Ruth Burrell, Executive Director

 

Ruth Zomalt-Burrell, Executive Director: Born in Texas and raised in Southern California Ruth is the mother of four, grandmother of nine, and great grand of two. She was educated in California and later worked for eighteen years in accounting, seven years small business owner, and sixteen years in nonprofit.

In her sixteen years of nonprofit she held the positions of Executive Associate Director, Director of Operations, Volunteer Coordinator, Client Service Director, and Fundraiser for the first Meals on Wheels program in the nation.

In 1998 she traveled to the city of Cartagena in Colombia, South America with a team of 12. While visiting some of the underserved barrios of the city; Nelson Mandela, San Jose de los Campanos and Loma Fresca, she witnessed the horrifying conditions in which families were forced to survive daily and that these conditions of this underdeveloped nation were surprising similar to those faced by the poor in the "developed" United States. Unable to live with that reality Ruth developed a passion for ending childhood hunger which was overtly pervasive in undeveloped nations but was also a silent epidemic that plagued the US.

Two years later she returned to Cartagena at the bequest of the Colegio Mayor de Bolivar Social Workers to teach on a volunteer work program that was to start at the college.

During that same trip Cynthia Woods Mitchell donated funds to purchase land in Cartagena and start construction on the "Cynthia Woods Mitchell Child Development Center" which is still in operation today, serving 150 children daily. The trip concluded with a visit to the President Palace in Bogota (Casa de Nariño), invited by The First Lady of Colombia, Mrs. Nohra Puyana de Past.

On weekends, you won't find Ruth relaxing. You will find her working in Santa Fe, TX on a therapeutic ranch for the mentally challenged. It is not often that a person gets to put both of their passions together to make a difference and love it, but Ruth gets that chance each and every day.

Margarita Ledesma, Financial Management Specialist

Margarita Ledesma is the Kids' Meals administrator who maintains financial and other records. Born in Colombia, Margarita came to the U.S. in July, 2000 and volunteered for one year at Kids' Meals. She started working as the financial manager for Kids' Meals, Inc. in December, 2002.

In Colombia, Margarita worked with Banco Union Colombiano (Formerly Royal Bank of Canada) for 7 years as a Manager. In 1996, she went to work for Banco de Colombia as a Region Manager, and from 1998 to 2000 she was the Head of the Financial and Legal Department at The Bolivar Comptroller Office.  She holds a Bachelor degree in Economic Science and specialization in Finance.

Beth Braniff Harp, Development

 

Bonnie Leach Hill, Communications and Volunteer Coordinator

Bonnie Leach Hill works on the online and print communications for the organization. She manages all aspects of social media, newsletters, and thank you letters for Kids' Meals. She started at the organization as a part time volunteer. After several months as a volunteer, she realized she had a passion for helping hungry children and began working full time for Kids' Meals. She has recently taken on the role as Volunteer Coordinator for the organization.

Prior to her work with Kids' Meals, Bonnie was a recruiter for Thum Consulting Group where she matched companies with individuals looking for full time employment in the accounting, finance and engineering fields. She is an active member of the Junior League of Houston. Bonnie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelors degree in Journalism and English.

Meet our Board

Board of Directors

President: Chase Robison, Breco Holdings

Gil Baker, AFP Group

Elizabeth Elder

Paul Equale, Accenture

Lindsey Levit Honari

Wyatt Hogan, Natural Resource Partners, L.P. 

T. Kemp Jones, NextEra Energy, a FPL Group Company

Elizabeth Jeffers

David Kinder, Kinder Morgan

David Light IV M.D., Houston Radiology Associated

Jack Kins, Stude Investments

Steve Putman, Quintana Capital Group

Melissa Rabalias

Kara Sanders

Kyle Schuenemann, MFS Investment Management

Christopher B. Smith

Billy Stone, Stone Films

Advisory Board

Marie Allen

Lou Black

Jim Braniff

Marsha Braniff

Marty Braniff

Denise Dunham

Courtney Eidman, Houston Aeros Hockey

Stacy Ellington

Michelle Farmer, Wallgreens

Lynn Glazer

Todd Glazer

Chris Granberry, Alert Logic, Inc.

Alex Hamilton, CWS Apartment Homes

Susan Jones

Leigh Kins

Joe Kulbeth, Oxbow Carbon and Minerals

Kristen Latta

Amy Lee

Susan Lawhon

Mary Margaret Greer, Kinkaid School

Sally McDonald, Fox 26 Houston News

Roby Norvell

Beth Robison

David Rubenstein, University of Houston

Eric Salwen

Tadd Tellepsen, Tellepsen Contruction

Bob Wallace

Debbie Weil

Aimee Verheeck

Ken Verheeck