Board of Directors
Meet the Board of Directors charged with Plant It Forward’s governance and resource development.
Interested in joining the team? Learn more about who we’re looking for here.
Clay Albers
Clay is a commercial real estate broker and is the owner of Clay Albers Properties. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to his involvement with Plant It Forward, Clay is a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters, a volunteer with Children at Risk, and a graduate of Leadership Houston. As a Houston-native, his favorite thing about the city is that the people are friendly and come from all over the world. He’s a beach volleyball fanatic and a fan of the Liverpool Football Club. His favorite thing to grow is dill because it reminds him of pickling with his grandmother.
Karina Amanullah, Chair
Karina is a Certified Leadership and Executive Coach who helps develop high performing individuals and teams. It is her true passion to help spark personal and professional growth. She earned a B.A. from Southern Methodist University and an M.A. from St. Mary’s University. She’s a Dallas-native and spent time in San Francisco before making her way to Houston several years ago. Her favorite part about Houston is the food; so much diversity, so much flavor! In addition to Plant It Forward, Karina volunteers her expertise toward causes supporting child fostering and adoption as well as leadership diversity initiatives. Her favorite PIF crop is also a favorite of many of our farmers: okra! LinkedIn profile
Tony Argento, Treasurer
Tony is a business executive who has had a lengthy career in international engineering, procurement and construction (Equinox Engineering, Fluor, KBR, AECOM). Originally from Canada, he earned a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Calgary. His career has taken him all over the world: Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Netherlands, all over Canada, and several stints in California and Houston. He settled down in Houston in 2013 and joined the PIF advisory board in 2019 and became a full board member in 2020 as well as taking on the critical role as treasurer. His favorite PIF crop is broccoli!
Rebecca Browning
Rebecca is a Product Development Manager at Community Health Choice who was born in Galveston and moved to Houston as a child. She earned a BA in Music Performance and an MA in Creative Arts Therapy, later living in Boston and Philadelphia before finding her way back to the warmer clime of Houston. She’s passionate about health and wellness, and tries to be outdoors as much as possible. She loves Houston’s welcoming spirit, the diversity, and the food. Her favorite PIF crops are any kinds of greens!
Traci Donatto
Traci is the Principal Consultant at Anthem, LLC, a management consulting firm that specializes in economic development, branding, and public policy. A native Houstonian, Traci graduated from Texas State University with a B.A. in Political Science. She worked a multi-year stint in New York City as a Global Director for one of the largest real estate firms in the world. She made her way back home and loves how Houston represents the best combination of all the U.S. coastal cultures. She says our cultural diversity in Houston exceeds that of NYC, our approachability outshines that of L.A. and the San Francisco Bay Area, and our food culture rivals New Orleans — Houston is truly a cross-section of the best cultural assets the U.S. has to offer! Her charitable activities are centered on increasing equity; when she’s not advocating for equitable food supply chain access, she’s advocating for criminal justice reform. Her favorite PIF veggies are baby bok choy and carrots because she loves their versatility.
Eduardo Miranda, Jr.
Eddie is an El Paso-native who found his way to Houston by way of earning a B.A in Political Science from Rice University. He is the Vice President of Government Affairs for Houston METRO and a committee member for the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA). Growing up in El Paso gave him an appreciation for the economic and cultural benefits of immigration and cross-border commerce. He loves Houston’s diverse food scene and the sports and concert offerings. His favorite PIF crops at corn and potatoes!
Teresa O’Donnell, Co-founder & Vice President
Teresa is a co-founder and former President of Plant It Forward. She is a former Pediatric ICU nurse and co-founder of Bridgeway Software. She is interested in the concerns of the day and is involved in issues that range from underserved populations to the scenic beauty of Houston. Besides her work at Plant It Forward, is an ardent supporter of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program.
Lakshmi Picoli
Lakshmi is a Texas-native and brand manager for Coca-Cola. She earned a B.A. in Political Science and Religion from Emory University and an M.B.A. with Concentration in Brand Management from The University of Texas at Austin. She’s passionate about giving back to the Houston community through volunteerism with organizations focused on empowerment and self-sustainment. Her favorite thing about Houston is the diversity of people and food — there is always an opportunity to learn, experience, and taste something new. Her favorite PIF veggies are okra and spinach!
Alan Steinberg
Alan, an Alief (SW Houston)-native, is the President/CEO of the West Houston Association. He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Houston, an M.S. in Defense and Strategic Studies from Missouri State University, a Graduate Certificate in International Affairs from the Bush School of Public Service, and a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University. He’s an avid supporter of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast Region, and the Holocaust Museum Houston, as well as serving on the City of Houston Clean City Commission and the Memorial Management District. His favorite thing about Houston is the juxtaposition of high technology and modern infrastructure with southern hospitality and a western frontier mentality.
Roy Vu
Roy is a native Houstonian who earned his Ph.D. in History from the University of Houston. He’s now a History professor at Dallas College-North Lake Campus. He’s the author of “Natives of a Ghost Country: The Vietnamese in Houston and Their Construction of a Postwar Community” and “Farm-to-Freedom: Vietnamese Americans and Their Home Gardens” (TAMU Press, 2021), and a contributing author in “Asian Americans in Dixie: Race and Migration in the South.” He’s earned the Sandi Ray Graff Educator Award and the Keep Texas Beautiful Youth and Educator Award and he serves as a Foodways Texas Staff and Advisory Board Member and as a Co-Ambassador to the Southeast Asian Archive and Special Collections at U.C.-Irvine. In addition to Plant It Forward, Roy supports Foodways Texas, the North Texas and Houston Food Banks, Black Lives Matter, DACA immigrants, LGBTQ, Keep Irving Beautiful, Impact Hub Houston, Undermain Theater Dallas, Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association, and the Southeast Asian Archive and Special Collections at U.C.-Irvine. Roy says “Houston has an unbelievable plethora of diverse and delicious cuisines.” His favorite PIF crop is jute leaves (aka Molokhia or Egyptian spinach), which he uses in a popular Vietnamese soup called canh rau cu.
Alyssa Weinstein-Sears, Secretary
Alyssa is a museum educator with Holocaust Museum Houston. She earned a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from The Pennsylvania State University; a Certificate in Strategic Communication from the University of Texas, Austin; and an M.A. in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College. She’s been in Houston for three years, getting here as fast as she could! In addition to Houston, she’s lived in Baltimore, Maryland and State College, Pennsylvania. She loves that there’s always something interesting to do in the Bayou City. Beyond Plant It Forward, Alyssa enjoys supporting the performing arts, her synagogue, Holocaust Museum Houston, and The Emery/Weiner School. She finds it difficult to choose just one favorite PIF crop, but spinach is at the top of the list.
