Board of Directors
Joseph LaChapelle
Chairman
joseph.lachapelle@causefoundation.org
Bio Coming Soon!
Ramsey Cooper
Vice-Chairman
ramsey.cooper@causefoundation.org
Ramsey Cooper earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Wiley College and MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He is a Registered Parliamentarian (RP) through the National Association of Parliamentarians where he regularly presents educational workshops
for local units and state conventions. Ramsey currently serves as the International Parliamentarian for Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., with duties that include planning for and providing advice to presiding officers during business sessions of national conventions. Previously for Phi Beta Sigma, he was elected as the 17th State Director of Texas with four years’ experience as presiding officer and lead organizer of state conferences. He was selected as an honoree in the 10th edition of Who’s Who in Black Houston.
Ramsey works as a Business Analyst for a global financial institution where he is responsible for data analysis and training & development. He lives with his wife in League City, TX and is a board member at their local church.
Michael Matthews
Secretary
michael.matthews@causefoundation.org
Bio Coming Soon
Tonnie Buggs
Treasurer
tonnie.buggs@causefoundation.org
Bio Coming Soon!
Steven Edwards
Investment Committee Chair
steve.edwards@causefoundation.org
Steven R. Edwards was born in Lafayette, Louisiana and reared in Baytown, Texas. He
graduated from Ross S. Sterling HS and Sam Houston State University with a BBA in
Business Management. While at Sam Houston he joined Phi Beta Sigma, the spring
1978
.
He worked for ExxonMobil in the maintenance division for 33 years. He had various
assignments in Training, Project Management, Turnaround and Construction. Before he
retired as a supervisor, he created Training Modules that are still being used today.
He currently owns a small HVAC company that he started in 2006. He is a member of
The Church of Bethel Family and volunteers in the food pantry area. His hobbies
include fishing, restoring old cars and biking. He is married to Deniese, his wife of 37
years. They have 3 children, Brittney, Steven Jr., and Simone and one granddaughter
McKenzie.
Derrick Lacy
Development Director
derrick.lacy@causefoundation.org
Derrick Lacy was born in Houston, Texas, and graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in finance.
Derrick began his post-graduate career as a mortgage underwriter and
has spent the last 24 years with LyondellBasell, where he is currently the Lead Sourcing Manager, Parcel Tankers. His responsibilities include short and long-term strategy, contract negotiation, leading a team of Demurrage Analysts, and managing ad hoc initiatives. Derrick also serves as co-chair of LyondellBasell's BELIEVE employee network, where he oversees a global team of volunteer employees, manages budgets, and develops annual initiatives aligned with LYB's DEI goals. Derrick formerly worked as the lead recruiter for LYB's Supply Chain and has mentored numerous workers throughout the years.
Derrick has been a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc since August 6, 1992, currently an active member of the Eta Rho Sigma Alumni Chapter in Houston, TX.
Derrick enjoys spending time with his wife of 28 years, Cassandra, and their two kids, Kendall and Kamille, as well as traveling and drinking wine and bourbon.
Ron Stewart
Program Director
ron.stewart@causefoundation.org
Ron Stewart was born 24 January 1974 in New Orleans, LA. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 5 October 1992 and retired on 1 June 2014 after 22 years of Service. His awards include Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good conduct medal,
Kosovo liberation medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Drill Instructor ribbon, overseas deployment ribbon, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal.
Ron Stewart Graduated in 2009 from the University of Maryland, with a BS in Business Studies and a minor in Entrepreneurship. Certifications include: Black Belt Trained in Lean Six Sigma; Tactical Logistics Operations Course, Personnel Leadership Course, Operations Management Course.
Ron Stewart became a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. through the Eta Rho Sigma Alumni chapter in the Fall of 2020.
Dr. James Alexander
Board Member
james.alexander@causefoundation.org
Dr. James Alexander, DNP, RN, is a Registered Nurse licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing. He possesses advanced skills in organizational, systems, and community assessment techniques, along with an expert-level understanding of nursing and related biological and behavioral sciences.
His areas of expertise include Advanced Health and Physical Assessment, Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology, and Advanced Pharmacology.
Dr. Alexander holds several degrees: a Doctor of Nursing Practice, a Master of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Management, and an Associate of Arts. He currently serves as the Chief Nursing Officer for First Surgical Hospital and is an Adjunct Professor at Prairie View A&M University.
As a devoted member of his beloved fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Dr. Alexander is a member of the Iota Tau Collegiate Chapter (Fall 1991) and the Eta Rho Sigma Alumni Chapter.
"I insist that the object of all true education is not to make men carpenters; it is to make carpenters men." – W. E. B. Du Bois
Eric Hill
Board Member
eric.hill@causefoundation.org
Bio Coming Soon!
Donald Naylor, Jr.
Board Member
donald.naylor@causefoundation.org
A native of Meridian, Mississippi, Donald graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana
in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and minor in Business
Administration. After Xavier, Donald graduated from the Loyola University New Orleans
College of Law and for almost twenty years
he has been practicing commercial litigation
and transactional law with previous positions as Counsel for ExxonMobil Corporation
and Reliant Energy. Currently, Donald works as Senior Counsel, Corporate
Transactions and Trademarks, Americas hub for the Intellectual Property Department of
Air Liquide USA LLC, the U.S. affiliate of the French global industrial gases company Air
Liquide, S.A. In this role, Donald provides legal counsel to Air Liquide’s family of
companies in the United States, Canada, the CCAM (the Caribbean, Central America,
and Mexico) and parts of South America. Donald is licensed with the State Bar of
Texas and the Louisiana State Bar Association. He is currently a member of the
Houston Bar Association, a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation, and holds
membership within the Houston Minority Intellectual Property Lawyers Association, the
Houston Lawyers Association, an affiliate of the National Bar Association, and is a
Texas Bar College Member with the Texas Entertainment Law Institute.
Donald is a member of the Board Directors for Xavier University of Louisiana National
Alumni Association and has volunteered as a corporate Consultant with Xavier’s Youth
Motivation Task Force (YMTF)/Black Executive Exchange Program. Donald is an active
Life Member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. where he serves as Social Action
Program Director in the Eta Rho Sigma Metropolitan Houston Alumni Chapter. Donald
currently serves as a Director of the Board of the Greater Houston Black Chamber and
also as Education Pillar Committee Chair for the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan
Houston, Inc.
Donald and his family attend Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston where he is
active as a Den Leader for the church’s Cub Scouts Pack 242. Donald also serves as a
Troop Leader for Boy Scout Troop 500 at Brentwood Baptist Church. He enjoys
spending time with his family, community involvement, playing musical instruments, and
physical fitness.
Donald is the husband of Dr. Denise Burton Naylor and they are blessed with two sons.
Paris B. Taylor
Board Member
paris.taylor@causefoundation.org
Paris Taylor is a graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in
Materials and Logistics Management. He has over 25 years of experience in Supply
Chain Management roles of increased responsibilities in the consumer foods,
beverage/soft drink, mobile
electronics, personal computing, and oil and gas industries.
He holds both the Project Management Professional (PMP®) credential from the Project
Management Institute and the Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP)
credential from Staffing Industry Analysts.
Paris serves as 1 st Vice President for the Eta Rho Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity, Inc. He enjoys reading, gym workouts, and spending time with his amazing
daughters.
Earl Wooten, III
Board Member
earl.wooten@causefoundation.org
Earl Wooten, III retired from his Plant Manager position at Occidental Chemical
Corporation in 2016, after thirty-five years. He received his Bachelor of Science degree
in Mechanical Engineering from Prairie View AM university in 1973 and is a member of
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc
.
Earl is very proud to serve on the Board of Directors of the CAUSE Foundation because
of their dedication to youth, working to improve their lives through education. Not only
did he have a successful business career, Earl was involved in the communities where
he worked. He was on the Board of Directors of the Cedar Hill, Texas, Economic
Development Corporation; LaPorte and Deer Park Chamber of Commerce; and
the Great Baton Rouge Louisiana Industrial Alliance.
Earl and his wife Ruth also have an endowed scholarship at Prairie View for
engineering students. He is a conservationist and has fished and hunted on four
continents.