2023 Business Leadership Week

Sponsored by EisnerAmper

Business Leadership Week is the College of Business’ signature professional development event for students and faculty alike. Business Leadership Week offers opportunities to connect with business leaders and for them to discuss and share their experiences and present case studies from their companies to a new generation of Mavericks. Discussions centered around leadership, innovation, career advice, entrepreneurship, diversity, impact, change, ethics and integrity will be held throughout the week.

In unity with the College of Business’ mission of “transforming lives through knowledge,” our 2023 Business Leadership Week theme is Transformational Leadership.

All Business Leadership Week events are presented free to attendees. While Business Leadership Week events are generally focused on business-related topics, all UTA students are encouraged to attend these insightful webinars/workshops.

EisnerAmper Logo

Sponsorship

2023 Business Leadership Week is sponsored by EisnerAmper. The UTA College of Business is grateful for their support. To learn more about EisnerAmper, please visit their website below.

Speakers & Panel Discussion Schedule

Speakers

Speaker Name Instructor Class Time Class Location
James Sellers Abdul Rasheed 2:30-3:50PM COBA 153
Lucas LaChance Stan Seat 7-9:50PM COBA 141

Panel Discussion: Keynote

Title: What Does It Mean To Be A Transformational Leader?

Speaker Names Moderator Panel Time Watch
Favor Lee, Sam Mahrouq, Donna Howard Cynthia St. John 11:30-1PM Watch Webinar from Monday, 11:30AM

Workshop

Michael Buckman will present tips for better resumes in COBA 609 at 10AM and 2PM

Speakers

Speaker Name Instructor Class Time Class Location
Farah Lawler Becky Neilson 11-12:20PM COBA 253
Brian Chase David Shrutleff 11-12:20PM COBA 142
Bridget Moon Pyayt Oo 12:30-1:50PM COBA 150
Mike Edwards Terra McGhee 12:30-1:50PM COBA 153
Caio Braga Yibing Du 12:30-1:50PM COBA 245E
Brian Chase David Shrutleff 12:30-1:50PM COBA 142
Aleya Wooten Grace Hao 12:30-1:50PM COBA 256
Bobby Noble Grace Hao 12:30-1:50PM COBA 256
Quynh Doan Grace Hao 12:30-1:50PM COBA 256
Yosemite Silva Grace Hao 12:30-1:50PM COBA 256
Jerry Thomas William Venable 2-3:20PM COBA 251
Yolanda Bevill Elten Briggs 2-3:20PM COBA 256
Brian Chase David Shrutleff 3:30-4:50PM COBA 147
Dustin Anthamatten-Dominguez Daniel Martinez 3:30-4:50PM COBA 241
Gavin Berry George Benson 5-6:50PM COBA 241
Umair Hafeez George Benson 5-6:50PM COBA 241
Drew Chumley Kevin Carr 7-9:50PM COBA 140
Paul Brodie Scott Hanson 7-10PM COBA 138

Panel Discussions

Title: What is a D&I leader?

Speaker Names Moderator Panel Time Watch
Maria Mejia, Rina Parikh, Angela Cauthorn Dr. Elten Briggs 11AM Watch Webinar from Tuesday, 11AM

Title: Finance Programs @ CVS Health - Interviewing 101 (virtually)

Speaker Names Panel Time Watch
Kesi Brathwaite, Myana Samuel-Evanson 4PM Watch Webinar from Tuesday, 4PM

Title: Target Tuesday: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion @ Target

Speaker Names Panel Time
Lakesha Brown (Director of Communications), Lexi Demmi (Senior Recruiter), Gaby Durkee (Senior Recruiter), Joey Velez (Lead Executive Recruiter) 5PM

Title: Lessons Learned - An Alumni Perspective

Speaker Names Moderator Panel Time Watch
Shelly Lomeli, Chinmayi Atul Borgaonkar, Edwin Johnson Lorraine Raymundo 6PM Watch Webinar from Tuesday, 6PM

Workshop

Job Search Best Practices - Nicole Dickens, Associate Director for Career Services and Operations
Watch Workshop from Tuesday, 11:30AM

Speakers

Speaker Name Instructor Class Time Class Location
Maria Pacheco Charles Miller 9-9:50AM COBA 147
Valerie Landry Kevin Carr 10-10:50AM COBA 251
Amber Garrison Lauren Brewer 10-10:50AM COBA 243
Maria Pacheco Charles Miller 10-10:50AM COBA 147
Mark Borge Kevin Carr 11-11:50AM COBA 251
Lisa Cobb Correy Retzloff 11-12:00PM COBA 152
Amber Garrison Lauren Brewer 11-11:50AM COBA 243
Vicky Teherani David Rakowski 1PM COBA 253
Kimberley Bartos Kevin Carr 1-1:50PM COBA 150
Stan Waterhouse Wayne Brittingham 1-1:50PM COBA 147
Kenneth Haynes Faye Cocchiara 2:30-3:50PM COBA 254
Jan Neal Stephanie Rasmussen 4:00-5:20PM COBA 153
Rachel Talley Stephanie Rasmussen 4:00-5:20PM COBA 153
Audrey Guinn Jingguo Wang 5:30-6:50PM COBA 245W
Russ Douglas Atieno Amadi 5:30-6:50PM CPKH 104
Jill Campopiano Stephanie Rasmussen 5:30-6:50PM COBA 252
Jizelle Garcia Stephanie Rasmussen 5:30-6:50PM COBA 252
Sarah Caldwell Stephanie Rasmussen 5:30-6:50PM COBA 252
Victoria Elizondo Cheryl Prachyl 5:30-6:50PM COBA 153

Panel Discussions

Title: HR: Do's and Don'ts for Job Seekers

Speaker Names Moderator Panel Time Watch
Matt McKinney, Melissa Oakley, Akanksha Bhat Becky Neilson 11:30AM Watch Webinar from Wednesday, 11:30AM

Workshop

Student Orgs will host information session on how student orgs develop leadership skills in room 609 from 11-1PM hosted by Amanda Ross

Elevator Pitch Workshop in room 609 at 3PM hosted by EisnerAmper, Victoria Elizondo, Campus Recruitment

Speakers

Speaker Name Instructor Class Time Class Location
Jim Anderson Fred Miao 9:30-10:50AM COBA 255
Sam Mahrouq Liliana Nordtvedt 11-12:20PM COBA 252
David Romeo Pyayt Oo 11-12:20PM COBA 150
Kim Crawford Terra McGhee 11-12:20PM COBA 153
Aaron Vann Todd Gabel 12:30-1:50PM COBA 147
Sam Mahrouq Liliana Nordtvedt 12:30-1:50PM COBA 252
Travis Franklin William Crowder 12:30-1:50PM COBA 243
Aaron Vann Todd Gabel 2-3:20PM COBA 150
Billy Parsons Hanbo Shim 2-3:20PM COBA 149
Brenda Grubbs Jerry Hubbard 3-5PM COBA 609
Draper Wynston William Venable 3PM COBA 251
VaLissa Padgett Terra McGhee 4-5:20PM COBA 149
Becky Reeder Jivas Chakravarthy 7:00PM COBA 151
Kurtis Dixon Jivas Chakravarthy 7:00PM COBA 151
Benjamin Sparks Jivas Chakravarthy 7:00PM COBA 151
Tanya LeBlanc Ariane Froidevaux 7-9:50PM COBA 251

Panel Discussions

Title: LinkedIn Branding & Social Selling Training

Speaker Names Panel Time Watch
Terry Sullivan 11:30AM Watch Webinar from Thursday, 11:30AM

Title: HR and D&I - Leadership through Practice

Speaker Names Moderator Panel Time Watch
Glynnis Swan, Nichole Sheridan, Shunda Robinson George Benson 1PM Watch Webinar from Thursday, 1:00PM

Business Week 2023 Speakers

Jim Anderson

Owner

ETCetera International

Jim Anderson Contact Photo

About Jim: After receiving graduate and post graduate degrees, my career has been one of global business development from the mid nineteen-seventies to the present. I worked for a small factory in Texas which was inclined to grow globally. We started a path of building global connections and commercial bridges around the world which remain today

Kimberley Bartos

Sr. Vice President - retired

Allstate Insurance

Kim Bartos Contact Photo

About Kimberley: Kim Bartos is a multifaceted business and finance executive with more than 30 years of advancement with Allstate Insurance Company, a $40B Fortune 100 organization. She brings “big picture” business perspective derived from broad experience across finance, sales, risk, product management, and business strategy and improves organizational performance by creating shared vision, anticipating and resolving business challenges, and delivering consistent results. Kim is a calculated risk taker who injects a change-ready mindset to maintain progress through organizational, industry, and market changes. She is known as an authentic and supportive leader who takes time to understand individual motivators, fosters collaboration, and mentors women to build thriving career trajectories. Most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Allstate, Kim oversaw development, modeling, communication, and compensation programs and was responsible for 140+ finance leaders across 14 regions. During this time, she collaborated with sales leadership to create a new compensation approach, developed vision and buildout of a new sales/metrics technology platform, expanded individual household use from one to multiple Allstate products, and led a range of operational improvements that reduced human error and boosted efficiency. Kim mentored more than 40 high-performing women on various life and work circumstances through her executive leadership tenure. Previously, as Field Vice President and Assistant Field Vice President of the Northwest Region, Kim oversaw field sales, managed full P&L responsibility for all product lines, developed regional staff, coordinated with the home office on regional and country-wide initiatives, and implemented strategies for sales growth and retention. Successes included: exceeding performance metrics for profitability and customer growth, enhancing Oregon’s growth trajectory from losing to growing customers for the first time in 10 years, and developing a technology-based data analytics enterprise tool for optimizing agency location placement. Kim received the Allstate Masters Award as the country’s highest achieving Field Vice President and led the Northwest Region to receive the Regional Masters Award based on growth metrics. In prior roles as Director, Protection Services as well as Director, Advisory Services, Kim served as the primary advisor to the President of Allstate on communicating protection strategies and results to the Board of Directors. She also acted as a strategic advisor to the M&A team on two initiatives, created a plan for eliminating an underused training program that saved $2M in expenses, and reimagined goal development and Rewards and Recognition for 14 regional operations. As Regional Controller for the West Region, Kim established strategy and a cross-functional team that took the region from severe financial loss to sustained bottom line profitability. She was also instrumental to transforming significant annual customer loss into customer gain. Kim’s earlier roles with Allstate included Senior Finance Manager; Financial Division Manager, Texas Region; and Market Underwriter, Texas Region. Kim holds a bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Texas at Arlington. Passionate about philanthropic leadership, she is a volunteer with Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter in Texas, Equestrian Connection in Illinois, and Feeding Washington.

Gavin Berry

Associate Vice President

Sogeti

Gavin Berry contact Photo

About Gavin: Gavin Berry - Associate Vice President - Sogeti

Yolanda Bevill

Vice President For Marketing, Messaging and Engagement

UTA

Yolanda Bevill poses for headshot

About Yolanda: Yolanda Bevill is the president for marketing, messaging and engagement at The University of Texas at Arlington. Bevill has more than 25 years of marketing and communications experience, most recently at Colorado State University, where she is the vice president for university marketing communications and acting vice president for enrollment and access. At Colorado State, where she has worked since 2020, Bevill led the university’s brand refresh and was responsible for its planning, coordination and management of public relations and strategic communications.

Akanksha Bhat

HR Business Partner

Alstom

Akanksha Bhat Contact Photo

About Akanksha: Akanksha Bhat is result driven and experienced HR Leader with progressive experience in HR Operations and people management. Passionate about providing strategic and tactical HR support through effective people operations. Expertise in the area of onboarding/offboarding, policy, procedures, employee relations, employment law, benefits administration, payroll, compliance, ACA reporting, immigration, audits and HRIS. She received her Human Resources and Marketing Degree and her MBA from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. She also has her MS in Human Resource Management from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Chinmayi Atul Borgaonkar

Analytics Engineer

Spanx Inc

Chinmayi Atul Borgaonkar

About Chinmayi : Analytics Engineer - Spanx Inc

Mark Borge

CEO

BFS Texas Holdings, LLC

Mark Borge

About Mark: Best Facility Services in headquartered in Hurst, Texas, began doing business in 2004 and was co-founded by Steve Nobles and Mark Borge. We have over 35 years of combined industry experience within our company, which has been instrumental in positioning us as a resource that consistently provides a high level of personal service to a broad range of facilities. We are now cleaning several million square feet per night of commercial, corporate and institutional building space in the Dallas/Fort Worth region

Caio Braga

Sales and Marketing Director

Texas Aircraft Manufacturing, Inc.

Caio Braga Contact Photo

About Caio: Caio Braga is a seasoned international trade executive with over 25 years in the industry. His strong foundation in international shipping along with over 10+ years in the credit risk mitigation and supply chain finance, m Caio brings a wealth of knowledge, practical experience and results in the International Trade industry accumulated over the past 25 years. Caio Caio Braga is a Supply Chain Finance evangelist with more than 25 years experience in the International Trade & Development industry. His career started with a full time internship in a software house in Brazil while attending school in the evenings. Prior finishing his bachelor's degree he joined a commodity trading company helping implement the digitalization of import/export department and eventually moving on to business development roles with a major NVOCC and Fortune 50 and 100 Freight Forwarders . Upon his relocation to the United States, Caio joined the financial services arm of major logistics integrator, further expanding his understanding of international trade challenges in both physical and financial supply chains, applying the acquired skills into alternative trade finance and credit risk mitigation leading to the inception of supply chain finance platform focused on cross-border trade for SME's.

Kesi Brathwaite

Project Manager

CVS Health

Kesi Contact Photo

About Kesi: Kesi Brathwaite is a graduate from Central Connecticut State University with a Bachelor's and Masters of Science in Accounting. She is a Project Manager in the Internal Audit Department here at CVS Health.

Paul Brodie

CEO

Brodie Consulting

Paul Brodie Contact Photo

About Paul: Paul Brodie is a 21-time Bestselling Author and CEO of Brodie Consulting Group. He helps people share their story and positions them as an expert in their field. His company, Brodie Consulting Group, accomplishes this by helping their clients create, publish, and launch their books to a guaranteed best seller with over 140 consecutive best selling launches in all genres. What makes Paul’s books different is his ability to explain complex ideas and strategies in a simple, accessible way that you can implement immediately. Paul is a lifelong learner and earned an M.A. in Teaching from Louisiana College and B.B.A. in Management from the University of Texas at Arlington. In his spare time, he loves to read and write books, travel (especially to Las Vegas) and proudly supports the Texas Longhorns, Texas Rangers, and UT Arlington Mavericks. He also has a daily workout streak that will reach four consecutive years in March 2024. Paul is a proud Rotarian and holds membership in the Corporate Leadership Council of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Arlington Highlands, River Legacy Foundation, and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce. He was honored in 2023 as a member of the MAVS100 in recognition of being one of the 100 fastest growing UTA alumni-owned businesses and was named the 2022-2023 Rotarian of the Year for the Rotary Club of Arlington Highlands. Paul resides in Arlington, TX and can be reached at Brodie@BrodieConsultingGroup.com and www.BrodieConsultingGroup.com for speaking and consulting opportunities.

Sarah Caldwell

Partner

JTaylor

Sarah Caldwell Contact Photo

About Sarah: Sarah joined JTaylor in 2015 as a Manager in Tax Services. Sarah’s areas of tax practice have included corporate, partnership, and individual tax compliance. She is the Firm’s primary point person for International Taxation matters and serves as the head of the Accounting Services Division.. She has previously held roles with PwC, CB Richard Ellis, and Trammell Crow Company. Sarah earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas. Sarah is active in the Dallas-Fort Worth community where she has volunteered as a financial coach, graduate student mentor and serves on the Board of Recovery Resource Council and the UTA Business School’s Dean’s Leadership Circle.

Jill Campopiano

Tax Associate

JTaylor

Jill Campopiano Contact Photo

About Jill: Jill received her undergraduate degree in Accounting from Oklahoma State University in the Spring of 2022 and is currently working towards her MS in Accounting at the University of Texas at Arlington. Jill did two tax internships through JTaylor during her undergraduate and has been working as an associate for 7 months now.

Angela Cauthorn

Sr. HRD DEI Specialist

Digital Strategy

Angela Cauthorn Contact Photo

About Angela: Angela Cauthorn is an advocate for inclusive workplaces that leverage employee diversity to achieve business goals. She has over 17 years of Human Resource experience, most of which are in Diversity and Inclusion program management. Currently Angela is a senior DE&I consultant to the Department of Energy. Previously experience includes: serving as the Workforce DE&I Manager at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport; working in Global Diversity and Inclusion and Talent Acquisition at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and the Projects with Industry grant, helping people with disabilities abilities find and retain employment in Tarrant County. Angela holds a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Long Island University in Southampton, NY. Angela’s certifications include National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Society of Human Resources Management Senior Certified Practitioner (SHRM-SCP), Certified Neurodiversity Professional, Emotional Intelligence: EQ-i 2.0 &360, Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Love + Work Leader designation, SHRM People Manager Qualification (PMQ), and American Society for Quality Six Sigma Greenbelt (SSGB).

Brian Chase

Vice President, International Government Affairs

Bell

Brian Chase Contact Photo

About Brian: Vice President, International Government Affairs - Bell

Drew Chumley

Partner

Seamless

Drew Chumley headshot

Drew Chumley: Drew Chumley is a founding Partner at Seamless and is a leader in the firm’s Fort Worth office. In addition to his leadership and management roles at Seamless, Mr. Chumley is principally involved in the firm’s outsourced accounting and tax practice. Mr. Chumley has more than 16 years of taxation and accounting experience across a variety of industries, entity types and sizes, ranging from startups to middle market as well as high net worth individuals. Throughout his career, he has developed scalable systems and frameworks that have enabled growth as both an internal party within an organization and externally as a consultant. Mr. Chumley has a depth of experience with financial reporting, tax planning, systems implementations, and private equity due diligence. He believes a wholistic approach to accounting and tax is the most effective method for properly allocating resources and avoiding end of year surprises. Prior to Seamless, Mr. Chumley worked at a regional accounting firm specializing in comprehensive accounting and tax services for lower middle market and high net worth individuals; he also previously worked at a Big 4 public accounting firm in their private equity tax group and as well as time in industry at the Controller/CFO level . Mr. Chumley graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington. Mr. Chumley holds the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.

Lisa Cobb

Principal

ExecHQ

Lisa Cobb Contact Photo

About Lisa: Lisa Cobb is an enterprising financial leader and board director to guide corporate finance, M&A, growth and restructuring initiatives at large and smaller business. For 20 years, Lisa has served in CFO roles, leading full P&L operations at companies with up to $135M in revenue, reporting to the CEO and board of directors. She navigates day-to-day operations through organic growth and acquisitions, managing to short- and longer-term business strategic objectives to meet cash and financing needs. She has started, grown and reorganized businesses to meet changing industry dynamics and customer needs. Lisa has delivered financing solutions to small businesses, operationalized human resources departments, led marketing campaigns, and driven M&A and divesture strategies to grow businesses and organizations or reposition them more competitively. In 2017, Fort Worth Business Press honored Lisa as one of the top CFOs in Fort Worth, TX. In board and committee roles since 2015, Lisa has spearheaded ESG/DEI initiatives and innovated new financing and marketing strategies for business and nonprofit entities. In November 2022, she joined the Board for The Fort Worth Herd which in partnership with Visit Fort Worth is dedicated to preserving Fort Worth’s western heritage with the twice-daily cattle drive as well as driving business and tourism to She is a former Board, Executive Committee, and Small Business Council Committee Member at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. She chaired its Women’s Insight Network and led an entire programming rebranding campaign which increased membership engagement significantly. Her leadership in these roles, along with her business successes, garnered awards and recognition. Lisa was featured in Fort Worth Inc Magazine’s “Hammering the Glass Ceiling”, in 2019, for rising to the C-Suite while managing a family in heavily male dominated industries. In 2020, the Washington DC office of the SBA and National Women’s Business Council featured Lisa as a webinar speaker on financing for international revenue growth in a global economy. Lisa shared her story of navigating the past decade of industry and market changes as a business owner at Precise Energy Products Inc. She also introduced small businesses to the new financing vehicle she created, collaborating with Citibank US and the SBA. Over the years, her company’s recognition and awards have included being named among the 2022 Top 100 Privately Held Businesses in Tarrant County, by Fort Worth Business Press, winner of the 2014 SBA Region VI Exporter of the Year Award, recipient of the 2015 FTW Chamber Small Business of the Year Award and ranked #2450 on the 2015 INC 5000 fastest growing private companies in America. She was accepted into the highly competitive Stanford Executive Education Mergers and Acquisitions Immersive Program in July 2022 and also earned her Certificate in Mergers and Acquisitions from the New York Institute of Finance in May 2022. Her consulting practice with ExecHQ is focused on helping companies maximize value when going to market to raise capital or to sell. As Co-Owner and Chief Financial Officer at Precise Energy Products Inc. in Fort Worth, TX, Lisa has led finance, accounting, supply chain, and human resources operations through startup, growth, divestiture, and consolidation, since its co-founding with her husband in 2010. Earlier, Lisa led corporate growth developing and executing M&A strategies, while CFO at HealthSmart Holdings/American Administrative Group for 8 years. There she reported to the CEO and board of directors as she planned and executed three acquisitions, restructured its debt and equity, and took it from ~$10M to $135M revenue and $30M EBITDA. This included office (re)locations, HR (re)structuring, employee transitions and benefits (re)design. Prior to that, as a Director of EnerShop, an American Electric Power (AEP) company, Lisa led the business through divestiture, as AEP decoupled regulated/non-regulated business activities. Lisa started her career in tax planning and international accounting working with Ernst & Young, Bluebonnet Savings & Loan, and Madison Minerals. She holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Houston Clear Lake and maintains her CPA in TX. She is a member of the Private Directors Association, Financial Executives International, Texas Society of CPAs, Ronald McDonald House Roadhouse Committee, & Circle of Red at the AHA. Lisa resides with her husband in Colleyville, TX.

Kim Crawford

Partner

Sutton Frost Cary LLP

Kim Crawford

About Kim: Kim is a Partner in the firm of Sutton Frost Cary LLP and has been in public accounting since 1994 and at SFC for 26 of those years. Her extensive and diverse experience includes, but is not limited to, audits of financial statements of privately owned companies, employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations. Kim also assists clients with various consulting services. She is a member of SFC’s executive management committee. Clients served by Kim include corporations, S corporations, partnerships, individuals, employee benefit plans and nonprofit organizations. Her industry experience includes manufacturing, insurance, real estate, employee benefit plans and various types of nonprofit organizations. Kim is a member of the Rotary Club of Arlington where she is treasurer and was Rotarian of the Year in 2010. Kim is the treasurer of Women Inspiring Philanthropy, is chair of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce Finance Committee, is a graduate of Leadership Arlington and is chair of the Finance Committee for First United Methodist Church in Arlington. Kim is an honors graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with a masters of science degree in accounting. She and her husband Scott have two daughters, Nicole and Sarah, and a son-in-law, Jack. Kim is a certified advanced scuba diver and her hobbies include physical fitness and traveling

Quynh Doan

Sr Associate

JTaylor

Blank Contact Photo

About Doan: Sr Associate - JTaylor

Dustin Anthamatten-Dominguez

VP Operations, Corporate

Methodist Health System

Dustin Anthamatten Contact Photo

About Dustin: Dustin Anthamatten-Dominguez currently serves as the Vice President of Operations, Corporate for Methodist Health System, a 12, soon to be 13-hospital health system serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Dustin previously served as Methodist Charlton Medical Center’s Vice President of Finance/CFO (2014), Vice President of Operations/COO (2015), and in a dual role of Vice President of Operations and Finance/COO & CFO (2021). In addition to his current role, Dustin serves on several boards of directors including Methodist Transitional Care Center, Methodist Rehabilitation Hospital, Texas Oncology & Methodist Cancer Centers, the American College of Health Care Executives of North Texas (ACHENTX), the North Texas Healthcare Laundry Cooperative, Mammogram Poster Girls, and Collin County College. He was the 2021 President of ACHENTX and a professor for New York University’s (NYU) Masters in Healthcare in Administration (MHA) program. Recently he was recognized as 2022’s 40 under 40 by the Dallas Business Journal, selected for the Leadership Dallas Class of 2021 by the Dallas Regional Chamber, recognized as 2020’s Young Healthcare Executive of the Year by the Dallas-Ft. Worth Hospital Council, awarded both 2019’s Early Careerist of the Year and Mentor of the Year by the ACHENTX, and was selected for the Leadership Southwest Class of 2017. Prior to his roles at MHS, Dustin began his career at Fidelity Investments, holding roles as an investment advisor, financial analyst, and was also as an adjunct instructor of economics at both the high school and undergraduate levels. He transitioned to healthcare in 2012 at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) and operated in progressive roles until he was the Manager of the Office of Financial and Capital Planning, where he developed large projects which supported the growth of UTSW. Dustin holds a Bachelors in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), and a Master’s of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas at Arlington. In addition, he holds a graduate certificate in advanced technical accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), and is a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (LSSYB).

Russ Douglas

Sr. Solutions Engineer

VMware Inc

Russ Douglas Contact Photo

About Russ: Russell Douglas has over 40 years of experience in IT strategy and planning, organizational realignment, enterprise architecture, system integration, infrastructure and operations, data architecture, and business intelligence. He also sits on the University of North Texas Information Technology & Decision Science (ITDS) Board, Southern Methodist University (SMU)-Future of Work Advisory, and was a 2020 Census Partner. Russell is using his expertise to help companies reinvent themselves using modern technologies such as Cloud First, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning. Russell previously held leadership roles at Boeing (Aviall), BroadVision, Platinum/Computer Associates, and Sprint. Russell has worked or consulted in a broad range of fortune 1000 companies across several industries, including Aerospace and Defense, Retail, Telecommunications, Energy, Financial Services, Distribution, and Manufacturing. He has expertise in modeling business capabilities and system requirements, identifying and aligning end-to-end enterprise data in a Supply Chain Management environment, and is accomplished in applying predictive analytics to effectively evaluate and adjust relevant forecast indicators to improve business responsiveness to changing market conditions. Aviall/Boeing also selected him as Chief Architect for all intercompany integration projects (commercial and defense). Russell gained expert knowledge of sales and distribution, supply chain management, warehouse, and logistics while working at Aviall/Boeing. He led the most successful ERP migration in the company’s 75- year history. His CIO nominated him for CIO magazine’s “Ones to Watch award,” which he received. Russell is a sought-after speaker and has lectured on many subjects, including Moving to a Modern Technology Architecture and ERP data migration at Harvard, Gartner’s PACE Layers, Enterprise Architecture, team building, performance management, and storage array Implementation and management, SaaS, SOA, software Integration & deployment, and, MIT Enterprise Forum, Network World, IDC User, North Texas University, SMU, SIM, RCG Employee, CA World, Platinum User Group, and the Broadvision User Groups. Many of these presentations have been in other countries, such as Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Bangkok. Russell has authored several whitepapers on product integration, performance management, and project implementation methodology and was selected for CIO Magazine’s “Ones to Watch - Top 20 Rising Stars in IT”. Forrester Research, CIO Magazine, Computerworld, Network World, PCWeek, and Hi-Tech Information have interviewed Russell. Russell earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and a minor in Economics from the University of Texas – Arlington

Mike Edwards

President/CEO/Chairman

First Group Family of Companies

Mike Edwards Contact Photo

About Mike: Mike is the founder and President/CEO/Chairman of First Group Family of Companies: First Innovations, Inc., First Guard Warranty Corporation, First Administrative Services Corp. He has over 44 years of experience in the automobile retail, financial institutions, and insurance products provider/administrator industry. Mike grew up in a family-owned Ford dealership that was in operation for over 40 years. Mike has management experience in every aspect of a dealership. He was Vice President of Operations for his family’s Ford dealership in the Dallas area for almost 10 years and was approved by Ford Motor Co. to be a dealer at the age of twentythree. Mike also developed, wrote, and provided training for all the automotive training programs for the Texas Automobile Dealers Association’s only endorsed sales training company and F&I development company at the time. Mike spent over 12 years as Vice President of Marketing and Executive Vice President of Service Insurance Group, a large direct credit insurance company and extended warranty provider in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. In 1999, he founded First Innovations Inc. and First Guard Warranty Corporation, which became the cornerstones for First Group Family of Companies. Over the past 24 years First Group has grown into a multi-million-dollar organization operating in 19 states throughout the United States. Mike has been a featured speaker and trainer, as well as held workshops for the following: • Finance & Insurance Summit Conference Las Vegas • National Automobile Dealers Association Convention • Texas Automobile Dealers Association Convention • TADA Fall Workshops • Texas Future Dealers • Houston Automobile Dealer Association • San Antonio Automobile Dealer Association • Dallas New Car Dealer Association • Tarrant County Auto Dealer Association • Coastal Bend Auto Dealer Association • New Mexico Automobile Dealer Association Convention • National Marine Manufacturers Convention • NCM 20 Groups • TADA 20 Groups • NADA 20 Groups • Mitsubishi Motor Sales Corporation • Honda Motors Top 20 Dealer Performance Group • General Motor-Motors Holding Southwest Dealer Group • NADA’s national satellite network, SkyLink • Hundreds of in-dealership seminars and training Mike attended and played collegiate football for the United States Air Force Academy (2 years) and the University of Arkansas (transfer-1 year) before a knee injury ended his playing career. Mike has a Certified Automotive Merchandising Degree from Northwood University (Institute), a Bachelors’ Degree in Education from the University of Texas Arlington, and graduate work toward a Master's Degree in Mid-Management from the University of Houston Clear Lake. He holds a Limited Lines, and Property and Casualty Insurance License. He is a member of the University of Texas Longhorn Foundation, a Founding Executive Member of the University of Texas Club, member of University of Texas Littlefield Society and UTA 1895 Society, Past member of UTA College of Education’s Leadership Council, US Air Force Academy’s Sabre Society, and a member of the University of Texas Chancellor's Council.

Victoria Elizondo

Campus Recruiting Specialist

EisnerAmper

Victoria Elizondo Contact Photo

About Victoria: I am currently a Campus Recruiter for EisnerAmper, one of the largest accounting, tax, and business advisory firms in the U.S., with more than 3,000 employees and 300 partners across the country. I previously worked in higher education for several years touching all aspects of University life. Everything from admissions to academic advising, to program coordination, I have always been passionate about helping students. I graduated with my Master of Arts in International Studies (December 2022) and Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (August 2018) from Texas State University in San Marcos.

Myana Samuel-Evanson

Finance Leadership Development Program

CVS Health

Myana Evanson Contact Photo

About Myana: Myana Samuel-Evanson is a graduate from Kent State University with a BBA in Finance and minors in Accounting and Leadership. She is in her first rotation in the Finance Leadership Development Program at CVS Health. Her first rotation is in IT Finance FP&A. They are excited to discuss Interviewing 101 and tips for a successful corporate interview.

Travis Franklin

Broker/Owner

Franklin Real Estate Brokerage

Travis Franklin

About Travis: Travis studied Real Estate, Finance and Economics at UTA from 1984-1988 and transferred to UT Austin to finish up from 1988-1989. He graduated with majors in Finance and Real Estate, along with minors in Economics and Literature. He has been in the real estate industry for over 25 years and is broker and owner of his own firm, Franklin Real Estate Brokerage. His is the only brokerage in North Texas that specializes in working with older adults and assisted living. Travis is an avid golfer and volunteers as a coach with the First Tee of Fort Worth. He enjoys traveling with his wife DeeDee and his side hustles, which include manufacturing guitars, performing with the Jessica Brooks Band and travel photography.

Jizelle Garcia

Senior Associate

JTaylor

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About Jizelle : Jizelle received her undergraduate degree and MS in Accounting at the University of Texas at Arlington. While at UTA she was involved in organizations such as ALPFA, Beta Alpha Psi, and Accounting Society. Currently a tax senior associate at JTaylor and is pursuing her CPA. Jizelle has been with the firm for two years.

Amber Garrison

Marketing Director

Park Place Dealerships

Amber Garrison

Amber Garrison: Amber Garrison is the Marketing Director at Park Place Dealerships, a 37-year-old luxury automobile group that employs more than 1,400 members in Dallas-Fort Worth. Ms. Garrison joined Asbury Automotive Group, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, GA, as a Social Media Specialist in 2017 after graduating from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Communications. She was involved with the launch and branding of Asbury’s Clicklane, a complete online car buying tool and selling experience, in 2020. She joined Park Place in 2022, where she oversees the marketing and internal communications for three collision centers, an auto auction, and nine full-service dealerships representing Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Land Rover, Acura, and Sprinter Vans.

Audrey Guinn

Statistical Analyst

Decision Analyst

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About Audrey: Audrey utilizes her knowledge in both inferential and Bayesian statistics to solve real-world marketing problems. She has experience in research design, statistical methods, data analysis, and reporting. As a Statistical Analyst within Advanced Analytics, she specializes in market segmentation, Structural Equation Modeling, MaxDiff, Gabor Granger, Turf, and Key Driver analyses. Audrey earned a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Experimental Psychology with an emphasis on emotional decision-making from The University of Texas at Arlington.

Umair Hafeez

Workfront Integrations Consultant

Sogeti

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About Umair: Umair Hafeez - Workfront Integrations Consultant - Sogeti

Kenneth Haynes

Sr. International Trade Specialist

US Department of Commerce

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About Kenneth: Sr. International Trade Specialist - US Department of Commerce

Tammie Hollis

Partner

Shyft Partners, LLC

Tammie Hollis Contact Photo

About Tammie: Tammie Hollis is an accomplished cybersecurity and technical professional with a diverse background from the US Navy to Corporate America. Hollis holds two graduate degrees and is currently completing her Doctorate in Business Administration where her research is focused on cybersecurity incident response. Her expertise lies at the intersection of business, information technology, and cybersecurity. Hollis is also an Agile thought leader drawing upon a variety of methodologies when coaching executives, senior leaders, and teams about concepts and behaviors foundational to transforming how teams work. As a cybersecurity leader, Hollis managed a cybersecurity portfolio which included programs such as Security Architecture and Engineering, Network Security, Identity and Access Management (IAM), Application Security, and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). With her expertise, she helps organizations improve their cybersecurity defenses, protect against cyber-attacks, and improve their overall security posture. In her spare time, Tammie enjoys mentoring those pursuing their technical or cyber careers. She also coaches project managers who aspire to program or portfolio roles or people making a career transition to project, program, or portfolio management.

Donna Howard

CHRO

PhyNet Dermatology LLC

Donna Howard Contact Photo

About Donna: CHRO - PhyNet Dermatology LLC

Edwin Johnson

International Tax Associate

Baker Tilly US, LLP

Edwin Johnson

About Edwin: Edwin Johnson Jr. is a recent alum of UTA graduating in 2022 with a MS in Accounting and in 2021 with a BBA in Accounting. During his time at UTA, Edwin was a member of the executive board for Beta Gamma Sigma and a scholar in the Goolsby Leadership Academy. Currently, Edwin is an International Tax Associate at Baker Tilly US, LLP. while concurrently pursuing his CPA license. Other than International Tax experience, Edwin also has public accounting experience in the Federal Income Tax realm.

Lucas LaChance , CPA, CIA

Partner-Practice Growth

Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC

Lucas LaChance Profile Picture

About Lucas: Lucas is a Texas Society of CPAs Rising Star Award-winning relationship manager, auditor, board member, author, and speaker with two decades of leadership in assurance, consulting, risk management/ mitigation, and taxation services. After nearly a decade as an auditor working with clients in a number of industries; including construction, M&D, and not-for-profit, he now is responsible for leading firm initiatives to expand existing client relationships and establish new ones, investigate innovative client services and solutions, and instill a culture of client service and sales. He often presents to local, state, and national audiences about accounting industry developments.

Valerie Landry

General Manager

The Sanford House Inn & Spa

Valerie Landry

About Valerie: Valerie Landry, nee McDonald, grew up in Arlington, Texas. She attended Arlington ISD graduating with honors from Lamar High School. She was a leader on the Lamar Varsity Tennis Team for four years. She played the oboe in the band and orchestra. After receiving the President’s Scholarship, she left Texas to attend college at Hofstra University in Long Island, NY. She played Division 1 Tennis, captained the team from 2006-2008, and graduated with honors, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2008. Valerie returned to the Lonestar State to join the family business. Starting out as Sanford Spa Manager and ad hoc marketing director, Valerie steadily assumed more responsibility. Now, as General Manager, Valerie leads all staff departments, promotes private event sales, coordinates marketing, and manages facility resources. In 2012, she completed her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. Valerie directly applied her education to the business. She facilitated the addition of restaurant506, the award-winning fine dining restaurant located in The Sanford House. Valerie was recognized by the UT Arlington College of Business with the Alumni Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement 2017-2018. In 2020, Valerie directed the rebranding of The Sanford House Inn and Spa and succeeded in escalating the reputation and recognition of TSH throughout DFW. Her strategic leadership and cost-saving measures sustained the business during the Covid pandemic. Now, in the postpandemic era, her leadership centers on providing unsurpassed customer service in the Hospitality Industry in Arlington. Valerie has a passionate dedication to civic and community organizations in Arlington and North Texas. She has improved top-of-mind awareness of The Sanford House and its expanded offerings with her commitment to networking in area civic organizations. Starting as a member of Leadership Arlington Class of 2009, this experience led to numerous outlets for community partnership and engagement. Valerie joined the Downtown Arlington Rotary Club in 2011 and served as President of the Club in 2016-2017. She served Rotary at a District level as the Assistant Governor – representing all the Clubs in Arlington, and remains an active member of the Club today. Downtown Arlington Management Corporation added her to their board in 2011. She served as Chair of the organization from 2017 to 2018 and now continues to participate as a past Chair of the Board of Directors. Valerie has served as a board member for Symphony Arlington from 2010 – 2021. She is a currently a sustaining member of Junior League of Arlington, having began her membership in 2009, and has served in a variety of capacities including Board placements from 2013-2016. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce and is a Past Chair of the Women’s Alliance and the Inspired Women’s Luncheon. In fall 2018, Valerie was recognized as the Women’s Alliance Rising Star Award Winner. For her support as a member of the Texas Health Arlington Memorial Health Exchange she was appointed by Mayor Jeff Williams to serve on the Commission for Community Relations to help guide the City’s Kindness Initiative, from 2016-2020. In 2019, Valerie completed Leadership North Texas Class 9 and was appointed to the Viridian Municipal Management District Board by the Arlington City Council. In 2022, she joined the Taste Project as an Advisory Board Member. Valerie is married to Christopher Landry and they have two daughters, Vivian and Arya.

Farah Lawler

Vice President, Industrial Products (Energy)

BNSF Railway

Farah Lawler Contact Photo

About Farah: Farah Lawler is the vice president of Industrial Products where she leads teams responsible for sales and business development for coal, petroleum and industrial products related to the energy sector, including frac sand. Farah joined BNSF in 2006 as a Marketing management trainee. During her railroading career, she has held several marketing and sales roles in Consumer Products, Industrial Products and Agriculture Products. She served as general director of field sales prior to being promoted to assistance vice president, Petroleum, Industrial Products, in 2020. Most recently, Farah was the assistant vice president, Industrial Products leading the BNSF Marketing teams responsible for sales and business development for petroleum and industrial products related to the energy sector, including frac sand.

Tanya LeBlanc

Industrial Sales & Communication Consultant

Tayna LeBlanc Contact Photo

About Tanya: Tanya LeBlanc is a wife, boy mom of a kindergartener, and a stepmom to two amazing young adults who are currently pursuing higher education at University of Alberta and University of Victoria in Canada. During her college years and after completing her Bachelor of Science in Bioenvironmental Science at Texas A&M University, Tanya worked as a lab and field technician for 6 years in the water industry. As a shy young woman from rural Texas, she then decided to do something that scared the hell out of her. She jumped head-first into the world of sales. That was over 15 years ago. Since then, Tanya has worked in some facet of industrial manufacturing and services in roles ranging from technical sales to marketing to sales leadership. Tanya currently works as a consultant, offering her years of experience and ability to make black and white out of grey to help her clients develop the messaging and tools to effectively reach their customer base. If you would have asked her 20 years if she would ever be doing what she’s doing now, Tanya would have laughed in your face. As a lifelong learner and someone who relates well to others, one of her superpowers is the ability to pick up on people’s underlying motivations and beliefs. She feels she serves a greater purpose than any job description could outline and strives to serve that purpose diplomatically and with authenticity. Tanya loves to help others realize their own superpowers and find their value aligned purpose. Tanya completed the MBA Cohort program at University of Texas at Arlington in 2012.

Favor Lee

Director of Tax Growth

Lido Advisors

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About Favor: Favor Lee, CPA is a Director of Tax Growth at Lido Advisors with 15 years of public accounting experience. She is responsible for leading strategic growth initiatives and developing go-to-market strategies. By utilizing her accounting background, she creates a unique tax and financial solution for clients by working closely with the client service team. Prior to joining Lido, Favor was the Director of Business Development for a national accounting firm leading and driving business development initiatives for the Southwest region and Korea-Asia market. Prior to that, she was the Controller for a national restaurant franchise, and led the corporate accounting team and oversaw the full-cycle accounting. She began her accounting career at a Big 4 accounting firm as an auditor, where she was responsible for the overall planning and execution of external audit of a multi-billion-dollar construction company. In the community, Favor is passionate about serving and giving back. She is on the board of the Dallas chapter of 4word, a non-profit organization supporting Christian women in the workplace, and Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA) Dallas, a professional community representing more than 6,000 members in North Texas. As an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and TXCPA, Favor was recently recognized as a 2022 AICPA Outstanding Young CPA, 2021 TXCPA Rising Star, and Committee Member of the Year for TXCPA Dallas.

Shelly Lomeli

Item Analyst

Lockheed Martin

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About Lomeli: Item Analyst - Lockheed Martin

Sam Mahrouq

President & CEO

MEI Group

Sam Mahrouq

About Sam: Sam Mahrouq is an entrepreneur and global businessman who serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the MEI Group (Mahrouq Enterprises International). His most recent focus is iKON Technologies, a vertical expansion of his business products and services in the automotive industry. Also under Sam’s business umbrella are 11 car dealerships, a prominent Dollar Rent-a-Car franchise, MEI Auto Finance, and a real estate investment group. A native of Amman, Jordan, Sam is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington College of Business and recently funded the $500,000 Sam Mahrouq Financial Markets Lab. His business philosophy focuses on ethics and not exploiting others around him. He always looks for the win-win in business transactions. In 2016, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce honored him with the Small Business of the Year Award. The galleries in the Arlington Museum of Art are named for the Sam Mahrouq Family in recognition of his financial grant of $500,000 to stabilize the organization financially. He is also a significant donor to the Arlington Life Shelter and Levitt Pavilion in Downtown Arlington as well as Oak Ridge School.

Matt McKinney

Director of HR M&A

Hewlett-Packard

Matt McKinney Contact Photo

About Matt: Matt McKinney is a Director of HR M&A at HP. In this role, Matt manages the successful integration of acquired companies into HP and evaluates potential deals. Previously he was the Head of People Strategy Execution at Poly and worked to integrate workstreams between the HR Leadership Team, other corporate functions, and the broader organization. Matt has over 15 years of HR experience in HR strategy, workforce planning, compensation, and process improvement. Prior to Poly, Matt progressed through various roles in human resources and business operations at Amentum. He has also held leadership roles in local SHRM chapters to include President of the Mid-Cities Human Resource Association. Matt holds an MBA and M.S. Human Resource Management from the University of Texas at Arlington, B.B.A in Human Resource Management from the University of South Dakota and is also a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), Professional in Human Resources (PHR), certified in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP), and Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt.

Maria Mejia

Executive Vice President

Ulterra Drilling Technologies LP

Maria Mejia Headshot

Maria Mejia: Maria Mejia is the Executive Vice President at Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P., where she is responsible for all aspects of senior management in support of the company’s strategic and operational goals. Maria oversees the Finance and Accounting, Legal, Information Technology, Human Resources and Supply Chain divisions at Ulterra. More than that, she has become known for leading change by creating an environment of empowerment, a culture of responsiveness, an emphasis on employee education and development, and a focus on visible internal programs to reward innovation. Mejia became Ulterra’s CFO in 2016 and maintained that role until the 2023 sale of Ulterra to Patterson-UTI, when she was promoted to Executive Vice President. She quickly advanced through the ranks of the company, having started at the company as an Accounting Manager for U.S. operations in 2010. She has performed almost every job in the accounting department on her way to becoming CFO, including efforts spent in the roles of Operations Controller and Corporate Controller. She has been a critical part of Ulterra’s M&A processes, having completed 4 sales for the company during her tenure. Also, during her tenure, Ulterra’s revenues have tripled, while staff size has increased to more than 600 employees worldwide. There is an intense drive within Mejia to understand every aspect of Ulterra’s business, and how each delivers value to customers and investors. As a result, she has visited nearly every Ulterra plant, warehouse and regional facility across five continents during her years at Ulterra, developing close relationships and high trust levels with virtually every team and department within the company. “To understand the numbers, you have to understand the business,” Mejia says. “To understand what the investment looks like, you have to see the investment.” She encourages all members of her teams to do the same. In addition to her leadership role at Ulterra, Mejia is deeply involved with the non-profit WHOLives where she is an Action Board member. She also remains active in the academic world as a supporter of the Latina STEM program at Tarrant County, a guest speaker at the University of Texas at Arlington, and she also served two years as a finance professor at The University of Phoenix online. Mejia holds a Summa Cum Laude B.B.A. degree in International Business from the University of Texas at Arlington, with graduate certifications in Finance, Strategic Planning and Risk Management from SMU and Harvard. She also holds an MBA from Texas Women’s University and is currently pursuing her PhD. Outside of her career, Maria is a race car driver. She was the 2023 International GT Stuttgart Cup champion, obtaining that title in just her second year of competing in the sport. She enjoys the challenge, competitiveness and camaraderie of racing community.

Bridget Moon

Economic Development Specialist

US SBA

Bridget Moon

About Bridget: Bridget Moon joined the U.S. Small Business Administration in 1996, currently holding a position of Economic Development Specialist and Veterans Business Development Officer in the SBA Dallas/Fort Worth District Office. She takes pride in building and maintaining collaborative partnerships with small business owners, small business stakeholders such as economic development practitioners, civic and community organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, and educational institutions. Prior to working for the District Office, she has held several positions under the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Disaster Assistance - Processing & Disbursement Center. This included her involvement in direct recovery efforts in the field, Public Information Officer, and Supervisory Loan Officer for home and business underwriting.

Bobby Noble

Consulting Associate

JTaylor

Bobby Noble Contact Photo

About Bobby: Bobby joined JTaylor as an Associate in 2022 and provides consulting and valuation services. He has gained experience in various practice areas with an emphasis in the healthcare industry. His fields of expertise include business valuations, fair market value assessments, due diligence related to mergers and acquisitions, quality of revenue/earnings assessments, and transaction support. Prior to joining JTaylor, Bobby worked as an Experienced Associate in the Assurance practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, focusing on the banking and capital markets industry. Bobby graduated from The University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance and a Master of Accounting. Bobby is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Melissa Oakley

Managing Director, Talent Management

FedEx Office

Melissa Oakley Contact Photo

About Melissa: For over 15 years, Melissa Oakley has been an HR leader across several organizations and disciplines. For the last 8 years she has been a Managing Director for FedEx and is currently the Managing Director of Talent Management at FedEx Office leading the talent acquisition and learning & development strategy and teams. She obtained her Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science in Human Resources from UTA.

Maira Pacheco

Packaging Consultant

American Carton

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About Maira: Maira graduated from UTA in the fall of 2017 with an International Business Degree in Spanish. Since then, Maira has perused a career in sales and loves it. She works at American Carton Company, a folding carton manufacturer in Mansfield Texas. Working for a women-owned business-like ACC as a Packaging Consultant, has empowered Maira to find her professional strengths. She is passionate about cultivating quality relationships and is successful by implementing customer-centric approaches. Our goal is to design sustainable packaging solutions that embody the company’s ethos. She has worked alongside industries like pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, automotive, cosmetic, and CPG companies, helping them make a lasting impression to their respective markets. 

Rina Parikh

Partner

Grant Thornton LLP

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About Rina: Rina Parikh is a Certified Public Accountant and an audit partner in the Dallas office of Grant Thornton. Rina has more than 18 years of public accounting experience at Grant Thornton and several years of prior auditing experience. She has focused primarily on auditing both public and private companies, including financial services, banks & lending institutions, investment companies, asset management companies and real estate entities. Rina has significant experience in conducting financial statement audits as well as internal control examinations. Rina has extensive experience in evaluating and testing processes and internal controls related to FDICIA banks and SOX compliance for public companies. Rina has assisted several companies with initial public offering, additional equity and debt offering filing reports as required by the 1933 and 1934 Securities Acts.

Billy Parsons

Chief People Officer

U.S. Dermatology Partners

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About Billy: Chief People Officer - U.S. Dermatology Partners

Becky Reeder

Partner-in-Charge, Alternative Investment Services

Weaver

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About Becky: Rebekah “Becky” Reeder, CPA, has over 15 years of public accounting experience at Weaver, overseeing audits for investment management companies; hedge funds; private equity, real estate and venture capital funds; fund of funds; broker-dealers; and financial institutions. Becky co-leads the strategy and business development initiatives for the alternative investment practice at Weaver. She currently serves as engagement partner for over 100 investment funds, ranging in size from single purpose entities under $20 million to complex, multi-entity structures with over $1 billion in assets under management. Becky has a broad range of experience within the financial services industry and a deep understanding of issues related to investment companies. Becky is a certified public accountant and active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA), and the Texas Alternative Investments Association (TAIA). She is a current board member of Texas Wall Street Women and Weaver’s Charitable Foundation. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Hardin-Simmons University.

Shunda Robinson

SVP, Diversity Equity & Inclusion

GM Financial

Shunda Robinson Contact Photo

About Shunda: Shunda Robinson, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, is charged with executing and implementing world-class initiatives that promote GM Financial and its employees' success. She serves as an advisor and partner to executive leadership and as a progressive voice on sustainable diversity & inclusion strategies. Shunda was recognized by DiversityMBA Magazine as a “Top 100 under 50” Executive for 2019 and recognized by Diversity Global as a “2019 Diversity Champion”. She was recently awarded the Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazer Award by the Council for Inclusion in Financial Services and the Leaders in Diversity Award by the Dallas Business Journal. Sought out for advisory boards/committees that influence the direction of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices, Shunda’s focus remains on sharpening the future outcomes of DEI work everywhere.

David Romeo

Vice President, CTO

Allata

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About David: David Romeo is a Vice President for Allata and is based in Dallas/Fort Worth. He has spent the last 14+ years leading development teams, project delivery, solution and enterprise architecture, and account management, as well as providing thought leadership across a breadth of technology solutions. He has experience in a variety of industries including retail, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and logistics. David’s passion for technology has him leading multiple service offerings at Allata including Enterprise Solutions and Advanced Integrations. When away from the office, David enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and mixing in the occasional round of golf.

Amanda Sargent

Director, Civic Partnerships and Strategies

Dallas College

Amanda Sargent Contact Photo

Amanda Sargent: Amanda L. Sargent, LMSW is an empowerment coach, community administrative practitioner, and an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. Through her many roles, Sargent aims to extend her passion for people and community development as an advocate for high-quality education and accountability by empowering people to be their best. Prior to her appointment as the Director for Community Relations and Solutions with Dallas College, Sargent has served organizations such as the Dallas Director of the University of Texas’ Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, INROADS, inc, Dallas Independent School District, Center for Addiction and Recovery Studies, Girl Scouts of Central Texas, Texas College Advising Corp, Americorp, Austin Partners in Education as well as abroad at Ashaiman Senior High School in Accra, Ghana with the goal of enhancing the opportunities available to youth and students of diverse populations. Throughout her career as a Future Readiness Professional, she has helped students earn over $50 million dollars in scholarships in addition to their admission into highly competitive undergraduate and graduate programs. She has been recognized by Stanford University for her Exceptional Teaching and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity for her Excellence in Teaching. She believes in lifelong learning and promotes this belief in her everyday life. Sargent has dedicated herself to supporting students and communities to realize their potential through education and advocacy. In May of 2018, Amanda L. Sargent was elected to the DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees Place 7 seat and served as School Board President until May of 2021. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker and is an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University Commerce. Amanda is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and believes in being of service to all mankind. She is passionate about people, leadership and wellness. Miss Sargent is the Founder and CEO of Get Your Life, Ltd. Co, which is a consulting firm empowering people to take their dreams -and themselves -to unprecedented levels. Her motto is “Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance -Get Your Life.”

James Sellers

CEO & Founder

Sellmark Corporation

James Sellers

About James: Sellmark Corporation President, James Sellers, understands the meaning of taking risks. Combining sales tactics and strategic marketing into a “sell-marketing” business strategy, he forged Sellmark into the thriving company it is today. James has successfully established several outdoor industry brands, recently acquired another brand, Kopfjager, and continues to produce award-winning products for consumers worldwide.

Nichole Sheridan

HR Business partner

Lockheed Martin

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About Nichole: Human Resource Professional with a Masters in Human Resource Management, a minor in Disability Studies, and a Diversity Certificate. As an HRBP to over 620 clients, I like to create a positive, collaborative, and “open space” for my leaders to “Be Courageous” and have important dialogue to build “One Team” and help each other learn from one another. This enables individuals to "Bring It" when supporting Aero 100, and helps “Accelerate Change” by ensuring gets their voice heard. In addition to my daily HRBP duties, I have driven Digital Transformation, creating and streamlining multiple processes to support meeting 100% quality, 100% on time. Starting at Lockheed Martin in May 2019, my roles and responsibilities include guiding and influencing leader’s decisions for leadership hiring, promotions, gate waivers, contingency planning, and performance & employee personnel issues. Additionally, I allocate, distribute, and provide updates for NextGen Recognition and Discretionary budget for entire Engineering & Technology function (over $2.3 million). I created and implemented the “Executive Inclusion Mentoring” for Engineering and Technology within Aeronautics, setting the tone/expectations for the program, which is now on its third year. One of my biggest passions is diversity, as I feel it is not only beneficial to your employees, but potential customers that you do business with. Our greatest strength is our ability to listen and learn from one another.

Terry Sullivan

Founder and Owner

BuzzPro

Terry Sullivan

About Terry: Before he founded BuzzPro in 2012, Terry Sullivan was Director of Marketing for Verizon Communications where he launched many successful national marketing programs that gained more than 456,000 new customers and reduced churn by more than 6% annually, in spite of multiple price increases and competitor product launches. Terry realized most business owners and leaders were in the dark about how to use the latest online marketing tools to find and connect with potential prospects and clients. He also had a real passion for sharing his unique marketing knowledge with others to help them achieve their business goals. So, to meet this need, Terry founded BuzzPro, a nationally recognized Integrated Marketing and Social Media Marketing and Training company. Terry works with his clients to show them how to fill their sales funnels with more sales using advanced LinkedIn branding and Social Selling strategies. Terry’s keynote training presentations have helped hundreds of clients across the nation learn how to expand their influence and grow their businesses. His inspiring training programs focus on keyword optimization, branding and Social Selling strategies that help his clients tap into the unlimited world of Social Media to get better leads, more prospects and clients. Holder of an MBA from Texas State University, Terry received his Social Media Marketing Certification from Splash Media University, one of the nation’s premier Social Media training companies. Terry is a storytelling entrepreneur, thought leader and a difference maker in the world of Social Media and serves as a technology advisor for many business groups and companies throughout the United States. Connect with Terry on LinkedIn and check out buzzpro.com to learn more about how Terry and his BuzzPro team can help you get more clients with practical, eye-opening Social Selling tips and advice.

Glynnis Swan

Global Mobility Program Manager

Microsoft Corporation

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About Glynnis: A self-described “Constructive Disruptor”™, Glynnis is a an HR Program Manager in Microsoft’s Global Mobility Center of Excellence where she identifies, selects, and manages program vendors and suppliers. She also oversees relocation policy and logistics for Microsoft’s U.S. and Global Internship programs. With over 15 years of International HR/Global Mobility experience, Glynnis’ proficiency spans global compensation consulting, assignment service management, global deployment strategy, policy design, benchmarking, and program centralization. Prior to joining Microsoft, she consulted for Fortune 500 clients at EY, Deloitte, and Xerox Corporation; specializing in the technology, oil & gas, and manufacturing industries. Since 2008, Glynnis has demonstrated a personal and professional commitment to the areas of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion to ensure that her clients and employers stay ahead of the trends in these areas. She brings significant expertise around best practices for executing inclusive relocation strategies and in 2021 joined the Inclusion Diversity & Equity Task Force for the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council. Glynnis holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Arlington, a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Arizona, and a Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution, Conflict Management from Southern Methodist University. She has earned industry certifications as a Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) and a Global Mobility Specialist - Talent (GMS-T). Glynnis believes strongly in giving back to her community. In addition to serving as a Corporate Advisor to the Board of the North Texas Relocation Professionals, she volunteers with DallasHR as a Student Engagement Liaison, and with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a high school mentor. Glynnis is also an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she holds local and regional leadership roles. “As an agent of change, I don’t just settle for the best practice, I seek the next practice.”

Vicky Teherani

President of More2 Wealth Management

More2 Wealth Management

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About Vicky: President of More2 Wealth Management - More2 Wealth Management

Jerry W. Thomas

President/CEO

Decision Analyst

Jerry Thomas Headshot

About Jerry: President/CEO - Decision Analyst

Aaron Vann

Owner-Operator

Chick-fil-A 75 & Campbell (Richardson, Texas)

Aaron Vann Contact Photo

About Aaron: Aaron Vann is the franchise Owner-Operator of the Chick-fil-A restaurant at 75 & Campbell in Richardson, Texas. He opened the restaurant in March of 2019 after an 18-year career in pharmaceutical sales leadership at the world’s largest privately held pharmaceutical manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to working as a sales professional, a trainer, and a sales manager in the pharmaceutical sales field, Aaron served as an Infantry officer in the United States Army with one overseas deployment to Kuwait. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science (’93) and a Master of Education in Higher Ed Administration (’97) from Dallas Baptist University. He is the father of three children and a grandfather of two. He serves on several boards, leads pre-marital counseling programs with his wife at church, and enjoys competitive tennis and family travel.

Stan Waterhouse

Development Director

Cohen Esrey

Stan Waterhouse Contact Photo

About Stan: Stan Waterhouse is an accomplished CEO with a track record of accelerating the growth trajectories of companies, as well as architecting and executing the turnarounds of troubled businesses. He has demonstrated these capabilities in various sectors, including hospitality, senior living, healthcare, and multi-family housing. Aside from being a Turnaround expert, Waterhouse is a member of The National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Currently, Waterhouse directs Public-Private Partnerships for Cohen-Esrey, a national developer of market-rate and affordable multi-family properties throughout the United States. Recently, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas-based Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation, challenged to lead the turnaround of this $1B assets enterprise with 2,000 employees and over 1,900 residents, where he increased revenue by 16%, with a dramatic reversal in EBITDA, and gain in the portfolio under management to 12 communities. Earlier in his career, Stan built ClubCorp’s largest region, responsible for 25 properties throughout the eastern U.S. and Canada. ClubCorp is the largest owner and operator of private clubs nationwide, with 200+ country clubs, city clubs, athletic clubs, and alumni clubs. He was subsequently recruited to the $2B Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company with the challenge to spearhead the company’s expansion to include resorts, private residence clubs, private club communities, and golf assets. Under his leadership, divisional revenues grew by 267% in 3 years. Serving on the company’s Steering Committee, the organization twice received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Stan’s major operating roles included oversight of The Housing Authority of the City of El Paso, with responsibility for leadership of the organization’s state-of-the-art housing initiatives and programs, providing high-quality housing to over 40,000 El Pasoans. In addition, Waterhouse’s initiated a $1B redevelopment of HACEP’s multi-family portfolio – the most extensive portfolio revitalization of affordable housing in the US at that time. His passion for quality and process improvement was again evident as he engineered a wholesale reorganization of their operational model to increase efficiency while providing world-class customer service. Stan’s Board leadership includes Vice Chairman of the Board of Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation, a major national non-profit organization operating Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Texas, Member of the Dean’s Leadership Circle, College of Business, Texas Woman’s University, and Member of the Board of Advisors – Information Systems, University of Texas at El Paso. Waterhouse’s hallmark management style is recognized for his ability to create and communicate an inspiring vision, staff, and Top-Grade teams to achieve results beyond their known bounds and instill operational excellence at the highest level. Stan holds a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University. He resides with his wife in El Paso, Texas, and enjoys reading and golf.

Aleya Wooten

Analyst

JTaylor

Blank Contact Photo

About Wooten: Analyst - JTaylor

Draper Wynston

Actor/Entrepreneur

Draper Wyston Contact Photo

About Draper: Draper Wynston, a man of many hats, is no stranger to the entertainment world. He was recently seen on The CW Network, "Walker" television series. Draper has been involved with dozens of films, television, modeling, sporting events or athletic roles and stage/theatre performances. Some of the mainstream talent he has had the privilege of working with include two time Grammy Award winner; Jennifer Holiday and Stellar Award winner Fred Hammond. Draper has also worked with Tony Grant, Dave Hollister, Tyler Perry's Christian Keyes and many more which is how Draper has made an impressionable mark in the industry. Draper is also known for playing the memorable character of 'Chuck" which has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy in the show #Washed:The Series on Amazon Prime. Draper deserves acclaim for the work of "Rented Love" which he wrote, produced and directed. He is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated. Draper is proud of the past journeys and is eagerly looking forward to all future opportunities. Making a mark in the entertainment world has always been Draper Wynston's goal. Taking one step at a time, he continues to progress to become a leading man in the world of entertainment. Being seen on Walker(CW), House of Lies(Lifetime), and Daytime Emmy Nominated #Washed(Amazon Prime), are just a few places he can be seen. He is also not afraid of the stage as well. You may see him in many productions, either leading the way or making people laugh. He began his career in stage with G Meets G, ever since then he has been impacting the scene. Through the stage and camera, he has been able to work with some of the best in the industry He is also the owner of 3i Creative Media Group, film production company. As well as Vanguard Affinity Group, Public Relations Firm.