Tracy Spears | Founder of the Exceptional Leaders Lab

Tracy Spears is a Certified Speaking Professional and the Founder of the Exceptional Leaders Lab. She specializes in developing leaders, inspiring teamwork, and enhancing inter-office communications. The innovative content in her keynote speeches and workshops is taken directly from her best-selling books, “What Exceptional Leaders Know” and “The Exceptional Leaders Playbook”. Her energetic and interactive approach has helped leaders and aspiring leaders all over the world improve their leadership skills, their communication, and their understanding of how people and organizations succeed.

Tracy is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and an accomplished athlete who was a member of the U.S. National Softball Team. Tracy is a member of the National Speakers Association and is one of the highest rated leadership, diversity & inclusion, and team development coaches.

Community Engagement Manager | Microsoft

He is a Community Engagement Manager for Microsoft’s TechSpark initiative leading tech-enabled economic and workforce development in the region. He is also the founder of Proper Printshop, a creative services and custom apparel company and was recognized by the Small Business Administration as the 2017 Young Entrepreneur. J.J. got a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He is also a graduate of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Scaling Program.

Senior Labor Market Economist | Texas State Technical College

Mr. Froeschle is a labor market economist and a highly regarded speaker on a wide array of topics relating to the Texas economy, regional labor markets, and workforce and education programs. He is the Senior Labor Market Economist for Texas State Technical College and the former Director of the Labor Market and Career Information department of the Texas Workforce Commission. Prior to his work with Texas State government, Mr. Froeschle conducted in-service training with the National Labor Market Information Training Institute at the University of North Texas in the areas of strategic planning and regional economic analysis for state and federal employment and training programs.

Mr. Froeschle has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Manpower and Industrial Relations from the University of North Texas, where he also taught microeconomics, regional labor market analysis, and workforce strategic planning. His writings include the books How Many is Enough? A Practitioners Guide to Occupational Targeting and Supply/Demand Analysis (forthcoming), Where the Jobs Are, Working Texas Style, An Atmosphere of Enterprise, and a dozen monographs including Life After COVID: Economic & Job Market Phenomena to Ponder Post-pandemic, Targeting Your Labor Market, Getting Down to Business, and The Texas Economy: An Age of Global Economic Opportunity. His many essays and briefs are focused on the application of labor market and career information in education policy, workforce planning and economic development. His most recent research has centered on the use of skills to understand regional labor market dynamics and career progression and includes three reports, The Future is Ahead of You: Navigating Your Way to Career Success, Everyone Starts Somewhere: Career Pathways in the Heart of Texas, and On the Move! Exploring the Concepts of Career Progressions and Career Lattices for Central Texas Workers.

Mr. Froeschle has made presentations at over 540 conference events over the past twenty-five years on a variety of labor market topics. His professional specialties and interests are in the fields of regional economic analysis, labor market dynamics, skill and job analysis, and the development and interpretation of labor market information; all of which have occupied his career for the past 41 years.

Senior Vice President, Thought Leadership | Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Arturo Franco is a development economist and strategy consultant. His career combines high-level positions in Fortune 500 corporations and global organizations, with public policy and international development experience.

Before joining Mastercard, Arturo was a senior advisor for McKinsey & Company’s global public and social policy practice and executive director of the Planning Council of the State of Nuevo Leon, where he also served as Undersecretary. Over the past years, Arturo has been Global Leadership Fellow for Latin America at the World Economic Forum, economics research fellow at Harvard University’s Center for International Development, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Arturo holds economics degrees from Monterrey Tec in Mexico and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he was also vice chair of the Alumni Board. His essays and books have been published by the Brookings Institution, the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, the Atlantic Council, and the Policy Network.

Managing Director |  Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

Michelle De La Isla has devoted her life to service in the non-profit, private, and public sectors during her career.  Her journey into public service was not easy. She overcame poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, and cancer as a single mother. These experiences made her a stronger community advocate.

After graduating from Wichita State University, she taught financial literacy to Latina women across the country with MANA National, built homes with Habitat for Humanity, started a Latina teen empowerment Conference in Topeka and participated in the Capital District Group that revitalized downtown Topeka. She served as chief financial officer and executive director of two non-profit organizations, and successfully ran a state-wide supplier diversity and diversity and inclusion programs for a Fortune 500 public utility.

Michelle was elected to the Topeka City Council in 2013, and Mayor of Topeka in 2017. As mayor, she focused on economic development, equity, and infrastructure improvements. She was elected by her peers to the US Conference of Mayors Advisory Council in 2018. In 2020, she ran for U.S. Congress in KS-02 while serving on Shawnee County’s Covid-19 emergency management team managing crisis communications and facilitating community collaborations to mitigate the effect of the pandemic in the community to safeguard citizens, medical resources and the economy.

Michelle retired as Mayor in January 2022, she now works as a Managing Director at the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation where she supports seven social entrepreneurs in six organizations as their Operating Partner and Board member.  These organizations include, The American Journalism Project, Education Superhighway 2.0, The Well, Partners for Justice and Brilliant Detroit. Michelle will attend Harvard University to obtain her MC-MPA in the 2022-2023 academic year.

The title she holds dearest to her heart is "Mom" to  Erick, Cristina and Lorraine.

Director of Strategy and Communications | The Miles Foundation

Sara Redington is Director of Strategy & Communications for The Miles Foundation. Ms. Redington brings 15 years of strategic planning, business development, and communications experience to her role. She founded Redington Solutions in 2009, a strategy and communications firm serving businesses in Texas and across the country. Prior to that endeavor, Ms. Redington led both local and international business development efforts at the global law firm of K&L Gates. Today, she connects The Miles Foundation with its mission by spearheading strategic initiatives that amplify community impact, engaging key stakeholders in the Foundation’s whole-community approach, and aligning Foundation practices with its long-term vision for success.. Ms. Redington graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Communications and Psychology. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, Zach, and daughter, Emma Joy.

Chief People Officer | Helen of Troy

Lisa Kidd serves as Chief People Officer for Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE), designer, developer and worldwide marketer of consumer brand-name Home and Outdoor, Health and Wellness, & Beauty products. She is a member of Helen of Troy’s Global Leadership Team, reporting to CEO Julien Mininberg. A leading expert in her field with over 30 years transformational Human Resources experience, Lisa has worked for companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cadbury Schweppes, Hewlett-Packard, NEC Corporation of America, and Infosys Limited in the top HR executive role.

At Helen of Troy, she has developed and implemented an innovative HR strategy striving to become an employer of choice. Lisa has led a successful corporate brand initiative, implementation of the Workday human capital management system, along with the launch of Helen of Troy’s Diversity, Equity Inclusion & Belonging programs. She is also the culture architect for Helen of Troy, leading the company to attract and retain top talent. Lisa is tasked with coaching and counseling a global executive team, handling organizational design, talent management, training and development, benefits, mergers and acquisitions, employee relations, internal communications, payroll, compensation, and recruiting at the executive level.

Lisa has significant international experience, having supported employees in most areas of the world including Europe, Mexico, Brazil, Malaysia, Japan, India, Vietnam and China. She has a deep understanding of culture influenced by curiosity and a passion for business growth. 

Lisa has a BA in Business Administration and Psychology and an MBA in Human Resources.

Executive Director | Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program (AILAS)

Domenika Lynch is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program (AILAS), with the mission of empowering Latino communities and promoting long-term economic growth and resiliency. All of AILAS programming is rooted in the goal of increasing recognition that the nation’s success depends on Latinos’ inclusion at all levels of society. 

Over the course of two decades in leadership roles, Lynch has overseen strategic planning, policy advocacy, and public affairs campaigns for nonprofits and corporations, increasing donor and stakeholder support and raising millions of dollars for organizational endowments.

From July 2016 to May 2019, Lynch served as president and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), the preeminent Latino leadership institute founded by Hispanic members of Congress in Washington, DC. Building on CHCI’s 40-year legacy, she led an organizational and financial turn-around to ensure that CHCI will remain a premier national convener for thought leadership. 

She previously spent more than a decade as executive director of the Latino Alumni Association (LAA) at the University of Southern California. During her tenure, LAA doubled its membership and tripled its endowment. Her professional breadth extends into the corporate sector, with previous leadership positions at Bank of America and Univision. 

Lynch currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Management Foundation and serves on Bank of America’s National Community Advisory Council which advises the bank on community development, environmental and consumer policy issues. She also serves on the Council on Underserved Communities (CUC) which provides the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) with input, advice and recommendations on strategies to help strengthen competitiveness and sustainability for small businesses in underserved communities.

A graduate of the USC Price School of Public Policy, Lynch holds a master’s degree from the USC Rossier School of Education.

Assistant Dean | College of Business Administration at The University of Texas at El Paso 

Laura Uribarri is Assistant Dean for the College of Business Administration at the University of Texas at El Paso. During her time with the College, she has managed the undergraduate and MBA programs. Currently, she is responsible for the College’s co-curricular programming and she oversees corporate partnerships and external communications. She is also Co-principal Investigator for a multi-year Prudential Grant for the initiative titled “Risk Management and Advancing Latinx in the Actuary Profession.”  

Laura served as the Vice President of the Government Relations Division of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce for several years before joining Mayor Joe Wardy’s Administration at the City of El Paso. Following her appointment in the Mayor’s Office, she joined El Paso Electric as their Senior Government Affairs Representative in Austin, Texas for two years.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations with honors from Stanford University. She holds a Master of Public Affairs Degree from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. She also earned Master of Arts in History and a Ph.D. in Borderlands History from The University of Texas at El Paso.  

Laura is a member of Executive Forum and the Paso Del Norte Stanford Alumni Club. She is a proud alumnus of the Texas Lyceum and Leadership El Paso. She currently serves on the board of directors of the El Paso Downtown Management District.

Partner | Kemp Smith

Clara (C.B.) Burns is a Partner in the Firm’s Labor and Employment Law Department and a member of the Firm's Management Committee. She is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is also licensed in New Mexico. C.B. represents employers in all aspects of workplace law, including advice and counseling, workplace investigations, handbook and policy reviews, and litigation defense of discrimination, discharge, and other employment matters in the federal and state courts of Texas and New Mexico and before numerous governmental agencies.

Field Services Director | Society for Human Resource Management

Art Gloria is an award-winning, experienced professional in human resources, finance, and general business management with a demonstrated history of working in the government, health care, and diverse private business industries. At SHRM, he is responsible for fostering and promoting membership, educational programs, and services advancing the profession of human resources and creating a better world through better workplaces for all.

Art has a very rich background in volunteer leadership, having been in various board roles with local SHRM chapters, including most recently serving as the chapter president of El Paso SHRM. In addition, he serves on various non-profit boards.

Art holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Regents University London. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso, where he earned his B.A. in Political Science.

CEO | Workforce Solutions Borderplex

Leila Melendez is CEO of Workforce Solutions Borderplex, a partner of the Texas Workforce Commission network.  Workforce Solutions helps people find good jobs by linking them with businesses seeking out talent to help them grow. She works closely with local businesses, educators, community partners, and economic developers to improve our region’s skills & competitiveness.

Leila has been with WSB for seven years and began her role as CEO at the start of the pandemic. Over the last two years as CEO, she has led Workforce Solutions through a leadership change and a major economic disruption with agility, innovation, and inspiration.

Leila has over 20 years of experience in El Paso’s economic development landscape, ranging from small business development, business retention and expansion, workforce development, and now economic recovery. Before Workforce Solutions, Leila was the Chief of Staff to then City Manager Joyce Wilson during a dynamic and transformative time, including the relocation of City Hall and the building of the ballpark.

Leila is a native El Pasoan having obtained all her education within the region, including a Bachelor's Degree in Management from the University of Phoenix and her MBA from UTEP. She serves on the Boards of the El Paso Fireman and Policemen's Pension Fund Board and Executive Forum and is also a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Workforce Development Council and Texas Association of Workforce Boards.

In 2017 was recognized as a Breakthrough Leader by the El Paso Chamber, and in 2010, Leila was recognized by former El Paso Mayor John Cook with the Star on the Mountain Award for the achievement of the All-America City designation.

CEO | Project Amistad

Mrs. Andrea Ramirez has been with Amistad for 12 years and has grown into several roles during her tenure with the agency. She began her journey with Amistad as the Director of the Aging, Disability & Transportation Resource Center {ADTRC) and was later promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Social Service Programs. Her success at the agency has revolved around grant writing and sustainability to provide much needed services. As of June 1, 2020, Mrs. Ramirez assumed her new role as Chief Executive Officer for Amistad. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor {LPC), a Licensed Professional Dependency Counselor {LPDC), a Society of Human Resource Management Certified Professional {SHRM-CP), and holds a Master of Counseling with a Specialization in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy. She has served as the El Paso SHRM Diversity and Inclusion Director and currently serves as the Vice President of Programs. She was a member of Leadership Class 41. She was recently selected as Women of Impact from the El Paso Inc.

CEO | Barracuda Public Relations

Marina Monsisvais founded Barracuda Public Relations to be the megaphone for all the great things happening in El Paso. She has grown the company from a boutique PR agency founded around her kitchen table into one of the most recognized and respected small businesses in El Paso. A graduate of New Mexico State University, Marina has leveraged her commercial media experience and her deep engagement in the El Paso-Juárez community to create an indispensable resource for local businesses, non-profit organizations and government institutions. Marina’s involvement in each client project ensures that everything we do is infused with the look, feel and optimistic attitude for which Barracuda is known. 

Marina achieved her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2020 and serves on the board of directors of The Hospitals of Providence, YWCA Paso del Norte, Pioneers 21, and Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. She is also host of "State of the Arts" on our local NPR station, KTEP 88.5FM.

 Sean has 20 years of experience in TV news and has been a News Director in Eugene, Oregon and Jacksonville, Florida. He has also been an Assistant News Director & an Executive Producer in Denver and was most recently an Executive Producer in Tampa. He has a Master's Degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado.

Editor | El Paso Inc.

For the past 13 years, Robby has covered local news of interest to the business community in the border region. When he was 12, his family sold most everything and bought a sailboat. Robby, his brother and parents circumnavigated the world, visiting more than 50 countries over seven years. He attended college in the United States, earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is married to Katie, has four children and three dogs. Robby enjoys playing with his kids, reliving the’90s on his inline skates and gardening.

CEO | El Paso Matters

Robert Moore has been a journalist for 39 years, most of it in El Paso. He currently is president and CEO of El Paso Matters, a nonprofit news organization he founded that began publishing in February 2020. At a time when most news organizations are shrinking, El Paso Matters has grown in two years from one employee to 11.

Moore has written about border issues for the Washington Post, ProPublica, Texas Monthly and other media outlets. In 2020, he was the recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for work that showed that the Border Patrol ignored the worsening condition of a 16-year-old boy who later died of the flu in his cell. He also was part of a Washington Post team that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for coverage of mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio. In 2013, while serving as editor of the El Paso Times, he was presented the Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award from the National Press Foundation, the nation’s highest honor for a newspaper editor.

Moore graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at El Paso, earning a B.A. in political science in 1998.

Moore serves on the board of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. He previously has served on the boards of El Paso’s United Way, Center Against Sexual and Family Violence and the Child Crisis Center. He is a past president of the Colorado Press Association and Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. He is married to Kate Gannon, an assistant professor of practice in UTEP’s Communications Department.

Regional Content Director | Entravision

Brenda is the Regional Content Director (News Director) for Entravision Communications Corp. She is an expert in bringing communications, news, and stories to life.

Senior Director of Culture, DEI&B and Training | Helen of Troy

Elsa Borrego is a proud El Paso “boomerang.” Born and raised in El Paso, moved away, and came back home after living in San Antonio, Texas for 10 years and an additional 3 years in Phoenix, Arizona.

During her time in San Antonio, Elsa led a Global Training Team in Europe & Asia for Bank of America. She then transitioned to a role at USAA, a Fortune 500, Great Place to Work company where she focused on leadership development, culture and engagement. USAA offered her the opportunity to move to the Phoenix, AZ campus to lead their leadership development efforts. The road that led her back to El Paso was an opportunity with Helen of Troy; she has served as the Global Leader for Training & Development and Culture since 2016 and most recently was tasked to lead Helen of Troy’s DEI&B efforts as well.

Elsa earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Master’s degree in Adult Education & Training from the University of Phoenix. She has also earned several training certifications in the areas of Culture Shaping, Leadership Development and Diversity & Inclusion. She is a proud graduate of Leadership El Paso Class XL, a member of Executive Forum and currently serves on the Board of Directors for El Paso Children’s Hospital, The American Red Cross and The El Paso Chamber. Her passion is giving back to the community and supporting issues such as under privileged women & children, the elderly, and immigrants.

CEO | YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region

Sylvia Y. Acosta, Ph.D. currently serves as the CEO of the largest YWCA in the nation.  At the YWCA El Paso Del Norte she oversees a budget of over 37 million dollars with more than 400 employees. 

Dr. Acosta has over three decades of professional experience in nonprofit management, executive university leadership, fundraising, and legislative and policy development at the local, state, and national levels. Her experience in nonprofits includes serving as one of the first and youngest President/CEO of a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in the United States, serving as COO of a national early childhood education program, and leading various nonprofits focused on improving the lives of women, families and children.   

Dr. Acosta holds a PhD from New Mexico State University where she studied higher education administration and leadership.  Dr. Acosta holds a Masters of Arts degree from St. Mary’s University in political science with emphasis on national security. Her Bachelor of Arts degree is in political science from the University of Texas at Austin. 

Dr. Acosta is an active member of various civic and professional organizations and currently serves on various boards.  She is the proud daughter of migrant workers and considers herself an example of the American Dream.  Dr. Acosta is a first generation college graduate.  She is married to Joe Graham, PhD and has two wonderful children.  

Director, Community + Human Development Chief Resilience Officer | City of El Paso

Holding degrees in both interior design and architecture from Texas Tech University, Nicole has leveraged her background in design and systems thinking to launch a career building better, stronger, more prosperous communities.  In 2007, she founded Uncommon LLC, a private consulting firm, as a mechanism to advocate for historically underrepresented populations and affect positive change within the urban environment.

In 2013, the City of El Paso became one of the first cities in the world to join the 100 Resilient Cities initiative pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation.  In 2014, Nicole became the first Latina in the world to serve as Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) for a municipal government.  The CRO is an innovative position in city government that reports directly to the city’s chief executive and acts as the city’s point person for coordinating citywide efforts that address social, environmental and economic challenges.  After 3 years of intensive community engagement, research and planning, Nicole led the team that completed the City’s first comprehensive Resilience Strategy; a roadmap of actions aimed at propelling El Paso forward toward realization of our full potential as a prospering binational metroplex.

Most recently Nicole is serving as Director of Community + Human Development for the City of El Paso.  In this role she continues to raise the bar for city leadership by provoking innovation among civic leaders, industry professionals and the community at large.  Over the course of the COVID-19 crisis she led the Vulnerable Population Support Task Force, overseeing the deployment of over $77 million dollars in aid to thousands of El Paso’s most vulnerable residents.  She remains focused on building grass roots resilience across the Paso Del Norte region, emphasizing dynamic solutions to the challenges of climate instability, urban development, housing, homelessness, economic prosperity and social justice.

Senior Program Officer | Ford Foundation’s JustFilms

Chi-hui Yang is a Senior Program Officer for Ford Foundation’s JustFilms initiative, a global effort that supports filmmakers and organizations whose work addresses the most urgent social issues of our time. Yang has also worked extensively as a film curator and educator, including work with: San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight and the Flaherty Seminar.

President | Better Business Bureau Paso del Norte

Marybeth Stevens serves as the President of Better Business Bureau Paso del Norte where she and her team work to promote an ethical marketplace based on trust.  She serves on the International Association of Better Business Bureau’s Board of Directors and Chairs its Governance Committee.  Marybeth also serves as the El Paso County Judge’s appointee to the El Paso County Ethics Commission, is appointed by the Mayor of El Paso to serve on the board of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, is a guest lecturer and has taught Organizational Communication and Leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso, and serves on several local boards and advisory committees.

Prior to joining the BBB, Marybeth’s career focused advocacy and public and community relations.  She began her professional career in Washington, D.C., representing the industry at state and federal levels as Senior Counsel for the American Council of Life Insurers.  In 2002, she and her family moved to El Salvador and then Mexico City, where she consulted for USAID projects relating to criminal justice reform and human trafficking.  In 2010, she joined El Paso Electric and oversaw EPE’s local government affairs, public relations, and corporate citizenship programs as Assistant Vice President of External Affairs and Public Relations.  She has also provided executive management and organizational consulting services in the border region. 

Marybeth earned a B.A. from the University of Texas in Austin and a J.D. from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and is a member of the Maryland and D.C. Bar Associations. 

Director | Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness

Mayra Maldonado is the Director of the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness, a research organization within the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) that focuses on the economy of the U.S.-Mexico border. Under her leadership, the Hunt Institute’s research portfolio has blossomed with new projects that include a market analysis of El Paso’s broadband infrastructure, an economic impact study of border security’s effects on regional and national economies, and studies of the El Paso small-business environment through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile she has strengthened the Institute’s focus on its core mission of creating high-quality market analysis tools, including a border regional economic database and an ongoing series of infographics for policymakers, business people and the general public.

Prior to joining the Hunt Institute, Mayra worked as an economist at the Central Bank of Mexico. While there, she led the economic and financial analysis of Mexico’s northeastern border region, and its linkages with the rest of Mexico and the US. Mayra also worked for Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI). In that capacity, she led the Americas Index Research and Corporate Actions teams based in Mumbai, India, and Monterrey, Mexico. During her time at MSCI, she specialized in analysis of Inter-American financial markets equities. She received her bachelors in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and her Master’s degree in Economics from New York University through CONACYT and Fulbright scholarships. As an undergraduate, she participated in an exchange program with the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris. She is currently enrolled in the doctorate degree in Data Analytics at UTEP.  Born and raised in a dynamic cross-border region, Mayra is personally and professionally invested in contributing to the economic development of the U.S.-Mexico region.

Director of Customer Success | True Impact

Sadie Miller, director of customer success at True Impact, provides clients with in-depth research, analysis, and project management services. Sadie implements True Impact’s grants, volunteer, board service, and pro bono measurement and benchmarking initiatives and specializes in social impact evaluation. She brings expertise in civic engagement, community partnership development, and policy analysis, having worked at Williams College, Campus Compact, The Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Brandeis Center for Youth and Communities. Sadie earned an MPP in Social Policy from Brandeis University and a BA in sociology from Smith College.

Principal Consultant | Helix Solutions

A member of the American Evaluation Association since 2007, Christopher C. Villa received his B.S. in Civil Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 1998. Upon graduation, he was employed as a payloads engineer at the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, where he worked until June 2003. In August 2003, he enrolled in UTEP’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. In 2004, he added the Master in Public Administration (MPA) curriculum to his coursework and was accepted into the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Work Study Program. Villa earned the dual MBA/MPA degrees and received the “Outstanding Public Administration Research Award” in May 2007. 

During his academic tenure, he came to the realization that the El Paso community had a need for objective program evaluation for non-profit and public organizations. As a result, Helix Solutions was formed. Villa was also recognized as an “Outstanding Alumnus” by the UTEP MPA program in 2016. His work has been published in The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning.

CEO | Paso del Norte Community Foundation

Tracy J. Yellen is the Chief Executive Officer of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, which includes the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, Fundacion Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar, El Paso Giving Day and a growing community of philanthropy.

Prior to joining the Foundations in 2013, Tracy served as Managing Partner of MJD & Associates, Campaign Director for the World YWCA Global Campaign, Development Director for the YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region, Public Outreach Director for the Border Environment Cooperation Commission, and Program Coordinator in the Office of Border Affairs for the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

Tracy is active in the El Paso community. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas El Paso Branch, Borderplex Alliance, PHIX Health Information Exchange, Fundacion Paso del Norte para la Salud y Bienestar, and YWCA World Service Council. She was previously on the boards of the University Medical Center of El Paso, YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region, Women’s Fund of El Paso, Mesita Elementary, Wiggs Middle and El Paso High School PTAs, Kern Place Association, Keep El Paso Beautiful and The Johns Hopkins University.

Tracy has been recognized with numerous awards including the 2014 El Paso Inc. Woman of Impact, 2014 Project Amistad Humanitarian of the Year, 2012 Association of Fundraising Professionals Executive of the Year, and 2012 Nolan Richardson Charities Elaine Pharr Woman of the Year.

Tracy earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University and Masters in Public Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. She is a former college basketball player and marathon runner. Tracy is married to Steve Yellen and has two children.

Board Chair | Paso del Norte Community Foundation 

Tripper is the board chair of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. Mr. Goodman has served on the Paso del Norte Community Foundation board since 2016 and is president of Goodman Financial Group.

Tripper is actively involved in the community. He serves, or has served, in a variety of capacities on a large number of boards and carries numerous awards and recognitions for his commitments and efforts to our community.

Vice President of Development | Paso del Norte Community Foundation

A native of El Paso, Ms. Short graduated from Loretto Academy. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Administration, both from the University of Texas at El Paso. She was named Outstanding Academic Graduate Student by the Institute for Policy and Economic Development when she received her Master’s in 2004, and she is a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. In 2017, Ms. Short was honored by El Paso Inc. as a Woman of Impact and the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce with the Breakthrough Leader Award. 

Director – Government & Public Affairs | Walmart

Ivan Jaime joined the Walmart corporate affairs department in November 2020 after spending the previous 15 years at Union Pacific Railroad. In his role as Director – Government & Public Affairs, Ivan Jaime implements Walmart’s corporate strategy for government relations, legislative advocacy, and crisis and corporate reputation management in Texas and Oklahoma.

Ivan’s leadership extends to state, trade, and nonprofit organizations, having previously served as President of the Texas Railroad Association, and on the Texas Border Trade Advisory Committee and San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Boards of Directors. He is currently the Vice Chairman of the Oklahoma Retail Merchants Association and serves on the Sister Cities International, Texas Retailers Association and the San Antonio – Mexico Friendship Council Boards of Directors.

Jaime has received numerous awards and recognitions in the last ten years. In 2012, he was recognized by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility as a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever for his rapid career progression. The next year, Ivan was recognized by the San Antonio Business Journal as one of the 40 most successful, community-minded professionals under the age of 40, and in 2016, he received the Rising Star Award from the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Jaime holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Science in Communication from Northwestern University. He is a graduate of the Union Pacific Leadership Development Program.

Ivan and his wife, Yesica, reside in San Antonio with their three young children.