Board Members – 2024

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.

Alex Nelson
Secretary

Alex is a recent graduate of Sam Houston State University, having obtained a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology Design, with a minor in History.

Alex is currently studying for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. He is a certified open water SCUBA diver and has further been training in advanced open water diving.

Alex hopes to help people all over the world in some way and looks to help achieve this goal through his support of the Central Houston Professional EWB chapter.

Jonathan Medina
Treasurer

Jonathan is an improvement engineer at a plastics facility in Freeport, Texas, with 3 years of experience in the chemicals industry.  He’s a graduate of the University of Florida with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Economics.

Jonathan is passionate about giving back to the greater community in any shape or form. He joined EWB-Central Houston Chapter in May 2022. Whether through engineering organizations or company-sponsored volunteer events, he looks for opportunities to help others and provide relief for those in need.

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.

Volunteer Coordinator
Open Position

Position responsibilities: The duties of the Volunteer Coordinator shall be to provide the first point of contact for individuals interested in becoming chapter volunteers, maintain a master e-mail list, and maintain general chapter meeting attendance records.

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

Christin Newell
QA/Training Program Chair

Christin is a chemical engineer with a BS from Rice University and her PE in Texas and Oklahoma. She has 25 years of experience in process engineering including renewable natural gas and biofuels. Her specialty is developing first of kind processes. 

She joined the EWB-Central Houston Chapter in 2021. She also volunteers with Citizen’s Climate Lobby and is an ambassador for ENRoads Climate Simulator. 

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.

Craig Thomas
Outreach Chair

Craig grew up in the Atlanta metropolitan area and graduated from The Georgia Institute of Technology (2020) where he first joined Engineers Without Borders.

Today, Craig is a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry. In his free time, he enjoys playing piano, exploring Houston’s coffee and BBQ scenes, and spending time with friends. He joined EWB-Central Houston Chapter in June 2022 and is currently the Spring 2/”Engine” Site Sub-Project Team Lead for the Kimaut Water Project.

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.

Josh Kinnaird
Webmaster

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.

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.