Shawn Thierry, Esq., Texas State Rep. District 146

State Representative Shawn Thierry attended Westbury High School. In 1991, she obtained her Bachelors of Arts degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and received a Juris Doctorate Degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Ms. Thierry has practiced law for more than twenty-two years and founded her own civil and commercial law firm.  Presently, she is a principal of the Hardwick Law Firm, LLC.  

In her initial term in the Texas Legislature, Rep. Thierry successfully authored 48 pieces of legislation. She is recognized statewide and nationally for passing legislation to reduce the alarming maternal mortality and morbidity rates for Texas women. Representative Thierry was also named the “2017 Freshman Legislator of the Year” by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. 

She serves on the Board of Directors for Beyond Careers, and was appointed to the Houston Endowment's Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Steering Committee. Rep. Thierry was named an "Outstanding Alumni" by the Friends of Westbury Foundation, one of the Top 30 Most Influential Women of Houston.

Martha Castex-Tatum, City of Houston Council Member District K

Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum won a special election on May 5, 2018 and was sworn in as the Houston City Council Member for District K on May 16, 2018. She currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, the Economic Development Committee, the Housing and Community Affairs Committee, and the Transportation, Technology, and Infrastructure Committee.

Martha, a native Houstonian, graduated from Lamar High School in Houston ISD. She is also a graduate of Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, in San Marcos, TX, where she earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration degrees. While in San Marcos, Martha’s desire to serve wherever she lives led her to unseat a 12-year City Council incumbent, becoming the first African-American woman to be elected in the city’s history. 

Martha continued her commitment to the district she grew up in as the Director of Constituent Services for former Council Member Larry V. Green’s office in 2015.  Martha oversaw the development of the new Southwest HPD police station. Martha has also represented the Five Corners Management District meetings

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Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, President, Houston Community College-Southwest

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Partner Innovation Recognition Certificate

IRS-SPEC/VITA/TCE Program recognized the University of Houston-Downtown and Beyond Careers for Remarkable Relationships.  The certificate was signed by the National Director of SPEC for "support, dedication and commitment to building strong communities through the Volunteer Return Preparation Program."

Beyond Careers Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program has benefitted from the generosity of the Comerica Charitable Foundation with a $5,000 contribution in December 2017.  We thank @ComericaBank for all that they do in the community and congratulate them on their 20th anniversary!

#ComericaFoundation20thYear