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PRASAD MENON
PRASAD MENON
Bayou Microfund Founder Prasad Menon is a serial entrepreneur and formerly a ship’s captain in the Merchant Marine. He went to business school in the UK and came to Houston in 1979. While in Houston, he overcame adverse job circumstances to start his own business. Over the years, he has created several successful businesses ranging from ship operations to health foods. Prasad is a founding charter member of TiE Houston (TiE.org) and is passionate about many charities. This is his first venture into social entrepreneurship. He and his wife Amrita live in Houston and Los Angeles, dividing their time between the two cities.
HANNAH BARKER
HANNAH BARKER
Hannah has spent over a decade working as a professional fundraiser for Houston-area nonprofits. Through her work in healthcare, higher education, and human services, she has experience in major gift fundraising, strategy, and nonprofit board management. She currently serves as Senior Director of Advancement at University of Houston and has previously held fundraising roles with Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.
Hannah has a passion for cultivating meaningful relationships between people and the missions and causes they care about. Hannah brings this enthusiasm and expertise to Bayou Microfund to support the growth of the organization and the opportunities for Houston-area entrepreneurs.
PAT ROBERTSON
PAT ROBERTSON
Pat Robertson is the CEO – Founder of The Mint Private Client Group PLLC. He was born in Savannah, Georgia. Pat and his wife Fran moved to Houston in August of 1987 and have been residents of the Woodlands since 1988. Robertson has an extensive financial services background rooted in his family history. His father and mother both worked for a community bank in Savannah Georgia and his three older brothers also work in financial services, this led Robertson to earn a Bachelor’s of Business Administration Degree from Georgia Southern College in June of 1982. Robertson has over thirty-five years-experience and an impressive resume as an insurance and wealth management consultant. His business Mint Private Client Group PLLC offers a variety of financial products and services to assist clients with financial needs. He believes in quality, integrity, service, and long-term relationships.
Bernice Justine Koko
Bernice Justine Koko
Bernice, a servant who is always willing to lend a helping hand, is the proud wife to a US Army Veteran and mother to three beautiful children.
She has more than 20 years’ experience of community service and a passion for helping others. Originally from Ivory Coast, Africa, Bernice was a successful business woman engaged in the battle against poverty. To her, “being born poor isn’t a choice, but dying poor is a choice.” Prior to relocating to the U.S., she led and encouraged women to stand against poverty through the “Galia Foundation,” a nonprofit organization she founded in 2001, that supported and financed small businesses and projects for women.
When Bernice relocated to Houston, Texas in 2003 with her husband, she quickly became active at her local church, where she continues to occupy several positions, serving women and children. Working with the church allowed Bernice to learn about community health issues and the struggles of immigrant women in the Houston area. With that knowledge coupled with two Kiva loans and Bayou Microfund’s support, she founded United Health Partners, a social impact organization dedicated to providing health and wellness services at a low cost to people in need.
Click here to learn more about Bernice’s business journey with Bayou Microfund.
PETER WORKIN
PETER WORKIN
Peter Workin is practicing attorney in Houston, Texas. Mr. Workin’s areas of practice include business law and estate planning. Mr. Workin is Board Certified in Taxation by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
LAUREN CALDARERA
LAUREN CALDARERA
Lauren Caldarera has spent her career developing partnerships with non-profit, academic institutions, start-ups, and local governments in the U.S. and abroad. As a Workforce Consultant with Connect Community, Lauren develops placemaking and workforce strategies that increase economic vitality in the Gulfton/Sharpstown neighborhood. Additionally, Lauren is the co-founder of Projects-Matter, a consulting firm which supports non-profit, local municipalities, and start-ups in developing programs and partnerships to support artisans, crafters, innovators, and the maker economy. Before joining Connect Community, Lauren served as the Development Director at TXRX and was a crucial stakeholder in securing $29M of public funding to create the East End MakerHub, a multi-tenant manufacturing space in Houston. Prior to her work with TXRX, Lauren developed global programs and partnerships at 2- and 4-year academic institutions focused on capacity building and experiential learning in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.