Council Leadership

Administration  |  Council Board   |   Development  | District Executives  |  Field Service   |   Marketing  |  Membership  |  Support Service

   

     

Council Administration

Marvin Smith
CEO/Scout Executive
713-659-8111  
The Chief Executive Officer/Scout Executive is responsible for the administration, financing, marketing, motivation, recruiting, and staffing required for successful council operations. The Chief Executive Officer/Scout Executive reports to the Board of Directors.
Thomas Franklin
Chief Operating Officer
713-756-3365 thomas.franklin@scouting.org
The Chief Operating Officer is responsible for field operations, support services, operations of the Cockrell Scout Center, and manages the implementation of the council's strategic plan. The Chief Operating Officer reports to the CEO/Scout Executive.
Travis Briner
Chief Development Officer
713-756-3370 travis.briner@scouting.org
The Chief Development Officer is responsible for the oversite of philanthropic plans and strategies of the council, major gifts, and growing the Council Endowment/Investment Fund. The Chief Development Officer reports to the CEO/Scout Executive.
Carisa Hill
Controller
713-659-8111 Carisa.Hill@scouting.org
The Controller oversees council accounts and financial activity and supports the council treasurer, audit committee, and investment committee and supervises the staff in the business services department. The Controllers reports to the CEO/Scout Executive.

Field Service

Dustin Dupuis
Director of Field Service
713-756-3371 dustin.dupuis@scouting.org
The Director of Field Service is responsible for all district operations, unit service, membership growth, and supervision of the field service team of professional Scouters, and program specialist. The Director of Field Service reports to the Chief Operating Officer.
Michael Collins
Assistant Director of Field Service
713-756-3357 michael.collins@scouting.org
The Assistant Director of Field Service will provide staff leadership to the Council Popcorn Sale and is responsible for all district operations, membership recruiting, unit service, Friends of Scouting, and product sales in the West Division and supervises the district executives in Big Cypress, David Crockett, Mustang, and Red Wolf Districts. The Assistant Director of Field Service reports to the Director of Field Service.
Sidney Castillo
Assistant Director of Field Service
713-756-3373 sidney.castillo@scouting.org
The Assistant Director of Field Service will provide staff leadership to the ScoutReach Director and is responsible for all district operations, membership recruiting, unit service, Friends of Scouting, and product sales in the North Division and supervises district executives in ArrowmoonGeorge StrakeIron HorseOrion, and Phoenix Districts. The Assistant Director of Field Service reports to the Director of Field Service.
Marisol Gonzalez
ScoutReach Director
713-756-3368 marisol.gonzalez@scouting.org
The ScoutReach Director oversees the implementation of our ScoutReach initiatives. The ScoutReach Director reports to the Assistant Director of Field Service.
David Ralph
Field Director - East Division
  david.ralph@scouting.org
The East Division Field Director is responsible for all district operations, membership recruiting, unit service, Friends of Scouting, and product sales in the East Division and supervises district executives in Flaming Arrow, Lone StarRaven, San Jacinto, and Twin Bayou Districts. The East Division Field Director reports to the Director of Field Service.
Marcus Jackson
Field Director - South Division
713-756-3358 marcus.jackson@scouting.org
The South Division Field Director is responsible for all district operations, membership recruiting, unit service, Friends of Scouting, and product sales in the South Division and supervises district executives in Apollo, Arrowhead, Coastal Plains, Texas Skies, and Thunder Wolf Districts. The South Division field director reports to the Director of Field Service.

Support Services

Vacant
Director of Support Service
713-756-3319  
The Director of Support Service is responsible for developing council camping, activities, and training programs, all council properties, supervises the program directors and Information Technologies, support staff, as well as the council registrar and the registration team. The Director of Support Service reports to the Chief Operating Officer.
Ryan McMillan
Camping Director
713-756-3380 ryan.mcmillan@scouting.org
The Camping Director is responsible for providing leadership to the Council Camping Programs at Camp Strake and Bovay Scout Ranch. The Camping Director reports to the Director of Support Service. 
Ted Hunn
Outdoor Program Director
936-522-8873 edward.hunn@scouting.org
The Outdoor Program Director is responsible for promoting and providing leadership and support to all unit, district, and council programs at Camp Strake, The Outdoor Program Director reports to the Camping Director.
Brendan Cronin
Activities, Advancement and Training Program Director
713-756-3308 brendan.cronin@scouting.org
The Activities, Advancement, and Training Program Director is responsible for developing the council's activitiestraining, and advancement committee committees. The Activities, Advancement and Training Program Director reports to the Director of Support Services.

Registration

Margarita Bernal
Registrar
713-756-3328 margarita.bernal@scouting.org
The council registrar is responsible for receiving applications for charters and membership, handling membership transfers, verifying that the appropriate fees are collected, issuing membership cards, maintaining membership files, and preparing recharter kits. The Registrar reports to the Director of Support Service. 
Vacant
BeAScout.org Coordinator
713-659-8111  
The BeAScout Coordinator is responsible for providing support to new membership inquiries through the BeAScout.org online system and online registration systems. The BeAScout.org Coordinator reports to the Registrar.

Development

Imelda Duenas
Director of Development
713-756-3321 imelda.duenas@scouting.org
The Director of Development is responsible for leading the development operations in Friends of Scouting, United Way, foundations and trusts, and special events. The position provides direct leadership to the council board campaign. The Director of Development supervises the staff in the Development Department. The Director of Development reports to the CEO/Scout Executive.
Vacant
Development Director
713-756-3312  

The Development Director is responsible for developing Corporate Partnership in the Sam Houston Area Council that bring the resources of the corporate community into contact with Scouting programs, including ScoutReach, Exploring, and program opportunities.  Additionally, the Development Director guides and supports the Sporting Clays Tournament committee. The position provides coordination and oversight of supporting initiatives in the areas of development services and donor relations. The Development Director reports to the Director of Development.

Vacant
Assistant Director of Development
   
The Assistant Director of Development is responsible for leading the Community Friends of Scouting annual giving campaign in the Bay Area and The Woodlands as well as providing leadership to our Foundations and Trust effort and provides coordination and oversight of supporting initiatives in the areas of development services and donor relations. The  Assistant Director of Development reports to the Director of Development.

Marketing

Shane Burks
Marketing Director
713-756-3301 shane.burks@scouting.org
The Marketing Director is responsible for creating and managing marketing programs, media relations, and both printed and electronic communications for the council, and reports to the CEO/Scout Executive. 

Sam Houston Area Council Board of Directors

John Berger

William J. Berger
Chair of the Board

Deborah A. Rollinson
Council Commissioner

Marvin D. Smith 
CEO/Scout Executive

2026 Officers and Executive Committee

William J. Berger
Chair of the Board
Deborah A. Rollinson
Council Commissioner
Daniel G. Bellow
Immediate Past Chair
Marvin D. Smith
CEO/Scout Executive
Erin P. Roberts
Treasurer
Christopher J. Patton
Assistant Treasurer
Cassandra Dols Smith
Legal Counsel
 Allen D. Brown
Vice Chair - Field Operations
George A. DeMontrond, III
Vice Chair - Finance
Richard A. Claussen
Vice Chair - Membership
 John E. Fortier
Vice Chair - Program

 Steven P. Mach
Vice Chair - Relationships

Michael Narvaez
Vice Chair - Safety
Nelson R. Block William H. Caudill Daniel J. Churay
 Bradley W. Corson Rodney W. Eads Stewart W. Gagnon    Shad A. Higdon
Frank D. Tsuru Clay C. Williams    

 

2026 Board of Directors

Tim Balombin Dale Bradford William L. Bullock, Jr. Victor A. Burk
Bob Casey, III  David E. Creasey  George A. DeMontrond, IV Tracy L. Dieterich
Christopher Efird D. Fort Flowers, Jr.

Margery M. Harris

Hank Hilliard
Hillary H. Holmes Diane Maben Derrick Mitchell Adam R. Oglesby
Steven D. Oldham Jeff G. Sipes  Matthew P. Skalka Wendel E. Skolaski
Stephen D. Strake Richard E. Tauber  Daniel G. West Jordan E. Zaiser

 

2026 Honorary Life Board

Victor G. Beghini Dr. James M. Douglas James C. Flores Dr. Carlos R. Hamilton, Jr.
Judge David Hittner L. E. Simmons Howard T. Tellepsen, Jr. John B. Walker

 

2026 Advisory Board

Allen D. Brown
Advisory Board Chair

William Berry

John T. Brogan

Shane Chen*
Bryan Grant* Blair W. Haynie Josh Hyatt*  Jonathan Ishee*
David A. Jackson, Ph.D.  Mary Keller* Jason LeBlanc*  R. Bowen Loftin*
Eric Lokker* Matt Long* Aaron Evan Matthews* Robert Melloy*
Neil Michaelsen* Stephanie C. Morris Josh Okun*  Connie Oubre
Cole Pate*   Mike Provencher Charles V. Raimond, Jr. 

Mark A. Randall

Cindy A. Scanland    Andrea Simpson Joseph B. Stewart  Angela Teague*
Andrew Van Chau* Mark Wilson*    

 *District Chair