Professional Title

Founder & CEO, Golden Laurel Advisors; Vice President & President-Elect, Houston Angel Network Board of Directors

What’s one thing you’re learning right now — professionally or personally?

I'm interested in how boards are adapting their oversight of artificial intelligence as AI becomes a broader discussion around strategy, talent, risk, and governance. In particular, I'm curious about how directors can ask better questions about AI without needing to become technologists themselves.

In your view, what makes a truly effective board member?

Preparation, curiosity, and judgment. Effective directors understand the business well enough to ask thoughtful questions, challenge assumptions constructively, and know when to listen. They bring their own expertise without losing sight of the board's collective responsibility. Good governance is often less about having the right answers than asking the right questions.

Beach, mountains, city, or countryside — what’s your ideal getaway?

Beach. Somewhere with a good walking trail, fresh seafood, and enough quiet to think.

What’s a small daily habit that makes a big difference for you?

I try to start each day with gratitude, taking a moment to think about something I'm grateful for and to set a positive intention for the day ahead.

What’s a book every board member should read?

Good to Great by Jim Collins. Its lessons on getting the right people in the right seats, confronting difficult realities, and maintaining disciplined focus have stayed with me. Great boards, like great management teams, need the right combination of people, candor, and discipline.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

Don't be afraid to say the quiet part out loud when it needs to be said. It may be difficult, and it won't always make you popular, but sometimes the most important contribution you can make is raising the issue others are reluctant to voice.

In your experience, what differentiates great board chairs?

Great board chairs run the room without dominating it. They draw out different perspectives, encourage healthy debate, and know how to build a strong partnership with the CEO while maintaining the board's independence. The best create an environment where difficult questions are treated as good governance, not personal criticism.

If you had an extra free hour every day, how would you spend it?

Cooking. I would love to have more time to try new recipes and experiment in the kitchen.

What’s the most unforgettable trip or experience you’ve ever had?

Studying international law at Notre Dame's London campus. I walked to class through Trafalgar Square and past the National Gallery every day. Looking back, I appreciate how much that experience broadened my perspective and prepared me for a career that would eventually include supporting businesses around the world.