Meet the Staff

Estella Gonzalez is the Executive Director of the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity. The department seeks to improve the quality of life of Harris County residents by attracting and growing businesses that result in jobs that pay a living wage and new entrepreneurship opportunities, removing barriers to contracting opportunities, stabilizing household and individual incomes, providing workforce training to residents, and supporting essential workers.

Estella joined the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity after fifteen years in the non-profit sector. Her passion for service and dedication to community development led her to a career in the public sector. Prior to joining the DEEO, she founded a small business development program for immigrant and micro-entrepreneurs and spearheaded social enterprise projects, including a commercial kitchen incubator and coworking space. Estella holds a B.A. from the University of Houston and an M.P.A from Penn State University.

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Alejandra Mondragon is the Sr. Program Manager of Budget & Performance of the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity. She oversees the budget and tracks program and service metrics to ensure goals are met. She also works collaboratively with division leads in creating a culture of accountability and data driven decisions in the department.

Alejandra joined the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity after thirteen years in the non-profit sector, the last six years of which has been focused on process improvement, and budget and data management. Prior to joining the DEEO, she led various projects including a major roll-out of a new CRM system for the division. Alejandra holds a B.S. in Social Science from University of Houston- Downtown.

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Jie Wu is the Director of the Program Planning & Innovation division. The division provides program planning with a focus on innovation, community insights, program evaluation and analytics, and policy advising to advance equity and economic opportunity in Harris County.

Jie has more than 15 years of experience in research and nonprofit management. Prior to joining DEEO, she oversaw data initiatives and a portfolio of research projects at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research and has published a series of reports on survey findings, economic mobility, community resilience and urban inequality issues. Jie earned all but her dissertation towards a doctorate in economics and her M.A. in economics from Rice University.

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Dr. Paula Cecilia Pineda is the Assistant Director of ARPA Initiatives. In this role, she leads DEEO's efforts to optimize federal funding and provide inclusive economic development assistance via small business and workforce development strategies. A mission-minded, innovative, and strategic leader, Dr. Pineda is committed to extending economic opportunity to empower under-resourced communities and address inequality.

As a scholar of ethnic identity, ethnic conflict, and decentralization institutions, Dr. Pineda draws on her research background and interests to design programming and policy that addresses structural inequalities. An excellent communicator, Dr. Pineda has presented on identity, ethnicity, institutional design, and inclusive policy design across the US, UN-partnered initiatives, and abroad at the Hague, Iraq, Ecuador, and Turkey.

In her previous roles, Dr. Pineda led various workforce development and small business development efforts with the City of Houston, including work with partners such as Meta (Facebook) and federally-funded small business programming for Hurricane Harvey recovery.

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Bryonne (Bree) Cummings is the Assistant Director, Policy & Special Projects. Her responsibilities focus on driving equity and inclusive economic growth in communities that experience disparities and disinvestment in Harris County through policy. She is a skilled operations professional and is experienced in analyzing existing business processes and implementing improvements to simplify the experience and drive efficiencies.

Bree has served in entities championing employment work programs and has extensive experience in the Kansas City government, where she worked in both juvenile and adult diversion programs. As an Auditor for the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, she found her calling as an efficiency champion, ensuring compliance with guidelines and optimizing processes for organizational value. She began her tenure in Harris County managing a historic misdemeanor bail reform project in 2020.

Bree has a Master's in Organizational Development Psychology, a Graduate Project Management Certificate, and a Bachelor's in Psychology.

Maya P. Thornton is the Director in the Inclusive Procurements division. She is responsible for expanding County contracting opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. She is committed to the development of meaningful and mutually beneficial professional relationships with diverse suppliers and recognizes the value these relationships add to any business.

Prior to joining the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity, she served as the Director of Materials Management for Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD), leading the strategic plan and vision of purchasing, contracts and warehouse departments for the District. She has also served as the Vice President of Business Opportunity with Texas Central Railway as well as being the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Operations Department Director at the University of Houston. Maya holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Juris Doctorate (JD) from Southern University Law Center.

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Gary Grier is the Assistant Director, Worker & Community Protection for the Inclusive Procurements Division of DEEO. Gary recently served 3.5 years as the Senior Program Manager- HUD Section 3 since January 13, 2020.  Gary’s current focus is on regulatory compliance including Davis Bacon & Related Acts (DBRA), Prevailing Wage, and creating economic opportunity for low-income workers and businesses through HUD Section 3 requirements.

Previously, Gary served ten years in leadership with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County. While with the Coalition, Gary helped create an innovative employment program called Income Now. “Income Now” leveraged the public workforce and employment assistance programs focused on ending homelessness to create coordinated access to housing and income. Gary was frequently a national presenter, particularly at the Annual and Texas Conferences on Ending Homelessness. Additionally, Gary served 14 years with AIDS Foundation Houston, most recently as the Director of Programs and Services. Gary is a proud University of Houston alumnus.

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Lauren Valdes is the Assistant Director of the Vendor Diversity subdivision. In this role, she provides leadership in concert with the Director of Inclusive Procurements for the development, planning, and implementation of Harris County’s Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Program. Lauren is a seasoned program management professional with 16 years of experience in government and supply chain management. She is dedicated to optimizing program operations and overseeing various initiatives such as annual M/WBE reporting, outreach activities, training, and mentoring programs to promote business and supplier diversity. Her effective collaboration with key agencies, government entities, and community groups highlights her talent for cultivating partnerships that contribute to diversity and success in the business and supplier landscape. Lauren is a United States Navy veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Management from Colorado State University.

Santrice Jones is a visionary leader serving as the Director of the Early Childhood Initiatives Division, where she passionately advocates for the well-being and development of Harris County's youngest constituents. In this pivotal role, she oversees a multifaceted portfolio dedicated to providing strategic support for early childhood initiatives. Santrice is at the forefront of ensuring high-quality, affordable childcare and out-of-school time programming, cultivating a thriving early childhood educator workforce, and championing equity by addressing the needs of vulnerable early childhood populations.

Drawing on her extensive background, Santrice has a wealth of experience as a non-profit Director, campus leader, and educator. Her journey in the field has equipped her with hands-on experience as both a practitioner and a leader, enabling her to seamlessly connect ideas to implementation. She is adept at strategically aligning resources and skills to make a meaningful impact on early childhood development.

Santrice earned her Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from the University of Georgia, showcasing her commitment to effective communication as a foundation for positive change. Furthering her dedication to education, she holds a Master of Education in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University. With a comprehensive background and a fervent commitment to fostering positive change in early childhood development, Santrice Jones stands as a driving force in shaping local early childhood policy and programs. Her leadership is marked by a combination of passion, expertise, and a strategic vision aimed at creating a brighter future for the youngest members of Harris County.

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