Executive Director
Paul Gilford, LCSW
Paul Gilford, LCSW, is the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of Houston Achievement Place and Project CLASS. Since 1977, Mr. Gilford has helped children, youth, teachers, parents and care-providers learn the skills and develop the relationships for life success. Educational background includes: undergraduate attendance at London School of Economics (London, England); a Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan; Honors College; Phi Beta Kappa); and a Masters Degree in Social Work, University of Washington (Seattle, Washington). Mr. Gilford has extensive work experience in staff training and program evaluation and has served as consultant and evaluator for a number of social service agencies nationally.
Areas of expertise include: residential services for abused children; elementary school and early childhood programming to teach children core social skills for school and life achievement; innovative and extraordinarily effective training services- including Project CLASS (Children Learning Appropriate Social Skills). Mr. Gilford believes that a heart-centered commitment to service must be paired with strong business practices and focus to effectively make a positive difference in the lives of children, families, schools and communities.
Program Director
Denise Larson, LMSW
Board of Directors
Norma Acker
Social Worker
*Emeritus
Madeleine Appel
Experienced Volunteer
*Emeritus
W. Clifford Atherton, Jr.
Gulfstar Group, Inc
*Emeritus
John R. Breeding
Uptown Houston
*Emeritus
Kevin KC Carmody
Pathfinder LLC
Susan Cohen
Indigo Minerals
Chad Deaton
Baker Hughes, Inc. (retired)
John Dobelman
Rice University
Katya Dow
University of Houston Law Center
Milby Dunn II
Columbia Lloyds Insurance
Larry Ellis
Regions Bank
*Emeritus
Keith Ellison
U.S. District Judge
Ron Farmer
US LED
George Ford
Children’s Protective Services (retired), Attorney
John Hartman
Entrepreneur
*Emeritus
Tom Hopwood
Executive Advice
Anissa Jones-Thomas
Educational Consultant
John Kajander
Partners for Community Health
*Emeritus
Carol Lewis
Texas Southern University
*Emeritus
Paul Lombardo
PCSL, Inc.
Therese McGovern
TierPont, LLC
Allison Miller
Shepherd Prewitt Miller PLLC
Linda L. Murphy
Experienced Volunteer
*Emeritus
A.Y. Noojin III
Shell Oil (retired)
*Emeritus
Bruce Padilla
MCM Worldwide
J. Victor Samuels
Victory Packaging
*Emeritus
Martha Seng
Jackson & Ryan Architects (retired)
Keith Short
Real Estate Attorney
*Emeritus
Cynthia Swaren
Experienced Volunteer
Jason Swaren
Oasis Petroleum
Emily Taylor
Walker and Byington
Karen Tripp
Tripp Law
*Emeritus
Margaret Tucker
Experienced Volunteer
Adrian Villacorta
Villacorta Law Firm
Robert Warren
Energy & Oilfield Services
Jason Williams
Bissinger, Oshman & Williams LLP
Jeff Zaruba
Equinor