Top 30 Woman 2018

Page 68

d-mars.com Top 30 Influential Women of Houston

Barbara Harris Curtis Founder and President, RARE Pearls, Inc.

to equip and empower under-served girls to navigate and overcome the hardships, negative media images and other risk factors impacting their futures. With her visionary leadership, RARE Pearls provides life skills and college readiness training, an annual girls’ conference, college scholarships and a first-year college mentoring program. Curtis recognizes the importance of positive role models. Her mother, grandmother, teachers and others invested immeasurably in her future, and she is committed to doing likewise for other young women and girls. Though young in its existence as an organization, Curtis’ visionary leadership has had a tremendous impact on RARE Pearls, Inc. To date, through its 2-year mentoring program, the organization has graduated two classes, awarded over $60,000 in college scholarships, and provided laptop computers, luggage and dorm room necessities to each of the program graduates. The tangible success of the program was recently evidenced in the poised and heart-rendering speech of a 2018 graduate who stated, “My words used to be ‘I can’t…I don’t…and I won’t’, but today, thanks to RARE Pearls, my words are ‘I CAN…I DO…and I WILL!”

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Curtis has received numerous awards and recognitions for her service to the Houston community and beyond, including the Houston Independent School District, inaugural “Mayor’s History Makers Award” Windsor Village United Methodist Church presented by Mayor Sylvester Turner and and J.P. Morgan Chase. She currently serves Comcast. in full-time ministry at Lakewood Church in Though her personal and professional Houston, Texas. accomplishments are many, nothing drives Deeply disturbed by evidence of a steady Curtis more than her desire to live out decline in the confidence, self-respect, God’s purpose and plan for her life.

arbara H. Curtis is passionately committed to equipping and inspiring individuals to experience purpose and victory in every area of their lives. This commitment and the belief that people are “blessed to be a blessing” are the motivation behind her mission to serve. values and positive aspirations of young Curtis’ diverse gifts and roles include girls, Curtis founded RARE Pearls, Inc. in minister, author, motivational speaker, 2014. The vision for the RARE Pearls high mentor and community leader. Her school mentoring program personifies the professional background includes over 30 charge of the late Dr. Maya Angelou, “When years in education, leadership development, you learn, teach; when you get, give.” teambuilding and public relations with Through RARE Pearls, Curtis is committed corporations and organizations including to working with other dedicated women 66

Top 30 Influential Women of Houston 2018

Barbara Harris Curtis Founder and President RARE Pearls, Inc. 1302 Waugh Dr. Houston, TX 77019 713-256-2586 www.rarepearls.org barbara@rarepearls.org


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Articles inside

Shawn Emerson Simmons, PhD.................................. Environmental and Permitting Manager, ExxonMobil Chemical Company

2min
pages 162-163

Heidi McDonald Smith............................................... Chief of Staff, Texas Southern University

2min
pages 166-167

Maya P. Thornton....................................................... Director, Supplier Diversity, University of Houston HUB

1min
pages 168-169

Cindi Salas................................................................ Director, Purchasing and Logistics, CenterPoint Energy

1min
pages 160-161

Michelle Riley-Brown................................................. Executive Vice President, Texas Children’s Hospital

2min
pages 153-155

Tiko Reynolds-Hausman.............................................President and CEO, TKO Biz Solutions

2min
page 152

Stacey M. Parker-Blake .............................................. Director of Behavioral Health Services, Amerigroup Texas

3min
pages 150-151

Amber Newman........................................................ Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Club of Brazoria County

2min
pages 142-143

Jalene Mack, Esq....................................................... Entertainment Attorney, Actress, Producer, Author, Playwright & Founder, Mack Performing Arts Collective Maria Emee Mendoza-Nisnisan ................................. CEO, Acacia Medical Research Institute LLC and Medical Practice Administrator: Royal Oaks Medical Home

1min
page 132

Constance Jones ....................................................... Vice President of Operations, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council

2min
pages 128-129

Mary Griffin .............................................................. Grammy-Nominated Artist and Owner, Mahogany Entertainment, LLC

2min
pages 118-119

Staci Taylor Fullmighter.............................................. Officer of Student Assessment, Houston Independent School District (HISD

2min
pages 116-117

Melissa Edwards ....................................................... Executive Director, Central South Texas, American Diabetes Association

2min
pages 76-77

Brenda Erickson ........................................................ Director, Corporate Supply Chain, ConocoPhillips and Board Chair, Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance

2min
pages 78-79

Gaynell Floyd Drexler................................................. Corporate Attorney and Community Advocate

2min
pages 74-75

Tiffany Massie Davis, MSN, RN................................... CEO, E-PIC Training Center, Inc

2min
pages 72-73

Barbara Harris Curtis ................................................. Founder and President, RARE Pearls, Inc

2min
pages 68-69

Helen Conte.............................................................. Senior Vice President/Group Manager – Business Banking, Comerica Bank

1min
pages 66-67

Dr. Betty N. Adams.....................................................Professor and Dean, College of Nursing, Prairie View A&M University

2min
pages 36-39

Ann Harris Bennett.................................................... Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar, Harris County, Texas

2min
page 58

Dannette K. Davis...................................................... Principal, Kay Davis Associates LLC

2min
pages 70-71

Cheryl D. Creuzot ...................................................... President and Chief Executive Officer, Wealth Development Strategies, LLC

3min
pages 44-45

Dr. Alma A. Allen........................................................State Representative, Texas House of Representatives, District 131

2min
pages 40-41

Merele Yarborough.................................................... Philanthropist and Community Service Advocate

2min
pages 49-51
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