Honoring Roxanne Almaraz and Clay Allen

Roxanne Almaraz
Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Arnold Ventures

Clay Allen
General Counsel at Houston Rockets

 

Tuesday, March 31, 2026
4 pm to 6 pm Central

Address provided only to registrants
Houston

Online registration is here. Please email Nicole Fox and Paul Thaler at developmentstaff@lgbtqbar.org if there are any questions.

ABOUT 

Roxanne Almaraz (she/her) serves as Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Arnold Ventures, a multi-billion-dollar enterprise focused on advancing evidence-based policy solutions through philanthropic, advocative, and other means.

Roxanne holds degrees in corporate communication (B.S.) and journalism (B.J.) from the University of Texas at Austin, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. While at Stanford, Roxanne served as a Senior Editor of the Stanford Law & Policy Review and as a member of the University Judicial Panel.

Roxanne began her legal career as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Barbara M. G. Lynn, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas. Thereafter, Roxanne transitioned to BigLaw in Houston, ultimately paving a path for herself as a leading energy M&A lawyer to both strategic and financial investors. Immediately prior to joining Arnold Ventures, Roxanne was a partner with a global AmLaw 25 firm, where she represented clients engaging in complex M&A, joint ventures, and other business transactions.

In her current role, Roxanne bears ultimate responsibility for her organization’s Legal, Grants, Technology Services, Administrative, Operational Planning, and Data Strategy functions. She plays a critical role in the operationalization of strategies designed to further Arnold Ventures’ mission of maximizing opportunity and minimizing injustice for all Americans.

Roxanne has received the professional recognition of Texas Monthly, Texas Lawbook, The Legal 500 United States, Texas Lawyer, and the Houston Business Journal, among others.

Roxanne believes in the importance of helping others and giving back to her community. She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, has served on the boards of directors of the Discovery Green Conservancy, Houston Zoo and Houston Parks Board, and takes pride in mentoring individuals in Houston and beyond as they seek to navigate with confidence their own professional paths.

Clay Allen (he/him) is General Counsel for the two-time NBA Champion Houston Rockets. A native Houstonian and lifelong Rockets fan, Clay began his career with the organization nearly 25 years ago as a part-time Marketing Associate, working his way up within the organization before leaving to attend law school in 2007. Following graduation, Clay practiced at Locke Lord in Houston (now Troutman Pepper Locke) before returning to the Rockets as Associate General Counsel in 2013. He was promoted to General Counsel in 2021, becoming one of the few LGBTQ+ executives in professional sports.

As General Counsel, Clay oversees a broad range of legal and policy matters for the Houston Rockets, Toyota Center, and Space City Home Network. He is also a member of the team’s Senior Management Committee and has served as the senior leader on its Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Clay is a leading voice on LGBTQ+ issues in sports and has played a key role in advancing visibility and inclusion within the Rockets organization, including through the development of the team’s annual Pride Night. He has also served as a Board Advisor for HomeField Alliance, the first nationwide affinity group for LGBTQ+ professionals in sports, and regularly speaks on leadership, workplace inclusion, and the business of sports.

Clay has been recognized nationally for his work, including features in OutSmart Magazine, the Houston Chronicle, and the Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law. He has received the National Diversity Council’s “Top 50 General Counsel” award, was named a finalist for the Texas Minority Counsel Program’s Corporate Counsel of the Year Award, and has been selected to the Outsports Power 100 list as one of the most influential LGBTQ people in sports for three consecutive years.

Clay received his B.A., cum laude, from Trinity University and his J.D., cum laude, from Baylor Law School, where he served as Technical Editor for the Baylor Law Review.