About Us

Mark Freeman joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in September 2021. Mark is an oil and gas industry executive with a diverse background that allows him to see challenges from a variety of perspectives thus finding optimal, novel, and creative solutions. Mark has led teams in sales, operations, marketing, engineering, and product development in two different industries. Throughout all of these opportunities, he has established a strong track record of performance. In addition, Mark has managed businesses ranging in size from $80 million in annual revenue to $360 million in annual revenue and has successfully improved market share and profitability.

Mark’s specialties include general business management, leadership, P&L optimization, business development and sales execution, product management and marketing, market analysis and segmentation, the development of go-to-market strategies, and business analytics.

Christina Meineke joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2022 and serves on the Governance committee. Christina is the Chief Financial Officer for EnerCorp where she is responsible for the planning, implementation, and management of all finance and accounting-related activities. Christina has been with EnerCorp since 2017.

Over the past 21 years, Christina has held a variety of managerial finance and accounting roles supporting operations, business development, and technology with a significant international focus. Prior to joining the company, she served as Controller for the global energy service division of Tetra Technologies, focused on several product segments including Flowback and Well Testing, Water Management, and Completion Fluids, a position she held since 2012. She previously held various finance positions with Tetra, including USA Controller and Western Hemisphere Controller from 2008 to 2012. In addition, Christina has served in finance management roles for large Fortune 500 companies such as Halliburton and Kinder Morgan. Christina worked for Nabors Industries, Inc. from 1998 to 2005 and held various accounting positions up to International Regional Controller, where she focused on international business and accounting for the drilling division.

Christina received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University. She currently lives in Spring, Texas, with her husband and two daughters.

Katie Beatty joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in 2019 and serves on the Finance and Compliance committee. She is a CPA with Kinsman. Prior to Kinsman, Katie was the Financial Reporting Manager for Momentum Midstream, LLC. Katie has more than 10 years of public accounting experience auditing with both publicly traded and privately held companies. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and holds a Master’s in Accounting from Texas State University in San Marcos. Katie grew up in The Woodlands, Texas. After finishing college, she returned to the area and resides in The Woodlands with her husband, their young daughter, and two dogs.

Justin Lime joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in January 2019. Mr. Lime is the owner of Affordable Concrete of North Houston.

Brian Albert joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2022. Brian is a partner in The Woodlands, Texas, office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2023 and practices in the business, corporate, and real estate groups. Prior to joining the firm, Brian was a partner in a private practice law firm in The Woodlands and also served as in-house counsel and law clerk to Fortune 500 companies across several industries. Brian is particularly active in the commercial real estate development and energy sectors. On what drew him to Child Advocates, Brian explained, “As a product of the adoption and foster care system, the organization’s mission is personal to me. The more I learned about Child Advocates’ reach and impact in our community, the more I knew I wanted to be a resource for it in whatever way I could.”

Brian brings a unique combination of years of legal experience in both the private and public sectors, as well as prior participation in numerous youth education and outreach initiatives. Aside from work, Brian also volunteers his time and resources in serving on various boards and committees of local organizations, including past and present leadership positions with Leadership Montgomery County, Education for Tomorrow Alliance, The Woodlands Bar Association, and The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. After graduating from American University in Washington, D.C., with a degree in Business Administration and a specialization in Finance, Brian went on to attend the University of Houston Law Center, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Houston Business & Tax Law Journal. Brian and his wife, Angelina, reside in The Woodlands and are parents to three wild and crazy kids.

Brit Benko joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2022. Brit is Senior Vice President, EHS and Manufacturing Excellence at Huntsman Corporation. Prior to joining Huntsman Corporation in August 2020, she served as Vice President Health, Safety Environment, and Regulatory at Southwestern Energy Company. Previously, Brit served in a variety of EHS roles with increasing responsibilities at several companies including Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Corporation, and BP.

Matthew Borges, MMS, MBA, PA-C brings over 17 years of health care experience, most recently serving as the Assistant Director of Ambulatory Surgical Operations at Texas Children’s Hospital The Woodlands. His current specialty is hospital operations with expertise in strategic planning, budget oversight, and business development of the surgical services at The Woodlands.

Throughout Matt’s career, he’s held leadership roles at other institutions prior to transitioning to Texas Children’s Hospital. He’s overseen growth and expansion and was recognized as a Catalyst Leader by Texas Children’s for his work implementing innovative strategies and improving operational efficiencies with the Advanced Practice Providers at The Woodlands campus.

As a graduate of James Madison University and Wake Forest University, Matt also contributes to his local community, volunteering on the administrative board at The Woodlands Methodist Church and serving as a medical provider for Team USA Paracycling, where he oversees medical care of elite athletes at international cycling competitions.

Matt is married to Demetria—a volunteer child Advocate for the last 2 years—and they have three children and a French bulldog named Mac.

As a member of the Board, Matt is excited to get involved and dedicated to advancing the mission while ensuring long-term success through effective governance and strategic vision.

Travis Guinn joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2023. Travis is the Vice President, Development and Construction, at The Howard Hughes Corporation.

Jason Howze joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2023. Jason is the Senior Vice President, Woodforest National Bank.

Marcella Herrera joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2022. Marcella serves as the Program Manager at Canopy Cancer Survivorship Center at Memorial Hermann, a center dedicated to providing the finest support, education, and integrative services to all impacted by cancer. A graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio, Marcella spent more than ten years of her career serving children in foster care, most recently as a Program Director with Child Protective Services.

“Over a decade of my career was dedicated to serving children in foster care and working collaboratively with CASA,” Marcella shared. “I believe it takes a village to provide the best care, support, and normalcy to children in care in our community, which is why part of my leadership philosophy at Child Protective Services was to partner with organizations such as Child Advocates to build a safe, caring, and supportive network for the families we served.”

Marcella has a passion for serving the community, building programs, and creating diverse and inclusive environments. She also serves in a leadership role for the Junior League of the Woodlands, of which she has been a member since 2017. Through volunteer roles, she has led efforts in fundraising, marketing, volunteer coordination, community research, project development, event planning, mentorship, diversity, and inclusion.

Paul Mahoney joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in 2019. Paul is the President of the Production and Automation Technologies for ChampionX. Paul shares his personal motivation to bring past experiences and education to strengthen Child Advocates’ overall purpose and mission to assist those afflicted by abuse and neglect. Serving on several boards in the past for teen sports and Junior Achievement education, he shares the views of others who passionately devote time and energy to improve the quality of life and outcomes for those less fortunate. Since his initial involvement, Paul has supported business concepts to provide underlying movement and sustain productivity on socioeconomic-related issues.

Paul’s career spans more than 30 years and includes business development/engineering, management, and executive leadership for technical solutions with industrial-based industries that are directly involved in energy production or downstream processing of energy-related materials. His areas of focus have been centered around delivering productivity through technology in mechanical or electrical forms for manufacturing and energy production business all around the world. He has spent over 20 years traveling the globe, creating and leading organizations in Europe, Middle Eastern, Latin, and Pan Asia Pacific countries. His achievements and awards/acknowledgments have been recognized with several levels of business development excellence awards coupled with technical patents and innovation awards in solving productivity challenges.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Electrical Engineering from Buffalo University in Buffalo, New York, and holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from Seattle University in Seattle, Washington.

Catherine Miller joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in 2021. Catherine brings to the Board a comprehensive knowledge of nonprofit development best practices and leads the Board Development Committee.

Dr. Tamika Taylor joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2021. Dr. Taylor earned her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and earned two master’s degrees from Prairie View A&M University in Educational Administration and School Counseling, and her Doctorate in Executive Leadership in December 2015 from the University of Houston. She has spent 16 years in the Conroe Independent School District and over 22 years in public education. Dr. Taylor joined Conroe ISD in August 2005 as a teacher at Runyan Elementary. During her tenure at Conroe ISD, she has served in the role of Counselor, Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Assessment and Accountability, and Executive Director of School Improvement and Transformational Leadership.

Zachary Williams joined the Child Advocates Board of Directors in November 2023. Zach is the Vice President of Drill Bits, Oilfield Services, and Equipment for Baker Hughes. An executive in the energy industry, Zach has more than 20 years of experience leading high performing teams. In his current role, he leads 800-plus employees and is responsible for Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, Product Management, Engineering, and Technology. He is a strong leader, driving focus around execution of strategic goals and objectives that deliver industry-leading market share and operating margins.

“I wanted to participate in an organization where I could add value and ultimately give something back to the community in which I live,” Zach said. “I am passionate about children and ensuring they have the opportunity to grow and develop in a safe environment. I have enjoyed participating in Child Advocates’ events over the years and have family members who have been CASA Advocates.”

Zach has spent more than 20 years in leadership roles where he gained experience in commercial, technical, financial, and service delivery leadership positions. His leadership experience, business and financial acumen, operational execution, and results-oriented approach will add value to the Board and the organization. Zach is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps with extensive leadership experience across multiple industries, including aviation and energy. Zach is a proud parent of three children and enjoys supporting their education and sports activities including football, volleyball, and dance. In his spare time, Zach enjoys golf and spending time in the outdoors with family and friends.