Carole Clerie

As Vice President for Human Resources, Ms. Clerie leads the Division of Human Resources and sets long-range strategic goals for talent management. She identifies and implements initiatives that promote employee relations, organizational growth, and a positive workplace culture. Clerie also oversees the creation and enforcement of HR policies and procedures that comply with legal standards and reflect best practices, working collaboratively with the University of Houston System to align efforts across institutions.

Clerie earned her bachelor's degree in management information systems from Florida Atlantic University and an MBA in finance from Lynn University.

Mayerland Harris

Mayerland Harris, Group Vice President of HR for H-E-B, is a dynamic, influential leader and team builder with over 31 years of retail experience in HR and store operations - more than 27 of those years with H-E-B. She leads an impressive team of HR professionals including Field HR Managers, Recruiters, Training & Development Managers and Organizational Talent Managers.

Mayerland received her BBA from University of Texas at Austin and her MBA from Texas A&M University. She currently sits on the boards of the Houston Food Bank, HR Houston, and the Strategic HR Advisory Board at Rice University. Mayerland is a lecturing Corporate Fellow for the MBA program at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Ayanna Lee

Ayanna Lee is the Global Director of Workplace Culture & Development at Squire Patton Boggs, an international law firm with more than 40 offices across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. With nearly 20 years of experience in talent and performance management, organizational strategy and workplace culture, Ayanna has built a career focused on strengthening the connection between people, culture and organizational performance.

Ayanna earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting, from Montclair State University and her MBA in Leadership from the University of Houston-Downtown’s Marilyn Davies College of Business.

Laura Mendoza

Laura Mendoza has a diverse and extensive background in human resources. Laura has held various positions with different companies and demonstrated expertise in strategic HR planning, talent management, mergers and acquisitions, performance management, and employee engagement. Laura has experience in leading HR teams, providing consulting services, and partnering with senior executives to align HR strategies with business goals. Her work experience spans several industries, including energy, dental insurance, banking, financial services, and technology. Throughout her career, Laura has consistently delivered value by designing and implementing innovative HR initiatives and programs to support organizational growth and success.

Laura Mendoza completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA) in International Business at Texas A&M International University from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that, she obtained a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Sociology with a minor in Women's Studies from Texas State University in 2002. She is currently working on her Executive Professional Coaching Master's Degree at UT Dallas.

Stacey Primeaux

Stacey Brown is the Vice President of Human Resources at Mac Haik Enterprises, where she leads the organization’s overall HR strategy across its diverse business divisions. With more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality, retail, and professional services sectors, Stacey brings deep expertise in leadership development, organizational performance, and strategic communication.

Before joining Mac Haik Enterprises, Stacey held key HR leadership roles at Harvey Builders, Jones Day, and SunGard. She is a certified SHRM-SCP professional and actively contributes to the advancement of the HR field through her involvement with the Society for Human Resource Management. She currently serves on the board of HR Houston (2023–present), supporting initiatives that strengthen the HR community.

Stacey holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Texas A&M University.

Megan Soltura

With over 17 years of diverse HR leadership experience, Megan currently serves in Human Resources at Blue Bell Creameries. Focused on fostering a high-performing and inclusive and workplace, she is committed to aligning HR strategies with organizational goals to drive business results. Megan's expertise spans HR policies, compensation and benefits, and talent management, enabling me to support the development of teams that thrive in fast-paced, global environments. Megan aims to contribute to a culture of innovation and collaboration, empowering individuals to reach their potential while advancing the company’s mission.

Megan earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from the University of Houston-Downtown. She holds SHRM-CP (SHRM Certified Professional) and PHR (Professional in Human Resources) accreditations, and is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Wesley Vestal

Vice President, Performance Excellence

Wesley Vestal career spans more than two decades in human capital leadership, including executive roles at Elsmere Education Inc., where he focused on strategic growth and consulting for online graduate programs, and at multinational firms such as Weatherford, Baker Hughes, and KBR. There, he held global HR leadership roles covering talent strategy, technical and leadership training, M&A integration, and HR operations both in the U.S. and abroad.

In addition to his corporate accomplishments, Wesley has made a lasting impact in academia through his long-standing involvement with the University of Houston-Downtown. Since 2016, he has served as a Corporate Fellow at UHD’s Marilyn Davies College of Business, co-teaching MBA courses such as Interpersonal Leadership Effectiveness in Business and The Business Leader Role in Talent Development. A recognized thought leader, Wesley is a published author, frequent speaker at industry conferences, and holds a patent in activity accounting and visualization. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University and holds a Global Professional in Human Resources certification, along with executive education credentials from Duke University and the University of Houston.