from formal service, she remains committed to supporting individuals seeking guidance in career development.

Alexis H. Smith is the Executive Director of New Haven Legal Assistance Association (NHLAA) a nonprofit law firm whose mission is to provide high quality legal assistance to individuals and families who cannot obtain a lawyer. Prior to becoming executive director, Alexis served as NHLAA’s Deputy Director, and before that was a staff attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid where she represented children facing denial of their educational rights.

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In addition to leading NHLAA, Alexis has served in numerous leadership roles for the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), including as Secretary of the CBA, a member of the CBA’s House of Delegates, co-chair of the CBA Task Force on Policing, a member of the CBA Awards Committee, and the Pandemic Recovery and the Future of Court Technology Task Force. She has also served as president of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association and has earned awards from The West Haven Black Coalition, Junior Achievement, New Haven Probate Court, and Gateway Community College Foundation. Committed to community service, she currently serves on a number of local non-profit boards.

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Born and raised in Connecticut, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Duke University and law degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alexis and her husband, Ken, live in Hamden and spend their time keeping up with their three incredibly active children, Carlton, Deborah, and Kayden.