Events

Chris Massey - Vice President
Harris County - Houston Sports Authority

(Introduction by J. Kent Friedman, Chairman Harris County - Houston Sports Authority since 2003)

HOUSTON TO HOST 2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - JANUARY 8, 2024

Houston is on the clock.  In less than four months, the 2024 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship will make its way to NRG Stadium in Houston, TX.  Today CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock officially handed the game to Houston as the next CFP host city during a ceremonial hand-off.  2024 will mark the 10th College Football Playoff National Championship, which will take place at NRG Stadium on Monday, January 8, 2024.

In continued preparatons for next year's game, the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority, the Houston 2024 Host Committee, NRG Par, Houston first, and Texas Bowl sent a group of delegates to Los Angeles to experience and learned firsthand the logistical and operational components that go into hosting this marquee event.

"We're honored and privileged to be entrusted with the 10th anniversary of the College Football Playoff National Championship.  You can guarantee that these next 12 months will be filled with hard work and dedication from the Houston Host Committee and all of our partners in our entire community," Houston 2024 Host Committee President Chris Massey said at the news conerence.  "This event is the pinnacle of college football, but also serves as an amazing vehicle to uplift and support our region.  Houston prides itself on its philanthropic spirit.  Along with the colaboration we look forward to sharing with our College Football Playoff Foundation counterparts, I'm eager and excited as we develop a lasting legacy in education."

The 2024 CFP is just one of many upcoming marquee events Houston has the honor of hosting.  Over the years, Houston has set the gold standard for sports commissions all over the country, bringing events and economic value to the city.  Along with the 2024 CFP, Houston will bring some of the sport's most signiicant events to the city, including the Men's Final Four in 2023, the AAU Junior Olympic Games in 2025, 2027, and 2031, and the FIFA World Cup 2026^TM.

With just under a year to go, the Houston Local Organizing Committee is in full swing, planning and preparing for 2024.  Along with the CFP, community initiatives, ancillary events, and other exciting opportunities will also be coming to the city.

Marc A. Levin is the Chief Policy Counsel for the Council on Criminal Justice.

An attorney and accomplished author on legal and public policy issues, Marc began the Foundation’s criminal justice program in 2005. This work contributed to nationally praised policy changes that have been followed by dramatic declines in crime and incarceration in Texas. Building on this success, in 2010, Levin developed the concept for the Right on Crime initiative.

Marc has testified on criminal justice policy on four occasions before Congress and has testified before legislatures in states including Texas, Nevada, Kansas, Wisconsin, and California. He also has met personally with leaders such as U.S. Presidents, Speakers of the House, and the Justice Committee of the United Kingdom Parliament to share his ideas on criminal justice reform. 

Since 2005, Marc has published dozens of policy papers on topics such as sentencing, probation, parole, reentry, and overcriminalization. Levin’s articles on law and public policy have been featured in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Texas Review of Law & Politics, and the National Law Journal, just to name a few. He serves on advisory boards for the Aspen Institute Criminal Justice Initiative and The Marshall Project and on the Executive Committee of the Federalist Society’s Criminal Law & Procedure Practice Group.

In 1999, Marc graduated with honors from the University of Texas with a B.A. in Plan II Honors and Government. In 2002, Marc received his J.D. with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. Marc was a Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow in 1996. He served as a law clerk to Judge Will Garwood on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Staff Attorney at the Texas Supreme Court. 

Come join us for an informal Happy Hour at Second Draught at the ION!

This is a monthly event for all Rotarians in Houston, guests, & prospective members to get together in a casual setting and learn more about the Rotary Club of Innovation and our mission!

This event is hosted by the Rotary Club of Innovation (RCOI) and the Rocket Network, located in the Ion District. RCOI's mission is to serve communities in the Third Ward, Ion District, and Greater Houston Area as a catalyst for change, empowering these communities to achieve equity, address food insecurity, and combat human trafficking.

Grab a glass or just join us for the fellowship as we share updates on the awesome projects our club is leading and hear directly from the communities we support and serve!

THE VENUE

Second Draught is a "craft beer pub at the Ion District, featuring an incredible line-up from Houston breweries!" 

"The Ion fosters a community and culture where corporate innovators, academic partners, community partners, startups, and entrepreneurs come together to solve some of the world’s greatest problems. This 266,000-square foot structure is designed to bring Houston’s entrepreneurial, corporate, and academic communities together into collaborative spaces and programs."

PARKING

Parking is available in three areas:

1. The main parking lot in front of Second Draught

2. In the Ion District parking garage

3. Across the street in the gated parking area. You can press the call button when you pull up to the gate and they will let you in the gated lot after hours. Street parking may also be available in some areas and may be free beginning at 6:00pm. Read all signs carefully.

Jackie Wayne Sherrill (born November 28, 1943) is a former American football player and coach. He was the head football coach at Washington State University(1976), the University of Pittsburgh (1977–1981), Texas A&M University (1982–1988), and Mississippi State University (1991–2003), compiling a career college football record of 180–120–4. Sherrill is a studio analyst for Fox Sports Net's college football coverage.

In addition to being the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies, Jones is a professor in the Department of Political Science, the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy’s Political Science Fellow, and the faculty director of the Master of Global Affairs Program.

RESEARCH AREAS

Jones's research focuses on the effect of electoral laws and other political institutions on governance, representation, public policy, and voting. He has received substantial financial support for this research, including multiple grants from the National Science Foundation. He is currently working on three principal research agendas, one that examines the impact of political institutions on politics and public policy in Latin America in general and in Argentina in particular, one that studies the political attitudes and behavior of Texas Hispanics, and one that employs roll call vote data from the Texas Legislature to better understand Texas history from 1835 to the present.

BIOGRAPHY

Ehrin Weiss, Ph.D.,
Clinical Psychologist

MY BACKGROUND

I believe everyone has the right to live a happy, fulfilled life, and that given the right tools, people have the ability to make their lives better, no matter what their situation. These tools are not taught in school. For most people, they are not intuitive and do not come naturally. But they do exist, and I have dedicated my life to learning these tools and working collaboratively with people on how to apply them to greatly improve their lives long term. 

 I chose to be a Psychologist over 17 years ago, and since then I have had the privilege of working with 1000s of people across every type of issue imaginable. As a parent, I also understand all the pressures and fears that can come with raising children. I chose to offer therapy for children, adolescents, and parents because I know that early intervention can make a lifelong difference. I chose to work with people struggling with anxiety and insomnia because I’ve had personal experience in these areas, and know just how transformative and empowering the tools learned through anxiety therapy can be.

Based on my experiences as an adolescent, both personally and with friends, I found early on that I liked helping people and was good at working through difficult times. By the time I finished high school, I was lucky enough to discover a field I love, allowing me to make the most of my higher education. I’m thankful that I discovered my passion for helping people early and that it has allowed me to continue learning and growing, not only as a professional, but also as a person. Even today, I am constantly learning new methods and staying current with new research. This allows me to provide the most tailored counseling services possible and achieve positive outcomes for the people who choose to work with me.

COLLABORATIVE MEETING

Harrisburg, Heights and Houston

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE RECEPTION AND GALA