2022 Houston

December 2, 2022
8:00 AM - 2:30 PM (CT)


Theme

Take Flight


Our Mission

Promote the development of our future women leaders by giving them access to influential business women in the Houston area. The Symposium will focus on leadership, personal brand management and career/college planning.


Where Will The Event Be Held

West Houston Institute, 2811 Hayes Rd, Houston, Tx


Who Should Attend

The 2022 YWLS will bring together young women from grades 8-12 to learn about leadership skills, career opportunities after high school, best practices from experienced professionals, and to learn to become the leaders of the future. This event is FREE to attend.
Light breakfast will be provided.


Mentors

Small group settings will allow attendees to engage with a table mentor to help them guide the conversation. Mentors are professionals with a minimum of 3-10 years of experience and executives from various fields.


Panels

Students will hear from leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions during two-panel discussions. Students will also have the opportunity to select two creative and interactive breakout sessions and learn about careers in STEM, Finance, Banking, Law, Government, and career guidance, and develop their skills in personal branding and becoming their best self.


Opening Remarks

Michelle Cantú-Wilson

Michelle Cantú-Wilson

Creative Director & Speaker, Hispanic Women's Network of Texas - Houston Membership Chair
Marquee Consulting, Inc.

Michelle Cantú-Wilson

Michelle Cantú-Wilson

Creative Director & Speaker, Hispanic Women's Network of Texas - Houston Membership Chair
Marquee Consulting, Inc.

Dr. Michelle Cantu-Wilson is currently the Creative Director & Speaker for Marquee Consulting, Inc., a Dallas-based leadership consulting firm. Under her oversight, Marquee is developing a leadership institute for mid-level and executive leaders that will offer professional development for leaders across all industries. Previously, Dr. Michelle served as the Director of Teaching and Learning Initiatives and Special Projects at San Jacinto College. She also worked as a faculty member and passionate first- generation student advocate. Dr. Michelle currently serves as the president of the Gulf Coast Region Chapter of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education. She is the membership chair for the Houston Chapter of the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas, and she is a member of the Votebeat Reader Advisory Board. An engaged presence on LinkedIn has allowed Dr. Michelle Cantu-Wilson to connect and work with other professionals in different areas of impact. It is through this venue that a partnership with Daniel Villanueva was formed. This resulted in the creation of LatinxLearners, a YouTube channel which features monthly episodes on issues experienced by first generation, Latinx students and professionals in higher education. Dr. Cantu-Wilson’s prior career as a K-12 campus administrator and teacher have served her well. She was a junior high assistant principal for six years and a junior high English teacher for 5 years in Pasadena ISD. Michelle holds a Doctor of Education degree in higher education leadership from the University of Houston-Clear Lake a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Houston, a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Houston, and an associate degree from Ranger College in north Texas. She was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, is married and has three amazing children.

Moderator

Deanna Howard

Deanna Howard

Director of Client Engagement
Intrado

Deanna Howard

Deanna Howard

Director of Client Engagement
Intrado

Lisa Williams

Lisa Williams

Director of Gallery Programs
Children's Museum of Houston

Lisa Williams

Lisa Williams

Director of Gallery Programs
Children's Museum of Houston

Dr. Lisa Williams has over 26 years of experience in the field of education. Dr. Williams earned a BS in Education and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Cleveland State University. She also earned an Education Specialist and Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. She has served as an early childhood, elementary, and middle school teacher, as well as a variety of leadership roles including Curriculum Leader, Literacy Coach, Dean of Students, Principal, and Central Office Administrator. Lisa retired from public education in 2017 and joined the Children’s Museum Houston. In her current role she is focused on program alignment, high impact visitor experiences, and making ongoing improvements to maximize innovation and overall growth. Lisa was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of 6 girls. She has been married to Keith Williams for 25 years and the couple have two children – Sarah (age 16) and Keith Jr. (age 13). Lisa and her family are active members at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church where she serves in a variety of leadership roles and participates in the music ministry, courtesy corps, and congregational care team to name a few. Lisa is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (SHFBAC) and loves to give back to the community. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, cooking/baking, listening to music/attending concerts, going to live comedy shows, going to the movies and live theater, and spending time with family and friends.

Hami Arrington

Hami Arrington

Co-Founder
One Foot Over

Hami Arrington

Hami Arrington

Co-Founder
One Foot Over

Hami Vo Arrington is a founder at One Foot Over, a B2B strategy and marketing agency that works alongside CMOs and marketing executives to create strategies that bring results and solutions to their marketing problems. Hami holds a BA in Public Relations and Marketing and an MBA in Marketing from Georgia State University. She is the immediate past president of the American Marketing Association Houston Chapter, past president of the Women’s Masters Network, Leadership Houston Class XXXVII alumna, and Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas board member. Hami was also chosen to be an Ambassador for the Cohort 26 Alumni from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Houston. She believes in empowering women in all aspects of life. That includes lifting up their beliefs and providing full support in their endeavors. Along with her organizational involvement, Hami’s passion has driven her to speak at many events including the Asian Chamber of Commerce, Alert Logic Women’s Group, Gulf Coast Young Women's Leadership Symposium, Dress for Success Houston, Rice University Jones Graduate School Women in Leadership Conference, TaxAct Tour, Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Governor’s Small Business Forum for Women - Gulf Coast, and more.

Lollie Ramirez-Bennett

Lollie Ramirez-Bennett

Business Strategist & Trend Analyst Outgoing CEO Women
AT&T

Lollie Ramirez-Bennett

Lollie Ramirez-Bennett

Business Strategist & Trend Analyst Outgoing CEO Women
AT&T

An employee with AT&T with 33 years of service, Lollie runs a team of trend analysts located across the US, Slovakia and the Netherlands. She manages the overall success of her organization by closely monitoring performance measures and driving for desired results. Her specialty is in improved efficiencies, work sizing and cost/business case justification. Lollie has served as a member and officer of several AT&T Employee Resource Groups for the past 28 years. She assumed the leadership of the Women of AT&T Houston chapter, as CEO and President in 2015. Under her direction, WOA-HOU has grown their organization by 40%, also increasing their community volunteer hours by almost 500%. These efforts helped increase the number of AT&T Presidential Volunteer Service Award winners in the Houston area, with Lollie earning the Gold award for both 2016 & 2017. Leveraging the combined forces of her peer AT&T ERG groups, Lollie has delivered on several key projects in our community, including a sixth grade after-school apprenticeship at two inner city middle schools teaching students the importance of protecting their personal brand, educating middle school girls on cyber safety and the risks of human trafficking, helping rebuild homes for three senior women and providing ongoing support to non-profit organizations aligned with Women and Hispanic concerns. In 2016, she was recognized as AT&T Manager of the year for the Houston area by Women of AT&T. A life-long Texas resident, Lollie is an alumni of the University of Texas in Austin and grew up in San Benito, a small town in South Texas. She has lived most of the past 31 years in Houston and is married to Dave, an AT&T retiree. They have no children but many nieces and nephews that they are very close too.

Event Chair

Karla Hernandez DeCuir

Karla Hernandez DeCuir

Assistant Provost for Distance Learning
University of Houston - Victoria

Karla Hernandez DeCuir

Karla Hernandez DeCuir

Assistant Provost for Distance Learning
University of Houston - Victoria

Dr. Karla Hernandez DeCuir is the Assistant Provost for Distance Learning at the University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) at Katy and she was recently named a Houston Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree. In her role, she oversees the recruiting efforts, external relations, and strategic partnerships for UHV Katy. She is also responsible for the development of the Center for Online Learning at UHV. She earned a Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership from the University of Houston, a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Management from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of New Orleans. Her work experience includes business development, partnership development, and enrollment management. Dr. DeCuir is passionate about volunteering and helping the community. She currently serves as the President of the Texas Diversity Council - Gulf Coast chapter, the President of the Latino Faculty and Staff Association at UHV, and the President of the Katy Technology and Education Foundation. She also serves as the chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at UHV, Katy EDC’s Diversity Taskforce, and she co-chairs the TXDC’s Young Women Leadership Symposium. In 2021, Dr. DeCuir was recognized with the National Latino Leader Award by the Council for Latino Workplace Equity and the Diversity Council, she is a Texas Association for Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) 2020 Fellow, she was recognized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) of Houston and the Houston Rockets as one of Houston’s Female Leaders in 2020, she is a 2016 Texas Diversity Council DiversityFIRST awardee, and in 2003, she was honored with a proclamation from the City of New Orleans.

Renee Stewart

Renee Stewart

AVP Human Resources – Houston
Yang Ming

Renee Stewart

Renee Stewart

AVP Human Resources – Houston
Yang Ming

Renee comes with over 15 years’ experience in human resources. She currently works as Assistant Vice President, Human Resources for Yang Ming America Corp. and is the CEO/Owner of Renewed Home Solutions LLC, a real estate investment company. Renee currently serves on the board of the Student Guidance Group and as Secretary for the Gulf Coast Diversity Council. She holds certifications as a Human Capital Strategist, Senior Human Resources Business Partner and in Relationship Intelligence. Renee graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science with an emphasis on Business Management. She enjoys volunteering with organizations focused on the development of future leaders.

Panelist

Aimee Chester

Aimee Chester

Senior Vice President, Senior Wealth Advisor
Regions

Aimee Chester

Aimee Chester

Senior Vice President, Senior Wealth Advisor
Regions

Aimee joined Regions Bank in 2015 and is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor in Houston, Texas. Aimee is responsible for serving the needs of affluent and high-net-worth individuals and families. With more than 20 years of experience, she brings extensive knowledge of wealth management strategies, products, and services to her current role. In 2022, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Private Wealth Management Advisory Council and mentors other wealth advisors across Regions 15-state footprint. Prior to joining Regions, she served as a wealth advisor at Wells Fargo Private Bank and BB&T/SunTrust Bank in South Carlina and Texas. Aimee lives in Houston and she and her husband, Scott, have lived and worked overseas in Europe and Africa before settling in Texas, by way of New Hampshire and South Carolina. They have two grown daughters. Aimee earned her business degree in Finance from The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she was also a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $158 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,300 banking offices and more than 2,000 ATMs.

Anna Garcia

Anna Garcia

Client Solutions Executive II
AT&T

Anna Garcia

Anna Garcia

Client Solutions Executive II
AT&T

A Recognized Top 30 Performer with over 25 years of experience in the telecommunication & technology industry with sales, consulting, and customer service experience in all sectors including small business, mid-to-large business, and private sectors such as Government, Education, & Medical and Global. Customer-Needs motivated with a proven track record and multiple career accomplishments. Employee Resource Group leader and advocate for Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace. Recipient of Texas Diversity Council's 2017 Gulf Coast DiversityFIRST award for demonstrating outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, marketplace, and community. I serve as a mentor, public speaker, and sit on the board and advisory board of organizations for the empowerment, improvement, and growth of business professionals.

Ashley August

Ashley August

Mechanical Engineer/Associate Principal
Page Southerland Page

Ashley August

Ashley August

Mechanical Engineer/Associate Principal
Page Southerland Page

Carmen Cruz

Carmen Cruz

Co-Founder
1st Gen Scholars

Carmen Cruz

Carmen Cruz

Co-Founder
1st Gen Scholars

Dr. Carmen Cruz is a Co-Founder of 1ST-Gen Scholars, a Texas Nonprofit Organization that provides K-12 Students with Early STEM Access and Teachers STEM Professional Development. Dr. Cruz is a former NASA Lead Education Program Specialist at Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) for the Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). Dr. Cruz is a first-generation Latina, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from Washington State University, a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Doctor of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University. Additionally, she also holds a STEM Certificate from Rice University. Dr. Cruz completed her Mixed Methods Doctoral Dissertation on K-12 Title I Schools focused on Mathematics Curriculum and Instruction. She possesses over twenty years of K-20 education experience, including Dual Language / ESL Instruction. Her teaching career began in Houston, TX, where she taught at Title I schools and developed STEM curriculum State and National formal and informal organizations. She earned the honor of Teacher of the Year and has shared her STEM knowledge to educators via professional development across the country. Dr. Cruz also previously worked in Higher Education at a Hispanic Serving Institution where she assisted in developing STEM Accredited Undergraduate Degree Programs in San Antonio, TX. She has published and presented her research focused on K-12 Education and Administration, K-12 STEM Education, and Mentoring Undergraduate First-Generation Latino Students Pursuing STEM College and Career Pathways at National and Global Conferences. Dr. Cruz is an Author, Editor at Sage Publications, and Reviewer for Journals and Organizations across the country. Dr. Cruz is also a proud wife and mother of four amazing children. She is a STEM Education Leader, Advocate, Mentor, and passionate about empowering the next generation to dream big, never give up, and realize all that is possible regardless of circumstance.

Chelsea Walker

Chelsea Walker

Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Chelsea Walker

Chelsea Walker

Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Dale Burrus

Dale Burrus

Partner
Spencer Fane

Dale Burrus

Dale Burrus

Partner
Spencer Fane

Deysi Crespo

Deysi Crespo

CEO
Katy Christian Ministries

Deysi Crespo

Deysi Crespo

CEO
Katy Christian Ministries

Deysi Crespo, MSW is a dedicated and fearless leader serving as the Executive Director for 8 years at Katy Christian Ministries, a Human Services non-profit organization founded in 1984 in the Katy/West Houston area. Prior to becoming the Executive Director, Deysi has been involved with Katy Christian Ministries since 2007 in various roles. Her focus is aligned with the mission of transforming lives with an emphasis on alleviating poverty, addressing food insecurity, and providing immediate and long-term crisis interventions. Her micro and macro skills have given her the capability to evaluate and strengthen programmatic services for the overall well-being of the clients and the community. She has led the organization to a higher dimension, working strategically and steadfast with her management team, Board of Directors and stakeholders. Under her leadership, the organization has become a trauma-informed care agency, achieved the top 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator and has received other valuable recognitions and accreditations from GuideStar, Better Business Bureau of Greater-Houston, and the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability, all which validate transparency, ethical standards of responsible stewardship, and outcomes-driven approach. In 2012, she earned her Master’s degree from University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, with a Clinical Concentration. In May 2010, she earned her Bachelor’s degree from University of Houston Clear Lake, where she obtained a Certificate in Women’s Studies. In her community, Deysi was recognized in Katy’s Top 100 Women of 2018 by Katy Magazine. In May 2019, she was recognized as of one The 50 Most Giving Moms in Katy, also by Katy Magazine. In December 2018, Deysi was featured as one of The Signal’s 10 Most Fascinating People of University of Houston Clear Lake.

Lana Pigao

Lana Pigao

Director of Communication Services
Houston Community College

Lana Pigao

Lana Pigao

Director of Communication Services
Houston Community College

Creative, goal-oriented professional with solid marketing communications, public relations and community relations experience. Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines. Strong work ethic combined with a commitment to excellence in all projects undertaken. Team player who works effectively to accomplish objectives. Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills. Well-connected, highly successful in business relations development and business marketing. Results-oriented communications strategist, proactive media and communications professional with 20 years in internal and external communications. Highly accomplished marketing-communications professional with strengths in special events and promotion planning.

LeAnn Gutierrez

LeAnn Gutierrez

Vice President
DEI Training Institute

LeAnn Gutierrez

LeAnn Gutierrez

Vice President
DEI Training Institute

Dr. LeAnn Gutierrez possess over 20 years of progressive experience in various health care administrative roles and served in leadership roles in academic health settings at public research institutions, including Florida Atlantic University, the University of Oregon, and The University of Texas at Austin since 2010 until 2022. As a college health and student affairs professional, she has delivered numerous DEIA presentation across the country and provided individual coaching and organizational consultations. ​ Dr. Gutierrez has served as a keynote speaker for several cultural events working in higher education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and master’s in business administration with a concentration in healthcare management, and a doctorate in philosophy in higher education administration. Her passion is promoting health equity and educating the world about the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. Dr. Gutierrez currently serves as the co-founder and vice president for The DEIA Training Institute. She is originally from southern California, resides in Sugar Land, Texas with her family, and is of Mexican American (Chicana) and Puerto Rican decent. She is a proud mother of 4 and just celebrated 20 years of marriage.

Emily Ledbetter

Emily Ledbetter

Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Emily Ledbetter

Emily Ledbetter

Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Gabriela Smith

Gabriela Smith

Owner & CEO
Big State Construction

Gabriela Smith

Gabriela Smith

Owner & CEO
Big State Construction

Gabriela Smith is the Co-Founder and CEO of Big State Construction, a Houston-based construction, renovation, and development company. She is a member of numerous community associations, including the UH Alumni Cougar Business Network, The Periwinkle Foundation, Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also serves on the board of directors for Ascend Houston, an organization who focuses on minority business owners in construction. She is certified as a woman owned business with the city of Houston. Gabriela earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications and Public Relations and minor in Art History from the University of Houston and her MBA in Organizational Leadership from the University of Houston-Downtown. She was born in Honduras and now resides in Houston with her husband and two boys.

Glenda Franco

Glenda Franco

Associate & Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Glenda Franco

Glenda Franco

Associate & Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Humera Shah

Humera Shah

IT Specialist, Cloud Architect
Enbridge

Humera Shah

Humera Shah

IT Specialist, Cloud Architect
Enbridge

Jackie Longoria

Jackie Longoria

Architect & Associate
Page Southerland Page

Jackie Longoria

Jackie Longoria

Architect & Associate
Page Southerland Page

Jai Collier

Jai Collier

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
TDECU

Jai Collier

Jai Collier

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
TDECU

Jai Collier, JD | SPHR | CDE® spent 15-years as a litigation attorney and has been coaching in the world of Diversity Equity and Inclusion for over 20 years. She is a full-time DEI practitioner, speaker, and author. She currently serves as the Director of DEI for Houston’s largest credit union. She also served as the co-chair of the Houston Chapter of the Diversity First Coalition, a subset of the Texas Diversity Council. Collier is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law.

Jamie Flatt

Jamie Flatt

Architect & Principal of Strategic Planning Dept.
Page Southerland Page

Jamie Flatt

Jamie Flatt

Architect & Principal of Strategic Planning Dept.
Page Southerland Page

Jayne Johnston

Jayne Johnston

Administrative Director, Patient Business Services
Memorial Hermann Hospital

Jayne Johnston

Jayne Johnston

Administrative Director, Patient Business Services
Memorial Hermann Hospital

José Piña

José Piña

CEO & Consultant
Your Nonverbals are Showing

José Piña

José Piña

CEO & Consultant
Your Nonverbals are Showing

José Piña is your local Certified Body Language Specialist. A published behavioral researcher, he studies the science of nonverbal skills so he can teach others how to improve their communication. Guilty pleasures includes WiFi, snacks, & naps.

Karen De Amat

Karen De Amat

CEO
Social Behavior

Karen De Amat

Karen De Amat

CEO
Social Behavior

Karen De Amat’s professional career began on the cusp of the Social Media emergence. As a working professional in marketing, she built a social media presence and developed her personal brand. Karen’s solo-preneur to entrepreneur journey as the CEO of Social Behavior started in 2014 with a grassroots-like approach of serving a handful of customers in a home-based office. Satisfied customers and high demand yielded the opportunity for growth in a developing marketing category. In the last eight years, the agency has grown immensely and continues to exceed customers expectations with turn-key social media solutions. Karen's career as a marketing professional arrives from her experience with Luxury, Hospitality, and Wine & Spirits. Before her leap into Marketing Karen acquired corporate experience in her 7 years tenure in the Oil & Gas Industry. Karen also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Houston-Downtown. In her minimal spare time, Karen donates to and supports various local charities and is involved with local community initiatives to help the Houston community continuously prosper. For leisure, Karen enjoys exploring new cultures via travel, trekking the outdoors, and cooking in “Karen’s Kitchen”.

Kyra Hardwick

Kyra Hardwick

Chief Development Specialist
The Kyra Company

Kyra Hardwick

Kyra Hardwick

Chief Development Specialist
The Kyra Company

Leslie Ward

Leslie Ward

Specialist Facility Integrity Engineer
Enbridge

Leslie Ward

Leslie Ward

Specialist Facility Integrity Engineer
Enbridge

Lola Soyebo Harris

Lola Soyebo Harris

Managing Director
Alpha Residential

Lola Soyebo Harris

Lola Soyebo Harris

Managing Director
Alpha Residential

Lola grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and was influenced by her country’s oil and gas industry to pursue an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. A summer internship in packaging engineering in General Mills’ Yoplait division led her to start her engineering career in the consumer packaged goods industry instead. While at General Mills, she led numerous cross-functional projects focused on consumer insights and ethnographies, packaging development, and product launches for iconic brands such as Betty Crocker, Cascadian Farm, and Pillsbury. Lola also worked at Wholesome Sweeteners and led new product development, cost-saving projects, and sustainability initiatives while earning her MBA from the University of Houston. In 2017, driven by her curiosity to leverage her MBA, Lola joined a private equity real estate firm - Alpha Residential, to set up the operations and asset management departments. She later transitioned to build the marketing department. Currently, she is responsible for the firm’s brand, marketing, and public relations initiatives. A self-taught brand marketer, Lola has created and launched 4 community brands, managed a multi-million marketing budget for 22+ corporate and property brands, and recently rebranded the firm to its current name - Alpha Residential. Lola is an advocate for equality and opportunities for children, women, and immigrants. In her spare time, she feeds her curiosity through travel, podcasts, and new recipes while hanging out with her husband and two sons.

Margarita de Monterrosa

Margarita de Monterrosa

/Associate Principal & Senior Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Margarita de Monterrosa

Margarita de Monterrosa

/Associate Principal & Senior Project Architect
Page Southerland Page

Maria Marcano

Maria Marcano

Senior Project Manager
Enbridge

Maria Marcano

Maria Marcano

Senior Project Manager
Enbridge

Maria Marcano holds an MBA and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, she has more than twenty-two years of experience in the Oil and Gas Industry. In her current role as Senior Project Engineer for the Facilities and Storage Maintenance Program at Enbridge, she is leading several projects and managing the execution strategy to meet US safety and quality regulations. Her career started in Venezuela, her natal Country, where she worked in the state oil company PDVSA, she has also worked in different Countries such as Colombia, Mexico, and Trinidad & Tobago, where she performed several leadership roles, in 2012 she moved to the United States, where continued working in the Energy Sector. She is currently on the board of FEMINEN (FEMale IN ENgineering) an Enbridge ERG which was awarded the 2022 GRIT Awards & Best Energy Workplaces for its mission focused on recruiting, promoting, and retaining women in STEM. Maria is married and mother of 6 years old twin boys, she is also passionate about women’s empowerment and self-improvement, she is a Certified Life Coach and published author, her book "Es Hora de Ser Libre: Un Manual para ponerle fin a las relaciones nocivas de tu vida" (Is Time to be Free: A Guideline to get rid off poisoned relationships in your life), is helping people to find their path to Self-Empowerment and to become the Leaders of their own life.

Rima Adil

Rima Adil

Dean of Student Success
Houston Community College

Rima Adil

Rima Adil

Dean of Student Success
Houston Community College

Sarah Monty-Arnoni

Sarah Monty-Arnoni

Partner
Monty & Ramirez LLP

Sarah Monty-Arnoni

Sarah Monty-Arnoni

Partner
Monty & Ramirez LLP

Sarah D. Monty-Arnoni is a partner and leader of the immigration practice group of Monty & Ramirez and Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She counsels employers in all aspects of employment-based immigration, including nonimmigrant and immigrant visas, permanent residency, citizenship, policy development and compliance with the ever-increasing regulations applicable to both U.S. employers and the foreign nationals whom they employ.Sarah’s clients include families, investors, emerging and mid-sized businesses and large corporations in a variety of industries, such as energy, health care, IT consulting, oil and gas, financial services and the import and export of consumer goods. She also assists clients in performing “immigration due diligence” in preparation for corporate restructures and merger and acquisition transactions. Sarah is passionate about immigrant education issues due to her previous experience as public school bilingual education teacher serving at-risk youth in El Paso, Texas. Sarah has also taught English as a Foreign Language in Spain from 1985-1992 as well as the El Paso Community College from 1992-1995. As an attorney Sarah has served as a law instructor at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, San Jacinto Community College and the University of Houston Small Business Development Center. In May 2013, Sarah was appointed to sit on the Texas Southern University Board of Regents.

Soledad Tanner

Soledad Tanner

Founder & CEO
STC Consulting

Soledad Tanner

Soledad Tanner

Founder & CEO
STC Consulting

Susan Thompson

Susan Thompson

Program Director of Engineering & STEM Initiatives
Houston Community College

Susan Thompson

Susan Thompson

Program Director of Engineering & STEM Initiatives
Houston Community College

Susan Thompson currently serves as the Program Director for Engineering & STEM Initiatives at Houston Community College. She is the Project Manager for the UH/HCC Engineering Academy which has two locations. Other projects include leading the design and development of the HCC MakerSpace in the West Houston Institute, and serving as the Acting Director of the Engineering Center of Excellence during the HCC system reorganization in 2015. Susan serves on the Board of the Houston West Chamber of Commerce and the West Houston Leadership Institute. Susan and her husband Phillip moved to Houston from Tulsa, Oklahoma in 2012.

Sponsors

Alchemy Consulting Group
Burnett Specialists
Enbridge Employee Services
HEB
Houston Community College
METRO Transit Authority
Monty & Ramirez LLP
National University
Shipley Do-Nuts
Walgreens
Whataburger

If you have any question or would like more information about sponsorships please contact Haley Muff
at [email protected]

Contact Us

If you have any question or concerns please contact Haley Muff at
[email protected]