Board Members
Nery Salazar is the founder/CEO of Nery’s Promise. Nery Salazar is a business owner and founder of Nery’s Promise Children Ministry and has over 30 years’ experience in Business Management.
Nery is very much involved with the children and families in the community. Her priority is to continue building relationships with families and providing a safe zone for the children.
Her goals have always been to advance children and families in the community in religion and educational awareness.
Nery Salazar
Founder
Doug Goff has been involved in residential land development for over 42 years. Originally from Lafayette, LA. he oversaw the development of the New Territory master-planned community. He then joined Johnson Development to manage the Sienna community.
During his tenure as Co-President with Johnson Development, he significantly increased its footprint within Fort Bend with Riverstone, Cross Creek Ranch, Harvest Green, Jordan Ranch, and Imperial prior to his retirement in 2022.
Doug is an avid volunteer, serving as chairman of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Fort Bend ISD Education Foundation, the Executive Committee of Fort Bend EDC, the Memorial Hermann Hospital Board, the Greater Houston Builders Association, the Urban Land Institute and a trustee for the River Pointe Church.
Doug has 2 sons, Douglas and Derek, who are also involved in land development and 5 grandchildren.
Doug Goff
President
Susie Goff has been involved in many facets of residential real estate for over 40 years, including Marketing Director for Johnson Development until her retirement in 2015.
She has been involved with numerous fundraisers for American Cancer Society, Children’s Discover Center of Fort Bend, Sugar Land Firefighters Gala, Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land, the Sweetwater Ladies Golf Association, and Cullinan Park.
Susie Goff
Vice President
Amye Jones is a native Richmond resident who graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School. She is a founding member of Nery’s Promise and has been working with the children of Richmond for many years. Amye served with Street Church, You Can Academy, Friends of North Richmond, and Friends of Vince annually Spirit of Christmas Market, as well.
She is a lifelong Christian who is a member of River Pointe Church, where she and her husband taught Sunday School to 4 year olds and first graders for 17 years. She and her husband Bruce raised their two sons in Richmond. Now she enjoys spending time with her two granddaughters and one grandson and with her husband at their weekend fishing cabin. She also enjoys antiquing and has two antique shops in downtown Rosenberg.
Amye Jones
Board Member
Carlos Bahena is a Vice President and Banking Center Manager at First Horizon Bank in Sugar Land, Texas. Carlos arrived to the United States at the age of 14 and started high school soon after. He graduated from Kempner High School a year early and proceeded to complete his degree in Computer Networking Systems. After working in the IT field for a short time, in 2002 Carlos switched to the banking industry and has not looked back since. His work experience has allowed him to share his knowledge within the community and volunteer in various non-profit organizations including the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, DePelchins Children Center, Workfaith Connection and the Fort Bend Count Fair.
Carlos loves spending time with his family on road trips, visiting historic sites and cool places along the way, always finding a way to make the required Buc-ee’s pit stop.
Carlos Bahena
Board Member
Christal Brown is a People and Culture Executive and makes people her priority. She has broad experience handling challenging business issues in complex environments. Recognized for her skills in creating and implementing solutions to intricate business problems, Christal has been called upon throughout her career to identify and remedy obstacles. She is a trusted consultant and valued resource to C-Suite executives, corporate leaders and her teammates/clients. She has dedicated time to help others improve in their personal and professional lives through mentoring, coaching, leadership development and self-improvement. Christal is a passionate and engaging presenter who has spoken in small group settings as well as facilitated conferences with thousands of attendees. She believes there is nothing better than helping others see the light that shines within them.
Christal brings servant leadership to all areas of her life, not just in her career, by volunteering and being involved in our local community. She is a Board Member, Grade Level Advisor and 24-25 President for National Charity League, which focus on fostering the mother-daughter relationship though an ongoing commitment to philanthropy, culture and leadership. She has volunteered alongside her daughter with many local organizations: Fort Bends Childrens Discovery Museum, GiGi’s Playhouse, Hope for Three, Houston Food Bank, Lunches of Love, and of course Nery’s Promise.
Growing up Christal faced many challenges and as she reflects back she is thankful to all those who supported her and showed up to offer help. She knows that God gave her gifts and placed them in her so she could help and serve others. Her daily mantra is, I may not be able to change the world but I can change one persons world.
Christal Brown
Board Member
Dee Knox, Retired Middle School Principal, served the Fort Bend ISD community for over 27 years at both the secondary and elementary levels.
Dee is a Christ follower, an active member of her local church, and has a heart for children and serving others.
Dee Knox
Board Member
Eric Junker is a seventh generation Texan raised in Fort Bend County and is a descendant of the Old 300. Eric and his family have supported Nery’s efforts for over 15 years and helped Nery with the initial legal formation of Nery’s Promise in October 2018.
Eric is one of the most active guardianship attorneys in the state of Texas, serving 40 to 60 families with special needs children every year. Eric helps clients all over Texas including Fort Bend County, Harris County, Wharton County, Brazoria County, Waller County, and Montgomery County, with wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, guardianship and special needs estate planning. He was instrumental in doubling the frequency of educational events BBGS provides on guardianship and alternatives.
He also serves on the boards of AccessHealth, Brazos Bend Guardianship Services and Rotary Richmond, Texas.
Eric Junker
Board Member
JoLea grew up in Fort Bend County and is proud to call it home. She manages her family’s self storage facility, All Star Storage, attends and serves at River Pointe Church, and is a member of the Rotary Club of Richmond. JoLea is always looking for ways to give back to the community she loves so much and show Christ’s love to others.
JoLea Conn
Board Member
Ms. Hargis is a strategic and award-winning public company Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel with 15+ years of experience in domestic and international environments, and a track record of effective results across a full range of critical legal challenges. She advises Board and executive leadership on matters of corporate governance, executive compensation, public disclosure obligations and strategic planning.
Her expertise includes oversight and management of human resources, internal audit, risk and regulatory compliance, SEC reporting, M&A and divestitures, marketing, procurement, commercial transactions, litigation, restructuring, antitrust, FCPA, and employment issues.
Kathy Hargis
Paula Noble was the vice president of Human Resources for the Boeing Company. In this role, she had the responsibility for leading an HR team that supports Shared Services Group and seven Boeing corporate functions: Boeing Capital Corporation, Communications, Finance, Government Operations, Human Resources, Law, and the Office of Internal Governance & Administration. She was also responsible for the development and implementation of an enterprise-wide HR functional excellence strategy and process designed to yield a world-class Human Resources function.
Paula holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Kansas Newman College in Wichita, Kansas.
Affiliations, Boards, Institutions, Organizations, Community Service includes:
- American Cancer Society Volunteer
- Executive Champion for the Atlanta Consortium of Schools
- Fort Bend Leadership Forum, Sugar Land, TX
- Fort Bend Seniors – Meals on Wheels, Sugar Land, TX
- Legislative Task Force
- SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management) Member
- The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary
Board of Director Member:
- Fort Bend Child Welfare Board, Sugar Land, TX
- Imperial Development District, Sugar Land, TX
- Sugar Land Culture Arts Foundation, Sugar Land, TX
- Sugar Creek Women’s Association, Sugar Land, TX
- The Matlock Community Resource Center, Wichita, KS
- Women Employed, Chicago, IL
Paula Nobel
Board Member
ReNae Scott is a licensed architect, devoted wife and mother, and life-long volunteer. Upon graduating from Texas A&M, ReNae worked for architectural firms in Washington, D.C., Phoenix, and Houston before founding her own firm, Scott Architects, Inc.. For nearly a decade, Scott Architects was honored with numerous awards and consistently named one of the Top 25 Design Firms by the Houston Business Journal.
In 2004, with a two-year-old and a kindergartner, ReNae retired from architecture to focus on raising her children, a longtime dream. During that time, ReNae used her endless positive energy to serve students of all ages while volunteering in her children’s schools and teaching Junior Achievement classes. At the same time, she assisted her broader community by teaching self-empowerment and career guidance classes at Fort Bend Women’s Shelter, delivering meals to home-bound seniors with Meals On Wheels, hosting worship services with her family at Atria Senior Living, and tutoring children at Attack Poverty, where she first met Nery Salazar in 2012. ReNae was blessed to continue serving with Nery, and became one of Nery’s Promise’s first volunteers in 2018.
Recently, ReNae has volunteered as an announcer with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Mutton Bustin’ Committee, where she encourages little ones as they fearlessly cling to running sheep in this fan-favorite activity.
ReNae has also served in numerous leadership capacities for Houston area churches over the past 30 years, including teaching Sunday School classes for 5th and 6th grade girls, serving on administrative committees, and teaching marriage classes. She also volunteered on mission trips to Guatemala and Ukraine. ReNae and her husband Bill are members of Second Baptist Church in Houston, where they married 29 years ago.
Currently, ReNae enjoys working alongside Bill in their family-owned oil and gas services company, PetroLog. She may someday return to architecture, as her architectural license remains active, but she loves and is committed to this season in life that allows her to spend as much time as possible with her family, while continuing her passion for serving those in need.
ReNae Scott
Board Member
Rhonda is a graduate of Oklahoma Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma with a BA in Business Administration. She has been in the oil business for over 40 years, with Kerr-McGee Refining, Unocal Production, El Paso Refining, & retired from CVR Energy in 2020 as Vice President of Crude Oil Supply. Rhonda has been involved in various fundraising activities throughout her career. In 2009 she was voted onto the board of the Carl McCain Foundation, which helps people in the energy business with medical financial need. Rhonda is currently living in Sugar Land, TX.
Rhonda Speer
Board Member
Trever Nehls is a retired 30-year law enforcement professional who served two terms as the Fort Bend County Pct. 4 Constable. He also recently retired from the U.S. Army Reserve after 33 years of service, attaining the rank of Colonel.
Currently, Trever is President of Nehls Consulting LLC and also serves as a board member for Atlas Group out of Richmond, Texas. He is married to Kerri Nehls and they have three teenage children, Madison, Wyatt and Parker.
Trever Nehls
Board Member
Lead Volunteers
Angela Miller is the adult teaching director for the Community Bible Study Houston Main class. She has taught English as a Second Language to refugees at Prestige Learning Institute in Houston and sponsored Afghan families through Houston Welcomes Refugees. Angela’s first love is teaching children, having homeschooled her own two grown daughters.
So she also teaches Sunday School to 4th and 5th graders at River Pointe Church Missouri City, where she and her husband Richard have been members since 2018. Angela joined Nery’s Promise in 2020, helping Nery deliver meals and groceries in her Richmond neighborhood during the Covid shutdowns.
Angela helped develop outdoor Bible studies on the kids’ streets in small groups until they could gather again at Nery’s Promise on Tuesday nights. She helps lead the Bible lessons for the elementary kids on Tuesday nights and enjoys helping Nery drive the bus around Richmond.
Angela Miller
Lead Volunteer
Christopher Payne grew up in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Cypress Creek high school in 2008. He later graduated from the University of Houston-Downtown with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in communication in 2019. Christopher has 2 sons, Ethan and Jayce.
He started volunteering with kids’ ministry at Lakewood church in 2010, then joined River Pointe Church where he became involved with Nery’s Promise. In his free time, Christopher loves to read books, travel and hang out with my friends.
Christopher has a heart for organizing youth Bible studies and helping kids understand God’s Word. Like everyone at Nery’s Promise, he believes it’s very important to teach kids the word of God as well as giving them a sense of direction in life.
Christopher Payne
Director of Youth Bible Studies
Jose is a Christ follower, father of 4 and husband to Melissa Diaz. Jose is a full-time teacher for 16 years in the Lamar CISD district, and currently teaching 7th English at George Junior High. He serves every Sunday at his church, Waypoint, helping in the youth groups. He has been volunteering at Nery’s for 4 years with the youth bible study on Tuesday nights and Saturday specials events such as the Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas providing sound and MC services. He also runs his own DJ enterprise providing the soundtrack for celebrations in and around the Houston area. He loves serving the community and helping out anyway he can. All for the glory of God.
Jose Diaz
Melissa is a homeschool mother to 4 amazing children, married to Jose Diaz and loves serving the Lord. She has been teaching at Nerys for 4 years and has enjoyed building relationships with the students and families. She also serves as volunteer for One Day Academy, a homeschool Co-op and is active in her church, Waypoint, assisting in the youth group. The motivation behind sharing His word to every student is captured in one of her favorite verses – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12
Melissa Diaz
A few years ago, my daughter and I were invited to help prepare a weekly meal at Nery’s Promise. I have a love for baking and cooking, but little did I know that this love of mine would turn into years of faithful service at Nery’s Promise. After many weeks of volunteering with meal preparation for the kids that attend Nery’s weekly bible study, I also became a liaison between my church and Nery’s Promise, transporting homemade cookies donated each week through St. Laurence’s Social Concerns program. We are all called to make a gift of ourselves.
Nery tirelessly works to serve God’s children each day of her life. Nery’s complete trust in God to provide the needs of her ministry is a testimony to me in how to be a true servant of God! Nery strives to live her life on earth as it is in heaven. Love God and Love Each Other. That is what we are called to do. And for Nery, that is exactly what she does each day of her life.
It is plain to see that Nery loves Jesus and all God’s children! God has blessed me with the opportunity to serve at Nery’s Promise and helps me to strive to be a true Saint for the Lord! I thank God each day for the blessings of this ministry in my life.
Michelle Triesch
Volunteer
Valerie is a Rosenberg native, volunteer, and children’s coordinator who loves to serve others. She aspires to see others come to know and love Jesus, and experience the fullness of His joy. Throughout the week, she works full time helping people with special needs. When she’s not working or at Nery’s Promise, she enjoys spending time with her loving husband, Justin, enjoying nature, trying new restaurants, and serving at her local church.
Valerie Chavez
Volunteer