For Black History Month, the College of Technology honors our black alumni for their amazing achievements. We know our current students can look up to them as role models and proof that a technology degree is only the beginning. We checked in with a few of our alumni to see how they are proceeding with their lives and careers. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories with us!
Ricardo Bates
Ricardo Bates is a 2011 graduate of the College of Technology. In 2016, he started his multimedia production company, Batehouse Productions. His first documentary, The Prattville Way, was released in 2016 and was selected to several film festivals and is currently available on Amazon. He has filmed several events for the College of Technology, assisted in film projects around the city and has captured the vision of many companies. In 2018, he co-authored a book named Fruit which focuses on mentoring the youth. This year, he will release his next film Fruit which takes an in depth look at how mentoring can save lives. Also, he plans to shoot his first feature film Sound of Glass this year. He lives in Houston with his wife, Courtney.
Sean Joseph
Sean Joseph is the founder and Principal Consultant of Yunifire®, a Houston based software consulting firm and IT brokerage service. As the owner, he takes pride in each service performed by his company with a specialty in Microsoft based custom software solutions.
Sean is a 1996 graduate (B.S. in Computer Information Systems) of the UH College of Technology. He is currently serving as a Board member and co-director of social media of the Technology Alumni Association.
In addition to his consulting company and volunteer work with the College of Technology, Sean enjoys watching Houston Cougar sports and dabbling in cryptocurrency and stock investing. He resides in Cypress, Texas with his wife and children.
"I believe that we should encourage the youth to gain as much knowledge as they are keen to with respect to STEM careers. A STEM career is not only rewarding but challenges the mind to solve problems that are crucial to society at large." -- Sean Joseph
Tekoah Jones, MSHRD, SHRM-SCP
Tekoah is an adept organizational learning and development professional with over 10 years’ experience working in training and development. Tekoah is a Training Specialist IV with HHSC Access and Eligibility Services (AES) Training Development and Delivery department. She is responsible for organizing, planning, and delivering advanced training to both new and tenured staff utilizing adult education methods and techniques. Tekoah has served as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on several curriculum development & training workgroups and contributed to various agency initiatives including: an internal certificate and professional development program for trainers, and Bold 360° (Building Opportunities for Leadership Development) review program.
Tekoah is a proud University of Houston alumnus who earned a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Development (July 2020). She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX. Tekoah completed several leadership development programs including HHSC’s AES QUEST Leadership Academy, Class of 2019; and Aspiring Leaders Academy (ALA) Houston, Class of 2020. She also holds Society of Human Resources Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) certification.
Tekoah lives in Houston, where she is an active member of her church and volunteers with the Girls Scouts of San Jacinto Council and the Houston Food Bank. Tekoah enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an avid DIY crafter.
Jayson Adanse
As an IT professional, Jayson has spent the past 7 years working in various roles ranging from Application Support to Project Management. In his current role as a Project Manager & Scrum Master, he is working with IT teams to help them transform the way they work using Agile methodologies. Jayson was born and raised in Dallas, TX to immigrant parents from Ghana. His days of helping with his father's lawn care business every summer throughout his teenage years instilled the hard work and genuine customer service that stays with him in everything that he does.
Jayson is a proud Alum of the University of Houston with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems ('13) and a MBA with certificates in Global Management and Leadership. With aspirations to start a business one day, he hopes to become one of the Cougar 100; showing that it is possible to accomplish your dreams as long as you believe in yourself. In his free time, he enjoys serving in his church with the Youth ministry as well as on the Audio/Visual team.
Those who are interested in connecting with Jayson can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysonadanse
Kiandra Lewis-Basker
Kiandra Lewis-Basker is a graduate of the College of Technology’s (COT) Supply Chain and Logistics Technology (SCLT) program and is a proud UH Alumni Life Member. Kiandra believes that her experience at UH prepared her for a successful career transition into Supply Chain. The COT’s SCLT program was the best fit to facilitate and achieve her career goals due to its strong curriculum and industry partnerships.
While a student at UH, she was employed by Huntsman Corporation as a Supply Chain Analyst where she received a Divisional Supply Chain Excellence award. Kiandra is currently a Supply Chain Specialist for a global chemical manufacturer, Indorama Oxides and Derivatives based in the Woodlands, TX.
She has received numerous accolades including Young Engineer of the Year from the Houston Area Society of Women Engineers and she holds multiple Supply Chain certifications.
Prior to UH, Kiandra earned a degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology in Biomedical Engineering. Kiandra is also an active community volunteer. She spends her spare time with husband, Byron, and rescues Bear and Beau.
www.linkedin.com/in/kiandralewis
Alexzander Tillman
My name is Alexzander Tillman born and raised in Houston, Texas. I graduated from North Shore Senior High School earning 3 letters in both football and track & field. I then attended the University of Houston majoring in Human Resource Development with a minor in Global Business. I also earned 3 letters playing football during my time at U of H. I left college early to go play in the CFL for the BC Lions. I later returned to U of H and became the College of Technology student ambassador before graduating. One year after graduating from UH I started an intermodal drayage trucking company LET InBev Carriers, Inc. delivering imported and exported goods via the Ports of Houston and Railroads. I have recently started a real estate company called Holloman-Hunt and am looking forward to growing in this endeavor.