Our
Team

Elena Marks, JD, MPH is currently the senior fellow in health policy at the Baker Institute at Rice University. Her work focuses on achieving health equity in the U.S. by reforming the $4.1 trillion health system so that it produces positive health outcomes, not just medical services. Previously, she served as the founding president and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, a $1.3 billion nonprofit, from 2014 to 2022 and as the director of health and environmental policy for the city of Houston from 2004 to 2009. Earlier in her career, she practiced law and started, built and sold a successful law-related business.

M. Anne Murphy, CFRE has more than 45 years of experience as a development professional philanthropic educator and consultant. Her experience includes advancement roles at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, University of Houston Downtown and the Gulf Coast March of Dimes. Nationally, she has contributed to fundraising efforts at Mary Baldwin College, the Girl Scouts of the USA, the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Foundation Campaign and as principal of Dini Spheris. She currently serves as board chair for Stephens College and the Rice University Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies Advisory Board, where she is also an instructor.

Mike Nichols, JD currently serves as the Director of Housing and Community Development for the City of Houston, having been appointed by Mayor Whitmire in March 2024. Mike has an extensive background in the non-profit sector, most recently serving as President & CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, as Interim CEO of the Houston Parks Board, as well serving on various Boards of Directors, including Chairing the Board of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. Prior to, Mike had an impressive corporate career with Sysco and with Grocers Supply, as well as a stint in politics.

Esmaeil Porsa, MD, MBA, MPH, CCHP-A is president & CEO at Harris Health System, one of the largest community-focused, academic and safety-net healthcare systems in Texas. Prior to joining Harris Health in 2020, Porsa served as the executive vice president and chief strategy and integration officer at Parkland Health in Dallas, Texas, where he worked since 2007 in different capacities including medical director of the Dallas County Jail, associate chief medical officer and senior vice president for Professional and Academic Affairs, and interim chief medical officer.

Wayne Young, MBA, LPC, FACHE is the CEO of the Harris Center, one of the nation’s largest behavioral health organizations. He is passionate about delivering large-scale behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability services to those relying on safety net care systems. Wayne has chaired the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Behavioral Health Advisory Council and was recently appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas and Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas to the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health. He has been recognized with the Charley H. Shannon Advocate for Justice Award from NAMI Texas and named a “Top 25 Innovator” by Modern Healthcare for his work on mental health-related law enforcement calls.