Events
The Fifth Annual Transforming Lives Luncheon will be held November 10 at The Junior League Houston. The Harris Center Foundation is honoring Gerald W. Womack with its first Legacy of Leadership Award in recognition of his 34 years of service as a dedicated Board Trustee for The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Elena M. Marks will be honored with the Transforming Lives Award for being a champion for the development and establishment of The Harris Center’s Integrated Care program and her work in promoting the importance of non-medical drivers of health.
The luncheon program will celebrate the impact of integrated care on health outcomes and The Harris Center for Integrated Care’s expansion to provide a medical home for individuals of all ages with serious mental illness and intellectual and developmental disorders.
2026 Legacy of Leadership Honoree
Gerald W. Womack
Gerald W. Womack is the Broker & President/CEO of Womack Development & Investment Realtors (WDIR), a private, minority-owned, full-service commercial and residential real estate brokerage firm. He has steered the strategic focus of WDIR and has been responsible for all phases of residential, leasing and commercial real estate brokerage activities for more than 40 years.
As a native Houstonian and community servant, Mr. Womack grew up in the Third Ward. He was nurtured by senior real estate professionals and began his real estate career at the age of 16 by taking courses at the University of Houston. He furthered his education by attending Texas Southern University where he majored in Business Administration.
He continues to give back to his community which provided his start. He is actively involved in social entrepreneurship and volunteerism. He mentors many students by sharing the benefit of his experience through internships, conferences, seminars, workshops and participates in meetings and other initiatives that assist incubating businesses around the world that help alleviate poverty and increase the earning potential of low-income individuals, families, and communities.
Mr. Womack has worked within Houston's central city neighborhoods to improve the quality of life for its residents by focusing on revitalization, affordable housing, community and economic development.
He is involved in many local organizations, including serving 34 years on the Board of The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD, currently serving as Secretary and on the Governance and Resource Committees. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of the Harris County Housing Authority since 2017 and is a former Board member and Chairman of the Procurement and Tourism Committees of Houston First Corporation.
2026 Transforming Lives Honoree
Elena M. Marks
Elena M. Marks is a Senior Fellow in Health Policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. Her work centers on improving health outcomes for all Texans, with an emphasis on people with low incomes and members of marginalized groups. Her areas of health policy expertise include health systems, health and health care finance, access to health care, health disparities, and the non-medical drivers of health.
From 2014 – 2022, Ms. Marks served as the Founding President and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, a $1.3 billion philanthropy dedicated to improving the health of Texas. Under her leadership, the foundation awarded over $400 million to nonprofits and governmental entities working to improve health outcomes.
Ms. Marks’ previous professional experiences include serving as the Director of Health and Environmental Policy for the City of Houston; consulting in the health care industry with large systems and community-based providers; starting and directing a successful legal placement firm; and practicing trial and appellate law with major law firms.
She serves on the boards of The Texas Tribune and Families USA.
Ms. Marks holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health.
For a recap of the 2025 Transforming Lives Luncheon, please click here.
For a recap of the 2024 Transforming Lives Luncheon, please click here.