Rubén Cantú is a heart-centered social entrepreneur, educator, and AI leader who fosters peace through understanding and love. He believes that compassionate leadership is essential in the fast-moving world of AI. He empowers underserved communities and has been recognized with honors like the Presidential Volunteer Community Service Award from the Biden Administration (2024).

Emmanuel Nyame is CEO of Twelvenets, one of Austin’s leading and minority–owned PR firms. With over 17 years of experience in campaigns, representing A-list brands and small businesses, he’s led high-profile client campaigns for United Nations Foundation, U.S. State Department, and more. His leadership blends strategic communications, community engagement, and media relations, earning recognition as a trusted voice in impact-driven storytelling.

Ericka Barnes is a multifaceted entrepreneur, festival founder, and creative community builder. She founded the Black Makers Market, Dope Creatives web design agency, and Dope Creatives Market. As the instructor behind Dope Crochet, she shares her fiber art expertise with fellow makers. With years of experience in tech and e-commerce, along with strong project management skills, Ericka is passionate about cultivating spaces where creatives and businesses can connect and grow.

Gabby Rueda holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Media Studies and
has over 25 years of experience in multicultural marketing. She helps brands
authentically connect with Hispanic audiences, integrating a wide range of media
solutions to help businesses effectively reach and engage their target customer.
She specializes in the legal, healthcare, education, and nonprofit sectors, with ample
experience developing strategic campaigns that inspire action and deliver measurable
results.
Gabby is a proud mom of two daughters who graduated from The University of Texas at
Austin. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs — Charlie,
Ollie, and Monty. Her passion for community and culture drives her commitment to
helping businesses grow and genuinely connect with their audiences.

Gerardo Vazquez, founder of fCTO Labs (https://www.fctolabs.com), is a self-taught programmer turned computer science graduate from Texas A&M University. Starting his career in corporate innovation, he now helps build software products that align with their business goals. His mission is to make technical leadership accessible without the cost of a full-time executive.

Hector is a business coach at EGBI, where he assists entrepreneurs one-on-one with financial and business growth topics. He graduated with a degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a financial advisor at UBS, focusing on sales and enhancing the client experience. Additionally, he was an ESL instructor, teaching basic computing in a bilingual setting. He has a strong passion for financial guidance, sales, and teaching.

Michelle is a Senior Fiber and VoIP Sales Executive with over 20 years of leadership experience spanning business development, marketing, commercial construction, human resources, and technology. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communications from the University of Texas at Austin and is recognized for her strategic approach to aligning advanced connectivity solutions with complex business needs. Throughout her career, Michelle has remained deeply engaged in the Austin business community. She previously served as captain of the Small Business Development Subcommittee for the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce, where she played a key role in advancing initiatives that support local entrepreneurs. Her professional mission centers on empowering business owners with the resources, tools, and technologies they need to drive efficiency and achieve scalable growth.

Nik Sallie is an award-winning Intellectual Property and estate planning attorney, and the founder of Tastemakers Legal, PLLC, a boutique law firm based in Austin, Texas. With over a decade at Meta (formerly Facebook), she was a founding member of the Intellectual Property Operations Team and helped design Meta’s global IP enforcement system. Nik has handled over 4,000 IP cases and brings deep experience in trademark prosecution, brand protection, and business strategy.

In addition to helping visionary entrepreneurs, influencers, and small businesses own, protect, and profit from their intellectual property, Nik also offers concierge estate planning services to ensure her clients’ legacies are protected and passed on to loved ones without costly court involvement or conflict. Her estate planning practice emphasizes flat-fee pricing, client education, and ongoing support for families navigating life’s transitions.

Vicky Valdez is an entrepreneurship educator and economic development leader with
15+ years in higher education and more than two decades of public-sector impact. At
the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department, she spent over ten years
managing the Small Business Program, building nationally recognized initiatives that
delivered entrepreneur education, strategic planning, marketing, financial management,
growth readiness, and inclusive procurement. Her portfolio emphasized access to
capital and practical, results-driven coaching for startups and established firms. Vicky
later founded the LoneStar Foundation to expand that mission through community
partnerships and entrepreneur-serving programs. She currently serves as Assistant
Department Chair for Business Management/Entrepreneurship at Austin Community
College, where she teaches, mentors students, and leads the development of an
Entrepreneurship AAS degree aligned to real-world market needs. Known for turning
policy into practice, Vicky designs measurable, equity-minded programs that strengthen
local businesses, cultivate new talent, and accelerate broadly shared prosperity.