About THEA
Our Founder
“I understand what people go through when they learn their neighborhood is contaminated, because that is my story.”
Jackie Medcalf became a champion for public health when she discovered that toxic chemicals in her drinking water were making her family sick. She was 15 when her family moved to a new home in rural Harris County. Soon their animals started to get sick. She developed seizures, loss of motor function, and endometriosis. Then her father broke his back due to an incurable cancer in his bone marrow. While studying for an environmental geology degree in college, she tested the well water at her home and discovered it was contaminated. Her own lab work showed levels of nearly two dozen toxic metals. She founded THEA to give others the tools to protect their own health.
How THEA Was Born Out Of Environmental Tragedy
Our History
Since its founding, THEA has worked neighborhood-by-neighborhood to clean up toxic chemicals in Houston and Harris County. During that time, the organization has built a coalition of more than 58,000 residents and influenced more than $260 million in EPA-ordered cleanup projects.
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Jackie Medcalf begins working as a part of the San Jacinto River Coalition to mobilize residents around dangers of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site.
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The IRS recognizes THEA as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. THEA partners with the Texas Department of State Health Services on an assessment of cancer rates in East Harris County, Texas.
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THEA works with the community to speed up remediation of the San Jacinto Superfund Site and builds support to tackle the impacts of toxic contamination throughout Houston and Harris County.
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THEA’s work in the San Jacinto River area pays off when the EPA orders a $115 million full remediation of the site. THEA starts the Cypress Community Coalition to push for cleanup of the Jones Road Ground Water Plume Superfund Site.
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THEA collaborates with Greater Fifth Ward residents, community groups, and government officials to form the Northeast Houston Coalition and address environmental health and cancer clusters in neighborhoods.
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Cleanup begins on the Jones Road Water Plume Superfund Site.
Texas Department of State Health Services begins releasing a series of cancer assessments for Northeast Houston.
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THEA forms a partnership with the University of Texas Medical Branch and Baylor College of Medicine to study health impacts from the Jones Road Site and the San Jacinto Site. Texas Department of State Health Services releases a birth defect study for Northeast Houston.
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EPA approves plan for removal of contamination from the Southern Impoundment of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits.
THEA launches an area-wide health survey to better understand what types of disease plague our communities today.
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The EPA announces that the Jones Road Site continues to threaten the local community’s health.
Cleanup activities at the Waste Pits’ Southern Impoundment begin to physically remove dioxin waste.
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Remediation of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits Superfund Site’s Southern Pit is completed on schedule and with community input.
THEA’s independent testing of well water near the Jones Road Ground Water Plume finds evidence of contamination. The EPA announces plans for comprehensive testing to determine additional measures needed to protect the community.
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Prompted by a request from THEA, the state determines that a 250 square mile area along the San Jacinto River is a cancer cluster. THEA also scores a victory in court, forcing the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw a dredge permit that threatened to disturb toxic material in the nearby Superfund site.
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In February, CHEJ became a national program of THEA.
THEA pushed for census-track cancer data and Harris County Public Health released the most comprehensive cancer map in the country.
EPA issued a federal order for cleanup to begin at the Northern Waste Pit of the San Jacinto River Waste Pits. A long fought win for the surrounding communities as this moves the regulatory process forward and incorporates numerous community requests.
Our Staff
Our Board Members
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Lisa Gossett, J.D.
PRESIDENT
Mrs. Gossett, J.D. is a recently retired Associate Professor and Environmental Management Program Chair at the University of Houston- Clear Lake. Lisa graduated from Rice University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and later attended the University of Houston Law Center where she obtained her J.D. Law Degree.
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Jessica Davison
VICE PRESIDENT
Jessica Davison, Assistant Vice President at United Way of Greater Houston, leads data strategy, evaluation, and learning initiatives. She drives nonprofit collaboration, CQI, and equitable data use. She teaches at Rice University and serves on the Texas Evaluation Network board.
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Zachary Bowden
SECRETARY
Zachary Bowden is a cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience securing complex IT systems in healthcare and enterprise environments. He currently serves as Lead Cyber Security Analyst at Memorial Hermann Health System. He holds a B.S. in Healthcare Administration and multiple cybersecurity certifications.
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Oscar Lazaro, MBA
TREASURER
Oscar Lázaro is an Associate Commercial Manager with S&P Global. He earned his MBA and a B.A. in Environmental Management from the University of Houston - Clear Lake. He has a deep understanding of our mission, having worked as a community coordinator with THEA.
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Jeffrey Spike Ph.D.
ETHICS ADVISOR
Dr. Spike is a national leader in the fields of medical and public health education and ethics. He is a professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine, and on the ethics committee of the Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
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Jennifer Anderson
BOARD MEMBER
Jennifer Anderson, MPH, is a Senior Manager at CVS Health who brings extensive experience in community engagement and nonprofit management. She holds a Masters of Public Health and a B.A. in Women's Studies and Women’s Health from the University of Michigan.
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Rhian Davies, MBA
BOARD MEMBER
Mrs. Davies has worked extensively with venture capital companies and startup entrepreneurs. She is currently a Principal at a Venture Capital Firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been actively engaged with environmental nonprofits and is deeply committed to advancing the protections of our oceans, coastal ecosystems, and critical habitats.
Our Council Of Community Advisors
In 2023, THEA established a Council of Community Advisors (CCA). We rely on our advisors for their trusted leadership in the communities we serve and to ensure that their residents’ priorities guide our priorities.
Pamela Bonta
Sarah Davis
Keith Downey
Sandra Edwards
James Fretty
Marlene Lobberecht
Jeff Reese
Carolyn Stone
Our advisors live in Houston-area communities impacted by legacy contamination and environmental health concerns They are deeply invested in THEA’s mission because these issues affect their homes, families, and neighbors. They also help to ensure community experiences are heard by the agencies and decision-makers involved in cleanup and response efforts.
