Once a Ram, Always a Ram

From walking Awty's halls as a ninth grader in 1996 to leading the Awty Alumni Association today, Devin Harris’ journey embodies the global perspective and entrepreneurial spirit that an Awty education cultivates. The Class of 2000 graduate shares his path from student to CFO to founder and his vision for strengthening the Awty alumni community.

Tell us about yourself. When did you start at Awty?

I'm originally from Houston, born and raised. I came to Awty in 9th grade in 1996 and graduated in 2000. I was on the international side and took Spanish. You can't order tacos in Texas in French, so it made more sense! I was on the track team, competing in discus, shot put, and javelin, plus JV basketball and varsity golf. I tried drama club for a bit. That wasn't for me, but it was fun.

What are your first memories of Awty?

Day one was a giant eye-opening experience on how big the world is. I'd been in private schools before, but you're walking down the hallway and somebody's speaking French, somebody's speaking Italian, Hebrew. It was a cultural shock, but I loved it.

Part of my professional success has been my ability to slide into cultures and situations that are foreign or shocking to certain folks. But that was a regular day at Awty. You walk into a room and think, "I know what region of France you're from," versus "What did you say?" That cultural appetite set me apart from my peers. It gave me a great starter pack.

Is there a teacher who particularly impacted your journey?

Mr. Sload, the science teacher, and Mr. Williamson, the math teacher. I liked math, but wasn't always the best at it. Mr. Williamson helped me get better, and then I got a CFO title, so I was like, okay, we did something. It worked.

I appreciated Mr. Duckett—rest in peace. He was the history teacher and track and field coach. The golf experience is probably the biggest formative thing for me. I appreciated the entire support team, the coach, and the parents who got involved. I'm a big and active golfer now. I've received more from golf than I think I can ever give back.

What did you do after graduating?

I went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Albany, New York, a big engineering school. Got a degree in IT and management of information systems with a minor in business and finance. Then I joined General Electric in Connecticut and did their leadership development program for two years, followed by their Corporate Audit Staff program for three years. I did internal audit and process improvement, mostly international. A year in Western Europe, a year in Eastern Europe across Prague and Budapest, seven months in India, then worked for NBC Universal at 30 Rock.

I came back to Houston with GE Oil and Gas and spent six years moving from drilling upstream to offshore subsea to downstream in various finance, CFO, commercial, and operational roles. From there, I moved into satellite communications—companies doing satellite WiFi for army bases, oil rigs, cruise ships, and airlines. That was my real foray into private equity and venture capital.

What inspired you to found your own company?

There's a funny anecdote. I was the divisional CFO for 60% of a business. Before a board meeting, the CEO asked me to put together the entire board update because other executives were traveling. I did the whole thing—finance, legal, initiatives, and commercial. Before the meeting, the CEO changed one slide. He changed the font.

That was my realization—if I can do the entire board deck by myself, I'm undervalued. I talked to him, and he said, "Yeah, you're undervalued. Took you a while to figure it out. If you want to open your own shop, I'll bring you back as a consultant."

I left on a Thursday with a VP title and came back Monday as a consultant. Brazos River South was founded, and we started with a $140 million transaction. I made a lot of money for other people, and once I realized the value I could bring, it made sense to bring that value home for myself.

Tell us about Brazos River South.

We're a boutique but mighty shop with 16 core executives. Half the shop focuses on CFO services, the other half on CXO services—CHRO, COO, all the other alphabets except IT. We focus on venture capital and private equity clients. Think Airbnb—you're renting a CFO, you're renting a CXO.

We work with early-stage companies making at least $5 million in revenue, up to portfolio companies of $1.25 billion. We're industry agnostic; everything from SaaS to consumer products like class rings to specialty produce for restaurants.

You're now President of the Alumni Association. What inspired you to get involved?

The reason I wanted to get back involved was the sweatshirts. People will pay a certain amount for a sweatshirt from Harvard. I think there's equal value in a sweatshirt that says Awty. We want to do the work so people are proud to put on that sweatshirt and represent what we're doing.

What's your vision?

It's figuring out where alumni find value in engaging and creating opportunities for that. We're reframing our engagement activities to where people are.

If you recently graduated from Awty or college, you're looking for feedback on early career jobs, mentoring, and coaching. Mid-career, you're looking for mentoring or special sessions to help you get ahead, plus you're probably having kids. How do you connect to the Awty community? Then, senior folks closer to retirement—it's about giving back, philanthropy, community. Your kids are probably older, but you still want to drive the mission forward.

What initiatives are you most excited about?

The professional development lens. We have a significant opportunity to pool the talents, resources, and intentions of all our alumni. If a student says, "I want to be in the medical profession," we want to show them the 200 doctors who graduated from Awty. If you want to be a lawyer, here are the 200 lawyers.

All that spins into panel sessions and different ways for a safe spot for kids to engage and move toward their next step, and for alumni to contribute to the school above and beyond what they already do in giving. We're rallying around successful events, incrementally adding to them with a specific lens on professional development.

Are you still in touch with classmates?

Yeah, a few. Hesam Panahi, who's also on the Board of Trustees, was part of my lunch crew in high school. I think the statistics hold that most lifelong friends come from college, with diminishing percentages from high school and middle school. If you're in Houston, it's easier. I didn't come back till 2010-2011, and I'm still on a plane a bunch. We're trying to work on that through our alumni initiatives, which is one of the reasons I got back involved.

How can alumni stay connected?

Find where you see value in engaging, and we'll create opportunities. Whether it's professional development, mentoring, connecting with other alumni parents, or giving back—we're building pathways for all of it.

Looking back, how did Awty shape who you are today?

It gave me a worldview and cultural fluency that became my professional superpower. Walking into rooms where things are different or foreign—that was just Tuesday at Awty. That starter pack of global perspective and cultural appetite has set me apart throughout my career.

Now, as Alumni Association President, I want to ensure that current students receive the same foundation and that alumni stay connected to the community that shaped us. We're building something where everyone—from recent graduates to seasoned professionals—can find their place to contribute and connect.

Because at the end of the day, an Awty education isn't just four years in high school. It's a lifetime network, a global perspective, and a community that follows you wherever you go.

Alumni Shout-Outs

Will Eldridge '12: Awarded 2025 Builder's Award by Rice University

Islara Rodriguez '06: Re-appointed to the Houston Amateur Sports Park by Mayor John Whitmire

Kendall Pierce '19: Wins Youth of Substance Award 2025

Visit the Awty Alumni page to explore mentorship opportunities, professional development events, and ways to give back to the community that shaped you. Ready to wear your Awty pride? Whether you're looking for that coveted Awty sweatshirt Devin mentioned or want to connect with fellow Rams around the world, we invite you to get involved. Shop Awty gear, update your profile, and join us in building a network where every Ram has a place to contribute and connect.

January 2026 Articles