Movers and Shakers
Names and Face of New and Recently Promoted
Business Executives in the Lake Houston Area
Shannon McGraw Carr, Publisher/ Regional Advisor, and Mental Health Peer Support Specialist
Decided Excellence Catholic Media Publisher Shannon McGraw’s venture into the world of publishing began Oct. 2020 with her first publication, Kingwood Catholic, with Atascocita, Humble Catholic, New Caney and Porter Catholic magazines to follow.
Carr, who has a Master’s in Creative Writing from the University of Houston, is the executive director and founder of Hopeful Hearts Ministry, a 501 c3 non-profit aiding in the long-term recovery of survivors of abuse, and she is certified in Mental Health Peer Support. She is the author of the three books Exposed, Redeemed and Reclaimed.
Carr has spoken across the United States at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia and Madrid, Spain addressing the realities and effects of abuse in our culture and the graces faith provides for one’s healing journey. McGraw was CBS Houston’s featured author and has been a featured columnist with Choose-Now Ministries.com, featured on Charismamag.com, SpiritledWoman.com, CatholicLane.com, Lifestyle & Charity magazine and Catholic Women’s magazine. McGraw is a co-chair for the Partnership Lake Houston Ambassadors and she has served as an Ambassador for two years
www.HopefulHeartsMinistry.org
www.DecidedExcellence.com
Shannon McGraw Carr
Shannon McGraw Carr • Hopeful Hearts Ministry
Dr. Destry Dokes
In September 2019, Dr. Destry Dokes was named Executive Director of the San Jacinto College Generation Park Campus in Houston, Texas.
Dokes holds a Doctorate in Business Administration-Leadership from Walden University. Prior to San Jacinto College, he served as the Interim President Houston Community College Northeast, College Operations Officer for Houston Community College Northwest and Director of Operations and Department Administrator for the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Dokes is President of the Summer Creek Rotary Club and is Board Chair - Lake Houston YMCA, Chair - Partnership Lake Houston Summer Creek Bizcom and is a member of the board of the Society of Justice and Equality for the People of Sugarland (S.O.J.E.S).
His education includes a Masters Business Administration (LeTourneau University) and Bachelor of Science in Accounting (Southern University). His certifications include Lean Six-Sigma Black Belt (San Jacinto College), Certified Agile Leadership (Harvard University), Certified Complex Decision-Making (Cornell University), among others.
sanjac.edu
Elisabeth Chandler, Sales,
Minutemen Press
On January 2022, Elisabeth Chandler took on a new position in sales for her family’s business at Minutemen Press in Humble, Texas.
Chandler shares the company won small business of the year with Partnership Lake Houston in 2022, and won the Minuteman Press International quality award in 2022.
Chandler previously worked as a private event coordinator at Clubs of Kingwood from Sept 2019 - December 2021.
Since joining the business, Chandler has been a member of the Kingwood Business Women committee, Lake Houston Young Professionals committee and In-the-Pink committee as well as chair of the Partnership Lake Houston Commerce, Conversation, and Coffee (CCC) committee.
As a family owned and operated business, Chandler shares her goal is to continue the legacy of community involvement, and support of local charities and fundraising groups that her grandparents established for themselves in the community.
humble.minutemanpress.com
Minuteman Press Humble
Christa Elyce, CEO of Houston Studio ®
& Founder of Kingwood Business Women™
Christa Elyce became CEO of Houston Studio in 2020, followed by her founding of Kingwood Business Women, an association for businesswomen in Kingwood, Texas, in 2021.
Houston Studio is a marketing and branding agency, providing services that range from photography and cinematic video to public relations, website design, event marketing and more.
Elyce has specialized in marketing and brand imagery, including strategy concepts, for more than a decade. As an award-winning commercial photographer, Elyce works alongside the Houston Studio team of creative experts to create elevated content for hundreds of businesses in the Houston corporate, tech start-up, and entrepreneurial arenas.
As a native Houstonian, Elyce aims to uplift entrepreneurship in the region by introducing a confluence of local subject matter experts to facilitate brand and accelerated growth.
In fulfilling the mission of the Kingwood Business Women Association, she strives to connect women to business education and marketing workshop opportunities, as well as a host of networking events for local entrepreneurs and professionals.
Elyce is an ambassador of the Partnership Lake Houston, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and the Professional Photographers Association. With a passion for enhancing her community, Elyce is the marketing and branding committee head of the In the Pink foundation and committee head for H-Town Dream Center.
www.houstonstudio.com
www.kingwoodbusinesswomen.org
@HoustonStudio_
@kingwoodbusinesswomen
@KBWOrg
Asdrubal “Dru” Gutierez, Harris County Municipal Utility (MUD) 152 Vice President
Asdrubal “Dru” Gutierez was named Harris County Municipal Utility (MUD) 152 Vice President July 2022. He brings more than 12 years of community development experience to the position.
Gutierez, who is a board member at Partnership Lake Houston, attended the University of Houston, and received a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the College of Education. He is a graduate of Humble ISD Community Leadership Academy, Leadership North Houston, and Leadership Lake Houston.
In 2021, he was named Partnership Lake Houston Top 4 under 40.
Gutierez has served on the Partnership Lake Houston Board of Directors for three years, where he has chairs the Transportation Committee and past-chair of Atascocita BizCom. He has also served on the Humble ISD Education Foundation Board of Directors for one year, where he serves on the governance, grants, and rodeo committees.
Gutierez has also previously chaired the Humble ISD 2022 Bond Political Action Committee, is a member of the Humble ISD Citizen Advisory committee, and a former board chair of the Aldine-Greenspoint YMCA.
druforhumbleisd.com
https://www.facebook.com/druforhumbleisd
https://www.linkedin.com/in/asdrubalgutierrez
Kristina Mentakis, Senior Marketing Specialist, Memorial Hermann Northeast
Kristina Mentakis joined the Memorial Hermann team as a Senior Marketing Specialist in January 2022. She brings more than seven years of progressive experience in field-level marketing to Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital. In her role, Kristina balances internal and external communications, community outreach, special events and more. Her passion for connecting with others and fostering an inclusive environment has led her to serve as a member of Partners in Caring, and as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Champion at Memorial Hermann Northeast.
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Nonprofit and Developmental Marketing from Baylor University and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing and Healthcare from Rice University. Kristina previously served as a nonvoting member on the boards for Girl Scouts of San Jacinto County and Rice Business Partners. She currently serves as the Engagement Chair for Lake Houston Young Professionals.
memorialhermann.org
https://www.linkedin.com/company/memorialhermann/
https://www.facebook.com/MemorialHermann/
@memorialhermann