Karine Parker, Be Peace - Be Hope Founder & CEO

  As a successful top-level executive in corporate banking in Paris, specializing in performance management, financial and strategic planning, Karine Parker observed the importance of embracing the human experience to create satisfying and meaningful work environments needed within the corporate space. 

Since 2007, Karine has leveraged her expertise in arts, psychology, collaborative practices, neuroscience, and mindfulness to drive positive change and enhance the human experience. She excels in actively implementing activities herself, especially in helping children and caregivers discover their potential and transform pain and challenges into hope and wellbeing. Her greatest reward is when her students, the educators, parents and communities she serves feel more hopeful and discover their potential and that there is love in trusting others and in what life has to offer.    

Her journey has taken her to schools, communities, refugee camps, orphanages, and various family environments, where she has spearheaded the development and implementation of holistic tools and solutions. These initiatives are deeply rooted in socio-emotional intelligence and character education, community arts projects, and therapeutic approaches. The result of her dedicated work is healthier, happier, and more fulfilled human beings who are able to live into their strengths, talents, and personal purpose in life. Among her many accomplishments, the award-winning 'Be the Peace - Be the Hope' program, co-founded with Noel Bezette-Flores in 2015, stands out. This program focuses on improving mental wellness, coping skills, and enhancing strengths by increasing social and emotional intelligence. A recipient of the Menninger BridgeUp Innovation Grant for Mental Health, her programs have been documented to reduce depression and anxiety by up to 60%. 

Be the Peace – Be the Hope' gained national recognition when it was featured on the C.B.S. Chicken Soup for the Soul's Hidden Heroes nationally syndicated program in 2017. In 2020, it received the prestigious Jean Davis Myers Volunteer Service Award from H.I.S.D., the largest school district in Texas.

Karine's impactful work has also been published academically in 'Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning' by Emerald Publishing. Recognized for her dedication, she received the Rotary International Award for Excellence in Service to Humanity in 2019. This award celebrated her exceptional work in at-risk schools, refugee camps, and orphanages across Africa, India, and the Middle East.

In addition to her community service, Karine serves as the Executive Director of the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts since 2011. She has also actively contributed to the community as the President of the Houston International Rotary Club and has represented the district 5890 Peace Committee and USA-France Inter-Country Committee.

 Dr. Bill Flores came   to Houston in 2009 and served as President of the University of   Houston-Downtown for 7 years. He has   held leadership positions in higher education and government. 

He has served on the   boards of the Federal Reserve Bank Board for the El Paso Branch of the Dallas   Fed, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, the Central Houston Chamber of Commerce, and the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, as well as over a hundred boards   and commissions. 

He has been recognized   for outstanding public service in California, New Mexico, and Texas and was   designated as a Point of Light by former President George H.W. Bush. 

Dr. Flores was named   by Time Magazine as one of the Top 100 Outstanding Hispanic Leaders in the   country.

He regularly consults with nonprofit organizations and mentors several higher education leaders for the American Council on Education and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.  Recent books include Democracy, Civic Engagement, and Citizenship in Higher Education, with Katrina Rogers, and The Texas Experiment, a critical analysis of Texas politics and government. He is writing a book on strategic planning for nonprofit and public organizations and a second of his book on Texas politics. Dr. Flores received his B.A. at UCLA, his M.A. in Political Science at Stanford, and his Ph.D. in Social Theory and Public Policy at Stanford. He is married to Dr. Noël Bezette-Flores who he met after moving to Houston. 

Sacha Lazarre joined OpenStax as Director of Employee Engagement in 2021. In this role, she oversees strategy and implementation of programs, policies, and opportunities for employee engagement and wellbeing. 

Prior to joining the OpenStax team, Sacha led community development initiatives in youth services and citizenship and immigration for one of the largest charitable organizations in Texas. It was there that she discovered a passion for supporting individuals and organizations in reaching their full potential and became deeply interested in human experiences and the factors that shaped them like culture and opportunity. 

As a first-generation Haitian-American who has traveled and lived in various countries, Sacha believes in the importance of fostering a welcoming environment to enable people to thrive in the workplace. In her free time, Sacha enjoys being a mother and a fine artist.   

Chris Williams has   been a “turnaround” professional since 1992, including eight years with Glass   & Associates, Inc. He has extensive experience working with “middle   market” companies, whose annual sales volume range from $10mm to   $50mm. He is an enterprise leader as well as a conceptual thinker and   has been relied upon to direct their short- and long-term goals. He is also a   firm believer that an accurate definition of the problem is the quickest   route to a successful and long-lasting solution.

Chris Williams has   twice been appointed a Trustee by the Southern District of Texas and has   worked with a large variety of businesses, including oil field services,   distribution, food and beverage, and real estate. He was the top Division   Human Resources manager for multinational entities of Dresser Industries, a   major manufacturer of industrial products for the energy industry. He lived   and worked in Europe for over three years. He is credentialed by the   Turnaround Management Association as a Certified Turnaround Professional   (“CTP”) and is a TREC licensed broker.

Mr. Williams has served as President of the Houston Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, Vice Chairman of the Cornell Rowing Association, and President of the Cornell Alumni Association of Houston. He holds a US Patent for a product he designed, manufactured and sold through catalogs such as Williams Sonoma and Plow and Hearth. He is a graduate of Cornell University with full MBA credits at the University of Bridgeport. He was the stroke of Cornell’s lightweight crew that was the undefeated national champion and winner of the Thames Challenge Cup at the Royal Henley Regatta in England. He speaks fluent Spanish and conversational French.

Retired after 30 years at Schlumberger, the last 12 years of which Thierry Simien managed (strategy and operations) the worldwide Corporate Social Responsibility program named SEED.

The program provided science education and supplies to underserved communities and schools worldwide in 42 countries and more than 350 schools. Thierry started to follow the TFAA at its creation in 2005. He has been actively engaged since 2015 and a board member of the TFAA and supporter of Be Peace Be Hope since 2017. 

Thierry brings experience in similar projects, and contributes to setting strategy, objectives, impact measurement, and general project management.

Curry Glassell is a producer, author, speaker, philanthropist, and art-loving mother of two. She always seeks to promote her personal mission, which is to help others experience profound joy in their adult lives, by shifting habitual thinking so they can make more satisfying choices in the future.

Born to be a glamorous globetrotter, raised in oil patch opulence, educated in New York City, and finished with a big dose of reality as a struggling single mom. 

In her mid-forties, Curry pivoted and took total charge of her own life to forge a courageous new path-- supercharged with a desire to create more conscious change and personal empowerment for herself and others. 

John Bernhard is a Swiss American artist and photographer who traveled North America extensively before settling in Houston, Texas in 1980.  For more than three decades he has chosen the medium of photography to explore the everyday world from new perspectives, breaking away into different pathways of artistic expression. 

He is the author of 9 monographs, his work is in 20 museum collection, and he has had many exhibitions throughout the U.S. Canada, and Europe, including a solo exhibition at the Houston Center for Photography in 1985 and three museum exhibitions.

John's visionary leadership as the founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of ArtHouston magazine has ignited a creative spark in the world of art, illuminating the path for countless talents to shine. https://www.johnbernhard.net 

Stefania Petre Archambeau is the Marketing & Communications Director at Axens ROC Americas, bringing her extensive expertise to the forefront of her field. 

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Stefania has been a devoted supporter of Be Peace Be Hope since 2015, demonstrating a deep commitment to providing access to holistic education and well-being for all individuals, particularly underserved communities that often lack access to such vital resources. 

With a passion for making a positive impact, Stefania embodies a spirit of compassion and change.

 Adriana Gil-Wilkerson is a dedicated Spanish-Speaking Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor and MFT Educator with a wealth of experience. 

Driven by her passion for mentoring and learning from mentors, Adriana pursued a PhD program, where she honed her skills in researching ideas that piqued her interest. Her work centers on the constructive power of language, relational practices, and strength-based mutual inquiry.

Currently, Adriana is dedicated to writing about the guiding principles behind collaborative-dialogic practices and the role of reflecting teams in educational, training, and therapeutic contexts.

Nikki Suarez is a community   relations professional at TDECU with a passion for uniting corporate   generosity with community initiatives to create a brighter future. She is   deeply committed to developing and cultivating strong, long-lasting   relationships built on a firm understanding of stakeholder values and finding   ways to link them to the missions they are passionate about. Prior to her   role at TDECU, Nikki was an Assistant Director of Development at the Texas   A&M Foundation, where she served as an ambassador of Texas A&M University.   She was responsible for partnering with corporations and donors to secure   impactful gifts to benefit Texas A&M with a primary objective to advance   the mission of Texas A&M University, the Texas A&M Foundation and   strategic academic priorities through discovery, inspiration,

invitation, and   engagement.

As a relationship   driven individual with a passion for giving back, Nikki’s professional career   has always centered around serving others.

In past roles, Nikki served as the Corporate Partnerships Manager for Genesys Works, an organization focused on providing corporate, paid internships for underserved students and as the Development Coordinator for Camp For All Foundation, a nonprofit benefitting individuals with special needs. Nikki received a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from Texas A&M University, a Master of International Management from Colorado State University, and is currently pursuing an MBA at Rice University. She enthusiastically serves the community and engages in life-long affiliations with the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Texas A&M University. She is also a board member of the Jones Student Association for Professionals (where she serves at class president), the Rice Latin Business Student Association, and the Texan French Alliance for the Arts.

Nikki is an alumna of Leadership Houston- Class XXXVIII, a Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leader, and a League of Women Voters Rising Star.