Ms. Wheelchair Texas Board of Directors

Melody Braun - Wilds

Melody is a third generation Houstonian. She is blissfully married to Charles and they have a son Landon Schaeffer. Melody was recently a finalist for L'Oreal Paris' Women of Worth 2007-2008 contest. Melody is proud to be on the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Board. She currently is President of the Camp For All Friends Board and serves on the Board of Directors for the camp. In January she begins a board position with the Mitochondrial Disease chapter in Houston. Melody is on the board of Houston Aggie Moms and is active with the Tom’s Moms of St. Thomas High School. Melody is a Flight Attendant with Continental Airlines. She has been honored in the past for her volunteer efforts by the National Philanthropy Association. Melody considers one of her greatest actions, sponsoring a young man named Patrick form Uganda. She and her husband are helping him meet his educational goals.

Laura Collins

Laura has been described as an outspoken community advocate with a passion for helping others. The native Houstonian received her B.A. degree from Prairie View A&M University in 1974. It was during her time at Prairie View A&M University that she became affiliated Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. For more than 35 years, Laura has work to advance the organization’s mission by participating in community service projects and raising funds for scholarships and academic programming. In 1990, Laura suggested the idea of sponsoring a charitable golf tournament to benefit Julia F. Thompson Inc. In the seven years of existence the golf tournament has raised approximately $185,000 that have assisted students receive the higher education that they deserve. Laura also serves as a Board of Directors member of Julia F. Thompson Inc. As a proud graduate of Prairie A&M University she has worked diligently to highlight and raise funds for the athletic programs at her Alma Matter. Laura is an active member of the Panther Backers where she has chaired several committees and helped raise over 75,000. She has also served as the Executive Committee Chairperson for the Prairie Sports Hall of Fame for the past three years. Laura’s community service extends far beyond her Alma Matter, for 17 years she has touched hundreds of young lives through her work with the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council. Although, Ms. Collins has no biological children of her own, she has been a dedicated Troup leader, Press Representative, Service Unit Manager and Gold Award Planning committee member. Laura also spends countless hours volunteering in the Greeter’s Ministry at Covenant Glen United Methodist Church; she is a member of the Touchdown Club of Houston and serves on the Board of Directors for the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Foundation. Ms. Collins lives by the adage that “Service is the Rent we pay for living” and she has dedicated her life to serving others with hopes of leaving a legacy that will continue for years to come.

Yolanda Green

Yolanda is a community pioneer, children’s advocate and television personality. Her broadcasting career began in 1994 and includes work in both radio and television. Ms. Green currently serves as the Community Relations Director and Host of “Outlook Houston” for Houston’s CW39. During her tenure at CW39 she has worked to help empower the community through the CW39 Cares for Kids Fund by facilitating the distribution of more than nine million dollars to local non-profit agencies. She was also the driving force behind establishing a comprehensive broadcast Public Service Campaign that has helped more than 4,000 children find adoptive homes. Ms. Green’s tireless efforts on behalf of Houston’s children have brought her state, local and national recognition. Yolanda serves as President of the Foundation Board of Directors of the Children’s Assessment Center. She is an active member of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Center for Hearing and Speech Advisory Board. Yolanda also serves on the board of directors for Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas and the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Foundation. Yolanda received her degree in Broadcast Journalism from Sam Houston State University.

Lori Grubbs

Lori graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a bachelor of science in journalism. After graduation, she began her career at a local advertising and public relations agency and spent a year there gaining experience in many aspects of public relations, marketing and advertising. Shortly after leaving the agency, Lori joined The Center for Hearing and Speech, where she has spent the past 5 years. As Director of Community Relations, she coordinates the public relations and marketing efforts of the Center. Lori has been a board member of Ms. Wheelchair Texas for two years. Through her professional and personal associations, Lori is an advocate of equal access and opportunity for everyone.

Angela Hemmen

Angela graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business-Information Systems. Angela first began her work in non-profit at Camp For All, a barrier free, state of the art camping facility located in Burton, Texas that serves children and adults with a chronic illness or disability. Angela worked for several years on the program staff at the Camp For All campsite and then joined the Camp For All Houston Fundraising office as the Development and Events Coordinator. Recently Angela moved to San Antonio and now works for Southwest Business Corporation (SWBC) in the Investment Services Department. In addition to being on the Ms. Wheechair Texas Board since 2005, Angela is also involved with Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio and is a member of the Baylor Alumni Association.

Julie Hess

Julie has worked in the décor industry for over 12 years as CFO and co-owner of Party Props, Inc. Party Props is a premier decorating company specializing in corporate events located in the Houston Heights. Julie became active and joined the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Board in 2007. Julie is also actively involved in Camp For All and she sits on their Friends Board. Camp for All is a barrier free camp designed for special needs children and young adults. Julie has been appointed co-chair for the Camp Fest 2008 fundraiser. She is also an avid supporter of Bayou City Performing Arts and has volunteered her services and goods for the support of the neighborhood schools when her goddaughter was in attendance.

Bonnie Littman Likover

Bonnie was raised in Houston, Texas and attended Stephens College and The University of Surrey in Guildford, England, graduating from Stephens in 1974. She returned to Houston to work at Channel 8 as a public affairs reporter and followed that with a ten year career in advertising and public relations at Houston's oldest independent ad agency from 1975 to 1985. Bonnie has a career marriage to one of Houston's best Orthopedists, Larry Likover. During those 30 years of marriage, they have produced what she refers to as her finest creations: Clay, 28; Lee, 22 and Collin, 11. She is involved in the community in a variety of ways over the past 25 years: The American Heart Assn., March of Dimes, Camp for All, The End Hunger Network, The Center for Hearing and Speech, Bo's Place, Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Inspire Women, The Kyle Likover Visiting Author Program at The Kinkaid School, Post Oak Little League, The Museum of Fine Arts, The YWCA, Southern Methodist University, The Fay School, Ms. Wheelchair Texas Foundation and a couple of odd committees here and there for others. Her spare time is spent toiling to keep her body as healthy as possible and reading to expand her mind.

Liam O’Rourke

Liam is a third year, history major at The University of Texas at Austin. He was recently appointed to the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Foundation Board of Directors in June 2007. Liam is the Director of the Students with Disabilities Agency at UT. The agency is a branch of Student Government that seeks to assist students with disabilities in obtaining the resources they need to be successful at the University of Texas at Austin. They also seek to raise awareness of disabilities on and off campus by dispelling the myths and negative stigmas that shroud the humanity of people with disabilities. Liam also serves as the College Buddy Director for the Best Buddies program at UT, which enhances the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Last year, Liam, his co-director Lee Bagan, and William Hotze from Texas A&M launched a fundraising campaign for Texans with disabilities called “Raisin’ It for Texans with Disabilities,” which raised nearly $40,000. A large portion of the money will go towards an endowment for students with disabilities at The University of Texans while the rest has been used to cover the costs of disability awareness events. Liam loves his parents, Bill O’Rourke and Carole Snyder, and his sister, Katelyn O’Rourke. In his spare time, Liam enjoys reading, cooking, and training for triathlons, which he does in memory of his father.

Jacqueline Pontello

Jacqueline is an attorney and veteran non-profit administrator who joined Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA) as Executive Director in August 2004. She has been honored with the Houston Food Bank’s Albrecht Award for Volunteer Service and the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center’s inaugural “Volunteer of the Year” award. Jackie serves on numerous boards and commissions dedicated to improving the quality of justice for abuse victims and the poor, including the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s Comparability Planning Forum, Texas Department of Criminal Justice Commission on Battering Intervention Program Accreditation Standards, the Texas Health & Human Services Commission’s Family Violence Program Allocation Committee, the Texas Family Law Foundation’s Legislative Committee and the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Commission. She co-chairs the Family Justice Center Committee of the HDVCC. She has been an invited speaker at several State Bar CLE conferences, including the 2006 Corporate Counsel Public Service Forum, 2007 Poverty Law Conference (New ABA Standards for Legal Aid Programs: Client Services) and the 2007 Pro Bono Coordinators Conference. She appeared in the 2005 film “Justice for All,” produced by the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation.

Virginia Steppe

Virginia was born in New York, graduated from St. John's University and taught elementary school for two years. When she met her husband Dan of 41 years, they married, had two wonderful children, Daniel and Alissa, and in 1972 they happily moved to Houston. Once her children started school she opened an Interior Design firm, Papillion Ltd., but before long she realized she was doing so much work pro-bono she decided to give her time to more worthwhile causes in the community. Over the past 23 years she been involved in various capacities with Casa de Esperanza, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The American Heart Association, March of Dimes, Mental Health Association, Memorial Hermann Hospital, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, the Museum of Fine Arts, Ms. Wheelchair Texas and others. In 1999 she became a Mediator and works for the Dispute Resolution Center. As an active mediator she spends time advocating for the less fortunate by teaching future mediators and volunteering in the Civil and and J.P. Courts in Houston. Cooking and traveling are her hobbies, but her best leisure time activity is spent loving her grand babies, Anabelle and Holden.