Rice University’s first lady, a respected professor and several alumnae were included in Houston Woman Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2023 list. Each was nominated for inclusion by a Houston Woman Magazine reader then selected by the staff of the publication.
“Those selected as Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2023 have earned an enviable reputation for their expertise in a particular field or arena,” said Beverly Denver, publisher of Houston Woman Magazine. “They are knowledgeable and trustworthy. The thoughts and actions of these women influence the thoughts and actions of others. It is my distinct pleasure to introduce these remarkable women to our readers and to others in our community.”
The list of honorees include the following:
Paula DesRoches
Paula DesRoches is a highly accomplished health care professional, nurse practitioner and administrator recognized for her leadership in occupational health. DesRoches is also a board-certified advanced practice provider and adult nurse practitioner. She is currently a nurse practitioner and consultant in occupational health at Houston Methodist.
Ericka Graham
Ericka Graham is the founder of Project 88, which connects underserved students to leadership development and educational opportunities. Through her work, Project 88 raised nearly $1.9 million for Houston-area students. These funds were used to sponsor college advisors in Houston-area public high schools as well as to connect high school students to trade school opportunities and advising for various education and career paths.
Catherine Horn
Catherine Horn is the first female dean of the College of Education at the University of Houston, where she leads work to help improve educational and health outcomes for all people and communities. Her research primarily focuses on the systemic influences of assessment and related policies on the learning trajectories of students, especially those traditionally underserved by the education and social sectors. She also serves as executive director of the Institute for Education Policy Research and Evaluation and as director of the Center for Research, Evaluation and Advancement of Teacher Education.
Harriet Latimer
Harriet Latimer ’56 has worked in philanthropy for more than three decades. She has worked with numerous leading nonprofits and grassroots organizations, compensated and uncompensated, throughout Texas. She is a long-standing member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and a former board member and a former chair of the National Philanthropy Day Luncheon. Focusing primarily on capital campaigns, endowment funds and special projects, her clients’ fundraising goals have ranged from $1 million to $120 million. They include schools, churches, hospitals, theaters, social welfare agencies, parks and libraries.
Dr. Jody Lee
Dr. Jody S. Lee is renowned for her talent in crafting high-performance boards, a skill that has helped her succeed as the chair of Southwestern National Bank (SWNB), a $1.1 billion asset community bank headquartered in Houston. In addition to her impactful role in the financial sector, Dr. Lee has applied her board-building and leadership expertise across other fields, including real estate, health care and the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem. She currently serves as the president of EO Houston, one of the largest chapters in the world. She also mentors pre-med students at Rice.
Diana Strassmann
Diana Strassmann is the founding editor of Feminist Economics, the journal of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE), and is a co-founder of IAFFE. After receiving her undergraduate degree in economics from Princeton University and her master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from Harvard University, she joined the Rice faculty in 1983. Strassmann has published widely in the fields of economic regulation, environmental policy and feminist economic theory.
Geraldina Wise
Geraldina Wise ’83 ’85 is a multidisciplinary artist who began her art education at the age of 10 on the ravines of the San Salvador Volcano under the tutelage of a protege of the muralist Diego Rivera. She was awarded the 2023 Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award in Art in the Community. She received her degrees from Rice in architecture, art and art history. She is a co-owner of Sawyer Gallery and Studios. She is also a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum.
For more detailed information about the 50 Most Influential Women of 2023, visit this link: online.fliphtml5.com/lctmo/emul/#p=1.