LueWish Leadership Team
Our leadership team embodies our core values, leading by example, offering inspiration and support through our mission. They are fundamental in building strong relationships with key stakeholders.
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Hilda M. Gradnigo
FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kellee Landry
PRESIDENT
Jessica Calhoun
VICE PRESIDENT/TREASURER
Stephanie K. Hay, Esq.
SECRETARY
Mayra Palacios
BOARD MEMBER
Ashley Tillery
BOARD MEMBER
Rev. Hilda M. Gradnigo
FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rev. Hilda Gradnigo (pronounced Grad-knee-go) is a native Houstonian. She counts it all joy to be able to serve God through discipleship by sharing the love of God through the Word of God by the Spirit of God.
Rev. Gradnigo’s ministry is rooted in her desire to affect change by challenging believers to grow from hearers to doers of the word. She is actively answering her call to ministry through her appointment as a Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church.
Driven by her commitment to develop a community of caring, she serves as the Founder/Executive Director of LueWish, a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to women who are experiencing life altering issues due to cancer, heart disease and domestic violence. The organization seeks to inspire women to live, love and laugh in spite of.
She also works at Shell Oil Products US as a Sales Coordinator where she supports the West Region of the US in the area of brand and customer excellence.
A native Texan, Hilda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She is married to Kenneth Gradnigo, Sr. They have two sons Jonathan and Nickolaus, and four grandchildren. She enjoys reading, cooking, road trips and dancing. Her life goal is “I will NOT fail the love test”.
Kellee Landry
PRESIDENT
Kellee is a native of Louisiana and an accomplished Psychotherapist with more than 15 years of experience in the counseling field. She approaches every situation with an open mind and a heart of a teacher.
She graduated with honors from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a minor in Business. She also graduated with honors from the University of Houston – Clear Lake with a Masters of Science in Counseling and is licensed by the Texas State Board of Examiner of Professional Counselors. Kellee has devoted her career to helping people in need and before establishing her company, PNL Counseling, she held positions of responsibility at Children Protective Services (CPS), Christus Hospice and Palliative Care, MHMRA of Harris County – Forensic Unit, Methodist Hospital – Adult Psychiatric Unit, UTMB – Dept. of Criminal Justice System Jester IV Unit, and various counseling agencies.
Kellee is also a devoted member of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic church and Jack and Jill of America. Kellee is married to Lawrence Landry and they have one beautiful daughter, Paige. Kellee loves to read, travel, and spend time with family and friends during her free time.
Stephanie K. Hay, Esq.
SECRETARY
“Created to serve and living by purpose.”
Attorney Stephanie Hay is on a mission to educate and empower creative entrepreneurs while providing them with exceptional legal services. She is the owner and principal attorney of The Hay Law Group, P.L.L.C., where she has the pleasure of representing entertainers, independent records labels, music publishers and film production studios, as well as social media influencers and small businesses. As a part of her mission to educate creatives in the world of entertainment, she started #QuickQuestionFriday, a weekly Instagram segment answering common entertainment law questions. Stephanie has also been featured on the Music Business Dreams Podcast and Houston’s Amazing 102.5FM Breaking Texas radio show to discuss issues related to independent music creators.
In addition to her full-time entertainment law practice, Attorney Hay is an adjunct professor in the Music Business department at Houston Community College. There, she aims to have a positive impact on the minds of future industry entertainers and professionals. Through classes like Survey of the Music Business, Legal Aspects of the Entertainment Industry and Music Publishing, Stephanie is helping students build a solid business foundation from which they can launch successful careers. As Chair of the Music Business Advisory Board, she collaborates with the top most influential music business professionals in Houston to bring about professional growth and opportunities to the Houston Community College students, with the goal of keeping and moving the entertainment industry forward in Houston.
On top of her professional work, Stephanie’s focus on community collaboration has led to several volunteer opportunities and community leadership roles. She serves as a volunteer attorney with Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts and as a board member of LueWish, a non-profit aimed at helping women who have been diagnosed with life altering illnesses.
Stephanie earned her J.D., Cum Laude, in 2012 from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, and her B.A. in Communication in 2009 from Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is barred to practice in both Texas and Georgia.
Her greatest influencers and role models are her grandparents and parents who instilled in her strong ethical and morals values and the importance of family. They taught her that with persistence, determination and hard work she can achieve great things. She stays motivated by a quote of her grandmother who said, “Don’t look back, don’t look down, always hold your head up and keep moving forward”. In her free time, she likes to travel, spend time with friends and spoil her god-children, Kyle and Jackson. Stephanie credits her success first to her God and then to the tremendous support of her family.
Ashley Tillery
BOARD MEMBER
Soon after graduating from Sam Houston State University with her Bachelor’s and Master's Degrees in Mass Communications Ashley accepted the position of producer on CW39's “Morning Dose” morning news show.
Being an only child from Houston, she values community and enjoys giving back. She volunteers at her church, animal shelters, YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club.
Ashley hopes to bless people through Luewish the way God has truly blessed her and her family. Ashley lives by the motto," It's better to give, than to receive."
Mayra Palacios
BOARD MEMBER
Mayra Palacios is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps; her experience has taught her to be extremely patient and maintain a positive outlook on life. Soon after being honorably discharged from the military, she received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston in 2016 before eventually becoming a residential appraiser at the Harris County Appraisal District. As a strong believer of being your best self, she spends her free time working out, reading books on personal development, learning about different aspects of health. She is definitely a “glass half full” kind of person. She currently resides in Porter, TX.
Jessica Calhoun
VICE PRESIDENT
Jessica Calhoun is a daughter, sister, cousin and friend to many. She has a passion for giving back and working with others. Jessica is a people-person. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, shopping and traveling.
Jessica works for Shell Oil Company where her career has spanned on 30+ years. During her tenure at Shell, she has held many positions related to Accounting, Finance, Sales and Project Management.
Jessica graduated with a BBA from Stephen F. Austin State University. She received her MBA from the University of St. Thomas and she is a Certified Management Accountant.
Jessica is a member of Windsor Village United Methodist Church and is active in the Greeter’s ministry.