Nicole stands as the guiding force and beating heart behind Houston Youth Empowerment Services (H*YES). A proud native of Houston–born“in the loop”as she fondly boasts–her deep-rooted connection to the city and its people is evident in every endeavor she undertakes.

A graduate of the University of Texas-San Antonio with a Bachelor's in Psychology and a minor in Sociology, Nicole further expanded her academic prowess by obtaining a Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She then honed her skills as a practicing therapist, deeply influencing and improving countless lives.

Beyond her professional credentials, Nicole's personal life is deeply embedded within Houston's fabric. Her two daughters are proud attendees of the local HISD elementary school, while her husband thrives as a notable entrepreneur in the city. This intrinsic bond with Houston, coupled with her educational and professional background, uniquely positions Nicole to lead H*YES with both passion and precision.

Ernest, a Sam Houston State University graduate in 1999, with a Marketing degree from the College of Business Administration. After a brief stint in New Orleans during the early 2000's, Ernest moved to Houston, TX in 2004 to begin his professional career in the Oil & Gas Industry where he worked in sales for 13 years.

In 2015, he joined Jackie at GeoVision at the infancy of the company, and started DataLog in September 2016. The corporate headquarters of both companies are in Houston, TX today. Aside from his professional career, his personal life is deeply embedded within Houston's fabric

His two daughters are proud attendees of the local HISD elementary school, while his wife thrives as a notable philanthropist in the community. Ernest spends his time with his daughters at the softball field where he is helping build up the softball community. This intrinsic bond with Houston, coupled with his athletic, educational professional background, uniquely positions Ernest to assist H*YES with both passion, organization, and execution.

Jackie, a University of Florida graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Geology, began her professional journey as a Geologist at Penn Virginia Oil & Gas Corp. Her wit, motivation, and intelligence were evident from the start, leading to her co- founding Targeted GeoVision, an oil and gas geosteering company, in partnership with Ernest, the co-founder of H*YES.

Beyond her success in the corporate world, Jackie has always exhibited a profound commitment to community and youth development. In 2021, she became the Co- Director of Houston Youth Empowerment Services (H*YES), a role that has allowed her to channel her entrepreneurial acumen and kindness towards a cause close to her heart.

Since joining H*YES, Jackie has spearheaded vital initiatives like the annual holiday toy drive and back-to-school drive with BEAR. Her influence extends to hands-on educational support, actively volunteering alongside her husband Sean in the After- School STEM program at Helms Elementary School.

Hannah, a Baylor University graduate. with a bachelors in political science, began her career in in Houston in 2021. Following her 4 years at Baylor where she played for the Baylor Softball team on scholarship, she had a desire to give back to the sport that gave her so much.

Through her engagement with the softball community she became aquainted with Ernest where he and his wife shared their passions and aspirations for the community and how they planned to utilize HYES to achieve those goals. After witnessing the passion excuded from Ernest, Nicole, and Jackie it was then that Hannah decided she would leave her corporate sales job to partake in the HYES mission.

Although Hannah is our newest member to HYES she has hit the ground running working on funding, grant writing, marketing, and sourcing volunteers to bring the HYES vision to life. Hannah’s passion for the communities youth paired with her sports background made her the perfect fit for the team.