News

Mustafa Tameez, Class XXX, Founder & Managing Director, Outreach Strategists, LLC, wrote a post featured in his Houston Chronicle blog, In the Loop, about ALF's upcoming Joseph Jaworski Leadership Award event honoring Randy and Sue Sim and Daniel W. Snare.

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic started, the American Leadership Forum provided a safe space for leaders to access the support that they need, to assist the organizations that rely on them.  Being a leader can be lonely and feel scary at times, especially when circumstances are constantly changing and creating new challenges. Many times, it is assumed, that leaders “know all” and can somehow handle “it all”.  The American Leadership Forum was created to bring together diverse leaders to explore their personal leadership capacity, build deep trust among the group, help each leader, and discover new possibilities. 

When the pandemic started it became apparent that an additional kind of help was needed to support leaders during these increasingly uncertain times.  ALF “Deep” Check-ins were created to provide a safe space where senior level leaders can share feelings, fears, and anxieties and talk about how they are navigating during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Many leaders in the American Leadership Forum network have participated in several hour-long programs in which they are invited to “Check-in” and share what is on their mind and to listen to others.  Some sessions have also included brief meditations and readings.

Lisa Caruthers, Criminal Justice 5, Director, Cooperative for After-School Enrichment (CASE) and a participant in a “Deep” Check-in shared, “Leadership during this Pandemic has been a challenging journey. Never before have I had to lead my team, my children and myself through on-going and ever evolving trauma.  I initially hesitated to use the word trauma in association with myself. In my mind, that term only applied to those directly impacted by illness, job-loss or the sudden removal from their teachers and friends. Participation in the ALF "Deep" Check-in gave me...

Since our founding, the American Leadership Forum Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter has stood for and worked for inclusion and equity. We oppose and denounce racism, discrimination and injustice in all its forms both overt and implicit. The murder of George Floyd and other African Americans has devastated our community. Yet this tragic injustice has called every one of us, not just in Houston, but across our country and around the world to take a stand and demand meaningful and permanent change.  To respond, ALF has begun by taking the following actions:

Cristina Vetrano, Class XLIX, will assume the role as CEO of Ronald McDonald House Houston, effective August 17 and is featured in an article in the Houston Business Journal about her new role.

Tell us a bit about your career and about yourself….

I am the proud daughter of immigrants from Latin America who came to this country in the early 70’s seeking better opportunities for themselves. Thanks to this brave decision, I was fortunate to be born in the US and benefit from all this country has to offer – a great education, career, quality of life and best of all are the amazing friendships I’ve developed throughout my life.

I decided early in my career that I wanted my work to count and to have meaning which is why I’ve dedicated myself to working in the nonprofit sector for the past 20 years.  I have spent most of my career serving low income youth and adults and helping to create pathways to career opportunities.  Immediately before joining the ALF team, I served as the Executive Director of TEACH, an education-based, nonprofit organization co-founded by Susan Sarofim and serving Houston’s public schools. Prior to that, I worked with SERJobs serving as their as the Executive Director & CEO for nearly a decade.

When I am not working, I love to....

Christina Morales, Class XLII, State Representative, District 145, Texas House of Representatives and CEO/President, Felix H. Morales Funeral Home, was featured in a story on abc13.com entitled, "How the pandemic is impacting this East End funeral home".

Laura Murillo, Class XXVIII, President & CEO, Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, wrote an op-ed that appeared in the Houston Business Journal entitled, "Time to walk the walk in the fight for equality".