2026

SPEAKERS

  • Nancy Chan is the founding executive director of the WoodNext Foundation, which manages the philanthropy of tech innovator and Roku CEO/Founder Anthony Wood and his wife Susan. Their philanthropic efforts are guided by their overall mission to advance human progress and remove obstacles to a fulfilling life. The WoodNext Foundation makes grants and investments in a variety of areas, including scientific and biomedical research, mental health, homelessness, education, nature conservation, disaster recovery, and economic opportunity, with a focus on addressing root causes. Because of the Woods’ strong ties to Texas, WoodNext’s geographic priority is the southern United States, though the WoodNext Foundation also makes grants in other regions, nationally and internationally.

    Previously, Ms. Chan established and led the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning function for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)'s Justice & Opportunity Initiative. Prior to CZI, Ms. Chan served as a director at philanthropy consulting firm Arabella Advisors, where she advised clients on strategy development, project evaluation, and grantmaking program implementation. Before joining Arabella, Ms. Chan was at SRI International (formerly the Stanford Research Institute), where she conducted research related to technology-based economic development, innovation, education, and workforce development for public- and private-sector clients globally. Before SRI, Ms. Chan was a research associate at the Urban Institute’s Education Policy Center, and also worked at Silicon Valley tech companies Adaptec and Palm, in roles including product management and engineering program management. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with an electrical engineering degree from MIT, and also holds a public policy degree from Georgetown University.

  • Erin is currently the General Counsel of the Texas Space Commission (TSC), where she previously served as the agency’s first Chief Compliance Officer. Before joining TSC, Erin served in various roles at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), including Interim Executive Director, Director of the Office of Legal Services, Special Counsel to past TCEQ Chairman Bryan W. Shaw, P.E., Ph.D., and Staff Attorney for the Superfund and Dry Cleaner Remediation Programs. She also spent time in the federal government, serving as a political appointee at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in two separate roles—EPA Region 6 Chief of Staff in Dallas and Counsel to the Administrator at EPA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    Erin holds a J.D. from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from The University of Texas at Austin.

    Erin is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, a Director on the Austin Bar Foundation Board, Past Chair of the State Bar of Texas (SBOT) Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section (ENRLS) Council, and the ENRLS Social Media Committee Chair. She is also engaged with the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association, the American Bar Association Forum on Air & Space Law, the SBOT Administrative and Public Law Section, and the SBOT Aviation Section.

  • Angela Colmenero currently serves as Governor Abbott's Deputy Chief of Staff. She previously served as Principal Deputy General Counsel to the Governor and has worked in his administration since 2018. In 2023, Governor Abbott appointed her to serve as the Interim Attorney General for a temporary period of time.

    Prior to joining the Governor’s office, Angela held various leadership positions for nearly a decade at the Texas Attorney General’s Office, including as Chief of the General Litigation Division and Deputy Chief of the Special Litigation Division. She also worked in private practice as a litigation attorney at a large national law firm and a litigation boutique, and she served as a law clerk to the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

    She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School and the University of Texas at Austin.

  • Amanda Crawford is the Executive Director of the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) and serves as the Chief Information Officer for the State of Texas. In this role, she is responsible for the overall leadership and daily operations of DIR, an agency with an annual fiscal profile of more than $7 billion. DIR's responsibilities include protecting the state's data and critical technology infrastructure, managing a multi- billion-dollar cooperative contracts program, and providing strategic technology leadership and solutions to all levels of Texas government.

    Prior to leading the team at DIR, Mandy served at the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG) for more than 17 years. She held various positions at the OAG, including

    ultimately serving for two and a half years as the Deputy Attorney General for Administration and General Counsel. Mandy is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and earned her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

  • Allison Ellsworth is the Co-Founder of poppi: the modern soda brand revolutionizing soda for the next generation. She created poppi by experimenting in her kitchen to create an apple cider vinegar-infused soda that tasted great.

    From the farmers market to a Shark Tank deal, in just five years, poppi quickly became one of the fastest-growing beverages in the U.S., culminating in its landmark sale to PepsiCo in 2025. She pioneered the brand’s cultural cache and digital-first approach, attracting a loyal community of over 1M followers, over 2B+ page views on TikTok and celebrity brand fans including Post Malone, Alix Earle, Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish and more.

    Allison has been recognized in the 2024 Inc. Female Founders 250 and was named Founder of the Year from Modern Retail; TIME named poppi one of The 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025.  She lives in Austin, TX with her husband and three boys.  

  • Gay Gaddis is an entrepreneur, author, artist and trailblazer. She’s the founder of T3, an innovative digital and marketing agency that grew into the largest woman-owned independent advertising agency in the U.S, under Gay’s leadership for over 30 years. Through her speaking career on women’s leadership, company culture and entrepreneurship, her book Cowgirl Power: How to Kick Ass in Business & Life, board work and leadership training, Gay focuses her always-on energy to empower the next generation of business leaders to take big leaps in their careers and lives. She is a contributor to Forbes and the founder of two leadership programs that she teaches at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas: Women Who Mean Business, a development program for female executives and entrepreneurs and Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership, a program designed for undergraduate students. Additionally, she is the past President and Chair of the Board of Directors of Texas Exes, the official alumni association of the University of Texas, and was recently appointed to the Governor’s Commission for Women.

    Gay has received numerous awards including the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of Texas, 2021 Hall of Fame Award by the McCombs School of Business, the Liz Carpenter Lifetime Achievement Award, Fast Company’s Top 25 Women Business Builders, Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs of the Year and C200’s Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

    As an artist, Gay’s bold and vibrant paintings have been shown in several prestigious galleries around the country including New York City and Santa Fe, and Texas Monthly magazine recognized Gay as one of “10 Artists to Collect Now.” Gay and her husband own and operate the historic Double Heart Ranch in the Texas Hill Country, home to Gay’s private art studio and gallery, Fossil Ridge.

  • Angela Akins Garcia grew up in the great state of Texas. She went to Marble Falls High School where she excelled in academics and athletics. Angela then attended The University of Texas on an athletic scholarship and was a member of the UT women’s golf team. She received a degree in journalism from Texas and graduated with Honors. 

    After college, Angela worked for the governor of Texas in his appointments office before continuing to work as a broadcast journalist. She worked as an on-air reporter and host for FOX Sports, NBC, and Golf Channel and finally SiriusXM where she had her own radio show. 

    Now her passions are taking care of her 2-year-old son, 4-year-old-daughter, and her husband who she says is the best! Angela’s husband is a professional golfer, and the family enjoys traveling the world cheering him on. In addition to her family, Angela is passionate about giving back to her community and beyond. Angela is the founder of The UGLI Foundation and is determined to end bullying and create a better and brighter world for everyone. Angela is also the co-founder of the Sergio and Angela Garcia Foundation which supports various organizations that help children, foster families and growing the game of golf. Angela credits her parents who raised her to be kind, compassionate, generous, and always striving to do better. 

    In addition, Angela sits on the board of the Save Muny Foundation and is a co-chair of the American Heart Association of Austin Circle of Red Campaign.

  • Nichole Bunker-Henderson serves as General Counsel for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Prior to joining the Coordinating Board, Nichole served the Office of the Attorney General for 15 years, rising from law clerk to Chief of the Administrative Law Division, and ultimately serving as the Associate Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation.

    Nichole has worked on diverse matters as a trial and appellate attorney and general counsel to state agencies. She is a frequent speaker on administrative law topics. During her nearly 25 years of government service, Nichole has also served as the Deputy General Counsel at the Texas Education Agency and worked for the Texas Senate and Texas Legislative Council.

    She earned a bachelor’s degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from The University of Arizona.

  • Justice Rebeca Aizpuru Huddle was appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas by Governor Greg Abbott in October 2020 and elected to a full term in 2022. She is a native of El Paso, where she grew up and attended Stephen F. Austin High School. Justice Huddle earned her undergraduate degree in political science at Stanford University and taught Spanish for a year before returning to Texas to attend the University of Texas School of Law, where she graduated with honors.

    Before entering public service, Justice Huddle practiced law at Baker Botts L.L.P. and was admitted to the firm’s partnership. In 2011, then Governor Rick Perry appointed her to serve as a justice on the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas in Houston. She was then elected to that office in 2012.

    During her tenure at the First Court of Appeals, Justice Huddle authored over 400 reasoned majority opinions. In 2017, Justice Huddle returned to Baker Botts, resuming her practice in commercial litigation and appeals and serving as the Partner-in-Charge of the firm’s Houston office beginning in 2018.

    Justice Huddle is a member of the American Law Institute, a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. In 2018, she received the Houston Bar Association Appellate Section’s award for Outstanding Judicial Service and Leadership. In 2019, she was named a Woman on the Move by Texas Executive Women. She has served as a member of the board of directors of

    the Greater Houston Partnership, the Houston Area Women’s Center, and the Kinkaid School Investments Foundation.

    Justice Huddle is the proud mom of two teenage daughters.

  • Lisa Jammer is the Chief People and Culture Officer at DIR. In this role, she leads the vision, strategy, development, and execution of talent and culture management programs to advance the agency’s mission, vision, and core value statements. She has 20 years of human resources experience with 11 of those years in Texas state government. Prior to state service, Lisa served in a variety of human resources, treasury, and accounting roles with Indeed, Waste Management, and Continental Airlines. 

    Lisa is currently attending the Doctoral Program in Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University and holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Development from the University of Houston and Bachelor of Science in Business Management from LeTourneau University. She has successfully earned the PHR and SHRM-CP designations. 

  • Joseph Leadley serves as AI Strategist for the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), where his expertise extends across the hardware, systems, and strategy to usher in a more seamless and impactful Texas workforce system. 

    Joseph kickstarted his career as an engineering technician at Samsung Semiconductor more than nine years ago. In that role, he gained a nuanced understanding of the chips that power our most critical technologies—and the advanced machinery needed to make them.  

    Today, Joseph serves a founding member of the initiative to integrate AI across agency operations. His work leverages his unique, end-to-end knowledge—from the silicon in a chip to the stability of a server—to transform how government serves Texans.

  • Camila Alves McConaughey is a dedicated mother, entrepreneur, and NY Times Bestselling Author. Born and raised in Brazil to a family of farmers, she grew up with a strong connection to the taste and aroma of food made using only fresh-picked ingredients. 

    After moving to the U.S. in her teens to pursue a career in fashion, she later established herself as a well-known lifestyle expert – hosting the Food Network’s “Kids BBQ Championship” and Bravo’s “Shear Genius,” guest judging on “Chopped Junior,” and co-founding a frozen organic baby food brand, Yummy Spoonfuls. 

    Camila regularly makes appearances on morning and daytime talks shows sharing her fresh, modern approach to entertaining, beauty and cooking.

    Throughout her career, Camila has traveled the world and with each journey found a deep interest and connection to different cultures and communities around the globe. With this vision, in 2015 she launched the lifestyle and community website Women of Today with the purpose of building a space that encourages connection around content focused on family, food, fashion, wellness, home and more.

    In 2022, Camila released her first children’s book ‘Just Try One Bite,’ became an instant New York Times Bestseller. It’s a fresh and hilarious new take on picky eating with whimsical role reversals. Three kids are determined to get their parents to put down the ice cream, cake, and chicken fried steak to just try one bite of healthy whole foods. 

    In October 2023, Camila and her husband Matthew launched their own tequila brand, Pantalones Organic Tequila, the first joint venture for the couple.

    Camila currently resides in Austin, TX with her husband and three children.

  • SC Perot is a storyteller, educator and bestselling author. A proud Dallas native, she is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Stanford Law School. After practicing law, she made a bold mid-pandemic pivot to pursue her longtime passion for teaching.

    Her debut book, Styles of Joy, explores how we can discover and express joy as a practice—not a personality trait. Her signature keynote presentation centers on living JOY out loud, even in life’s most uncertain moments. Her talks are an invitation—to feel deeply, connect authentically, and reimagine what’s possible when we lead with heart.

    SC is a sought-after voice on joy, resilience, reinvention and the art of showing up. When she’s not writing, teaching or speaking, SC can be found in Nashville, TN, enjoying live music, good food, and time with her four-legged sidekick, Ranger.

  • Margo Richards is a proud sixth-generation Texan and fourth-generation Aggie with a deep love for the outdoors. Her extensive career in the travel and outdoor industries has focused on promoting and creating unique adventures across the great state of Texas.

    As senior vice president of Community Resources for the Lower Colorado River Authority, Margo oversees about 40 parks that welcome more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Richards directs strategy, business development, sales and marketing for one of the most dynamic park systems in the country. She also oversees the LCRA Meeting Services team, which organizes more than 250 events a year.

    A graduate of the Governor’s Executive Development Program and recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Texas Government in 2024, Margo is the chair of the Texas Travel Alliance Board and a member of the Great Springs Project trails planning committee and the Texas Wildlife Association membership committee. 

    Margo’s distinguished career illustrates her dedication to Texas and to developing future leaders. Her career includes more than 20 years of public service, including time spent as director of the Travel Information Division at the Texas Department of Transportation, director of Tourism at Visit Austin and public relations coordinator for the Office of the Governor, Economic Development and Tourism. Her career highlights include overseeing the Don’t Mess with Texas anti-litter campaigns, marketing Texas around the world and bringing innovative activities and overnight accommodations to LCRA parks.

    Margo lives in Austin and enjoys spending time at Maysel Ranch, her childhood home, in Freestone County.

  • Julia Rathgeber serves as Deputy Chancellor and Senior Policy Advisor for The University of Texas System. In this role she leads the Office of Governmental Relations and is the primary liaison between the UT System Administration and the Board of Regents and the Texas Legislature on the wide range of budget and policy issues that affect higher education and health care in Texas, generally, as well as the UT System institutions. She is also the liaison with executive branch officials and agencies of Texas state government and, at times, with local governments in Austin and around the state.

    Julia most recently served in the private sector as Vice President of Governmental and Regulatory Relations and

    Business Development at Berkshire Hathaway Energy, following a distinguished career in Texas government, including senior positions in the governor’s, lieutenant governor’s and speaker’s offices.

    In 2020, she became Chief of Staff for Dade Phelan, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, after previous terms as Commissioner of Insurance for Texas and Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Greg Abbott. She went on to serve as President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas until joining Speaker Phelan’s office.

    Julia began her professional career in 1990 with the Texas Senate, directing the Senate Research Center and providing research for Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock. In 1998, she worked for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, where she was responsible for long-term planning for air, water and waste issues.

    In 2001, she joined the General Land Office, where she provided research for the Land Commissioner and staffed the Governor’s Task Force on Homeland Security. Moving back to the Senate in 2003, she assisted Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, where she was responsible for policy development and coordination of the referral and hearing of legislation in the Senate.

    Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Plan II Honors Program from The University of Texas at Austin, and a law degree from The University of Texas Law School. Julia and her husband Ross have a daughter, Byrn.

  • Tracye McDaniel doesn’t just advise on economic growth—she delivers it. With over 30 years of leadership experience in economic development and destination marketing, she has shaped strategies for five governors, Fortune 500 companies, and global organizations, driving billions in investment and transforming local, state, and regional economies.

    Proven Leadership: Tracye joined TIP Strategies, Inc. in 2019 as Principal and President. She is a frequent speaker for cities, regions, states, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), and the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC).

    Built & Scaled Statewide and Regional Engines: As Executive Vice President and COO, Greater Houston Partnership, founding CEO of Choose New Jersey (appointed by Governor Chris Christie), and later CEO of the Texas Economic Development Corporation (appointed by Governor Abbott), Tracye designed and executed growth strategies that attracted top-tier corporate investments—raising $60M+ in funding and creating thousands of primary jobs.

    Global Perspective: At the Greater Houston Partnership (as EVP/COO), she spearheaded Opportunity Houston, a landmark initiative that positioned the region as a hub for international business, leveraging her expertise across over 50 countries.

    National Influence: Tracye served as the 2019 Chair of the International Economic Development Council, a nonprofit membership organization that serves economic developers. She has served on various task forces, committees, and advisory boards in support of the economy. development industry, and advises the US Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Advisory Board, shaping policy and best practices.

    Educator & Thought Leader: A sought-after speaker and instructor, Tracye has taught at the Harvard Kennedy School-SLED Program, the LBJ School of Public Affairs-Urban Lab (The University of Texas at Austin), and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, mentoring the next generation of leaders, and served on the Board of Regents for Texas Southern University in Houston, TX.

    Roots & Reach: A proud UT Austin alum (Bachelor of Science, Communications), Tracye blends data-driven strategy with storytelling prowess to elevate communities. Based in Austin, she’s equally passionate about her roles as a bonus mom, aunt, and “Gigi,” proving leadership and legacy extend far beyond the boardroom.

  • Kelly Woodward is the Chief Operating Officer for the Houston Airport System (HAS). Woodward brings over two decades of aviation management experience in the public and private sectors. She is responsible for:

    • Executing the strategic initiatives of Houston Airports

    • Ensuring a 5-Star system performance at Bush and Hobby airports

    • Enhancing efficiency within all divisions of Houston Airports

    • Collaborating with airport stakeholders

    • Maintaining operational excellence throughout the airport system

    Most recently, Woodward served as a Managing Director with AvAirPros in Houston, overseeing operational readiness, terminal systems integration, move sequence teams, and baggage handling systems teams for the IAH Terminal B Transformation.

    She previously worked for Houston Airports from 2002 to 2023. During that time, Woodward worked in various leadership roles, such as Operations, Contract Services, Custodial Services, Interim General Manager of Bush Airport and most recently as the Assistant Director of the Operational Readiness Division.

    Woodward holds a Master of Science Degree and a Bachelor of Science Degree, both in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She also possesses an FAA Commercial Pilot/Flight Instructor Certificate and is a Certified Member (CM) of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).

    Beyond her professional achievements, Woodward is a wife and mother of three. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

  • Jordan Dixon is chief policy and regulatory officer for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. As CPRO, she oversees five divisions with far-reaching responsibilities including licensing and regulating long-term care, child care and acute care providers; the development and execution of the agency’s data analytics and performance management strategy; supporting rule making and advisory committee appointments; performing compliance and quality assurance activities on major procurements and contracts; and facilitating continuous improvement and strategic planning efforts.

    Previously, Dixon served as deputy executive commissioner for the Office of Transformation and Innovation for almost four years. In this role, she established an internal consultancy for business process improvement and change management.

    Before joining HHSC, Dixon served for four years as director of the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, where she led budget development and crafted the committee chairman’s legislative package. In 2017, she led efforts to identify inefficiencies and savings opportunities in health care across six state agencies. She also served as the committee's deputy director and senior policy analyst.

    Before working in the State Senate, Dixon worked for the National Association of State Budget Officers in Washington, D.C., as a policy associate focusing on health care and correctional policies.

    Dixon has a Master of Public Policy from the George Washington University and a Bachelor of Art in Economics from Southwestern University.

    She is a graduate of the Governor's Executive Development Program, a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt professional and a mentor in the HHS Executive Leadership Academy.

  • Brittany Perkins Castillo is Chief Executive Officer of AshBritt, a national, rapid-response emergency management, logistics, and disaster response contractor. Since 1992, AshBritt has performed more than 400 missions serving 600 clients across the United States and Caribbean. AshBritt is the chosen contractor for government agencies at the local, state, and federal levels including FEMA, DHS, and DOD.

    Prior to joining AshBritt in 2016, Brittany was an attorney, managed a law practice in Austin, Texas, and was a program manager in Doha, Qatar. She holds a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University.

    Brittany is known as a vocal advocate for women in business and frequently speaks about increasing and supporting women in the government contracting and emergency management fields. She launched WTFem.org, a repository for resources to help advance women in the emergency management field. Brittany was also appointed to the FEMA National Advisory Council, which advises the FEMA Administrator on all aspects of emergency management. Brittany is Chair of the Pace Center for Girls Board of Trustees, a member of the board of directors of the AshBritt Foundation, 4Girls Foundation, Dress for Success Palm Beaches, and on the Board of Counselors for Equal Justice Works. Brittany’s work as CEO was profiled in Forbes.

    In 2023, Brittany launched a children’s activity book, Kids can be Hero Helpers, and the initiative Stronger than the Storm, both focused on helping children understand, plan for, and recover from disaster events. Brittany facilitates workshops on this topic at national conferences and has distributed more than 5,000 books to cities and counties across the United States and Caribbean. In April 2024, Brittany and Stronger than the Storm launched Henry and the Hurricane, a reading book that teaches hurricane facts and preparedness with children.

    Brittany is a mother of two preschoolers. When not engaged with disaster response, she enjoys time with her family and training for endurance events with her husband. She is a marathoner and completed an Ironman 70.3.

    .

  • Jennie Hoelscher serves as Privacy Officer and Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR).  In this role, she develops and implements the Texas DIR privacy program, advises on privacy laws, provides privacy training to public employees, and serves as contracts counsel to ensure privacy protections by our third-party vendors. Jennie also provides guidance regarding artificial intelligence governance at DIR and advises on the ethical and responsible adoption of artificial intelligence among public entities in Texas. She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Prior to joining DIR, Jennie served as a Division Chief in the Texas Office of the Attorney General, a litigation and appellate specialist at an Austin law firm, and a Briefing Attorney for the Texas Supreme Court. Jennie is a graduate of Baylor University and earned her law degree from the University of Texas.

  • Kerrica has over 30 years of local government experience and for over twenty years she has successfully engaged leadership teams, stakeholders, customers, staff, and vendors to create innovative, customer driven, community focused technology solutions for the Austin community. 

    As the Chief Information Officer for the City of Austin, she focuses on digital transformation efforts that will help the city modernize its technology portfolio and improve the digital experience for employees, the community and business operations. Additionally, her teams provide the essential IT services that the City depends on daily.

    Kerrica is a University of Texas alumna and she’s active in the Austin technology community serving as an advisor to the SIM (Society for Information Management) Austin Board of Directors and sits on the ACC Continuing Education IT Advisory Board.  She was awarded the Statescoop Local IT Leader of the Year Award in 2023 and the Best New CIO Award from the Texas Technology Consortium in 2024. 

  • .

    .

  • Jennifer Bush is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). She holds multiple industry certifications, including CISSP, CISM, and multiple GIAC certifications, along with a Master’s degree in IT specializing in cybersecurity and information assurance. She has also completed the HHS Executive Leadership Academy and the Governor’s Center ELITE program at UT’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.

     

    As CISO, Jennifer oversees the security of the systems that support DFPS’s mission of “Protecting the Unprotected.” She has received several awards, including the 2019 TASSCC Rising Star Award and the OnCon Icon Award, recognizing her as one of the Top 10 Information Security Professionals in the world. Jennifer is also active in mentoring programs such as Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS), the UT STEM MUSE Program, and NCA HBCU initiatives, supporting the success of women and minorities in cybersecurity.

  • Becky has led Philanthropy Advocates since 2021 with a strategic focus on advancing student success by supporting and improving education.

    Through dynamic programming and advocacy initiatives that amplify the Texas philanthropic sector, Becky serves as a trusted partner to Texas philanthropies and state policymakers in uplifting timely data, research and community examples to achieve results for students and communities.

    Becky previously worked in the Texas Legislature for a member of the Texas House Committee on Public Education and the Texas House Committee on Appropriations, Article III Subcommittee. She is a former graduate fellow at the Greater Texas Foundation, and worked for Philanthropy Advocates through many organizational evolutions from the Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium to the organization it is today. Becky serves on the board of the Del Valle ISD Education Foundation and on the board of the Austin Young Chamber.

  • Blair Walsh serves as Assistant Agency Director and Chief of External Affairs for the Texas Division of Emergency Management. With more than 20 years of experience in government relations and nonprofit leadership, she has worked alongside federal, state, and community partners to strengthen disaster response, recovery, and philanthropic coordination across Texas.

     

    Blair holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma and pursued graduate studies in Strategic Security Studies with an emphasis in Conflict Management at the National Defense University. A strong advocate for women in public service, she champions collaboration, transparency, and the power of philanthropy to build resilient communities and empower the next generation of leaders..

    .

  • Elle was appointed to the Moody Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2015. She was named the Foundation’s Senior Vice President of Grants and Chief Communications Officer in 2023. Elle is a graduate of Rice University and holds a Master’s degree in Visual Art Administration from New York University. Prior to the Moody Foundation, Elle was a Senior Account Director at the global communications firm Sutton, where she led international media strategies for a diverse roster of clients in the cultural and non-profit sector.

    Elle leverages her diverse background in arts and culture to guide the foundation’s investments across Texas. She has advocated for projects ranging from the Chinati Foundation to the Galveston Arts Center. Elle currently serves on the Rice University Board of Trustees, the Advisory Board for the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University, and Ballroom Marfa. At the University of Texas at Austin, she serves on the Development Board, the Moody College of Communication Advisory Council, and the National Leadership Board for the Blanton Museum of Art.

  •  As Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Constellation, Kutansky and her team are responsible for the company’s human resource operations, compensation, benefits, employee and labor relations, respect, belonging, diversity and inclusion, workforce development, talent management, human resources systems, recruiting, and organizational effectiveness. She also oversees the real estate and facilities and corporate security teams. She serves on the Constellation Executive Committee, which sets strategy and direction for the company.


    Constellation is the nation’s largest supplier of clean energy with more than 32,400 megawatts of generating capacity from nuclear, wind, solar, natural gas and hydro assets. The publicly traded company produces about 10 percent of America’s emissions-free energy, making it a leader in addressing the climate crisis and an indispensable partner to businesses and state and local governments with carbon-reduction goals.


    Professional Background
     Kutansky most recently served as senior vice president of human resources at Constellation. In her previous role as vice president of human resources for ComEd, Kutansky set the HR strategy for over 6,000 employees as a member of the senior leadership team. Prior to that, she served as director of employee and labor relations for Exelon Generation then to ComEd where she led labor strategy development and execution, negotiations, training, contract interpretation and union relations.
    In her eighteen years of professional experience at Exelon, she held various roles providing expertise and counsel to the utility, generation and business services companies. She has also held HR leadership roles on cost optimization efforts and merger due diligence and integration. Before Exelon, she held human resource and new business roles at ADP TotalSource.


    Community Work
     Kutansky is active with Boys and Girls Club, the American Heart Association and WINGS. Kutansky also uplifts and strengthens our communities through support for community arts, youth STEM opportunities, suicide prevention and Lyme disease awareness.


    Educational Background
     Kutansky received her undergraduate degree at Indiana University, Bloomington. There she worked in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. She received her J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law where she volunteered as a mediator in the legal clinic. During law school, she also interned at ArcelorMittal Steel. Kutansky is a member of the Illinois Bar.

  • Stephanie D. Nellons-Paige is a recognized business executive and strategic advisor with more than 30 years of leadership across the public and private sectors. Before co-founding The Nellons-Paige Group, Inc., she held senior executive roles with several Fortune 500 companies, leading initiatives in transportation, infrastructure, facilities management, and strategic partnerships. As CEO and Co-Founder of The Nellons-Paige Group—a Houston-based consulting firm she established with her husband, Dr. Rod Paige, former U.S. Secretary of Education—she advises corporations, start-ups, and public agencies on transition strategy, business growth, and community advancement. Her firm’s work has helped clients generate hundreds of millions in revenue while promoting inclusive growth and workforce development. Nationally, Nellons-Paige collaborates with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the African American Mayors Association to strengthen public–private partnerships and drive investment in infrastructure, education, and workforce readiness. Deeply committed to education and opportunity, Nellons-Paige devotes much of her philanthropic work to raising scholarship funds and creating experiential learning programs for students pursuing careers in transportation and infrastructure. She also serves on the boards of Centegix, Schmoody, and the University of the Potomac, and recently completed a Governor’s appointment to the Texas Southern University Board of Regents, where she served as Second Vice Chair. She was also recently appointed to the Morgan State University Foundation Board of Directors in Baltimore, Maryland, where she is a proud two-time graduate. Nellons-Paige has been widely recognized for her professional excellence, civic leadership, and national service, and is an active member of numerous professional and philanthropic organizations dedicated to advancing leadership, opportunity, and meaningful progress.

  • Jackie Padgett is a people-first leader who has dedicated her career to creating thriving, purpose-driven workplaces. As Chief People Officer and a founding team member at Circuit, she leads the company’s culture and people strategy—fostering wellbeing, inclusion, and meaningful innovation across the organization.

    Before joining Circuit, Jackie served as an HR leader at Silicon Labs, where she oversaw internal communications, social impact, and employee engagement programs that helped shape a culture of transparency and care. Her leadership in workplace wellbeing earned the company recognition from the Austin Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Health & Wellness, honoring her work to embed wellness and connection throughout the organization.

    Prior to her time at Silicon Labs, Jackie co-founded IGC (In Good Company), an organization dedicated to helping companies integrate social impact and civic engagement into their employee experience. Through this work, she guided major brands in building purpose-driven cultures where social good and employee wellbeing reinforce one another.

    Jackie’s early career in the nonprofit sector laid the foundation for her people-first philosophy. At the Central Texas Food Bank and United Way for Greater Austin, she led and supported cross-functional teams, cultivating cultures of collaboration, engagement, and shared purpose rooted in community.

    Committed to empowering people both within the workplace and throughout the community, Jackie serves as immediate past chair of Con Mi MADRE, board member of Austin Ed Fund, and advisory council member for The New Philanthropists and Austin Monitor.

  • Judith Talavera is president and chief operating officer for AEP Texas, responsible for the company's operations in south and west Texas. together.

    Previously, she was director of Regulatory Services for AEP Texas since November 2008. Talavera began her career with AEP in 2000 as manager of Governmental Affairs for AEP Texas.

    Before joining AEP, Talavera worked in a number of legislative positions for former Texas State Sen. Mario Gallegos Jr., including serving as his legislative director.

    Talavera has bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and has completed the AEP/Ohio State University Leadership Program and Leadership Texas.

    Community service and involvement has been a vital part of Talavera's career. She currently serves on the board of trustees for the Texas State Aquarium and United Way of Texas. She previously served as a board member for the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation and United Way of the Coastal Bend.

    Talavera and her husband, Ric, have two sons and live in Corpus Christi, Texas.

  • Bryan Daniel is the President of NYSE Texas, part of NYSE Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). NYSE Texas is a fully electronic equities exchange, headquartered in Dallas, Texas

    Prior to joining NYSE Texas, Daniel served as Chairman of the Texas Workforce Commission and as Executive Director for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. He previously served as the Texas State Director for Rural Development and Chief Administrator for Trade and Business Development at the Texas Department of Agriculture.

    Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and a Master of Science in Agricultural Education both from Texas Tech University.

  • Laura Mathieu serves as the Divisional Director for the Midwest and Central Divisions for Community and Business Development at JPMorgan Chase, based in Dallas. With five years at the firm, Laura has been instrumental in building a team of Community Managers across twenty-two states. Her leadership and vision have been pivotal in fostering community engagement and development.

    Before joining JPMorgan Chase, Laura dedicated twenty-five years in the banking industry, where she served as a Regional Director for the state of Texas. Her extensive experience in the banking industry has equipped her with the skills and insights necessary to drive community-focused initiatives.

    Recently, Laura achieved a significant milestone by promoting five Community Managers to Community Directors, who now lead the Midwest and Central regions. Under her guidance, the division employs a total of 55 Community Managers. This team is committed to building external partnerships with organizations, municipalities, schools, and universities to educate communities on financial health, covering essential topics such as budgeting, saving, credit, and fraud prevention.

    Laura's team works closely with their One Chase partners to ensure that JPMorgan Chase is the most trusted bank in their communities, striving to build deeper relationships with the firm.

    Outside of her professional endeavors, Laura cherishes spending time with her husband and three adult children. She is also passionate about international travel, where she enjoys exploring different cultures and broadening her horizons.

  • Angelica Rivera joined the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) in 2012 and currently serves as Assistant Director of Benefits Communications. In this role, she helps lead a dynamic team responsible for digital communications, benefits education, and ERS’s public-facing website. Together, they collaborate with divisions across ERS, other state agencies, higher education institutions, and key stakeholders to ensure members receive accurate, timely, and engaging information about the valuable benefits ERS provides—leveraging modern tools and platforms to meet people where they are. Angelica began her public sector career as a Training Coordinator at Capital Metro in Austin, Texas, before joining ERS as a Benefits Educator where she designed clear, informative presentations to help members better understand complex benefit concepts. In 2014, she transitioned to the Group Benefits division, overseeing the operations of ERS-sponsored health and optional benefit programs and supporting vendor compliance and plan design. In 2022, Angelica was promoted to Deferred Compensation Program Manager, where she led operations for the Texa$aver 401(k) and 457 plans. Most recently, she has played a key role in advancing ERS initiatives to strengthen stakeholder engagement and promote informed benefits decision-making. Her recent accomplishments include leading the launch of a financial wellness newsletter for state and higher education employees and helping create its companion podcast, ERS Money Talks, featuring conversations with retirement plan advisors, benefits experts, and wellness professionals. In its first year, the newsletter and podcast earned national recognition from the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), receiving a Leadership Award in the Holistic Financial Wellness category. Throughout her career, Angelica has remained dedicated to empowering ERS members to make confident, informed decisions about their benefits, helping them build financial security and well-being during employment and through retirement. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Texas State University.

  • Tamara Fields is the U.S. Public Service Industry Lead at Accenture, where she drives operational efficiency for government entities through transformative back-office solutions and innovative applications of generative AI. Her work ensures the smooth functioning of governments while making a tangible impact on communities—reflecting her deep belief that public service is integral to the fabric of society.

     

    In addition, Tamara serves as the Office Managing Director for Accenture in Austin, where she leads efforts to bring innovation to clients, attract and retain top talent, and strengthen Accenture’s presence in the Austin community. With more than two decades of cross-industry, multilateral project management experience, she delivers creative, strategic, and complex solutions to better serve clients.

     

    Previously, Tamara was the Director of Operations for Accenture’s U.S. South Market Unit, overseeing business strategy execution, operational excellence, and leadership development across a 13-state region. She played a key role in driving growth, efficiency, and client engagement.

     

    Passionate about fostering high-performing and innovative teams, Tamara champions leadership training to drive creativity, innovation, and competitive outcomes—ensuring Accenture continues to excel in serving both clients and communities.

     

    An Austin native and University of Texas graduate, Tamara serves on the Red McCombs School of Business Advisory Board and is Accenture’s former executive recruiting sponsor for UT. She is President and board member of the Texas Conference for Women and also serves on the Board and Financial Executive Committee for Paul Quinn College. Previously, she was a board member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee, where she contributed to economic development efforts for the city. She remains actively involved as a member of the Chamber’s Entrepreneurship Committee.

     

    Tamara’s leadership has earned her numerous accolades, including the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s Greater Austin Business Award for Executive Leadership and the 2022 Greater Austin Business CEO/Top Site Leader Award. She was named the Texas Exes Black Alumni Network’s 2019 Legacy Alumnus of the Year and is a recipient of the Austin Business Journal’s 2019 Profiles in Power award. She was also recognized on the Austin Business Journal's "Texas 100" list in 2022 and as an Austin Power Player in 2023 and 2024.

  • Amina Al Sherif is the Generative AI Lead for Google Public Sector, focusing on bringing the latest Generative AI product and research from Google to state and local, higher education, research, department of defense, intelligence, federal civilian and federal health customers. Amina has background in areas ranging from cyber security, machine learning, big data analytics, open source intelligence analysis, tactical cyber operations, clandestine intelligence operations, combat operations, human intelligence operations, signals intelligence, all source targeting, C-level executive leadership at early stage pre-seed startups in the defense and intelligence ecosystem, and non-for profit organisations. Amina’s day to day ranges from hands on development with natural language processing systems (now focused largely on agentic systems with technologies like Google’s Agent Development Kit, Agent Engine and Agent to Agent Protocol) to keynoting in front of executive and technical audiences. 

    ‍ ‍

    ‍ ‍

    Amina immigrated to the United States in 2010 as a first generation Arab-American, and spent twelve years in the Department of Defense serving as an Army officer in the Reserves and North Carolina National Guard as a tactical cyber operator and cyber targeter. She worked with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) as an Arabic, Farsi, and French language enabled Open Source Exploitation Analyst at Fort Belvoir, VA and Fort Bragg. She deployed under Operation Inherent Resolve to Baghdad, Iraq in 2015/2016. In 2016-2017 she deployed to Afghanistan supporting the Special Operations Community. Most recently Amina deployed to Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Israel for a Special Missions Unit out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina supporting cyber-HUMINT operations.

    ‍ ‍

    ‍ ‍

    Amina holds a BA in Linguistics and Arabic from the University of Mississippi and a Masters in Professional Studies in Cybersecurity and Information Sciences from Penn State University. She regularly blogs on Medium documenting her self-taught technical career. In January 2020, she published her first book An Approach to Machine Learning in Cyber Defense for the Department of Defense. She is also working on a three-part young adult fiction novel series and is a published author with her debut novel Nadiri, A Novel Part I. She also blogs regularly on her website, https://www.aminaalsherif.camp. She is a professor of the Cybersecurity BAT programme at St. Philip’s College in San Antonio, Texas. She lives in the Texas hill country with her daughter, mother, hairless cat and too many German shepherd dogs to count.

  • Heather Morgan Shoemaker is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Language I/O. Over a decade ago, she set out to solve a very specific problem: how to make multilingual customer support effortless for global companies. Together with her ever-growing team, she has built an AI-driven translation platform that allows enterprises to operate a single, monolingual call center while supporting customers in over 100 languages. In other words, she’s been working at the intersection of AI and human connection for a long time. The power in Language IO is greater than just translation—it’s how the company’s custom model handles repetitive, mechanical tasks so that human agents can focus on what truly matters: empathy, problem-solving, and building trust with customers. While legitimate fears surround recent AI developments, Language IO has focused on building a zero-data-retention platform that allows their customers to humanize customer support through AI, without fear. Along the way, Heather has been fortunate enough to be able to share what she’s learned at events like SXSW, and to contribute to conversations in outlets such as Fortune and Forbes. She was also honored to be recognized among the top 100 Women in AI during New York Tech Week this year. Heather lives with her husband and two daughters in Cheyenne, Wyoming and in her free time she enjoys running and hiking in the country's least populated state.