Monday, February 12, 2018

A speed coaching and networking event

powered by bizwomen.

Mentors

1 | Melissa Aguillon | President/CEO, Aguillon & Associates LLC Melissa Aguillon has been entrenched in public relations, community outreach, government relations and marketing for more than 20 years. Her past employers and current clients include public agencies and private organizations at the local, state and national levels. She has developed a reputation for making connections and increasing brand awareness. In January of 2015, Melissa ran for State Representative, District 123. From this positive experience, she garnered much support and is very involved in issues impacting San Antonio and the state of Texas. In addition, she is an active member of National Association of Women Business Owners, Geekdom and Tech Bloc, supporting San Antonio’s tech ecosystem. In 2013, Melissa received the Marketing Award at the La Prensa Foundation Diamond Awards Gala for her out- standing efforts in marketing and for her commitment to developing San Antonio’s small business and non-profit community. The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce also recognized Melissa with the Rising Star award in 2014. She has bach- elor’s and master’s degrees in Public Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

2 | Dana Bashara | Assistant Superintendent, Alamo Heights ISD Dr. Dana Bashara currently serves as Assistant Superintendent of Alamo Heights Independent School District. She serves in leadership roles for a variety of education organizations including Texas Association of School Administrators, Alamo Area As- sociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Texas Elementary Princi- pals and Supervisors Association. Dana is passionate about leadership development and supports teachers in her district through an innovative Teacher Leader Academy. Additionally, she is passionate about bilingual education and works to provide quality language learning opportunities to students through dual language and Spanish Im- mersion programming. Most recently, her leadership contributions in AHISD resulted in the district being named the best small school district in Texas, the elementary campuses as being ranked as the top schools in San Antonio through niche.com, and the district’s engaged classroom pilot is taking off with amazing success. Dana serves the community most directly through her involvement in the National Charity League, but she is also involved with Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, and Destination Imagination where she partners in service alongside her daughters. As a mother of four children between the ages of 16 and 5, Dana works to balance the privilege of motherhood with the call to leadership through educational administration.

3 | Celia Belt | Co-Founder/Executive Director, Moonlight Fund, Inc. Celia Belt is the cofounder of the Moonlight Fund Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides financial, emotional and in-kind assistance to burn survivors and their families. A burn survivor herself, Celia noticed the need for care and support in San Antonio, a city with the largest population of burn survivors in the U.S. Along with Henry Coffeen III, executives at Ernst & Young and burn unit medical personnel, she started the charity in 1998. Since then, the organization has helped nearly 6,000 people across the state of Texas. Celia oversees grant writing, program development, event planning and fundraising for The Moonlight Fund. Additionally, she works hand-in-hand with staff members, attends board meetings, hosts retreats & support groups. Celia provides her full time & efforts pro bono to the fund. Celia has served as a public speaker for the Moonlight Fund and other organizations. In 2012, she was invited to speak at the Pentagon on behalf of the Moonlight Fund, when the charity was named the top non-profit in the country and given the Fisher House/Newman’s Own Award. Celia also serves on the American Burn Associations, Aftercare / Reinte- gration Council. Mentors

4 | Rebecca Bompiedi | Chief Technology Officer, General LED Rebecca Bompiedi is the chief technology officer for General LED Opto company, a provider of specialty LED products for the signage and general lighting markets. Prior to joining General LED, she was a lighting industry consultant advising primarily private equity and investment groups involved in various strategic activities in the industry. She’s also worked in a variety of senior executive positions with major multi-national companies. She was the senior vice president for business transfor- mation for Philips Lighting, and she spent 23 years with General Electric leading and driving growth in a variety of positions in senior management. She was the Lighting Business’s transformation and restructuring leader, held VP positions in technology and engineering for two separate businesses, and was the president and CEO of a service company within GE’s Aviation division. Rebecca received her master’s degree in industrial engineering and her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Cleveland State University, as well as senior executive management certifications from GE and Case Western Reserve University. She served on the board of Cleve- land State University Foundation, was a member of Leadership Cleveland class of 2003, and is a founding member of northeast Ohio’s In Counsel with Women.

5 | Chandra K. Bricker | Manager of Communications, H-E-B Chandra K. Bricker is the communications manager at H-E-B. She is a logophile – or lover of words – who spent her youth overseas studying human behavior and moti- vators across many different cultures on six continents. She likes bringing a vision to life - even if it isn’t clearly defined before we start – She’s ok building wings on the way down. Chandra also has served on the board of directors for Trinity University’s San Antonio Alumni chapter. She’s also worked for Medtronic and UTSA. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

6 | Jennifer Cantu | Senior Vice President, San Antonio Market Manager, Bank of America Jennifer Cantu is the San Antonio market manager and senior vice president in enter- prise business and community engagement for Bank of America. Jennifer executes and champions Bank of America’s efforts in the community through local sponsor- ships and partnerships. In addition, she manages the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in San Antonio, which contributed more than $750,000 in 2017 to 35 local non-profit organizations. She serves as chair of the San Antonio Chamber of Com- merce Education & Workforce Development Council and is a member of the Executive Committee. Jennifer previously served on the Texas Special Education Continuing Advisory Committee as the first student and youngest board member to ever be appointed to a Governor’s Committee for the State of Texas. Jennifer joined the bank in 2010 as a communications specialist. She graduated from the University of Texas in Austin with a bachelor’s degree in corporate communication and a minor in business. She lives in San Antonio with her husband, David.

7 | Tracey Cifone | Director of Marketing, Sol Schwartz & Associates, P.C. Tracey Cifone moved to San Antonio from New York in 2009. She studied business administration and accounting at Perth Technical College in Perth, Western Austra- lia. She is the director of marketing for Sol Schwartz & Associates, P.C. and has been marketing professional service firms for more than 18 years. Prior to that she was a flight attendant for Command Airways based out of New York before returning to the corporate world. Tracey is a member of the Association for Accounting Marketing where she just won an award for a print ad campaign that appeared in local and na- tional publications. She is also a member of the North Chamber of Commerce, where she serves on several committees, a participating member of NAWBO, the American Marketing Association San Antonio chapter, where she served as chair of the finance committee and is an active member in The Health Cell, an organization which brings together San Antonio’s health care leaders. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time at the beach, long walks with her two boxer dogs, Wilma and Cheswick, and volunteering her time with The SA Food Bank and donating to the Humane Society. Mentors

8 | Linda Elliott | President, Elliot Connection LLC Linda facilitates targeted introductions to accelerate growth and generate revenue for her clients. She has been very involved in both business and the community, having served on more than 20 professional, civic and charitable boards. Currently, she serves on the University Health System Foundation Board. She’s also active in the National Asso- ciation of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) where she has served in multiple capacities including president. Linda has been recognized numerous times as the quintessential business matchmaker/connector and has been honored with several awards. She’s also created a unique members-only organization called Healthcare Think Tank. Membership consists of professionals who do business in the health care industry, but are not provid- ers. There are now four chapters: San Antonio, Austin, Houston and Dallas.

9 | Mae Escobar | CEO, aMAEzing Marketing Group Mae Escobar has 30 years of strategic marketing, media buying and placement, public relations, hospitality, sales, social media and special events experience. She is the CEO of aMAEzing Marketing Group, which she founded in 2004 after an inten- sive training period with Arcos Communications in New York City. Mae has been recognized with numerous awards including winning the National Clarion Award in 2017 from the American Women in Communications, and also was named the 2016 Marketer of the Year-Hispanic Organization for Public Employees at the 12th Annual Tribute to Hispanic Heritage. A native of San Antonio, Mae graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University with a bachelors degree in media communications. She serves on numerous boards including the Paseo del Rio Association, the San Antonio Fiesta Commission-Elected Commissioner, the San Antonio area Hospitality Advisory Board and Rey Feo Scholarship Inc. She is driven by being an advocate for those can’t speak for themselves, including animals and young children.

10 | Elizabeth Fauerso | Chief Marketing Officer, Pearl Elizabeth Fauerso, a marketing executive with broad international experience in brand development and strategic planning, serves as chief marketing officer of Pearl. Prior to joining Pearl, Elizabeth served as vice president and executive director of strategic planning at Dieste, a leading Hispanic marketing agency, where she led marketing program development for major brands. At Pearl, Elizabeth overseas all marketing, public relations and community affairs and is a member of the leadership team responsible for promoting and supporting the 19 restaurants, 14 retailers, Pearl’s year-round public events and for opening Hotel Emma in 2015 and the Food Hall at the Bottling Department and Cellars at Pearl, San Antonio’s premier residen- tial project, both openings in 2017. She is a San Antonio native and Trinity Univer- sity graduate with a long family history of involvement in San Antonio culture. She resides in San Antonio with her husband Chris Senn and their daughter, Josephine Evalynn. As a 5th generation San Antonian, Fauerso contributes time and talent to enhance education, culture, the arts and other initiatives.

11 | Kim Ford | President, theKFORDgroup Kimberly C. Ford is president of theKFORDgroup, a leading CPA firm in San Antonio. She provides direct financial counsel to business owners across South Texas, assist- ing them in making crucial decisions for success. In addition to her designation as a Certified Public Accountant, Kim is also a Certified Valuation Analyst and a Master Analyst in Financial Forensics, both of which are awarded by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts. She performs business valuations and forensic investigations while working closely with attorneys to analyze complex financial situations and provide expert testimony in the courtroom. Kim has been recognized as a leader in the community by various organizations over the years for her contri- butions as a business owner and philanthropist. She has received the San Antonio Business Journal’s Women’s Leadership Award and Who’s Who in accounting, the Small Business Leaders Award for Business Achievement from the North San Antonio Chamber, and the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners. Mentors

12 | Deborah Gary Marino | Vice President Community Relations, SWBC Deborah Gary Marino joined SWBC in 2006 and is vice president of community rela- tions, overseeing the company’s philanthropic, civic and public policy involvement at the local, state and national level. Under her leadership, SWBC Cares and the SWBC Political Action Committee were established. Both are employee-supported oppor- tunities that make an impact within our communities and within the public policy process. Prior to joining SWBC, Deborah worked as a political consultant, lobbyist and nonprofit fundraiser. In 1991, she began organizing local, state and national events for various elected officials, profit and nonprofit agencies. Deborah earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and is a graduate of the United States Olympic Gold Leadership Program. She holds agent licenses for General Lines, Life, Accident, Health, HMO, Real Estate, Property and Casualty. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed her to the Texas Health Services Authority Board, where she currently serves. She is also a trustee to the Witte Museum, deputy council to the Texas Business Leadership Council, co-chair of the Signature Cause Committee for United Way Women’s Leadership Council and the mayor’s appointee on the San Anto- nio Charter Review Commission.

13 | Valarie Geckler | Partner, Digett A partner and 10 year veteran with Digett, Valarie Geckler oversees operations at the boutique digital marketing agency that serves professional services firms nation- wide. A marketer and communications specialist by trade, Valarie directs strategic and tactical efforts to develop accounts, manage projects, nurture relationships, and develop talent to achieve meaningful, measurable positive change.

14 | Paula Gold-Willams | President & CEO, CPS Energy Paula Gold-Williams is president & chief executive officer of CPS Energy where she leads its more than 3,000 team members with the vision she has coined “People First,” whereby CPS Energy is evolving its efforts to create and deliver value to its employees, customers and community into a new age of energy solutions. Paula was born and raised in San Antonio and has more than 30 years of local leadership experience. In 2017, Paula was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, was honored by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as their Corporate Executive of the Year Award and was also named the Financial Executive of the Year by the Financial Executives International (FEI) association. Paula has an associate’s degree in Fine Arts from San Antonio College. She has a bachelor of business admin- stration in accounting from St. Mary’s University, also located in San Antonio, as well as a master in business administration in finance & accounting from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She is a certified public accountant and a chartered global man- agement accountant.

15 | Connie Gonzalez | Director of Public Relations, Brooks Connie Gonzalez is the director of public relations at Brooks where she is responsible for all external communications, media and public relations. Connie also manag- es tenant relations, special events, and social media and marketing programs for Brooks. Prior to joining the team at Brooks in November 2015, Connie was a weekend anchor and reporter for both KNWA and KFTA in Fayetteville, Arkansas and KSAN in San Angelo. Raised in San Antonio, Connie began her professional career as an intern with News 4 WOAI and also worked in the public affairs division of Spurs Sports & Entertainment. Connie is also active in the community serving on the Board of Directors for the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and on the management committee for Urban Land Institute-San Antonio. She holds a bachelor’s degree mass communication electronic media from Texas State University. Mentors

16 | Teryn Grater | Partner, ATKG LLP Teryn Grater is a partner at the public accounting firm of ATKG LLP. She has more than 25 years of experience in areas such as real estate, manufacturing, oil & gas, family offices, retail and professional services. Teryn graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree and then earned her master of business admin- istration from the University of Manchester. She is active in many organizations outside of ATKG. She is a board member and current finance chair of the San Antonio chapter of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). She is a board member and develop- ment chair for Women’s Global Connection, an organization whose mission is to promote the learning and leadership capacity of women locally and globally. Teryn’s leadership in these organizations comes full circle to ATKG, as Teryn is known for bringing idea after idea after idea back to the company to keep things fresh, to chal- lenge her colleagues and to keep ATKG at the top of its game. She is an avid traveler and even lived in South Africa before joining ATKG. Teryn stays active by participating in marathons and triathlons. Most importantly, however, she loves spending quality time with her two greatest accomplishments, daughters Nicole and Natalie.

17 | Sondra Grohman | President/CEO, Shining Star ENERGY Sondra Grohman is the president and CEO of Shining Star ENERGY, an oil company she created after being called to lead a group of people who shared the mineral rights under her Eagle Ford Shale ranch. She, along with her former husband, previ- ously built an auto dealership empire, Khalig Auto Group. She won the 2015 National Association of Women’s Business Owners (NAWBO) Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in the Benefactor category for her volunteer work with the organization. She is a School Champion for Brandeis and Robert E. Lee High School, mentoring young women at each of these two schools. The students compete in creating their own business plans in hopes of securing one of the six scholarships offered as prizes. Shining Star ENERGY is the $10,000 Scholarship donor. Sondra is also a spiritual director with the Archdiocese of San Antonio, and involved in the ACTS Retreat Program since 1991. She has done Missionary work in Piedras Negras, Mexico for more than 10 years and is also an International Missionara in Peru. She serves on the board of Dress for Success, the San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Opera Piccolo and she is a current member of the Women Energy Network.

18 | Teri Grubb | Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer, South Texas Money Management, Ltd. Teri Grubb joined South Texas Money Management in June 2011. She was named chief operating officer in September 2011, and in 2016 named managing director. She is a partner and works directly with the CEO and president on the overall operations of the firm including internal communications, human resources management, and client services and back office operations. Prior to being named COO, Teri served as chief compliance officer. She graduated with distinction from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2011 with a master’s degree in organizational development. She graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in organizational development and a minor in marketing. She currently serves on the board for Centro San Antonio (Partnership Board & Public Improvement District Management), Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas and the Hemisfair Conservancy. She is a graduate of Leadership Texas class of 2015. In 2017, she received the “Women’s Leadership Award” and was named “Woman of the Year” by the San Antonio Business Journal. In 2012, she was named “Top 40 Under 40” by the San Antonio Business Jour- nal and received the “Shining Star of the Year” award. Mentors

19 | Beth Hair | President, Aventine Hill Partners Beth Hair founded Aventine Hill Partners to provide high quality solutions to her clients through a team of professionals committed to excellence and results. She also believed in creating a culture of servant leadership at Aventine Hill Partners, in order to develop a consistent foundation focused on quality and service. Beth earned her bachelor of business administration in accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. Earlier in her career Beth worked in the accounting field in corporate America. For the 12 years before forming Aventine Hill Partners, she successfully established and grew the offices for two large professional services firms. Today, Aventine Hill offers consulting, project solutions, and executive search to her clients in the following areas: Accounting & Finance, Risk & Compliance, and Business & Technology. Since its inception in 2009, the firm has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America” for 4 years in a row, as well as a “Top Workplace” for 3 years in a row. Beth is on the advisory board for St. Mary’s University Greehey School of Business, the board for St. Mary’s Forum on Entrepre- neurship, and the Financial Executives International (FEI) membership committee.

20 | Katie Harvey | CEO, KGBTexas Communications, Inc. Katie Harvey founded KGBTexas when she was just 24. She didn’t start with a lot of resources, but she made up for it with the conviction that she could build something great. Today, her agency is comprised of 40 communications professionals in San Antonio and Houston. KGBTexas has played an integral role in some of the region’s largest and most visible public and private-sector initiatives, including the successful passage of the City of San Antonio’s $850 million 2017-2022 Bond Program. As an entrepreneur and community leader, Katie has earned numerous accolades during the last decade including: the Texas State University Alumni Achievement Award and Outstanding Alumna Award; the San Antonio Business Journal Women’s Leadership Award; and the National Association of Women Business Owners Entrepreneurial Award.

21 | Desareé LaMacchia | Branch Manager, Movement Mortgage Desareé M. LaMacchia partners with loan officers, real estate professionals and business leaders to strategize, build and grow their business. Growing up in the real estate industry has allowed Desareé to wear many hats throughout her career. This experience and insight fuels her passion for people bridging a professional contact to a personal connection. Desareé has had the opportunity to serve and support every primary and secondary Texas market throughout her career. “I most identify with the underdog, I love the challenge. The journey along the way isn’t easy, there are highs and lows, but knowing how far you able to push yourself to accomplish your dreams is immeasurable.” Desareé is a San Antonio native where she met her husband Andrew M. LaMacchia. They are both Winston Churchill graduates. She is a Baylor University alumn. Their almost 2-year-old son Jacob has their hearts and hands full. Desareé currently serves on the board for Susan G. Komen; as well as, participates with the San Antonio Board of Realtors, Greater Association of Builders and Fellowship Friday. Desareé is a branch manager for Movement Mortgage in the San Antonio market. You can find her with friends, working out, enjoying life when not working.

22 | Ina Minjárez | State Representative HD 124, Texas House of Representatives State Representative Ina Minjárez was elected to serve the constituents of Texas House District 124 after a quick special election in April 2015. During her 30 days at the Capitol, Ina accomplished a great deal for hardworking Texas families. Though she was elected after the deadline to file any of her own legislation, she served as an import- ant swing vote in the House Committees on Transportation and State Affairs. For the 85th Legislative session, she was appointed to the House Committee on Transporta- tion, the House Committee on Human Services and the Local and Consent Calendars Committee. She was able to successfully pass important legislation that will help our military families, protect our military bases, combat cyberbullying in schools, provide meaningful resources for children in foster care as well as foster care redesign. By the end of the 85th session she was named “Rookie of the Year” by Texas Monthly, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Department of Defense for her leadership in policy changes that benefit Military Service members and has recently been awarded The Advocacy Women’s Award by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Mentors

23 | Lisa Munoz | Team Leader/Real Estate Broker, Keller Williams Heritage Lisa Munoz, a licensed real estate broker, is beginning her 17th year in the San Antonio real estate industry. Lisa holds a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from The University of Texas at El Paso. Prior to beginning her real estate career she spent over a decade in the corporate finance world for two Fortune 200 medical companies. Currently she is team leader manag- er for the Keller Williams Heritage Market Center which holds more than 900 active real estate licenses. Her role with Keller Williams Heritage is bringing in newly licensed and experienced real estate agents while training and support- ing them in the many types and levels of the business. “My greatest satisfaction is seeing the results and successes of those agents and having a true pride of my relationship with them.”

24 | Pat Niekamp | Publisher/Owner, Texas CEO Magazine Pat Niekamp is founder and publisher of Texas CEO Magazine. Pat’s background includes two decades of senior management, sales and marketing in the media industry. She has managed ABC affiliate TV stations in Ohio and Minnesota, led the sales and marketing efforts of several media organizations, and is past pres- ident of the Austin Advertising Federation, and a current member of the board of directors of the Association for Corporate Growth, Central Texas Chapter.

25 | Sharon O’Malley Burg | CEO, O’Malley Burg Consulting Sharon O’Malley Burg is CEO of O’Malley Burg Consulting and an advisor to CACI, a technology and government strategy consulting firm located in San Antonio. Before locating to San Antonio, Sharon served as executive vice president sales and marketing of EDS’ Government Services Group; vice president of sales for AMS’ Civilian Federal Group and as vice president of sales leadership for Perot Systems Corporation. She was an advisor to Perot Ventures in technolo- gy-based investments. Sharon serves on the board of advisors for Infrastruc- ture Resources, Inc.; SA-Tecosystem – The San Antonio Technology Council and is on the board of advisors of the Tri-Cities National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). She is an Honorary Commander of 24th Air Force, the Air Force Cyber Command. In 2015, she chaired the SA to DC cybersecurity issue team, representing the San Antonio Greater Chamber to Congressional leaders from Texas to promote San Antonio as a cyber security national asset. She sup- ports FIRST Robotics events for women and previously served on the boards of Impact San Antonio and Rise Recovery.

26 | Lisa Pinto | Vice President of Public Relations & Corporate Communications, SWBC Lisa Pinto joined SWBC in 2006. As vice president of public relations and cor- porate communications, Lisa is responsible for the company’s public relations efforts and working with the media throughout the country. She is also respon- sible for the company’s corporate communications. Prior to joining SWBC, Lisa was a TV news anchor/reporter/producer for eight years. Most recently, she worked at KSAT 12 in San Antonio. She also worked for News 9 San Antonio and KBTV in Beaumont. Lisa graduated from Sam Houston State University where she double majored in Radio/Television and Speech Communications earning a bachelor’s degree. In 2016, she was named one of the San Antonio Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” Rising Stars. Lisa also serves on the board for the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. She was the 2014 North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Leadership Lab Chairman, a program from which she graduated in 2008. Lisa serves on the board for WISH for OUR HEROES. She is a 2012 graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy. Lisa is a member of the Sam Houston State University Alumni Association and the Alpha Delta Pi Alumnae Association. Mentors

27 | Roxanne Ramirez | CEO, CNF Technologies Corporation As CEO of CNF Technologies, Roxanne Ramirez maintains oversight of all aspects of the company’s operations/financials, growth, and ensuring a rich company culture that adheres to CNF’s core values: Integrity, Excellence, Innovation, and Passion. Roxanne graduated from Texas A&I University, Kingsville and has more than 20 years of experience as a board member, treasurer, and president of several private and public associations with extensive experience in managing business operations and financial management. Roxanne dedicated 25 years in the classroom as an educator for the Northside Independent and Edgewood school districts and strongly believes in giving back to the community and supporting education. Under Roxanne’s guidance and leadership, CNF has established a cybersecurity scholarship/internship program with the UTSA, a partnership with NISD in which CNF hosts a cyber camp, sends guest speakers to educate students on the cyber industry, and has participated in various other programs designed to give back to the community. One of her major goals is to expand women’s roles in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathemat- ics (STEM) fields. She dedicates her time and company resources to educating and encouraging women at the high school and university level to explore and pursue the opportunities in cybersecurity/computer science.

28 | Rosa Santana | CEO, Santana Group Rosa Santana is the founder and chief executive of Santana Group, a group of companies providing innovative outsourcing solutions to organizations across all industries. For over 35 years, Rosa has been a driving force within the U.S./ Mexico staffing industry and is recognized as a human capital solutions expert. She is a fearless leader who harnesses her passion to successfully create and develop companies through impeccable client service and innovative business solutions. Under her direct vision and strategic development, each company continues to achieve annual profitable growth. Throughout her career, San- tana has embraced her Hispanic heritage and positively impacts each of the communities she serves through participation on several local and national boards. Santana takes great pride in her abilities as a successful business woman and seeks to empower other minority and women business owners to achieve profitable business growth. Santana continues to be recognized for her many accomplishments and has won numerous awards locally, statewide and nationally.

29 | Tricia Schwennensen | Associate Editor, San Antonio Business Journal Tricia Schwennesen is the associate editor at the San Antonio Business Journal where she oversees the coordination and content for special publications and manages social media. She is an award-winning journalist who previously worked as the web producer and news editor for Texas Public Radio where she managed the station’s web site and social media accounts. She also spent a decade at the San Antonio Express-News working in a variety of roles including deputy metro editor, the Conexíon editor and Primetime Newspapers editor. She also served as the religion editor and the crime and public safety editor be- fore joining MySA.com as the media organization’s first social media manager. She is a native San Antonian, a proud Latina and an active member of the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is a former Unity Journalists of Color Mentor Program participant and a former Knight Fellow at the University of Missouri. She has a strong belief in community engagement and has served as the board chairwoman for two local nonprofits, the Martinez Street Women’s Center and the now defunct Media Justice League. Her No. 1 job is being mom to her son, Teodoro. Mentors

30 | Suzanne Scott | General Manager San Antonio River Authority Suzanne Scott was appointed general manager of the San Antonio River Au- thority in September 2007. Scott is responsible to an elected board of direc- tors serving a four-county district, directs the River Authority’s projects and manages the agency’s annual budget. She works with a talented staff including engineers, scientists, environmental managers, field crews and a host of other professionals to extend the agency’s environmental leadership, stewardship and expertise to broaden appreciation for the San Antonio River and its ecosys- tem. She and her team are inspiring actions to make the San Antonio River and its tributaries clean, safe and enjoyable. SARA works closely with a multitude of governmental partners, citizen stakeholders and private sector contributors. Suzanne led the agency’s efforts to plan, develop and secure funding for the $384 million San Antonio River Improvements Project that enhanced 13 miles of the river. The river’s restoration served as a key factor for the nomination and inscription of the San Antonio Missions as an UNESCO World Heritage Site. She is currently leading the agency’s project management efforts on the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project, of which phase 1 will open by May 2018 in celebra- tion of the City’s 300th birthday.

31 | Kay Scroggins | President/CEO, Clinical Trials of Texas, Inc. Kay Scroggins is president and CEO of Clinical Trials of Texas, Inc. Kay is the mother of 3 adult children and has 6 grandchildren. After a 17-year career in nursing, Kay expanded into the clinical research industry as a study coordi- nator, site director, CRA/CRA manager, and then into being an entrepreneur and site owner. She founded Clinical Trials of Texas, Inc. (CTT) in 2001 and co-founded RealTime-CTMS, LLC in 2013. She has served in multiple advisory groups within the industry working to improve the conduct of clinical trials as well as on boards within her community to support and improve mental health treatment of children. Her primary company, CTT, has grown into one of the largest multitherapeutic –metabolic diseases, women’s health, dermatology, psychiatry, Alzheimer’s disease – research sites in the U.S. partnering with physician investigators to conduct studies. Over the years, Kay and her team have developed a company culture of quality, accountability and innovation to create success.

32 | Jennifer Shemwell | President, Phyllis Browning Company Known for selling some of the city’s most elite addresses, Jennifer Shemwell is one of the most respected names in San Antonio real estate following closely in the footsteps of her mother, Phyllis Browning, as a luxury real estate agent, trendsetter and community leader. Her knowledge of San Antonio’s multi-facet- ed real estate market complements her expertise in strategically marketing the area’s most prestigious properties and elite estates. The innovative thinking, solution-driven negotiating skills and unique marketing tactics that Jennifer employs ensure clients that she will achieve the very best deal in the shortest amount of time. With over 23 years’ experience, Shemwell is consistently rec- ognized by the San Antonio Business Journal as one of the city’s top luxury real estate agents. Her clients call her to find “that dream home not on the market.” Shemwell prides herself on her discretion and confidentiality. A graduate of Yale University and fluent in three languages, Shemwell loves people. She en- joys mentoring new agents and helping people become their best. With clients, it’s all about creating a worry-free experience and making the sales process as simple as possible. Mentors

33 | Marian Sokol | Executive Director, Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas Marian Sokol is the executive director of Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas, whose mission is to foster healing for grieving children, their families and the community. The center serves more than 1,200 children annu- ally, offering counseling, support groups, camps and expressive arts therapy. In 2016, the center created Children’s Bereavement Center of the Rio Grande Valley in Harlingen. In 2017, the center partnered to create Wonders & Worries at the START Cancer Clinic, supporting families facing life-threatening illness. Marian is an executive consultant on maternal and child health issues, who took lead role in the 2012 International Conference on Stillbirth, SIDS and Infant Survival. From 2003 to 2011, Marian served as president of the national First Candle/SIDS Alliance. For the previous two decades, she was founding executive director of Any Baby Can, a model support center for children with chronic illness or disabilities recognized as a Presidential Point of Light. She is a Phi Beta Kappa, with doctorate from University of Texas and postgraduate masters in Public Health. She has received numerous state and national awards including being a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International and designation by the Texas Governor as a Yellow Rose of Texas.

34 | Dawn Southard | Chief Development Officer, One Advocate Group As chief development officer for One Advocate Group, Dawn Southard serves as the lead in developing strategic and meaningful relationships for the goal based financial services and legacy planning firm. She has embraced the power of networking to engage with companies, understand where disconnects exist and position them for financial and cultural success. Serving in leadership roles over the past 20 years, Dawn has had the opportunity to support clients in an array of industry sectors as well as the non-profit arena. She has helped the C-Suite of numerous global organizations develop and align communications platforms to speak to shareholders, provide meaningful internal communications, recruit top talent and drive revenue. She has mentored many young women that have since grown into leadership positions. Having served on multiple boards and nonprofit committees over the years, she is invested in making a relevant and significant impact in San Antonio. Southard holds a master of business administration from Western Michigan University and a bachelor of business administraion from Davenport University. She and her husband of 28 years have two grown children.

35 | Phylis Speedlin | Attorney, Dykema Cox Smith Phyllis J. Speedlin counsels clients in two primary areas: alternative dispute resolution - including arbitration, mediation and private judging - and appellate strategy. She delivers exceptional value by virtue of her experience as a judge, appellate advocate, and trial lawyer. An attorney for more than 34 years, she has served as a jurist for 13 years, 10 years as a justice on the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and three years as a Bexar County trial judge. During her ten- ure on the Fourth Court, Phyllis authored more than 1,300 opinions covering a variety of issues, including personal injury, property rights, insurance law, med- ical malpractice, family law, employment law, probate, oil and gas, construc- tion law and criminal law. Originally raised in Ohio, she moved to San Antonio in 1970 during her service with the U.S. Army Nurse Corp. She completed her undergraduate education in nursing at Incarnate Word College and obtained a masters degree in health care administration from Trinity University. She received her law degree with distinction from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Before becoming a jurist, Phyllis practiced trial and appellate law for 17 years with Clemens & Spencer. She is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in personal injury law. Mentors

36 | Shari St. Clair | Director of News and Production, KLRN Shari St. Clair is a journalist, interviewer, writer, and tv news anchor. She is currently the director of news and production at KLRN-TV, San Antonio’s PBS affiliate. Her career has been spent in the broadcasting industry, both radio and television. She has worked as a TV news producer, writer, news anchor, investigative producer, special projects manager, and executive producer. In her radio career, she was a news anchor, reporter, talk show host, and, in the early years, a rock-n-roll disc jockey at several legendary stations, including KBCO in Boulder, Colorado, and KISS-FM in San Antonio. She still lends her voice to commercial productions. Shari attended both the University of Texas at San Antonio, and The University of Denver. She lives in the Texas Hill Country town of Bergheim with her husband of 23 years, Robert, and their two happily spoiled rescue dogs, Duke and Chloe.

37 | Mary Stitch | Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Rackspace Mary Stich is a vice president and deputy general counsel at Rackspace. Her role includes global responsibility for litigation, employment law, intellectual property, insurance and legal support and advice for other global corporate functions. Mary oversees, supports, and mentors a legal team that provides practical solutions to rapid fire legal and business risk issues around the globe. She previously worked for Clear Channel Communications, now iHeartMedia, was an associate dean at St. Mary’s University School of Law and was a share- holder at what is now Dykema Cox Smith. She has a bachelor’s degree and her law degree from St. Mary’s University.

38 | Melodye Tomsu | Director of Business Development, SpawGlass Melodye Tomsu, CPSM, is the business development manager for SpawGlass, a contractor for one-of-a-kind projects demanding attention to detail. For over 20 years, Melodye has been involved with the marketing and business development efforts in the A/E/C community in and around Texas. Melodye is responsible for maintaining existing client relationships while strategically seeking out new clients that align with the firms “Vision, Mission and Way.” Last year, Melodye spearheaded the development of the SpawGlass’s Lean Manual which was distributed and used by every field personnel on every project. She plans and organizes the San Antonio’s division’s annual charity golf tournament, which has brought in more than $15,000 in the past four years. She also organizes the firms charity toy drive over the holidays which has given back to the children being treated at University Hospital, Any Baby Can and Commissioner Chico Rodriguez citizens. Melodye serves as the Leadership and Development Council Chair for the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors which oversees the Leadership Lab Program, and Enterprising Women’s Conference with the Athena Awards. In 2018, the chamber will release a new leadership program that Melodye will oversee.

39 | Laura Vaccaro | Vice President of Community Relations and Events, Valero Laura Vaccaro is the vice president for community relations and events for Valero En- ergy, where she oversees all activities of the Valero Energy Foundation, Valero Corpo- rate Giving activities, Valero Volunteerism, and the corporate events planning team. Prior to this role, she served for 12 years as executive director of Learning Education and Development for Valero. An active member of the San Antonio community, Laura is a committed volunteer and a proud alumnus and former steering commit- tee member of Leadership San Antonio (Class 35, Class 37). She is currently the chair for the Women United Leadership Council for the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County and sits on the United Way Board of Trustees and Executive Commit- tee. Additionally, Laura serves on the Global Women United Leadership Council as part of United Way Worldwide. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Gannon University, and a master of business administration from the University of the Incarnate Word. 40 | Paula Waggoner-Aguilar | CEO & Client CFO, The Energy CFO Paula Waggoner-Aguilar is a CFO, Texas CPA, and CEO of The Energy CFO®. She has dedicated more than 20 years helping companies commercialize, startup, grow, change, and troubleshoot investments in oil and gas, LNG, pipelines, power, technology, manufacturing, and biosciences. She started her career in the 1990s working in Latin America and has since worked in leadership roles for several Fortune 500 companies including Buckeye Partners, BHP Billiton, GDF Suez, Duke Energy, Enron, Halliburton, and San Antonio’s Lewis Energy. Paula has developed a penchant for helping people solve challenging problems inhibiting their businesses. She is a broad strategic thinker with a solid under- standing of markets. She has a strong financial acumen and profit focus. Paula understands the big picture and how to connect the functional pieces and the operational parts of the business. She has developed a unique set of institu- tional knowledge that enables her to pivot around organizations. In 2014, Paula was awarded BEST CFO for Private Medium Companies by her peers and the San Antonio Business Journal. She is the founding board president of the Women’s Energy Network South Texas. Paula presently serves on the board of social me- dia company, Pink Petro, and as a mentor for Realco B2B Accelerator.

41 | Beth Wammack | Partner/Chief Operating Officer, GDC Marketing & Ideation Beth Wammack’s ability to lead, construct and manage teams from an opera- tional standpoint is matched only by her vast knowledge and experience in the marketing and advertising industry. With more than 20 years of agency expe- rience, Beth has worked on numerous national, regional and local accounts, providing strategic guidance and day-to-day operational leadership to each. Perhaps most notably, Beth was responsible for acquiring Sprint/Nextel to GDC’s roster of clients and leading the account’s national field marketing efforts for more than four years. She also has an extensive background in health care marketing, spearheading the strategic development for Baptist Health System and Resolute Health. Currently, Beth acts as GDC’s Chief Operating Officer, working to achieve operational efficiency and superior account service for all the agency’s clients. Her dual view of the business, both internal and client fac- ing, positions her as an all-around expert able to see all sides of a challenge and take swift, decisive and appropriate actions. Beth graduated from the Universi- ty of Arkansas at Little Rock with a degree in radio/television/film.

42 | Lisa Wright | Vice President, San Antonio Market, Plant Interscapes Lisa Wright is vice president at Plant Interscapes, a company that improves life and business by enhancing environments. Prior to her current role, she enjoyed a 30-year career in the competitive financial services and insurance industries gaining vast experience in business leadership, people skills, sales excellence and performance improvement. During her career she held executive leader- ship positions with Fortune 100 Companies. At USAA she led the Retirement Solutions division. Earlier in her career she owner-managed regional territories for Hartford Life and Mass Mutual. Lisa earned the professional designations Certified Financial Planner and Certified Product Manager and a certificate of mastery in Organizational Leadership from Dale Carnegie Training. She earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational development from the University of the Incarnate Word. Lisa is widely recognized as a true leader of change and innova- tion. Her core areas of expertise highlight operational effectiveness and sales execution through multiple distribution channels. With her talents for strategic thinking and relationship nurturing, Lisa conquers challenging objectives and delivers positive results whether leading teams of direct reports or leading cross-functional collaborations.

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