We are so glad you decided to visit our site. When our CEO and Founder, “Mayor” Sandra Massie Hines decided to create Junior Achievers and Sunnyside Silver Hair Seniors Group, Inc. 501c3, she decided she wanted a Board of Directors made up of individuals with like mindsets. It was vital the Board of Directors understood her vision and secured her trust. More important, she wanted people who actively served their communities. Mayor Hines selected each of her Board of Directors because they met her requirements. Please take the time to get to know our Board of Directors: Board President, Ms. Shawn Aker, Vice President, Pastor Melvin R. Bradford Sr., Board Advisor, and Mr. Krishna Ougrah.

Individual Biographies

Board President, Shawn Aker

Shawn Aker is a native of Houston, Texas. She is a mother of three wonderful children. She has one boy, two girls, and is a grandmother to one grandson. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in computer science, Ms. Aker served a three-year tour of duty as a commissioned officer in the United States Army.  She returned home and began a career as software engineer contracted to NASA Johnson Space Center.  Ms. Aker earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Prairie View A&M University and a Master of Science in Information Technology from Trident International University.  Ms. Aker is a full-time professor, an entrepreneur, a faithful volunteer to the MOSS committee, and her church home.

Vice President, Pastor Melvin R. Bradford Sr.

Pastor Melvin R. Bradford Sr. began his community services as a Houston Firefighter in 1970. He organized an independent youth football league in 1979 to provide an after-school activity for at-risk youth. After 18 years of coaching and mentoring during which time the independent youth football league merged with the S.W.A.Y.C. Youth Association, he served as the President for three years before joining the greater Houston Youth Sports Association.

Pastor Bradford is a faithful servant of God in his community. He was called into the ministry in 1990. He faithfully served as a Youth Minister at Johnson Chapel CME church before leaving to serve as an Assistant Pastor at Oneness Apostolic Church. As a servant of the community, he served as Chaplain of the Crestmont Park Civic Club for many years.

In June 1996, he established Calvary Hill Christian Center for the purpose of saving souls and building leaders for the kingdom of God. He has been in the ministry for over 22 years. Pastor Bradford has also participated in activities that benefited both the community in which he lived, as well as, several surrounding communities. He is often called upon to speak at various community functions such as Civic Clubs, Drug Awareness Forums, Black Heritage Society, C.O.V.A.C (Citizens Opposing Violence through Anger Control), and P.A.C. events. As a counselor, he visits and counsel individuals at Aids and Cancer Hospices; host little league banquets and meetings, and volunteer at the Star of Hope Men and Women Shelter for the homeless.

Pastor Bradford has received recognition as a member of the City of Houston Mayor’s Quality of Life Association and chosen as Regional Community Council Member by Texas A&M Board of Regents.

He is a faithful husband of 42 years to Andrea Bradford; loving father to Melvin Bradford, Jr. and Adrianne Kendrick (Lamonte); and a doting grandfather to Halo and Harper Bradford.

Advisor, Krishna Ougrah

Kris Ougrah is running as a Democrat for judge in Harris County Criminal Court at Law Number 15 to make sure everyone is treated equally and fairly.

Experience

• 13 years criminal defense litigant;
• Successfully defended over 3,000 Harris County residents accused of felonies, misdemeanors and federal crimes.

Kris Ougrah is a proud Houstonian and believes a person’s case should not be rushed through the system.  Criminal convictions are killing our community! Our young adults are still being locked up and led to a life of rejection and joblessness, which leads to hopelessness and eventually back into a life of crime. My mentorship program called “1 and Done” will serve as a system of support for those with criminal convictions aimed at connecting our young adults with mentors who will have positive influences on their lives and opening doors of job opportunities. There are several second chance programs, rehabilitation and drug intervention programs as options to alternative forms of punishments that should be used if those individuals qualify. I will consider ALL these programs and many more along also with jail time should that be necessary.

Kris Ougrah also agrees with Judge Rosenthal ruling that misdemeanor defendants from jail within 24 hours of arrest, barring any pending holds. It is wrong to force someone to take a plea deal just because they can not afford to bond out this practice has to stop. Every person charged with a crime will have their day in court and will not simply plea out because they can not make bond. I will uphold Judge Rosenthal ruling.

Endorsements

• Area 5 Democrats
• Bay Area New Democrats (BAND)
• Houston GLBT Political Caucus
• Harris County Labor Assembly C.O.P.E., AFl-CIO
• Harris County Tejano Democrats
• Houston Black American Democrats
• Our Revolution Harris County Chapter
• Pleasantville Voter’s League
• Texas Coalition of Black Democrats- Harris County
• Houston Chronicle

Education

• Louisiana State University- Bachelor of Science Marketing 2000;
• Thurgood Marshall School of Law-  Juris Doctorate 2003;
• Admitted to State Bar of Texas 2004
• Intern and practicing attorney – Williams Kherkher, Houston, TX 2003-2005;
• Law Office of Kris Ougrah 2005 until present. 

Personal Life

Kris was born and raised in a single parent home in South Houston and graduated from South Houston High School. Growing up, Kris was positively influenced by local community activist, Ms. Autry Henry, or “Nana”, as the neighborhood kids called her. She encouraged him to envision himself beyond the constraints of his neighborhood and Kris became the first in his family to attend college.

Kris Ougrah has been blessed with a beautiful wife, Blanca. She worked as an educator for almost a decade before choosing to stay at home to raise their three children. Kris is very proud of his family’s heritage. His mother is African American from Opelousas, Louisiana, and his father is a West Indian immigrant, from the island country of Trinidad & Tobago. He is also proud of his children‘s mixed heritage of Mexican American, African American, and Indian. Kris spent the last 7 years volunteering as a coach for his nephew’s youth football team. They were successful and won 3 back-to-back-to-back Gulfcoast Premiere Youth Football League Championships with the Friendswood Mustangs from 2013 to 2015.