Board

Houston Director

Laura Cervantes

The reason I joined Pan American Round Table of Houston back in July 2017, was because I felt the positive vibes of Sisterhood and there was a close bond with all the members. I also love to be able to help young Latina Women to meet their goal of attending college. This truly makes me happy! In 2018 I became Programs Director. Shortly after, the Board offered me the position of Programs and Arrangement Director. I love to volunteer to make things happen. I like to connect with new people and make new friends. Seeing the Scholarship Recipients happy is the main reason we all volunteer, we serve to help Students reach their educational goals.

Programs & Arrangements

Gloria Alvarado

I joined the Pan American Round Table of Houston several years ago.  I was drawn to PART because of its mission to empower the community by awarding Scholarships to deserving young women.  I was the first in my family to pursue higher education and am aware of the financial hardship it can be for some families.   I have made it my mission to be involved with an organization that positively impacts the lives of young ladies by helping them reach their educational goals.  I am excited to serve as Programs & Arrangements Director for a cause I truly believe in, and I look forward to a great year! I am originally from Palmview, Texas.  I am a full-time real estate Broker in Houston.  I moved to Houston in 1996 and have called Houston my home and place to raise my wonderful sons, now incredible young men.  The eldest two attend college, and my youngest son is an incoming Senior in High School.

Membership Director

Cinthia Milian

Cinthia was drawn to the Pan American Roundtable of Houston as a scholarship recipient in 2006 and 2007. She believes in the mission of PART-H of promoting education, friendship, and creating a space where Latinx women can be seen, heard, recognized, and celebrated. Cinthia joined the Board as Membership Director in September 2021. Cinthia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Houston and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Houston Baptist University. After a decade in non-profit mental health, she decided it was time to launch her first entrepreneurial venture and founded The Cosmer Center, a private practice based in Houston. Cinthia is a new member of the Women of Wardrobe, a professional organization led by women raising awareness of Dress for Success Houston through social events and volunteerism. 

Scholarship Director

Julissa Alcantar-Martinez

Julissa is currently our scholarship chair, she was our past director (2020&2021) and has held the position of scholarship chair in the past as well. She has a passion for education and serves in her position as she was an educator in Houston, San Antonio and Puebla, Mexico for over 20yrs in the capacity of  administrator and teacher. 

She truly believes in helping our young latinas get ahead through education and understands that financially we can make a difference. She has worked to evolve the role of the donor to become more of mentors, to allow our girls to see people like them in professional positions. The mentors have also worked to help our girls be involved in the fundraising process, the activities we do as an organization and the need to give back through service. In exchange, the girls learn about networking, working together and sisterhood. They have met other ladies from all over Houston and the world, connected with them at their campus events and formed a bond with a new group who also aspire to be leaders in our latina community.  

At the present, she works for JLA Realty, as a realtor with a focus on helping Spanish speakers become homeowners. She has been married 24yrs and has 2 children. She is from San Antonio and has her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lamar University. Her passion is traveling and spending time with her family. 

Communications Director

Perla Kohler

I joined PART in 2019 as just a volunteer. As I learned more about PART and their rewarding work of creating opportunities for our young women. I then knew I had to continue in this wonderful group of women who champion for the underprivileged. I’m a combat disabled navy veteran who graduated from U of H. I long for our young women to grow in a community where we help one another advance. I’m honored to serve on the board. Education should not be only for the well to do, education should be obtainable for anyone with a hunger for knowledge

Alum Coordinator

Catherine Louvier

Very soon after joining the PART-H, family I came to see the awarding of scholarships as the act of spreading culture through the gift of education that the organization strives for in The Mission Statement. It’s been my great privilege to serve in the capacity of director of the scholarship committee (with loads of support) since 2020. The PART scholars are an extraordinary group of Latinas, comprised of elite, Houston-area, students who are largely first-generation college applicants that express an awareness of cultural outreach, while performing at the upper reaches of academia. All of this while still in high school, and often under challenging circumstances. I must admit that the search for candidates is a reward of its own. It would be nice to say I love helping them, but the truth is that I find the process quite satisfying personally, and the best thing I have to offer them is one another, and PART-H. In fact, I have found the bonds forged by the girls within the program quite inspirational. It has been fascinating to see the strength they draw from knowing there is more than one of their fellows in New York, or Minnesota (for example) when they get back together for gatherings on break. Knowing one isn’t “out there” (or for that matter, “back here”) alone…having a cultural touchstone seems to help the group normalize the various experiences of their unfamiliar collegiate environments. I think that anyone among us would be feel as gratified as I do to know that this is the at the heart of what we stand for.

Secretary

Susan Huston

My mother joined the Pan American Round Table in the Las Cruces, NM and El Paso, TX tables back in the 70’s so I’ve had a knowledge of the great things this organization does since I was a child. In the 90’s I answered the call to serve myself by joining the Houston table. I have made life long friends and had so many wonderful experiences as a member of this table. I am most proud of the many scholarships we have been able to give to well deserving young women, many of whom are the first in their families to get a higher education. I have learned about the history, culture, art and humanity of the Americas through my travels with my sisters in this great organization. Una Para Todas Y Todas Para Una!

Historian

Martha Inskeep

When I reflect on my reasons for serving on the board of Pan America Round Table of Houston, I immediately think of all the good times we have had and the satisfaction of being involved in something genuinely worthwhile. Although I became a member of Pan American Round Table over 15 years ago while living in Austin, it was not until I moved to Houston after retirement about 10 years ago that I became active in the organization. I contacted the Houston table shortly after my husband’s transfer to Houston and was immediately invited to join in their social activities, which served as a wonderful transition to a new community where I really did not know anyone. Very soon the ladies of PART Houston became new friends and made me feel so welcome. Initially, the social aspect of the organization was the draw as this group of international women is so much fun, but I later became very interested in the particular mission to raise funds to offer scholarships to young women. As a retired Spanish and ESL teacher and the mother of two grown daughters, empowerment through education has always been a passion of mine. Serving on the board as secretary and corresponding secretary has been a bonding experience and a valuable way to spend my time. I feel very lucky to be helpful to my good friends in the organization here and to continue making new friends through our international contacts. 

Treasurer

Kaye Fraser

 I joined Pan American Round Table of Houston in 2016.  However, PART has been a part of my life since I can remember. My father told my sister and I when we were young that his grandmother (our great grandmother) was the founder of an organization called the Pan American Round Tables in San Antonio, Texas.  Since I was born and raised in the small town of Sugar Land, southwest of Houston, it did not mean much to either of us.  Our Aunt Ruth (Dad’s sister), who was a member of a Dallas table, would talk about the goings on with the organization with their mother, Ruth, whenever we would get together as a family but again it was not a conversation that interested a young girl.  

Unfortunately, I did not become interested in learning more until after my dad, his sister and my grandmother had passed.  But with the age of the internet, I was finally able to connect and join.  Since joining, I have learned a lot about people, places, cultures, art and music while raising money to assist young girls to go to college. The bonus? Making tons of friends. I encourage all to join, get involved and make the Americas a better place for all.   

Parliamentarian

Margie Esquivel

I became a member of the Pan American Round Table Houston Chapter in 2021,
being recruited by Laura Cervantes. To my surprise, the Chapter is small enough
to be “family” but strong enough to make a difference in a young person’s life.
My father drilled his children on the importance of education, values and self
growth. As I sit in meetings, I am reminded of his ideas and teachings which to
me bears a huge value. I am honored to serve as Parliamentarian and am eager
to serve in this professional organization.
I have been married for 41 years, have two children (both Longhorns) and a
beloved Boston Terrier pup. I not only consider myself bilingual (Spanish) but
most importantly, multi-cultural. I love salsa and bachata music, reading and
watching shows on Netflix. I have been a member and volunteer of the Houston
Livestock Show & Rodeo for the past 7+ years, am a Board Member of the Latin
American Association of Insurance Agencies and co-own a multi-cultural internet
radio station (GQ Radio), both allowing her to connect and giving back to her
community.