Melanie Goins Cowart

Melanie Goins Cowart is originally from St. Louis Missouri and moved to San Antonio with her US Air Force husband in 1996. For the past sixteen years, Ms. Cowart has been employed by the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Her practice area is commercial litigation, with a focus on intellectual property. Ms. Cowart is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Missouri and Texas and before a variety of federal courts, and she is a member of the San Antonio Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association and the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association.

Ms. Cowart holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Missouri at Columbia and a Juris Doctrate degree from Saint Louis University School of Law. Ms. Cowart serves on the board of the Roseville Housing Trust of San Antonio, and she has previously served on boards for: Alpha Tau Omega Senior Opportunity Services of Texas, Inc; San Antonio Ivy Educational Fund, Inc.; and Kids Sports Network, Inc.

Ms. Cowart is a member of: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Sigma Nu Jesuit Honor Society; the San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce; the San Antonio Fiesta Commission, Inc.; and Texas Public Radio’s McClain Circle. Ms. Cowart’s term on the Carver Development Board began in February 2011.

Mark Wittig

Mark Wittig is the President of Wittigs Office Interiors. He has been with the company since 1980, holds a degree from Texas State University and currently serves on various boards. Mr. Wittig serves as President of ACTS Missions and is a board member of Say Sí, Hope for the Future, Catholic Worker and the AIA Foundation.

Mr. Wittig has served as President of the Downtown Optimist Club, North Central Lions Club, St. Anthony School Board, Haworth Dealer Council and the Metropolitan Hospital Board. Mark was the recipient of the Benita Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence and of the Archdiocese of San Antonio Education Hall of Fame. Mark and wife, Bebe have been married since 1974, they have five children.

Seymour Battle

Seymour Battle is currently Executive Director, Accounting Process Optimization & Information Support for Valero Energy Corporation. Prior to joining Valero, Mr. Battle was employed with Thomson Reuters. During his 10 years with Thomson, he held various positions within the Tax & Accounting division specializing in process automation and systems implementation.

Seymour is a native of Jackson, Mississippi and a graduate of Jackson State University with a B.B.A. in Accounting. He has called Texas home since 1995 spending 10 years in Dallas before relocating to San Antonio is 2005.

Mr. Battle currently serves on the Community Leadership Board for the American Diabetes Association, Brackenridge Park Conservancy and has served on various leadership committees for the Lone Star Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society and as Treasurer for San Antonio CARES. He is an avid motorcyclist and is an active member of several motorcycle rights organizations on the local, state and national levels. Seymour became Treasurer of the Carver Development Board in 2011.

Jelynne LeBlanc Burley

Jelynne LeBlanc Burley is currently Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President for Organizational Excellence and Shared Services for CPS Energy, a role she assumed April 7, 2008, after 24 years with the City of San Antonio, the last two years as Deputy City Manager. Under her guidance the City of San Antonio successfully implemented the first Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) policy unit, the Developer's Incentive Toolkit, the 2007 Bond Program; negotiated Microsoft and Lowes data center relocations and the development of Texas A&M to San Antonio; negotiated the cooperative agreement with the City of Windcrest for the Rackspace Corporate Campus; and served as leadership for the Southside Initiative Community Plan, a 20 year vision plan for the city's southern sector.

This plan was recently recognized by the Texas State American Planning Association. In 1999, Ms. Burley was honored as a "40 under 40 Rising Star" by the San Antonio Business Journal and awarded the 2002 Women's Leadership Award for Public Service, also from the San Antonio Business Journal. In 2003 she was recognized as an outstanding Texan by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and was inducted in the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame. In 2006, the Distinguished Citizen Award by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Southwestern Province and Community Legend Award by S.A. Chapter of National Coalition of 100 Black Women were added to her honors.

Jelynne, a Louisiana native, has a B.A. in Political Science from Southern University and an M.A. in Urban Studies from Trinity University. She is also a 1999 graduate of the Construction Executive Program at Texas A & M University. She is a part time instructor at Trinity University. Ms. Burley's first term on the Board began May 2008.

Janice Dolliole

Janice Dolliole is a 32 year veteran of the Aviation and Transportation Industries.  She started her career with Eastern Airlines and held various positions of increasing responsibility in the passenger service area.  Janice Dolliole is currently the President and a principal of USA Travel Agency.  Janice has been with USA Travel Agency for over twenty years.  Janice also holds the designation of Certified Meeting Professional since 2002 as conferred by the Convention Industry Council.

Janice Dolliole has held memberships in Jack and Jill of America, Inc., National Coalition of 100 Black Women and served on the board for the PREMIEre Program of the Pediatrics Division of Neonatology at University Health System-SA and is a member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.

Janice Dolliole is a native of New Orleans and a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana with a B.S. in Business Education.  She and her husband Kevin of thirty-one years have lived in San Antonio for eleven years and have two children.  
 

Geof Edwards, AIA

Geof Edwards is a Principal and the Chief Operating Officer of Kell Munoz Architects. He has practiced architecture with the firm for over 13 years.  Today he directs the design studio of the firm.  A native of San Antonio, Geof attended The University of Texas at Austin where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree as well as his Master of Architecture degree. 

Geof’s work has been featured in publications such as Architecture, Architectural Record, and Texas Architect.  Professionally, Geof has taught several classes in Architectural History at Trinity University and has been a visiting architectural critic at the University of Texas at Austin, UTSA, and Prairie View A&M University.  He is a member of the American Institute of Architects and is active in the AIA San Antonio Chapter. 

He has served on the board of the Blue Star Contemporary Arts Center, the San Antonio Museum of Art Friends of Contemporary Art, and also works with the Centro Alameda in their efforts to bring a branch of the Smithsonian Institution to San Antonio.  Geoff joined the Board in October 2007.

Danielle Hargrove

Danielle Hargrove is an active full-time attorney, mediator and arbitrator. She is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Ms. Hargrove’s Alternate Dispute Resolution practice has focused primarily, in the area of employment and labor law disputes since 1996. Ms. Hargrove has recently expanded her practice to include developing sports and entertainment.

Ms. Hargrove is a member of the National Bar Association Region V and Arbitration Section; the San Antonio Black Lawyers Association, the San Antonio Bar Association ADR Section, as well as the American Bar Association Labor and Employment Section and Forum Committee on Entertainment and Sports Industries. She also is a member of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, Inc. Ms. Hargrove served in various capacities prior to going into private practice. She served as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force, Assistant United States Attorney, Civil Engineering Officer and most recently as In-House Counsel for CPS Energy, a municipally owned gas and electric utility company.

Bryce Seki

Bryce Seki is an Associate in the San Antonio office of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., where he practices real estate law. Bryce is originally from Southern California. He received both his B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies and his J.D., from the University of Notre Dame.

Prior to working in his current position, Bryce worked in New York for a large Japanese advertising agency and also served as law clerk to the Honorable Tom Price, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He currently serves as a Steering Committee Member of the State Bar of Texas Texas Minority Counsel Program and is its San Antonio City Committee Chairperson. Bryce is also active with The Notre Dame Club of San Antonio and participates in many legal related pro bono volunteer activities.

Bryce and his wife have 3 year old twins and have called San Antonio home for the past 6 years.
Bryce joined the Board in February 2010.

Valerie Taylor

Valerie Taylor is the founder of South Texas Alternative Choice, an elder placement service offering seniors an alternative to nursing home and large corporate living facilities. Valerie is an advisor to Sistas in Business, Bexar Area Agency on Aging, Alamo Area Council of Government’s Health Care Consortium Chair and alumni of the African American Leadership Institute (AALI). 

Valerie was featured in the San Antonio Business Journal for her expertise in senior living options and NSIDE San Antonio Magazine as a good choice for assisting families in their time of need.  She has also been a featured guest on Ken’s 5 Great Day SA. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Washington State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Montana State University.  She also spent 7 years active duty as an Air Force Nurse.

Born in Albany, New York, Valerie grew up in Washington State.  She is the mother of nine wonderful children.  Valerie is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and attends Grace First Baptist Church.