East Montrose Civic Association Annual Meeting/Elections and Holiday Party
The East Montrose Annual Member Meeting and Holiday Party will take place Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the home of Charles Lambert and Aaron Sonnier, 611 Peden Street. The EMCA Board will provide some holiday munchies along with water and soft drinks. We ask everyone to bring their own adult libations and an appetizer, snack or food item to share if possible.
Members will be entered into a drawing for a raffle prize. Non-members are welcome to attend with a $5.00 donation.
Gift Exchange – each person who wants to participate in the gift exchange must bring a wrapped (or at least disguised) gift for the gift exchange not to exceed $25 in value. Humorous gifts are encouraged.
At the beginning of the evening, we will be electing a President, Vice President and two At-Large Directors. If you would like to run for one of these positions, please email the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Mary Quinn, at pastpresident.emca@gmail.com.
All members in good standing (meaning your dues are up to date) are eligible to vote. You can check your status by reaching out to Betsy Anderson at treasurer.emca@gmail.com.
If you are unable to attend the Holiday Party, you can complete an absentee/proxy ballot and drop it off at 2101 Whitney or email it to pastpresident.emca@gmail.com no later than Sunday, December 6, 2026.
The nominating committee recommendations are as follows and are posted online at https://www.eastmontrose.org/holiday-party/.
President – Karen Brohn
Karen Brohn is the current President of EMCA. She has been an active member of EMCA since moving into the neighborhood over 14 years ago including holding the roles of Vice President and A-Large Member on the EMCA Board. In these roles she has led the Yard of the Season Committee, coordinated National Night Out events and is the liaison for the Neartown / Montrose Super Neighborhood #24 where she is currently the Chair of the President’s Council. Outside of EMCA, Karen is a CPA and Chief Administrative Officer for a real estate investment firm. She and her husband enjoy spending time with friends and family and their two rescue dogs. She enjoys the outdoors, participating in triathlons, playing volleyball and has been a Texans season ticket holder since day one of the franchise. Karen has enjoyed working on both the social and civic areas within East Montrose and getting to know the residents and business owners. If re-elected, she looks forward to continuing working on ensuring East Montrose remains a Living Mosaic.
Vice President – Mary Dedeaux-Swinton
Mary Dedeaux-Swinton is a native Houstonian who, with her husband Jeffrey, has called East Montrose home since October 2024. Her belief that neighbors working together make a community safer, stronger, and more enjoyable inspired her to run for the East Montrose Civic Association board, where she now serves as Member at Large 2. Mary brings volunteer experience in board governance, member engagement, fundraising, and collaboration. She looks forward to continuing to share her time, energy, and experience with the neighborhood she and Jeffrey have made their home. Outside of her community involvement, Mary enjoys sewing and crafts, traveling, and baking.
At-Large 1 – Alyssa Ketner/Hugo Ovalle
Alyssa Ketner is an active member of EMCA and has served as a part-time board member alongside Katy Macalla for the past three years. As a native Houstonian and mother to two daughters, she is deeply committed to the well-being and growth of the neighborhood. She has a strong connection to the area, having grown up close by, and is dedicated to maintaining the qualities that make it such a wonderful place to live. In addition to her personal ties, she has had the pleasure of hosting the Annual Spring Fling event with Katy Macalla and has participated in previous Home Tours. She enjoys spending quality time with family and friends and exploring everything East Montrose has to offer. Whether it is enjoying the local restaurants, visiting nearby museums, or simply taking in the unique charm of the neighborhood, she is constantly reminded how special our community is. Alyssa is eager to bring her dedication, local knowledge, and community involvement to the EMCA and looks forward to the opportunity to continue contributing to our neighborhood’s growth and success.
Hugo Ovalle is the current Vice President of the East Montrose Civic Association and is running for the at large position. He and his wife, Claudia, moved to East Montrose in 2020 with their children, Lucia and Eric, and their three dogs, Sansa, Red, and Rocket. Before becoming Vice President, Hugo served on the EMCA Security Committee and as At-Large 1 Board Member.
Hugo is committed to making the neighborhood safer and better for everyone. He has been a strong advocate for Safe Routes to School, a program that received a federal grant and is set to begin implementation by year end in East Montrose. If re-elected, he looks forward to seeing that project through and advocate for repaving of some of the roads in our neighborhood.
Professionally, Hugo is a petroleum engineer with a consulting firm in downtown Houston.
At-Large 2 – Lance McKnight
Lance McKnight purchased a home in the neighborhood in November of 2023 and spent the next two and a half years restoring that house to its former glory. He moved in June of this year and became a resident of East Montrose. Other than the two and a half years in a Midtown apartment he has been a resident of Montrose since 2003. As a long time board member of the First Montrose Civic Association, he brings a depth of knowledge about the issues facing the civic associations in the Montrose area. Lance is a practicing engineer in the construction industry and is an active member of the City of Houston General Appeals Board. He looks forward to serving on the East Montrose board.