Historical website of Roland Garcia

Roland Garcia - Community Service

"Many of society’s ills can be addressed by early intervention in a young person’s life. One day at a time, one person at a time, everyone can make a difference."

Helping others and giving back to the community are a part of Roland’s everyday life. He has served as an active member on numerous boards including the Hermann Children’s Hospital, Memorial Hermann Foundation, the Harris County Hospital District Foundation, American Leadership Forum, the Downtown Houston Association, and the South Texas College of Law Alumni Association.

Roland has served on the Advisory Boards of the Mental Health Association, Center for Legal Responsibility, Children’s Museum, University of Houston Public Interest Law Program, and the Houston Image Group. He is a graduate of Leadership Houston, and served as President of the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, the largest non-profit educational and social service agency in Texas dedicated to assisting low-income Hispanic youth and families.

Roland has focused much of his energy on education and youth programs. He serves as Chairman of the Board for Aspiring Youth of Houston, which provides after school enrichment, mentoring, success principals, character development, and role modeling to at-risk students in Houston area middle schools. He has volunteered his services to the United Way, Special Olympics, YWCA, Habitat for Humanity, the Boy Scouts and the Houston Independent School District. He is a frequent speaker and mentor to at-risk youth in numerous elementary, middle and high schools.

Community leaders regard Roland as a respected collaborator and consensus builder and he is frequently sought after to address tough issues facing the community.

• He was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to the Judicial Selection Task Force, which reported on the method for selecting and retaining judicial officers that would best serve the people of Texas.

• HISD appointed Roland to its Magnet and Vanguard Task Force to revise admissions criteria for gifted and talented programs.

• The City of Houston appointed Roland as a Steering Committee Member of Houston Challenge 2000, a regional initiative to make the greater Houston area the premier place to live and work in the next century.

A summary of Roland’s community service follows. For a more detailed description, please click on Resume:

Supreme Court of Texas

• Judicial Selection Task Force

Houston Independent School District

• Magnet and Vanguard Task Force
• CareerFest 2000
• Leadership 2000

Hermann Children’s Hospital

• Board Secretary
• Director

Memorial Hermann Foundation

• Trustee

Harris County Hospital District Foundation

• Trustee

Center for Legal Responsibility

• Advisory Board

American Leadership Forum

• Trustee
• Fellow

Coalition For Free Trade with Mexico

• Member

Downtown Houston Association

• Director
• Committee Chair, Resolutions, Public Policy Committees

Houston Community College System

• Hispanic Advisory Council

Leadership Houston

• Graduate

Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

• Committee Member, Finance, Corporate, Professional Committees

The Texas Lyceum Association

• Director

United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast

• Needs Assessment and Allocations Panel
• Project Blueprint

City of Houston

• Houston Challenge 2000, Steering Committee
• Houston Image Group, Advisory Board

Aspiring Youth of Houston

• Chairman of the Board
• Director
• Chair, Board Development, Resource and Development
• Speaker, Take-A-Student-to-Your-Employment

Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans

• President, General Counsel, Director
• Committee Chair, Advisory Board Committee

Special Olympics

• Track & Field Events

Children’s Museum of Houston

• Advisory Board

Mental Health Association

• Advisory Board

YWCA of Houston

• Capital Campaign, Gala, Corporate Chair

Mentor and Speaker

• Paul Revere Middle School
• Northwood Middle School
• B. C. Elmore Middle School
• Austin High School
• Sharpstown High School
• Wheatly High School
• Bellaire High School
• South Texas College of Law
• Thurgood Marshall School of Law
• University of Houston-Downtown

…and others.