Customers, business partners, employees and members of Houston’s professional sports community gathered at B&B Butchers on Wednesday, September 16, for an evening of conversation and connection.

Approximately 140 guests attended the cocktail reception, including customers and staff along with Houston Dash players, coaches, team personnel and executives. Eddie Barajas welcomed the group, followed by remarks from Jessica O’Neill, President of Business Operations for the Houston Dynamo Football Club, and Angela Hucles Mangano, President of Women’s Soccer for the Houston Dash.

Jessica oversees business operations for the Dynamo and Dash, as well as Shell Energy Stadium and Houston Sports Park. Angela brings the perspective of both an athlete and an executive. A two-time Olympic gold medalist with the U.S. Women’s National Team, she later served as General Manager of Angel City FC before joining the Dash.

The evening’s featured speaker was former WNBA head coach and general manager Pokey Chatman, whose career has spanned college, professional and international basketball. A standout player at LSU before moving into coaching, Pokey led LSU to three consecutive Final Four appearances and later coached professionally in the WNBA and Europe. As head coach and general manager of the Chicago Sky, she led the franchise to its first WNBA Finals appearance in 2014.

Drawing on that experience, Pokey spoke about a principle that translates easily from sports to business: “Clarity Is a Competitive Advantage.” She explored how leaders and high performers create clarity under pressure, and how that clarity can sharpen decision-making, strengthen alignment and drive consistent execution. She brought those ideas together through a framework she calls “The Starting Five.”

Also joining the evening was Kealia Ohai-Watt, who holds a special place in Dash history. The University of North Carolina standout was selected second overall in the 2014 NWSL College Draft, becoming the first collegiate player selected in the new franchise’s history. Kealia went on to captain the team and earned NWSL Best XI honors in 2016.

The evening offered a chance for customers, colleagues, athletes and sports leaders to spend time together away from the office and the field—and Pokey’s message gave the group something useful to take with them: under pressure, clarity about what matters and what comes next can be an advantage anywhere.

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