Meet the Staff

Doug Burdett
Course Director & Scoutmaster

Coastal District
Beaver: SR 626

I was a Cub Scout as a youth, earning the Wolf, Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light. With no active troop in the area, I was not involved in Scouts until my oldest son joined as a Tiger. I have served as a Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos Leader as well as a Cubmaster for Pack 615. During these years I also served as a Twilight Camp and Cub-O-Ree Rangemaster and lead the ranges for a number of years. I was also a Unit Commissioner.

I have attended the Philmont Training Center twice. I organized BAC’s first Scouter Success Seminar and have staffed three seminars since. I have staffed at the University of Scouting and have been a member of the Coastal District Training team and enjoy training when my schedule allows.

My Wood Badge experience started as a Beaver in course SR-626. I have since been an instructor for SR-795, Scribe for SR-866, Troop Guide for SR-941, ASM-Program/Assistant Course Director for S3-574-11-1 and ASM – Administration for S3-574-13-1, S3-574-15-1 and S3-574-17-1. I was the Assistant Course Director and ASM-Program for S3-574-19.

I have received Coastal District Cubmaster of the Year, District Award of Merit, Scoutmaster Award of Merit, and the William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award (Crew 615). In 2017, I received the Scoutmaster of the Year award for the Coastal District.

I have been an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 615 for one year and have served as Scoutmaster for fourteen years. I have been to Northern Tier with Troop 615 and served as Scoutmaster for Bay Area Council’s Troop 1610 to the National Jamboree in 2010. I am also the founder and currently an Associate Crew Advisor for Crew 615.

Both of my son’s are Eagle Scouts. My youngest son recently earned Eagle this past March and is enjoying his remaining time in high school as an adult in Troop 615 and a youth in Crew 615.

My wife of over 31 years, Regina Burdett, joined me on this scouting journey as soon as my oldest son joined scouts as a Tiger. She was the Course Director for S3-574-17 and she has earned the Silver Beaver.

Bill Griffin
Assistant Course Director & ASM Program

Sam Houston Area Council
SR 941, Owl

Bill was a Cub Scout in Lake Jackson as a youth, earning the Wolf, Bear, and Lion Rank; and a Boy Scout, earning First Class Rank. He first became an adult leader in 1989 when his oldest son was a Wolf Scout. Since then Bill has been a Tiger Den Leader, Den Leader, Webelos Leader, Cubmaster, Committee Chair, and Pack Trainer within the Pack, and Committee Chair and Assistant Scoutmaster within the Troop.

At the District level, Bill has chaired the Nominating Committee, Finance Committee, and Training Committee, and served as Unit Commissioner and Roundtable Commissioner. At the Council level, he served as Assistant Council Commissioner for Boy Scout Roundtable, has been a trainer at College of Commissioner Science and for YPT. He was awarded Silver Beaver in 2015.

Bill had the privilege to staff the 2010 BSA Jamboree in Virginia and serve as Course Director for Bay Area Council’s 2014 National Youth Leadership Training. He was a member of the Owl Patrol from Wood Badge Course SR-941 and was most recently the Senior Patrol Leader for S3-574-19.

Bill earned a BBA in Marketing and a MBA in Marketing from Texas A&M University. He worked for six years with IBM Corporation and the last 35 years with BMC Software in Houston. Bill and his lovely wife, Linda, have been married for almost 40 years and have two daughters, four sons (all active in Scouting), and eleven grandchildren.

Derick Meadows
Senior Patrol Leader

Coastal District
S3-574-15, Fox

I was involved with Scouting as a youth for a brief time as a Boy Scout but did not remain in the program.  Even so, I’ve pursued a lifelong passion for the outdoors including hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking.

I became involved in Scouting again when my youngest son became a Tiger Cub in Pack 603 in League City, Texas. There, I served as an assistant Den Leader and then as a Den Leader until he earned his Arrow of Light and crossed over into Boy Scout Troop 9310 (now 554).

Presently, I serve as the District Commissioner for Coastal District as well as Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 554 in League City, Texas.

I attended Wood Badge course S3-574-15-1 as a member of the Fox Patrol.  I staffed Wood Badge course S3-574-17-1 where I was a Troop Guide for the Beaver Patrol and S3-574-19-1 where I was ASM of Troop Guides.  I’ve staffed a number of long-term camps and events at Camp Karankawa like Native American Weekend, Camp-O-Ree, and shooting events.  I have also been a Patrol Instructor for “The Scouting Experience” – a council level training event to qualify adult leaders as Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster and complete any IOLS requirements for their positions.

I believe in the Scouting program and the way it develops character and leadership in our youth.

In my professional life, I am a Chemical Engineer and the Plant Manager for ALTIVIA Specialty Chemicals in La Porte Texas.  Originally from West Virginia, I’ve lived in Texas now for over 20 years.  When I’m not volunteering, I enjoy running, hunting, fishing, and snow skiing.  I’ve been married for over 20 years and have three children.

Chance Browning
Assistant Senior Patrol Leader & Medical Officer

Thunderbird District
S3-574-15, Bear

II have been active in the Boy Scouts for 25 years. I am an Eagle Scout and also a Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow.  As a youth, I served on 4 Junior Leadership Training Course, the precursor to NYLT, staffs as a youth, two of which as the SPL.  I staffed on 5 summer camp staffs at Camp Karankawa as a youth and served for 3 years as the Program Director of Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch’s Summer Camp. I am currently an ASM for Troop 400 in Alvin, Texas.

Richard Zamora
ASM Troop Guides

Northern Star District
S3-574-15, Beaver

As a youth, I was in Cub Scouts only up to the Webelo II rank.

Today, I have been an active scouter with the Bay Area Council for the past 13 years when my son joined as a Tiger cub scout.  After 2 years as an Assistant Den Leader, I became the CubMaster of Pack 446 in Pearland for 2.5 years and during that time membership grew from 80 scouts to over 120 scouts.  Today, I am an Assistant ScoutMaster with Troop 464 in Pearland and also served in the role as Troop Treasurer for 5 years.   In 2014 I received the Northern Star District Spark Award.   In 2019 I received the Polaris Award.

My son earned his Eagle rank in 2019.  Scouting has allowed us both to enjoy many great adventures and growth opportunities.  I was fortunate to be part of the staff to lead the Bay Area contingent to the National Jamboree in 2017 and our Troop’s 100 mile hike around Mount St. Helens in Washington State.

I attended the Wood Badge course in 2015 and was part of the Beaver Patrol!  I was on staff as a Troop Guide in the Wood Badge course in 2017 for the Fox Patrol.  This year I am happy to be on staff as the ASM of Troop Guides for the 2021 course!

René Julian
Troop Guide

Northern Star District
S3-574-15

René became involved in Scouting when his son, René III became a Tiger in Jacksonville, FL.  Due to his career in the Navy, René was not active as an Adult Leader until 2012 when his son was a Webelos 2 with Pack 17 in Mobile, AL and René was the Den Leader.  René then crossed over with his son to Troop 2 in Mobile before a new job opportunity brought him and his family to Pearland, TX.  Upon relocating, René affiliated with Troop 404 and has served as an ASM in the Troop.  Recently he has taken on the additional role as the Round Table Commissioner, Boy Scouts for the Northern Star District.  René’s primary focus in Scouting has been to ensure that every Scout has a trained leader and parent/mentor in which to help guide them.  To this end, he assists in conducting training for interested adults.

René is currently a Reserve Naval Officer and works at Olin Corporation in Houston.  He is a graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis with a bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and a masters in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA

René owes his deepest gratitude to his son for bringing Scouting into their lives.

Diane Morris
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-15, Bobwhite

Diane says that she has been involved in scouting for 50 years by association, tagging along with her brothers.  Diane began serving scouting 10 years, starting with my son began as a tiger scout.  Diane served as a pack popcorn kernel, treasurer, membership chair, twilight chair, outdoor chair, Committee Chair, Den Leader and fill in Cubmaster.  Diane’s was awarded the Bayshore district of SHAC Committee Chair Of The Year for her work with Pack 870.

Diane currently serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 545 in League City where her son is a Life Scout and has completed his Eagle Project (3 merit badges to go!).  Diane is a merit badge counselor and a BSA/Red Cross certified Lifeguard.  Diane also served as a troop guide for the very first “The Scouting Experience” course.  Diane has been working with Crew 554 for their High Adventures to Swamp Base and Northern Tier Bisset.  This summer they will venture to Philmont.

David Albee
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-13, Bobwhite

Jeremy Cuttrell
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-19

Jill DeWitt
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-19

Jason Leblanc
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-19

As with many Scouters, Jason got involved in Scouts BSA when his son’s Troop needed another adult to volunteer for a weekend of camping. From that initial car camping experience to the coordination of troop service hours and planning high adventure summers, Jason transitioned from a committee member for Troop 446 in Pearland to ASM to Scoutmaster in 2019.  Jason completed the Wood Badge course in 2019 as a member of the Eagle Patrol. Eagles Soar!  

One of Jason’s favorite Scouting phrases is “fun with a purpose.” As leaders we are tasked with guiding and mentoring young people to achieve their scouting goals; however, if we forget that the trail to Eagle should be exciting rather than excruciating, we’re not providing those young people with the true Scouting Experience. Wood Badge is a fantastic training program as it provides new leaders with the tools to confidently guide their units in this spirit while at the same time reminding experienced leaders why they began volunteering one hour per week in the first place.   

Candice Nguyen
Troop Guide

Coastal District
S3-574-19

Being raised in a multigenerational home, my four grandparents were my best friends. Backstory, all survived WWII’s occupation of the Phillippine Islands and specifically the Bataan Death March as unheralded Filipinos who all fought alongside American forces. It did not define them, it was something that happened to them, and they got through it by helping their community. It shaped their characters and their orientation towards good, as did many of that generation and their children. Curiously, my maternal grandparents, both alumni of the University of the East, became Scoutmasters in Quezon City, Phillippines when my mom was finishing medical school. Almost sixty years later, I joined Wood Badge while my husband Chuc (UCLA 1995), worked facilities for the course. I needed to understand the tradition, the unity, the standard, and impact of scouting in my bonus sons’ (Aiden Clearbrook 2020 & Riley Clearbrook 2022) lives. Luckily, the traditions I shared with my daughter Ceci (UT Austin 2019) fed experiences that aligned.

In Wood badge, I was taught streams of actions that evoked celebration, raising understanding and awareness while encouraging and promoting my happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close relationships. 

I serve as Troop 554 Medical Record Coordinator, Camp Karankawa Property Committee Member, former Bay Area Council Grant Writer, and current Camp Karankawa American Chemical Society Chemistry Merit Badge Instructor. I am a quality assurance professional, an arnisadora with Clearlake Modern Arnis, a disaster technologist for Team Rubicon (military veterans with first responders who rapidly deploy ERT both domestic and abroad), a citizen-astronaut researcher studying our upper-atmosphere with Project Possum (501(c)(3) astronautics research and education program), professional penman, and due to the state of our pandemic culture, a future NASA Human Exploration Research Analog campaign member for 2021, which blesses me the opportunity to join this course as a troop guide, before that campaign begins. 

Dona Hokanson
Instructor

Northern Star District
Sr 291, Bobwhite

Dona Hokanson began Scouting as a Cub leader in 1991 but she came to Sea Scouting just as soon as she found out about it. Her son is an Eagle Scout and a father now. Yes, she is a grandmother. Currently, Dona is a Mate for Ship 468, Triton. Training is her focus in Scouting just as it was as a teacher for 42 adventurous years. This year will be her eleventh year as a SEAL instructor.

In addition, Dona has been involved in Woodbadge in some capacity for the past 8 courses offered by Bay Area Council. She has also been involved in five previous Seabadge courses and was the Course Director for SB-32-TX-2016. In addition, she has coordinated Safety At Sea, instructed at Sea Scout Academy and was a Crew Advisor for Powderhorn. She has also attended two National Jamborees, 2010(Merit Badge Counselor) and 2013. In 2013 she was the 1st Mate for George Crowl at the Maritime Adventure area. Before joining Sea Scouts, Dona served as both a district and council training chair, Summer Camp Director for two summers, and JLTC (NYLT) staff, coordinated University of Scouting as well as Trainer Development Conference.

Dona has been recognized for her efforts in Scouting with the Scouter Training Award, District Award of Merit, Venture Leader Award and the Silver Beaver award. The youth in her ship, as well as the Gulf Coast SEAL graduates, are now “Dona’s kids”. Guiding them to become true servant leaders is her focus. She realizes they are the ones who will care for her in the “old folk’s home”, although “Dona’s kids” tell her that no home will ever let her in.

Jeffery Mauldin
Instructor

Coastal District
BSA-18-2

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and have a younger brother and sister.  I, along with my father, brother, and many others in my family are Eagle Scouts.  I joined Cub Scouts as soon as I was old enough, and never looked back.  Over the years, my entire family would get involved with the Pack and Troop, resulting in many of our favorite family stories being centered on Scouting events and friendships.

I continued to be active in my Troop after earning my Eagle Scout award, participating in Order of the Arrow and finding employment as a Staff Member at the Avondale Scout Ranch Summer Camp for 5 summers.  During my time at Avondale, I met a fellow Staff Member, Lauri, who went on to be my wife. We now live in League City, Texas, where I have a career at NASA Johnson Space Center as a Flight Controller in the Mission Control Center.  Lauri and I have three boys – all three have begun their journey in Cub Scouts!

My Wood Badge experience began as a participant in the Pilot Course for the new Wood Badge curriculum held at Philmont in March 2018 (BSA-18-2).  The experience was truly special, building friendships with Scouters from across the country and receiving the training from the Scouters who authored the updates to the curriculum!

In 2020, I was given the opportunity to serve as a Troop Guide for the first ever National Linked Troop Model Wood Badge Course, held at Summit-Bechtel Reserve (BSA-20-1).  This course was the first use of the new curriculum in a linked troop setting, with participants from around the world.

The training obtained at Wood Badge is unparalleled, and the friendships formed will last a lifetime.  I can’t wait to see where this next course takes us!

Mark Lloyd
ASM Logistics

Coastal District
S3-574-19, Beaver

John Bland
ASM Facilities

Northern Star District
S3-574-15, Fox

John Bland is a man of many skills (inside and outside of Scouting) and few words.

Scott Unruh
Facilities

SHAC
S3-574-19

Stephen Polk
Facilities & Instructor

Northern Star District
S3-574-19

Vicky Jones
Quartermaster

Coastal District
S3-574-13

Julie Fernandez
Assistant Quartermaster

Northern Star District
S3-574-17

Robbie Pettit
Assistant Quartermaster

Coastal District
S3-574-11

I am a Committee Member in Troop 445 and I have two Eagle Scouts, one from Troop 442 and one from Troop 445.

Steven Bradford
Scribe

Coastal District
S3-574-11

Phillip Galbreath
Religious Coordinator & Assistant Scribe

Cradle of Texas District
S3-574-19

Clella Schumacher
Assistant Scribe: Social Media

Coastal District
S3-574-19