Uplevel Her Program 2024

A professional development summit presented by AUSTIN WOMAN

Sept 13th 2024

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

CO-PRESENTING

AUTO SPONSOR

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

SUPPORTERS CONTENTSTACK

SAILPOINT

LUCERO CREATIVE STUDIO

YOUR NURSE FRIEND ATX

REFINE AESTHETICS

YOU ARE MAGIC MEDIA

AMBERLEAF CAPITAL PRINTING

SKINSPIRIT SKINCARE CLINIC AND SPA

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EARLYBIRD CBD TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY

THERAPIST UNCENSORED PODCAST

HALCYON HOME

THE GIRLS’ SCHOOL OF AUSTIN

RESPARK COACHING

OH HAPPY DAY BOOTH

SCHEDULE

9:30AM - 10AM CHECK-IN 10AM - 11AM MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS (CHOOSE ONE) • Money, Money, Money - Salon 1 • Leading with Influence - Salon 2 • So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur - Salon 3 • Fail Forward - Room 402/403

11AM - 12PM CHAMPAGNE NETWORKING

Sponsored by J Vineyards and Winery and Twin Liquors

12PM - 1:30PM LUNCHEON

• Meet our Allies in Action • Small Business Grant • Exciting announcements from Austin Woman • Cover Woman Panel

2PM - 3:15PM (CHOOSE ONE) AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS • Traction for your Business - Salon 1 • Kind Leadership - Salon 2 • Becoming an Author - Salon 3

3:15PM - 4PM HAPPY HOUR AFTER PARTY Scan to access Digital Program

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

MORNING SESSION MONEY, MONEY, MONEY PANEL | SALON 1 SPONSORED BY FIRST UNITED BANK It may not buy happiness, but having a strong grasp on your personal and professional financial situation is paramount. In this panel, we’ll hear from seasoned experts on how you can succeed in any financial situation, including raising money to fund your start-up, spending effectively, growing your business, making money through revenue and investing wisely.

LAWTON CUMMINGS

GENERAL PARTNER, CAPITAL FACTORY

As General Partner at Capital Factory, Lawton Cummings sources, negotiates and directs investments into early stage technology startups. Capital Factory is known as the “center of gravity for tech entrepreneurs in Texas” and has been the most active early stage investor in Texas for the past 15 years. In addition to investing, Lawton advises the portfolio startups and connects them with other investors, mentors and customers. Prior to joining Capital Factory, Lawton was Partner at Notley Ventures where she invested across various sectors; including venture, real estate, private equity and leveraged profits to fund and operate community-driven initiatives like Philanthropitch and HomeFront.

SARAH PUIL

FOUNDER, BOXT WINES

Sarah Puil is the Founder + CEO of BOXT, an award-winning, fully-licensed Napa and Texas winery, based on the European tradition of easy to love table wine. BOXT is revolutionizing fine wine by eliminating the waste of single-use glass bottles. With 40% of the carbon emissions in the wine industry stemming from the single-use glass bottles, we believe altpackaging is the future. BOXT can be found in homes across the country and in your favorite bars and restaurants. Before creating BOXT, Sarah ran global strategic partnerships for Apollo Education Group and served as Senior Vice President of Product Development at Strayer Education.

STEPHANIE VERDUGA

AUSTIN MARKET PRESIDENT, FIRST UNITED BANK Stephanie Verdugo is a highly respected banking professional with over 22 years of experience in the commercial banking industry. Her acclaim stems from a profound grasp of capital requirements, offering invaluable counsel for the expansion of local enterprises. She is renowned for her deep understanding of business needs and building lasting relationships with her clients. Stephanie's dedication to excellence has made her a well-respected figure, currently serving as Austin Market President of First United Bank, where she has implemented an innovative approach to banking that drives growth and success. Her ability to adapt to new challenges has been key to her success.

LALA ELIZONDO

COFOUNDER & MANAGING PRINCIPAL, TULE CAPITAL

Lala Elizondo is the Managing Partner of Tule Capital, an Austin-based firm specializing in commercial real estate investments across the U.S. with a portfolio encompassing over 4,200 doors in the Sunbelt region. Lala leverages her extensive experience to drive strategic investment and growth initiatives, including raising capital for high-impact projects. Bringing over 15 years of expertise in international business development from leading corporations, such as PepsiCo and Pernod Ricard. Lala’s background includes founding and managing serviceoriented businesses. This experience enriches her understanding of financial management, strategic growth and capital raising. As an angel investor and startup advisor, Lala actively mentors entrepreneurs in Founder Institute and TechStars.

MODERATOR NEHA SAMPAT CEO | CONTENSTACK CO-OWNER | AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

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LEADING WITH INFLUENCE

MORNING SESSION LEADING WITH INFLUENCE PANEL - SALON 2 SPONSORED BY UFCU A great leader can make all the difference in the world to her followers, but how do you become that celebrated leader when you many not have any role models to follow? Seasoned leaders will share their experiences on how they became successful leaders, overcoming obstacles and most importantly, moving into leadership and leading in a new hybrid working environment.

RHONDA PAVLICEK

EVP FINANCE & RISK / CFO

Rhonda Pavlicek joined the UFCU leadership team in 2023 with more than 25 years of financial services experience and has worked in various leadership roles in the credit union industry. As a driven and strategic executive specializing in the credit union and financial services sector, Rhonda brings experience balancing strategic goals with business requirements to achieve long-term stability and performance to UFCU. In her role, Rhonda oversees Accounting and Finance, Pricing & Financial Strategy, Secondary Markets, Risk and Facilities, and leads a cooperative-wide approach to protect financial, physical and human assets. Rhonda is a Certified Public Accountant and holds an MBA from Texas A&M University.

RAQUEL GARCIA

MARKETING DIRECTOR, UFCU

Raquel Garcia is the Director of Marketing at UFCU, where she drive brand, marketing and advertising strategies that support UFCU’s overall vision of empowering Members to achieve financial success and brighter futures. Garcia started her career in New York City at top advertising agencies working with brands like Mars Chocolate, Wrigley, Pepsi, AT&T and Starbucks. Recently Garcia was part of the inaugural launch team at Austin's first Major League Sports team, Austin FC, as the VP of Marketing leading brand and fan engagement.

AMBER BRADBURY

GLOBAL SITE STRATEGY, US REGIONAL LEAD

Amber is a trusted advisor with a remarkable 19-year career at Google, where she has cultivated extensive experience in strategy, operations and people management across diverse disciplines; including People Operations, Real Estate Operations, Leadership Development, Culture & Inclusion, Crisis Management, Workplace Experience and Community. She possesses a proven track record of collaborating with executive leadership and managing teams to identify, design and implement strategic initiatives, with a particular emphasis on guiding teams through periods of rapid change. Currently, Amber leads the US Site Strategy and Operations team for Google's US offices. Her team of Site Program Managers empowers local site leadership teams, drives strategy & operations and more.

JAN RYAN

CEO, 3HILLS VENTURES

Jan Ryan is an entrepreneur, venture-backed CEO and investor and UT faculty member. Before being recruited to UT in 2017, Jan spent 28 years on building expansion stage companies in technology, resulting in four acquisitions and one IPO. She was an early champion for Austin female entrepreneurs and created the city’s first organization advancing female founders in 2013, Women@Austin. Jan serves as Advisor and Board member for some of Austin’s most innovative young companies through 3Hills Ventures, her Strategic Advisory practice where Jan coaches CEOs in leadership and scaling revenues. Jan created an application-only class titled “Women in Entrepreneurship” in 2018 at UT.

MODERATOR TERRY MITCHELL

BLACK LEADERS COLLECTIVE E & CO TECH GLAM BEAUTY BAR CO-OWNER | AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

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SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ENTREPRENUER

MORNING SESSION SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ENTREPRENEURS PANEL - SALON 3 SPONSORED BY ZENBUSINESS Seems like everyone is doing it, right? This amazing panel of experts will guide you through the basics to determine if entrepreneurship is the right path for you, share resources and information available to you and focus on the pitfalls to avoid.

KYMBERLY NIELSEN

STATEWIDE PROGRAM MANAGER | TWU CENTER FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Kymberly Nielsen serves as the Statewide Program Manager at Texas Woman’s University – Center for Women Entrepreneurs. She truly believes she has the best job in the world, bringing the CWE AccelerateHER program to women entrepreneurs throughout Texas. Her personal entrepreneur experience includes 30 years as an independent conference planner and managing partner of her family’s business in the arts celebrating 50 years as a small business in Texas. She has had the honor of working with Presidential candidates, the Vatican and Supreme Court Justices. However, the gatherings empowering women to build their dreams are the events that truly bring her joy! Kymberly’s degrees are in marketing and economics.

JACKIE MAYO CEO

Jacqueline "Jackie" Mayo is a seasoned professional who has made significant contributions to the City of Austin for over a decade. As the Business Information Coordinator with the Small Business Division of the Economic Development Department, Jackie is instrumental in organizing training sessions and events for small businesses, creatives, nonprofits and cooperatives; helping them thrive with essential business tools and resources. Notable events she coordinates include Small Business Fundamentals Week, Austin Small Business Week, For Women, By Women: Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs and the Exploring Entrepreneurship panel series. Jackie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Radio/Television Broadcasting from the University of Houston.

NATALIE POINTDEXTER, MPH, CHES

FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL AT NPI CONSULTING HOUSE

Natalie Poindexter is a bold leader dedicated to advancing equity in public health, entrepreneurship and community building. As the founder of NPI Consulting House in Austin, Texas, she champions the mission of educating, elevating and empowering businesses and communities globally. With over a decade of expertise, Natalie leads Authentic Inclusion (MBE), blending her Master’s in Public Health and Certified Health Education Specialist certification with real-world experience. She has successfully secured nearly one million dollars in grants for clients within her first two years, adding to the $19 million awarded to clients and organizations throughout her career. Natalie’s leadership extends to global initiatives, including the launch of Convergence at SXSW 2024.

MAEGAN LANGLEY

MANAGER, CUSTOMER SUCCESS AT ZENBUSINESS

Maegan Langley is a Customer Success Manager in our Financial Technology (FinTech) divison at ZenBusiness. She balances her career with personal passions as a wife, cat mom and entrepreneur crafting reversible pet bandanas. Proud Austin resident and Austin FC fan, she loves community and champions women’s growth and balance in the workforce.

MODERATOR MELINDA GARVEY

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FOUNDER + CEO | INHER CIRCLE FOUNDER + CO-OWNER | AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

FAIL FORWARD

MORNING SESSION FAIL FORDARD PANEL - ROOM 402/403 SPONSORED BY AFFINIPAY Failure is defined as a lack of success or inability to meet an expectation. The problem is that we can read too much into failure. Too often, we tie it to our sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and self-acceptance. And most of the time, we don’t talk about it, but rather hide away to lick our wounds. You’ll hear from four amazing women who by all accounts are extremely successful (and they are), but they each experienced a significant business failure that could have hindered their path to success, but instead, became the catalyst for building a successful future.

JULS BINDI

FOUNDER + CEO, ZUGO BIKE

Juls Bindi is an entrepreneur, innovator, and advocate for safety and sustainability. Since 2003, she has spearheaded her self-funded ventures; including the acclaimed ZuGoPet, which she founded in 2013. ZuGoPet revolutionized pet safety with a multifunctional car harness, becoming one of only three global manufacturers to achieve perfect scores in safety tests and gaining viral recognition. Expanding her impact, Juls launched ZuGo Bike in 2019, quickly elevating the brand with over $20 million in sales by focusing on sustainable urban mobility. As a personal emotional intelligence coach and single mom, Juls draws on her experiences to create EQ KiD Books, which helps children and parents navigate difficult conversations.

LESLIE STIBA

CEO - AUSTLEN BABY CO.

Leslie Stiba brought her experience as a former product manager with corporate knowledge bringing products to market, and the birth of her twin daughters to co-founding Austlen Baby Co. On a path to create a company that solved the onerous challenge of active parents; how to realistically haul kids and their stuff from point A to point B. After recruiting an incredible team, raising several million in angel investment and performing years of research and development, Leslie launched Austlen Baby Co. with the award-winning Entourage stroller. Leslie and her team pay it forward through philanthropic efforts, including supporting other underrepresented changemakers trying to make the world a better place.

JUDY CHO

HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST | NUTRITION WITH JUDY

Judy Cho is board certified in holistic nutrition, a certified nutritional therapy practitioner and holds a Psychology and Communication degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Judy is host of the health podcast Nutrition with Judy, author of the best-selling books, Carnivore Cure and The Complete Carnivore Diet for Beginners and founder of Nutriment – the most comprehensive elimination and reintroduction resource tool. Judy has a private practice specializing in gut health, autoimmune illness, chronic inflammation and mold illness. Judy serves her patients by uncovering the missing puzzle pieces to their healing journey. Judy strongly believes that everyone deserves to live the life they are meant to live, nearly symptom-free.

DRU ARMSTRONG CEO, AFFINIPAY

Dru Armstrong is a customer focused Chief Executive Officer with expert knowledge in running high growth software organizations. She has extensive experience scaling technology companies with market leading private equity firms throughout her career and brings over 17 years of consumer and product technology development to her current role as CEO of AffiniPay. Dru’s prior experience includes leadership, operations and consulting roles across the private equity field. Dru has been named as a Top 25 Women Leader in PE-Backed Software companies for 2024 and is a leader on topics including innovation, diversity and inclusion and verticalized software.

MODERATOR LANA MACRUM-CRAIG MANAGING DIRECTOR | JP MORGAN CO-OWNER | AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

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COVER WOMAN PANEL

LUNCHEON PANEL

DENISE HERNANDEZ

TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE OF COUNTY COURT AT LAW #6

Denise Hernández is a community organizer and the Presiding Judge of County Court at Law #6 in Travis County, Texas. She also leads the Transformative Youth Justice program, a youth diversion program focused on holistic community-centered support for young people impacted by the justice system. Judge Hernández is committed to initiatives centered in equity, mentorship and community building. She serves on the board of The Contemporary, The New Philanthropists and the Rebel Fund. Judge Hernández has been recognized locally and nationally for her community work. She was honored as an Anne McAfee Leader of Cultural Change, recognized as a Racial Justice Champion, Social Justice Change Maker and named the “People’s Judge” by Austin Woman Magazine.

DRU ARMSTRONG CEO AFFINIPAY

Dru Armstrong is a customer focused Chief Executive Officer with expert knowledge in running high growth software organizations. She has extensive experience scaling technology companies with market leading private equity firms throughout her career and brings over 17 years of consumer and product technology development to her current role as CEO of AffiniPay. Dru’s prior experience includes leadership, operations and consulting roles across the private equity field. Dru has been named as a Top 25 Women Leader in PE-Backed Software companies for 2024 and is a leader on topics including innovation, diversity and inclusion and verticalized software.

PAMELA BENSON OWENS CEO SIX SQUARE

Pamela Benson Owens is the President and CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting, Inc and the CEO of Six Square. Pam has owned Edge of Your Seat Consulting, a unique consulting firm dedicated to assisting for-profit, nonprofit and faith-based entities. Edge of Your Seat Consulting, Inc., provides methodologies that help manage perceptions and narratives about complex and challenging issues with courage and strategic passion. She is an advocate and ambassador for healthy organizational cultures and communities. Pam often leverages humor and honest storytelling to create memorable and applicable strategies for sustainable and substantive change. She serves the community in a variety of capacities with the intentional motive of building a stronger and more equitable community.

ALLISON ELLSWORTH

FOUNDER & CHIEF BRAND OFFICER POPPI

Allison Ellsworth is the Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Poppi: the prebiotic soda brand revolutionizing soda for the next generation. Struggling with a variety of health issues, she created Poppi after discovering the health benefits of apple cider vinegar and experimenting in her kitchen to make it taste great.

From farmers’ market to a Shark Tank deal, Poppi quickly became one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic beverages in the U.S. Ellsworth leads the Austinbased beverage company’s overall brand strategy, creative and innovation. She pioneered the brand’s cultural cache and digital-first approach; attracting a loyal community of over 850K followers, over 2B+ page views on TikTok and celebrity brand fans including Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and more.

MODERATOR SHURONDA ROBINSON FOUNDER + CEO | ADISA COMMUNICATIONS CO-OWNER | AUSTIN WOMAN MAGAZINE

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AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

TRACTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS WORKSHOP - SALON 1 Are you a business owner or a senior level executive who wants to see your business consistently run better and grow faster? Elizabeth will deliver a powerful, inspirational presentation that will introduce you to the Six Key Components™ of a successful business. At the conclusion of this workshop, you will walk away with a set of simple, practical tools that you and your leadership team will use immediately. Tools to help you focus on priorities, get clear on issues and gain traction together, as a healthier leadership team.

ELIZABETH DAVIS

CEO AUTHENTIC IMPACT

Elizabeth Davis has a passion for helping entrepreneurs and leadership teams realize their dreams. She is an Executive Leader/CEO with a demonstrated track record of successfully starting up, scaling, growing and exiting successful startup organizations in both the private and nonprofit sector. In 1998 she co-founded a cloud computing company, experienced rapid growth, hit the dot com wall, emerged and then successfully sold the company to NetSuite. Elizabeth is a Certified EOS Implementer™ where she works with the leadership teams focused on making tangible changes in order to create the business they desire. She is the Austin Chapter Chair for the Women Presidents Organization.

KIND LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP - SALON 2 Get ready to unlock your inner superpower with Andra Liemandt at the Kind Leadership Breakout Session! In this uplifting experience, Andra, founder of The Kindness Campaign®, reveals how her childhood imagination sparked the creation of a national nonprofit dedicated to emotional health. Through stories, practical tips, and interactive exercises, you'll discover your unique leadership style, learn the secrets of nonverbal communication, and transform your self-image. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, this session will empower you to lead with kindness, lift others up, and become the best version of yourself.

ANDRA LIEMANDT

CEO THE KINDNESS CAMPAIGN

Andra Liemandt is the Founder and CEO of The Kindness Campaign® (TKC): a national nonprofit that helps individuals, schools and organizations improve their emotional health through engaging tools and programming. The heart behind TKC's message and innovations, Andra is the visionary behind Enoughie Buddy's Magic Mirror®, which was featured on Good Morning America and on tour with Lady Gaga, the popular KindGym® app available on Apple and Android and most recently Kind Leadership, a leadership incubator for teens. Andra has given keynotes and panels on emotional health, heart-centered leadership and arts-based education at SXSW, Google, IBM, AT&T, National Charity League and more.

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AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS

BECOMING AN AUTHOR WORKSHOP - SALON 3 Becoming a published author is one of the most impactful ways to increase your influence, authority, and credibility, but writing a book is time consuming and the publishing process can feel convoluted and exclusive. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the power of storytelling, how to leverage your book to grow your business, and three pathways for getting published. Finally, we’ll switch into workshop mode to help you envision your chapter or book idea. Your words have the power to impact and influence lives across the globe, for generations to come. What story do you want to share?

MICHELLE SAVAGE FOUNDER/PUBLISHER SULIT PRESS

Michelle Savage is an international best-selling author, keynote speaker and the founder of Sulit Press, a boutique, non-fiction publishing house based in Austin. Michelle has helped dozens of entrepreneurs, executives and visionaries become bestselling authors in half the time it takes to go it alone – while ensuring exceptional quality and results. With philanthropy and social impact as a cornerstone of her company, Michelle is proud to donate all proceeds from Sulit’s multi-author books to non-profits benefiting children in her community. She believes everyone has a story worth telling and is passionate about helping them tell it well.

VENDOR EXPERIENCE

Don’t forget to fill out your vendor card and submit at the Austin Woman Connects Club table for a chance to win a $250 Refine Aesthetics gift card or more Consuela swag!

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SMALL BUSINESS GRANT FINALISTS

COFFEE MILK MEDIA COLOSSUM STUDIOS PARENTING AGING PARENTS

THANK YOU TO ALL THE WONDERFUL SMALL BUSINESSES THAT APPLIED TO THE AW SMALL BUSINESS GRANT