Board Members – 2025

Lucy Gebhart
President

Lucy is a retired Project Manager from BP. She holds BS, MS in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University, but found herself migrating toward Mechanical Engineering, Construction, and Project Management.

Lucy lived in six countries besides the US for a total of 12 years of 30 years in the Petrochemical Industry. Her passion has always been travel and now includes volunteering. Lucy joined Central Houston Professional Chapter in 2017. She was the Membership & Outreach chairperson from 2018-2020. Lucy is also a Texas State Representatives in the South Central Region of EWB-USA, since late 2018.

Raina Brown
Vice President – Development

Raina has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She is currently a Project Engineer and has 12+ years of experience in fixed equipment, inspection, and business analyst roles in the oil and gas field.

Raina has had a heart for community service and giving back throughout her life. She has collaborated with many noteworthy organizations and causes over the years, ranging from homeless/hunger relief, cancer relief, waste management, and disaster relief, to education empowerment. Looking to combine her love for volunteering, engineering, traveling, and learning about various cultures, Raina joined the Central Houston Professional Chapter of EWB in 2019 and, subsequently, the chapter’s Kimaut Kenya Project.

Terry Applegate
Vice President – Projects

Terry is a retired IT professional from ConocoPhillips. He has BS/MS degrees in Industrial Engineering from Kansas State University and is a licensed PE in Oklahoma.

He has been actively involved in the Central Houston Professional EWB chapter since 2007. He has served as Fundraising Chairman, Treasurer, President, University Liaison, and QA/Training Lead. He currently works with the Kenya, Philippines, and Peru projects. He also provides mentoring to the University of Houston, Prairie View A&M, and soon to be UT- Rio Grande Valley student chapters. In addition to his EWB activities, he is also involved in several church related ministries, serves as a STEM resource for his grandsons’ Cub Scout Pack, and enjoys outdoor hikes with his wife, Debora.

Brandon Huggett
Secretary

Brandon graduated in May 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Louisiana State University. He works at a local consultant firm as a graduate water resources engineer with interests in stormwater modeling and management, floodplain risks, and green infrastructure. Brandon enjoys opportunities of community service with causes including fundraising/volunteering for local children’s hospitals, rebuilding homes, education opportunities, and STEM fairs. Seeking opportunities to get involved, Brandon joined EWB-Central Houston Chapter in Spring 2023 and subsequently joined the Kimaut Water Project team

Joshua Kinnaird
Treasurer

Josh holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Baylor University. He is currently a Mechanical Engineer with 10 years experience providing Continuous Improvement, Technical Training and Presentations, Engineering Sales, and Product Development.  

Josh has been involved in mission and community service throughout his life.  He has served communities in the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua.  Josh sought out the Central Houston Professional Chapter of Engineers without borders in 2023, to use his aptitudes to help others once again.

Wanting to give back to his local Houston community, Josh has been contributing to Hershe Street Garden project.

John Robertson
Programs Coordinator

John is a retired civil-structural engineer with over 50 years’ experience in engineering and construction management with major and minor engineering and construction firms, including his own ‘AmOrient Engineering’ based in Houston and Guam.

He is a licensed professional in Texas and six other states and territories. He has taken on projects in fifteen states and six foreign countries. Project experience includes both building and heavy engineering construction. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from Virginia Tech. He joined EWB-Central Houston Chapter in June 2020 and is currently the REIC for the Ulot River bridge project for the village of Tapul on Samar island in the Philippines.

Avi Jain
Volunteer Coordinator

Avi holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Rice University. He has eight years of mechanical engineering experience in the petrochemical industry and nine years of product management experience across various industries.

Outside of work, he enjoys traveling the world with his family and working on engineering and construction projects with his son.

Avi is passionate about serving the global community and seeks to integrate his interests in community service, engineering, and travel through EWB. He joined the EWB-Central Houston Chapter in 2024.

QA / Training Program Chair
Open Position

Position responsibilities: Finding updated guidance on EWB-National website to keep our projects in line with their requirements. Find relevant training that members may be interested in. Responsible for attending Monthly Board Meetings (virtual).  

Inquiries for this position may contact president@ewbhouston.org.  

Fundraising Chair
Open Position

Position responsibilities: The duties of the Fundraising Chair shall be to organize fundraising events as required for the operation of the Chapter and for the implementation of specific projects. The Fundraising Chair will also approve project led fundraising events and assist with consistent branding and reporting across events.

Inquiries for this position may contact president@ewbhouston.org.

Outreach Chair
Open Position

Position responsibilities: Getting EWB’s name out there at local events and attracting new members.  Responsible for attending Monthly Board Meetings (virtual) and Monthly Chapter Meetings (virtual).

Rachel Herr
Communications Chair

Rachel is a water resources engineer specializing in stormwater management and floodplain risks. She works for a local consultant firm and has over 10 years of experience in the industry. She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. 

Rachel moved to Houston in 2017 and started getting involved with the Houston Chapter of Engineers Without Borders in 2021.  Since joining the chapter, she has been involved with the Kimaut Water Project.

Webmaster
Open Position

Position responsibilities: – Responsible for updating the Chapter’s website with meeting dates and board member changes. Responsible for attending Monthly Board Meetings (virtual).

Inquiries for this position may contact president@ewbhouston.org.

Philip Washington
University Liaison

Philip is a management consultant with over 20 years of experience in the engineering consulting field. He has built high performing departments at top engineering firms, and now helps businesses optimize their talent and workflow to drive growth and develop new clients.

Philip joined the EWB-Central Houston Chapter in June 2018 and currently serves as Project Lead with for the Peru Program, where he teams with Amazon Promise and Nature Healing Nature to bring clean, sustainable rainwater harvesting/storage, education, and sanitation to remote Amazonian villages in the Loreto province, Peru.

He also volunteers with youth, veteran, and terminally ill outdoor programs through the Trinity Oaks organization.