American Leadership Forum Houston/Gulf Coast Chapter

06/15/2026

🌟 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴! 🌟

In the wilderness, you never leave your buddy behind. That rule doesn't stop when you come home from the mountains — and once a year, we make it official.

💛 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆!

Life gets full. Calendars overflow. Months slip by. But your buddy — that person who showed up alongside you, who knows where you've been and where you're going — deserves more than a "we should catch up soon."

This is your reminder to make it happen. ☎️

Whether you stop by the 𝗔𝗟𝗙 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝘂𝗯 for complimentary coffee and pastries, grab lunch around town, or simply pick up the phone — the only rule is: reach out.

No fancy agenda needed. Just two leaders, showing up for each other.

That's the ALF way. That's what this community is built on. 💪

👉 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗯 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆? RSVP so we know to expect you: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-check-on-your-buddy-day-tickets-1991475036443?aff=oddtdtcreator

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝘁? Drop a 💛 in the comments if you already have plans — and tag your buddy to make it official!

06/11/2026

We are proud to announce the 2026 Joseph Jaworski Leadership Awards Event Honorary Co-Chairs, Christine Underwood and David M. Underwood Jr.

We are also delighted to introduce this year’s distinguished Host Committee, whose leadership and support help make this celebration of courageous leadership possible.

📍 The Revaire
📅 Thursday, October 29, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM

Join us as we honor leaders whose courage, vision, and service have made a lasting impact across business, public service, and our community—strengthening Houston for generations to come.

Sponsorship opportunities are now available. https://JAE2026.givesmart.com

06/11/2026

The best decisions for our region do not come from one sector alone.
This is why we need all our Senior Fellows, from every industry and community, to nominate from their networks.

When those voices sit in the same room and build real trust with each other, something shifts.

📅We have extended the nomination deadline for the 2027 Classes to June 14!
If you know a leader who belongs in that room, nominate them today.

CLICK HERE: https://form.jotform.com/223466824226155



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06/10/2026

🎉 Congratulations to two of our Senior Fellows!

We're proud to share that Max Moll (Class 62) and Terence Narcisse (Class 54) have been named Honorees in the Houston Business Journal's 40 Under 40.

This honor recognizes the next generation of leaders shaping Houston's future, and it's a fitting tribute to the vision, dedication, and impact that Max and Terence bring to everything they do. We're grateful to have them as part of the ALF community and are inspired by the example they set.

Please join us in celebrating Max and Terence on this well-deserved recognition! 👏

🔗 See the full list of honorees: https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/40-under-40

Recognizing Houston's best and brightest young professionals and emerging leaders.

06/08/2026

On Friday, we gathered to explore the power of social connectedness and what it means for the future of our region.

The research is clear: our relationships matter. They influence our health, our economic mobility, our sense of safety, and even the strength of our democracy.

At a time when loneliness is rising and trust is declining, the work of building relationships across differences has never been more important. Strong communities are built when people know one another, trust one another, and are willing to work together on behalf of the common good.

Thank you to everyone who joined today’s conversation and for your commitment to strengthening the relational infrastructure that helps Houston thrive.

A special thank you to our partners: Houston Texans YMCA Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Houston Food Bank!

The future of our city depends on more than policies and programs. It depends on people showing up for each other and for community!

To read the study, follow this link: https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/tight-knit-neighbors-better-lives-how-strong-community-ties-can-help-houstonians-feel

06/05/2026

Proud to celebrate ALF Houston Senior Fellow Sixto Wagan (Class 36)!

As Executive Director of the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF), Sixto champions Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern artists across Greater Houston. This year marks five years of BANF transforming crisis-driven relief into lasting investment in our city's creative future.

Congratulations, Sixto, on this well-deserved feature in OutSmart Magazine!

Read it here https://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2026/06/diversifying-houstons-arts-future/

Sixto Wagan (he/him) is the executive director of the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF), an initiative supporting the creative expression of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern and other communities of color in Greater Houston. Through grants, networking, and

06/04/2026

What a meaningful conversation!

This week, we were proud to partner with Texas2036, a nonpartisan organization committed to expanding opportunity and improving quality of life for all Texans as our state approaches its bicentennial and beyond.

Together, we explored one of the most important challenges facing Texas today: ensuring our workforce is prepared for the future. Led in a dialogue moderated by Senior Fellow Y. Ping Sun, our panelists included CEO David Leebron and other key members of the Texas 2036 team, shared research, insights, and perspectives on the intersection of education, workforce development, and economic competitiveness—and what it will take to build the talent pipeline our growing economy demands.

The conversation reinforced a simple truth: Texas’ future prosperity depends on our ability to develop, connect, and invest in people.

Thank you to our panelists, partners at Center For Houston's Future, Leadership Houston, United Way of Greater Houston and Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce, and everyone who joined us for this important dialogue.

A big shoutout to Senior Fellow Donna Cole for her generous sponsorship of the lunch and Senior Fellow Steve Stephens for hosting us at Amegy Bank!