Our Board

  • Gloria Moncada brings more than 33 years of leadership experience at ExxonMobil, where she held a variety of senior roles before retiring in 2025 as a Vice President overseeing refinery and chemical manufacturing operations across the Midwest and Canada. Her career included assignments throughout the United States and Asia, giving her a global perspective and extensive experience leading diverse organizations and communities.

    Throughout her career, Gloria has been deeply committed to education and community service. She served on the Board of the Torrance Education Foundation in California, sponsored the North Baton Rouge Industrial Training Initiative, chaired the Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, and served as Education Subcommittee Chair for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce.

    Since retiring, Gloria has dedicated much of her time to community service. In addition to serving as Board Chair of Minds Matter Houston, she is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for Better ATX, participates in Rotary, and volunteers with For Goodness Cakes, baking birthday cakes for children in foster care.

    Gloria's commitment to Minds Matter Houston's mission is deeply personal. As a first-generation college student herself, she understands the transformative power of education and the opportunities that can be created when talented young people have access to mentorship, guidance, and support. She is passionate about helping students achieve their college aspirations, break the cycle of generational poverty, and build pathways to successful futures.

    Gloria earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University. She is married to Guillermo, and they are the proud parents of twin sons, both of whom are engineers.

  • Marshall is a Vice President in the Global Natural Resources Group at Goldman Sachs. He is focused on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising for clients in the Energy sector. He joined Goldman Sachs in 2018. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Marshall was an Associate in the Natural Resources Group at Deutsche Bank, and an equity research analyst at Guggenheim Partners, where he covered the oil & gas exploration and production sector. Marshall earned his B.A. degree in Government from Georgetown University.

  • Amar is a Managing Director and Partner in L.E.K. Consulting’s Houston office. Amar is a founding member of the firm’s Sustainability Centre of Excellence, drawing together best practices and strategic insights from the firm’s sectors and geographies to support organizations as they work to meet the challenges of—and identify opportunities related to—climate change and the broader sustainability agenda.

    Prior to joining L.E.K., Amar was an engagement manager on the energy team at Strategy& | PwC, and an equity research analyst for Guggenheim Partners, where he covered the oilfield services sector. He began his career in solar power development. Amar earned his B.A. degree in Engineering from Lafayette College. He earned M.S. degrees from the Colorado School of Mines and IFP School.

  • Shonta’ Greenwood is a proven leader with over two decades of experience driving operational excellence and building high-performing teams. Her career journey reflects a commitment to innovation, process improvement, and empowering others to succeed.

    Born near New Orleans and raised in Houston, Shonta’ demonstrated leadership early on as high school class president and an accomplished athlete. She earned an electrical engineering degree from Prairie View A&M University, where she captained the basketball team and maintained the highest GPA among college athletes. Beyond her academic achievements, Shonta’ played professional women’s football, leading her team to two World Championships as a starting running back.

    Her passion for education and mentorship is deeply personal. Shonta’ believes strongly in creating opportunities for students to unlock their potential—values that align perfectly with Minds Matter’s mission to bridge resource gaps and prepare students for success.

    “Potential is universal—opportunity is not. Let’s change that.”

  • Vanessa Kohn is a Corporate Affairs and Communications Associate at Sempra Infrastructure, where she leads employee engagement initiatives, social investment efforts and community partnerships that connect the company with organizations making a meaningful impact in the communities it serves. Through her work, Vanessa has managed more than $2 million in social investments across Houston and San Diego and helped create opportunities for employees to support nonprofits focused on education, environmental restoration, youth development and food insecurity.

    Vanessa began her relationship with Minds Matter Houston as a volunteer after connecting with the organization's mission and the impact it creates for local students. She later reengaged with the nonprofit through SI's Give & Grow Grant program, which recognizes employees who volunteer with causes meaningful to them by awarding grants to qualifying nonprofits. She is passionate about building partnerships that strengthen communities and create lasting positive change.

    Vanessa holds a BBA in International Business and Management from Loyola University Chicago and is an active leader in the Junior League of Houston. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring Houston and spending time with family

  • Tanisha L. Lee is a retired educational leader with over 30 years of experience dedicated to advancing student achievement, developing educators, and transforming school communities across Texas. Throughout her distinguished career, she served in a variety of leadership roles, including campus principal, where she led school improvement initiatives, strengthened instructional practices, and cultivated cultures of excellence, accountability, and equity.

    Known for her strategic leadership and unwavering commitment to student success, Tanisha has successfully guided schools through periods of significant change while mentoring teachers and aspiring administrators. Her expertise spans instructional leadership, organizational development, strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and community engagement. 

    Following her retirement from public education, Tanisha remains deeply committed to empowering the next generation of leaders by investing her time, resources, experience, and passion in organizations that strengthen communities and inspire future generations. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Minds Matter Houston and help expand low-income student access to higher education in Houston. 

    Beyond her board service, Tanisha enjoys traveling, exploring diverse cultures, discovering local restaurants and hidden gems, attending community and cultural events, and spending time with family and friends. She believes that lifelong learning happens both inside and outside the classroom and is committed to serving her community through mentorship, leadership, and volunteerism.

  • Jenn is a Project Manager in Renewable Energy at Shell. Jenn has volunteered in education for over 10 years, working with students of all ages from elementary school through high school. One of her most fulfilling experiences was mentoring a high school senior in New Orleans who went on to study nursing at a 4-year college. For that reason, Jenn joined Minds Matter in 2018 after moving to Houston because she resonated deeply with the mission and enjoyed mentoring at the high school level. Jenn has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.