Houston & Gulf Coast RegionApril 3, 2025 | Hilton Americas, Houston

Some people leave a legacy with big speeches and titles. Others—like Marie Majors—do it with quiet strength, steady service, and a level of dedication that spans nearly five decades. With 47 years in the workforce—25 of those at Halliburton—Marie Majors has become more than a trusted Administrator. She is the cornerstone of Halliburton’s Finance & Accounting organization. The keeper of its culture. The architect of its continuity. And the person whose “work bible” is known throughout the company as both a guidebook and a treasure. Marie supports her executives with the same thoughtful precision and care she offers to interns walking in on their very first day. Whether she's coordinating seamless office relocations, documenting vital processes, or designing systems that help the team thrive—Marie leads with humility, grace, and excellence. But Marie’s impact can’t be measured in spreadsheets or office blueprints. It’s seen in the careers she’s helped shape. The interns she’s welcomed and mentored since 1999. The people who say the office feels like home—because of her. As one colleague put it: “When things get tough, we turn to Marie. Not just because she knows what to do—but because she makes us feel like we can do it.”

With over 30 years of experience—21 of them at UT MD Anderson—Crystal is the steady hand behind one of the most complex departments in healthcare: Anesthesiology. She oversees operations, budgeting, audits, faculty recruitment, and credentialing for a team of 230 that performs more than 40,000 anesthetics each year. And yet, what truly sets Crystal apart is how she lifts people. She created the department’s Admins Senate to foster leadership from every level. Launched their first Admins Retreat to build connection and growth. Mentors five Admin Professionals and creates pathways for development. Her colleagues call her “the glue,” “a bright light,” and “a leader with heart.” And today, we call her what she’s long been: someone who doesn’t just keep things running—she makes people better.

From organizing stadium-sized team-building events to making every new team member feel like they belong, Adriana Garcia is the powerhouse behind the scenes at NRG Energy—and the heartbeat of its Technology organization. In her 9 years at NRG, Adriana has supported a team of 800+ with calm confidence, care, and contagious energy. She manages complex executive priorities, chairs leadership meetings, leads key follow-ups, and somehow still finds time to check in on remote colleagues—all while being described as a “sparkle muffin of joy” by her team. Her journey started with zero corporate experience and a background in food trucks—but what she had was unmatched customer service and hustle. When she landed her first EA role, she was warned about her SVP’s tough reputation—and ended up becoming the “Dan Whisperer,” earning his trust and changing the trajectory of her career. Today, Adriana is more than an Executive Assistant—she’s a strategic partner, a culture builder, and the kind of teammate who quietly makes everything (and everyone) better.

With 35 years as an Administrative Professional, including 23 years with the City of Sugar Land, Dee Callaway has redefined what it means to serve with heart, integrity, and impact. Today, she’s the Executive Assistant at Sugar Land Regional Airport, but she’s also the reason employees feel seen, celebrated, and supported from day one. From launching the airport’s first-ever onboarding guide, to creating monthly team recognition programs (funded with her personal Starbucks rewards at first!), to organizing workplace forums where everyone has a voice—Dee makes the culture stronger, one thoughtful gesture at a time. One of her proudest moments? Turning unused City suite tickets into VIP experiences for front-line airport staff—many of whom had never attended a Space Cowboys game or event at Smart Financial Centre before. Dee simply asked, “Why not give this to our people?” And she made it happen. That’s Dee: noticing what others miss and turning small ideas into big morale wins. Her colleagues call her “the glue,” “a quiet leader,” and “the kindest, most dedicated professional you could hope to work with.” And it's easy to see why. Dee leads with empathy, listens deeply, and never misses a detail—whether it's building a better conference room guide or remembering your favorite snack on your birthday. Across HR, Finance, Accounting, and now Aviation, Dee has left her mark. And at the airport, she’s built more than systems—she’s built community.

A few years ago, Kim Boehm stepped into a traditional administrative role in Entergy’s cybersecurity division. Today, she holds a specially created Senior Analyst position—evidence of a career that didn’t just evolve, but exploded with purpose, leadership, and impact. Kim’s influence goes far beyond calendar management and communications. She’s the architect behind Entergy Cybersecurity’s people-first culture, credited with helping the division achieve the highest Organizational Health Index score across the entire 12,000+ employee enterprise. She launched an onboarding experience so effective that other departments adopted it as a best practice. And when communications felt fragmented? Kim built two custom SharePoint sites from scratch, creating clarity and cohesion from the ground up. Her superpower? Making everyone feel seen, connected, and part of something bigger. Whether planning all-hands events or leading the Org Health Champion team, Kim brings the kind of energy and vision that doesn’t just boost morale—it builds community. Colleagues call her “the glue,” “the engine,” and “the gold standard.” And when her executive says her standards are “almost not humanly possible”? That’s not a complaint—it’s a compliment. Because Kim shows up every day with one goal: make things better for the people around her. Her story is proof that leadership isn’t about title—it’s about the ripple effect you create. And in Kim’s case, that ripple has become a wave.

In a world where change is constant, Regina Combs has been HP’s North Star for three decades—guiding teams, executives, and entire organizations with steadiness, excellence, and a heart for service. Regina’s impact stretches far beyond her title. She’s the calm in the storm, the first call in a crisis, and the mentor who always makes time. Whether it’s onboarding a new Division President or aligning a network of Executive Assistants across the company, Regina brings precision, poise, and a rare kind of wisdom that can only come from experience—and heart. One of her colleagues shared this story: “When our executive joined the company, Regina didn’t just organize the calendar—she became the compass. She made connections, offered context, and helped that leader integrate into HP’s culture with care and clarity. Regina was the bridge. And she didn’t need the spotlight to do it.” She’s supported CEOs, C-suite leaders, and teams across nearly every corner of HP—but what makes Regina unforgettable is how she shows up: consistently, completely, and with grace. She’s a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, known for her flawless execution and her ability to make everyone around her better.

With 28 years in the Admin profession–and five unforgettable ones at S&B Engineers and Constructors–Nina isn’t just the Executive Assistant to a roster of senior leaders. She’s the spark that makes the workplace work. Known as the “heartbeat of S&B,” Nina is the one who plans holiday events employees drive in for on remote days, turns office celebrations into lifelong memories, and shows up always with a smile, a solution, and snacks if you’re lucky. Her traditions live on long after she leaves a role. Her support changes careers. Her presence? Changes the whole room. Whether mentoring new Admins, rallying the team, or quietly making magic behind the scenes, Nina leads with heart and brings out the best in everyone around her.

When Glory Olson joined LINK Staffing Services, she didn’t ease into the role. She walked straight into a crisis—a cyberattack that threatened operations across more than 40 franchise locations. It was her second week on the job. Without hesitation, Glory jumped into action, calmly coordinating communication across departments, rallying leadership, and setting a tone of professionalism under pressure that has defined her ever since. Fast forward five years, and Glory isn’t just the Executive Assistant to the CEO—she’s the organization’s strategic nerve center. Supporting not only the CEO but also HR, Accounting, IT, and regional leadership, Glory brings clarity to chaos, alignment to complexity, and strategy to everything she touches. Whether she’s saving the company $10,000 in wasteful spending, steering a multimillion-dollar acquisition plan, or rewriting a vendor contract to avoid a $72K loss while preserving the relationship—Glory doesn’t just support leadership, she multiplies its impact. A colleague put it best: “You begin to rethink the definition of ‘above and beyond’ after working with Glory. She's the kind of partner who’s in the meeting on the way to another meeting—because she knows what’s at stake.” From launching LLCs and rebranding a 40-year-old company, to mentoring teammates and elevating LINK to national recognition year after year—Glory is more than a trusted assistant. She is a strategist, a steward, and a force multiplier.

Winnie Hurston is a 37 year veteran of the Administrative Profession most recently as Board Liason and Senior Executive Assistant to the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Carriage Services. With an extensive background as a Legal Secretary, Office Manager, and Executive Assistant, Winnie has shouldered many responsibilities, ranging from administrative support to managing financial affairs and intricate legal matters. She’s successfully navigated the complexities of Carriage Services' decentralized structure, facilitating seemless communications between HQ and its 200 subsidiaries nationwide, significantly enhancing the company's operational efficiency. Winnie's commitment to excellence has earned high praise and her executive shared, Winnie is ‘the highest-level Executive Admin I’ve seen in my 35-years of experience across four publicly-held companies”. She is counted on for her insightful perspectives and comprehensive knowledge of corporate affairs and has lived the Carriage Values for 17 years straight, every single day.

Kessler Kapadia is the Executive Coordinator to the CEO of Devlin Garbers where she masterfully heads administration, supporting the Founder’s engagements across four corporate boards, including Fortune 100 companies, and three non-profits as well as personal endeavors including home construction management. Of course! Kessler is described as not only extremely smart, but phenomenally industrious. She “takes charge in a way that others welcome”. Her leaders says “ I have worked for 40+ years, and have had the benefit of hiring and working with many excellent Admins. I can say with confidence that Kessler is among the best – if not the best. Kessler is also pursuing her Masters at Harvard, in Industrial Organization Psychology (and getting great grades by the way) as well as being a single Mother of two thriving girls.  Oh, and in her spare time she competes national in Jui Jitsu competitions, winning Silver just a few weeks ago in Atlanta. What an achiever, indeed – congratulations Kessler!

Just over 12 years ago, Cari Bishop Smith entered the Texas A&M University system in Galveston as an entry level Administrative Professional. Within 10 months her meteoric rise began when she was hand-picked to serve the Chief Academic Officer. Today, Cari serves as the Director of Academic Affairs supporting the Executive Associate Vice President and Chief Academic Officer in addition to all Department Heads who rely on Cari’s expertise to not only thrive in their roles but to survive.Her impact on the university's administrative structure has been transformative, particularly her centralization of faculty-related procedures which enhanced operational efficiency, setting a new standard with contributions that elevate the Campus, University and rise all the way to the state level. Her leader says “Ms. Cari Bishop Smith absolutely ranks among the best of the best. She is quite simply and truly, phenomenal.

Karen Fore is a 45-year veteran of the Administrative Profession serving as Executive Assistant to the Chair at UT MD Anderson. Karen's tenure overseeing the resident and fellows’ program for anesthesia services at Baylor College of Medicine exemplifies her unparalleled commitment to excellence. Her astute leadership and meticulous attention to detail have not only ensured the smooth operation of the program but have significantly contributed to the professional development of countless individuals within the medical field. For the past 8 years, Karen has served as an indispensable pillar of support in her role as an executive assistant. What truly sets Karen apart is her incredible commitment to shouldering responsibilities. She never shies away from a challenge no matter how demanding and her work ethic, reliability and ability to consistently exceed expectations exemplify true loyalty.

The HR Team at Texas A&M has adeptly navigated the distinct challenges of supporting the Institute of Biosciences and Technology and Engineering Medicine, a demanding 24/7 research environment, alongside their vital role in the university's pioneering 'physicianeer' program.In addition, their exceptional management of the  Galveston campus’ Summer Sea Program, a maritime academy with the unique feature of a floating classroom resulted in commendations from the ship operations staff who lauded the team’s resilient and resourceful ‘can do’ mentality in overcoming the myriad of obstacles to ensure the program’s success at sea.  By harnessing their collective expertise for creative thinking, effective problem solving and dedication to excellence, Texas A&M’s HR Admin Team triumphantly earns tonight’s Achiever Award!

As Administrative Assistant Lead IV at KBR, Lorna DeArmond not only embodies all the qualities of a great Admin but inspires those same qualities in the Admin team she leads. She has supported the Human Space Flight program for 17 years and models the five keys of the Johnson Space Center Flight Operations Division Foundations of Flight Operations credo including discipline, competence, confidence responsibility and teamwork. She is always available to offer guidance or advice, whether for one of her Admins or a fellow Admin, and takes pride in sharing her knowledge and helping fellow team members. Additionally, Lorna publishes an Admin newsletter that offers insight into the skills essential to being a great Admin, and she created and leads the MSOC Admin Study Group that to date has delivered over 17 hours of skills training to Admin teams across the Human Exploration Division departments. “Loyal Lorna is dedicated to all who truly make NASA work,” her colleague said, “and without them we would never make it in space, never reach for the stars — and for the most part, many of us would be a complete wreck.

Areli Pastrana is Executive Assistant at HP Inc., where she is recognized for strategically collaborating with her executive, his chief of staff and his leadership team to manage the executive office. Most recently, Areli played an instrumental role in partnering with the chief of staff to create and execute the Readiness Plan for an entirely new organization within the company. This included recommending and executing key meetings and identifying key stakeholders across business units with a focus on operating rhythm. She ran point to ensure the organization design and selection process stayed on track, aligning complex calendars for interviews across organizations and executives. Only a few months into the new organizational design, Areli continues to proactively bring forward choice-points and make recommendations based on her purview of business needs. Her colleagues are consistently amazed by her incredible professionalism, her sense of urgency, and her ability to lean into every task with a lens for delivering the best customer experience.

Nashota (Shay) Jefferson is Executive Assistant to the COO at Houston Methodist West, where she assists her leader in supporting more than 600 employees across 14 different departments. That’s no easy task, but you’d never know it from Shay’s unshakably sunny demeanor — she’s a cheerleader, moderator, connector and all-around spirit champion for the hospital. She consistently puts Houston Methodist West’s ICARE (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence) values into action, whether by leading and championing the campus’ diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives or by modeling a healthy lifestyle as part of the Healthy Directions program. Shay brings a level of optimism to the workplace that's unparalleled despite the stress and challenges health systems face — for example, during the pandemic, she was instrumental in helping to change protocols and systems of operation to keep the hospital organized. The impact of Shay’s positive spirit and work ethic is palpable and has inspired others to take ownership, celebrate each other and be better people.

In her role as Administrative Assistant at Cheniere Energy, Brandee Mireles is viewed not only as a true partner, but as the glue that holds the entire team together. Her influence can be seen in the way she has helped to streamline processes and improve productivity, including in the coordination of quarterly executive meetings, periodic departmental town halls and functional leadership meetings, where she prepares all relevant details and expertly handles logistical arrangements. Brandee is always quick to lend a hand and can be counted on to deliver, particularly in high-impact situations. She is a Microsoft Office aficionado who stays up to date with developments and training that are relevant to her role and department so that she can provide exceptional support to her team. That support also extends to other Admins — as Administrative Assistant lead, Brandee bolsters her colleagues through interviewing, onboarding and mentorship. For those reasons and more, she is seen as a model employee whose can-do attitude never goes unnoticed.

In her role as Administrative Assistant, Community Engagement, at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabeth Longoria’s commitment and contributions to the organization and the larger community are on full display. Over the past year, she has successfully increased HCSO’s newly developed community outreach programs including Police Activity League (a youth crime prevention program that uses educational, athletic and recreational activities to create trust and understanding between police officers and youth) and UNIDOS (designed to assist the Spanish-speaking residents of Harris County). She also organized HSCO’s first ever Citizens’ Police Academy class for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, helping to secure partnerships with several deaf and hard of hearing organizations, performing outreach to three deaf and hard-of-hearing-only churches, and personally learning sign language to ensure she could communicate accurately with the participants. “I believe much of my own successes in this organization,” one police officer said, “is because of Elizabeth’s continued encouragement to inspire and motivate all of us.

Donna White is Program Coordinator at MD Anderson Care Center, where she provides exemplary support to the Hematologic Malignancy section — according to one physician, Donna has “undoubtedly contributed to our success as academicians and clinical faculty.” She launches into every initiative with a can-do attitude, welcoming new processes and consistently going above and beyond what is expected of her. Donna is known for identifying solutions to problems and completing every task with exceptional success. For example, she has the reputation within her department as a “Concur guru” — she takes the time to master processes and new programs and fully embraces every new initiative that is presented to her. Donna’s incredible administrative skills are recognized not only by faculty and leadership but also by her peers. She is constantly sought out to provide guidance to other administrators and always does so with an exceedingly cheerful disposition. Through her work, Donna is committed to promoting the well-being of her colleagues and her team members.

Kelly Alessi is Senior Station Administrator for Southwest Airlines, where her talent for taking initiative is seen as second to none. She is an incredible resource to employees, helping the team with everything from complex payroll issues to overseeing hiring and onboarding processes (and everything in-between). But it is Kelly’s heart that can’t be ignored — she lives by Colleen Barrett’s philosophy of following the Golden Rule. When a tornado caused significant damage to a neighborhood near Hobby Airport, Kelly sprang into action, calling to check on employees who lived in the area and even booking hotel rooms and adjusting work schedules for those affected. She updates vending options so employees have healthy, fresh food offerings; designs and coordinates a welcome and training process for new employees; and unfailingly provides the legendary customer service Southwest is known for. What’s most impressive is that Kelly does all of this without being asked — she’s simply dedicated to doing what’s right for Southwest and its people.