Board of Directors
Ken Allinson
President, Board of Directors
With over twenty years of professional experience, Ken Allinson has dedicated his career to sustainability, developing and implementing sustainability strategies aligned with growth drivers. Originally from Pittsburgh, Ken is one of five children and has lived in Houston since 2003. He holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of North Carolina.
Ken and his family are parishioners of St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church. He and his wife are dedicated volunteers at the parish, serving as volunteers in both catechesis and marriage ministry. Additionally, they serve as the lead parents for the Smart Families program at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic School, which empowers families to engage with technology in a healthy, intentional way.
Ken is a father of four boys, which drives his passion for this project. He is eager to help his boys fall in love with Jesus, become disciples, grow in virtue, and discern and answer the call to their vocation. Ken believes a Catholic Education is the best way to accomplish those goals.
María José Valladares
Vice-President, Board of Directors
Though not a native by birth, María José Valladares considers herself a Houstonian by choice. After spending her childhood living across the country with frequent visits to Houston, María José moved to Clear Lake to complete her graduate studies in Human Factors Engineering Psychology in 2018. She currently works in the aerospace industry.
María José is a parishioner of St. Mary of the Expectation. Serving the Church has been a constant throughout her teen and adult life, volunteering with ministries ranging from Elementary Formation and Sacramental Prep to Campus and Young Adult Ministry.
A product of Catholic education from Pre-K through high school, María José understands how critical it is to have a well-formed faith foundation to be a light of Christ in the world. She is passionate about bringing an accessible and local Catholic High School option for parents in the Houston Bay Area.
John Barnett
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Born in Pasadena, Texas, John Barnett has lived in southeast Houston his whole life – except for the four years he attended Texas A&M University. A proud Aggie, he studied Industrial and Systems Engineering. John is a Sales Manager at Texas Flange.
John converted to the Catholic faith in 2008. Soon after, he met his wife, Lynn, married her, and moved to Pearland. They have nine children, raising eight from their eldest, a 13-year-old daughter, down to a newborn son. John and his family are parishioners of St. Helen Catholic Church. Six of their children attend St. Helen Catholic School. John also serves as the Board Chair for 40 Days for Life.
John believes that, as a parent, his children’s education is his most important responsibility. He wants to ensure they receive an excellent education that cultivates Catholic morals and ethics. He believes that Carlo Catholic will provide this for the families of the Houston Bay Area and is proud to support this effort.
Mark A. Campos
Secretary, Board of Directors
Mark A. Campos is deeply committed to Catholic education and has over 15 years of professional expertise in government contracting, operations, and procurement.
Mark is a proud product of Catholic education and understands its transformative impact. He lives with his family in Clear Lake and they are active parishioners at St. Mary of the Expectation Catholic Church. Mark currently serves on the St. Mary Catholic School Advisory Council, supporting the school’s mission of fostering academic and spiritual growth in students. He is also a dedicated Knights of Columbus Council 9310 member in League City, exemplifying his commitment to service and community.
He is honored to contribute his skills and experience to the establishment of Carlo Acutis Catholic High School, helping to build a beacon of Catholic education for future generations in the Houston Bay Area.
Ramon Burdeos
Board of Directors
Ramon Burdeos has more than 35 years of combined experience in both Mixed Media and Corporate Learning and Development. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Radio-Television-Film from The University of Texas at Austin.
After ‘re-verting’ to the Catholic faith, he served in evangelization ministry for ten years in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It was there that he met his wife, Johna. His service to the Church led to his pursuit of scriptural studies at John Paul the Great Catholic University. Ramon and his family are parishioners of St. Mary of the Expectation Parish in League City.
Inspired by a deep yearning to introduce the Sacred Heart of Jesus to youth, Ramon Burdeos helped initiate this effort to start a Catholic high school in the Houston Bay Area.
Fr. Philip Wilhite
Board of Directors
Fr. Philip Wilhite, a native Houstonian, has served as a diocesan priest in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston for 35 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts-Psychology and a Master of Divinity from St. Thomas University in Houston, and a Licentiate Degree in Dogmatic Theology from St. Thomas University in Rome. He has served in several parishes, on the archdiocesan Personnel Board and Presbyteral Council, and as founding chair of the archdiocesan Evangelization Commission.
Fr. Philip attended Catholic schools in the Archdiocese and attributes his priestly vocation to this and his parents’ active living of the faith. He is grateful for the opportunity to assist in the development of Carlo Acutis Catholic High School in the Bay Area, knowing this to be another abundant blessing from God for our youth and for the development of holiness in families. Fr. Philip currently serves as pastor of St. Helen Catholic Church and School in Pearland, TX.
Dr. Debra (Debbie) Haney, Ed.D.
Advisory Board of Directors
A proud, native Texan, Dr. Debra (Debbie) Haney, Ed.D., is a passionate Catholic educator and leader with over 30 years of experience in teaching and administration, including serving as the Secretariat Director and Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston from 2018 to 2024. Debbie earned her doctorate in Ethical Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in 2022, with a dissertation focused on parental school choice and Catholic education for students with special needs. Debbie and her husband, Jason, have been married for 33 years and are proud parents of two adult children. Together, they are active in marriage ministry, sacramental preparation, and parish life.
Throughout her career, she has led strategic initiatives, supported school governance and development, and remained deeply committed to faith-based education, service, and community involvement. In addition to serving on the Carlo Acutis Catholic High School Advisory Board, Debbie currently serves as Secretary of the Board of Trustees for St. Peter Catholic Career and Technical High School in Houston, TX. Debbie is currently serving at St. Joseph Catholic Church as the Director of Operations. She also works part-time for ADAC, which empowers PK–12 private school educators by providing customized professional development, coaching, and consulting services tailored to meet the unique learning needs of all students.
Guadalupe Radio Network’s Executive Director Wyatt Goolsby sits down with Ken Allinson, President of the Board of Directors, to learn more about the future Bl. Carlo Acutis Catholic High School.