GRANT REQUISITION SPECIALIST & DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

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Miriam Cepeda Gelman is a graduate of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Art History and a Master of Arts in History. Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, she has a strong background in community outreach which has succeeded in drawing awareness at the local and national levels. 

Diversified in strong interpersonal communication and presentation skills has allowed her to maximize her marketing and public relations talents. Her experiences range in management, academic research, historical preservation, K-17 classroom development, as well as public and governmental relations. In doing so, she has developed the tools to constructively lead a team during stressful situations in a professional manner. 

Her involvement with CoLOURRise® Inc. stems from a commitment to addressing the needs of underserved communities. This passion grew from her upbringing in a lower-income community on the South Texas border where she witnessed first-hand the effects of poverty and the lack of educational resources. Additionally, her extensive travels to South America have brought her in contact with impoverished communities on an international scale. Observing these communities, their resilience in the face of adversity, and their strength amid tremendous hardships have inspired her to use her talents to advocate on the behalf of all underserved and oppressed peoples. She is particularly motivated by the suffering of the most vulnerable members of our world: children. 

Miriam strongly believes that through education and greater access to resources, the children of these underserved communities can rise to heights that their parents can only dream of. She has firmly resolved to make these dreams come true that every child, regardless of locality or income group, will be given a chance to live lives of health and success.

She was the Director of the Gelman Stained Glass Museum. She sits on various boards including CMAX System Inc. and Foundation, and the Texas State Bar Grievance Committee, South Texas Division. 

Currently, Miriam is the Chief Executive Officer of Talk Less More Action, LLC.  She is also the Rio Grande Valley Development Manager for the Ronald McDonald House Charities South Texas.

Mathias Luka Agbu is a Nigerian-born author, engineer, thinker, philanthropist, and transformational leader who lives in Houston, Texas-USA. He is a member of the Maxwell Leadership Team and a Maxwell-certified coach, speaker, and trainer.

He is the founder of the Luka Agbu Memorial Foundation. He holds a Bachelor's of Science and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology at Minna, Nigeria, and the University of Texas at Arlington, USA. As an experienced Mechanical engineer, he has worked and led major Oil and Gas projects across North America and Africa.

Despite sojourning for over two decades in the United States, Mathias has always maintained a constant connection with his community back in Nigeria. In 2008, he founded the Luka Agbu Memorial Foundation (LAMF). Based at his hometown of Wukari-Taraba State in Nigeria, the Foundation provides scholarships to orphaned and disadvantaged children, and it empowers youth as community transformers across the Taraba State.

His passion for a meaningful change in people is manifested through his laudable initiatives including the Emerging Leaders Conference, Youth Leadership Workshop, Youth Mentoring Programs, Leadership Interview Series on social media and his regular commentary on contemporary and topical issues. 

Mathias is happily married to his wife, Favor Wazota Agbu. They are blessed with five children.