Featured Speakers & Panelists
Panelists
Colette Holt
General Counsel | American Contract Compliance Association
Colette Holt represents public agencies and private firms on issues related to civil rights, public contracting and affirmative action. She has broad experience in conducting defensible disparity studies, expert witness consulting and testimony, drafting legislation and policies, designing programs, managing initiatives, defending affirmative action programs, and counseling private firms on compliance with diversity requirements. Ms. Holt serves as General Counsel to the American Contract Compliance Association and is an author and frequent media commentator on these issues.
Ms. Holt received her B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University and her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. She was a Law Clerk to the former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Prior to developing her own practice, she was associated with a large law firm, Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago and Chief Operating Officer of the Chicago Park District. She is a former Adjunct Professor at Loyola University School of Law and the John Marshall law School.
Tiffany Tremont
President & CEO | Silotech Group, Inc.
maurice bridges
Diversity & Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Liaison Office | VIA Metropolitan Transit
Maurice Bridges, Certified Contract Administrator (CCA) serves as Director, Business/Supplier Diversity & Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Liaison Officer (DBELO) at VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas. The Agency’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program policy ensures that Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise firms have the maximum opportunity to participate on all US-DOT assisted federally funded contracts.
Before joining VIA, he served as President of Bridges Consulting Group, a professional service consulting firm. As such he led a team of highly skilled, management consultants who executed work plans for large, complex, government agencies and multifaceted fortune 500 companies. The primary goal was to assist agencies and organizations in improving their annual spend with Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprises. His background includes extensive experience implementing supplier diversity initiatives with state transportation agencies, investor-owned utilities and Insurance & financial services companies.
Bridges is a member of Class XVIII of the Masters Leadership Program (MLP) of Greater San Antonio. He serves as President COMTO SA, Board member of South-Central Texas Regional Certification Agency and Board of Advisors at the Maestro Entrepreneur Center. Bridges received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from North Carolina Central University in Durham NC. Bridges furthered his studies at the Kenan-Flagler Business School Executive Education Institute and the Director Diversity Institute Boot Camp, UNC School of Law in Chapel Hill, NC. He also completed the Senior Management Development Program at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Bridges enjoys running, exercising, reading and bike riding. He volunteers frequently through VIA Cares, at the Food Bank of San Antonio, Salvation Army and other civic groups throughout the City of San Antonio.
Ross Mitchell
Diversity Contract Compliance Manager | Alamo NEX
Ross Mitchell is currently serving as the Diversity Contract Compliance Manager for Alamo NEX Construction, a Design-Build General Contractor on TxDOT’s $1.5B Northeast Exchange Project. His previous employers include CPS Energy, VIA Metropolitan Transit, Alamo Colleges District and the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency. His career started after retirement from the U.S. Air Force with the Texas Department of Transportation in the Office of Civil Rights as a Lead DBE Compliance Specialist. As an advocate for the small business community, he utilizes his over 25 years in state and federal government expertise to assist the business community in areas of contract administration and building a sustainable business model.
Mr. Mitchell’s most recent accomplishment was obtaining his Contract Compliance Master Administrator Certification from the American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA) in conjunction with Morgan State University. Mr. Mitchell has made numerous presentations at local, state and federal events hosting workshops to provide assistance to the small, minority, women and veteran owned business community in their pursuit of governmental contracts. This includes providing information on business structure, vendor registration, licensure, and the certification process.
Mr. Mitchell is a qualified dispute resolution mediator and contract compliance administrator which enables him to provide executive coaching to both individuals and organizations. He is focused on the continual building of relationships to aide small and minority businesses in developing access to viable growth opportunities and sharing his knowledge and expertise with others.
Debbie Johnson
Founder of ADI Media/Broadminded Media
Debbie Johnson knows what it takes to get to the top, about being a market leader, what it’s like to navigate extreme industry challenges, and about rebuilding to success. Utilizing lessons learned from these experiences, she continually develops results-driven market strategies for businesses of all sizes that grow revenue, effectively tells their story, and bring buyers and sellers together through targeted media and marketing.
By far, her ability to tell the customer’s story accurately and unequivocally has been her strongest niche. She analyzes and determines the best sources to disseminate key information, whether it is through traditional media, digital media, public relations, event marketing, social media, brand marketing, or good old fashion face to face communication.
As an industry disrupter with her publishing companies, Debbie has unmatched expertise in activating ideas that drive sales and create fans rather than customers. Her company models have served to help businesses within several verticals from start-up to acquisition. Her proven track record is the reason she is widely regarded as the go-to source for effective brand marketing and business growth.
Debbie is an 11 time founder with nine of her companies going to acquisition. She is the founder of ADI Media/Broadminded Media, a trend-setting marketing agency recognized recently as one of San Antonio Business Journal’s ‘Fast Track 50 Fastest Growing Companies’. She has been the Publisher of the award winning The Bayou Pages, Keystone Directories, Go Guide, and Best Media, that have each won numerous awards, including Publisher of the Year, Best Cover Design, and Best Best Directory for eight consecutive years in multiple distribution size categories. She has also been the publisher of SweetDeals, SweetLife Magazine, and the upcoming ESA Local. During the last three decades, she has served as a consultant and sales trainer to hundreds of SMBs and publishers globally. Her digital companies 7MainStreet and ADI Business Services made digital marketing accessible and adaptive. She has created award winning magazines for Fiesta Commission for ten years, as well as, served as agency for companies such as the Kirk and Anne Douglas Foundation, Nardis Gun Club, Living Out Palm Springs, Jamie Geller, Marsh-Wortham, YP.com, BTC Bahamas, and Harris County FPM. Nardis Gun Club, Ewedded and Living Out each recently took silver in the international advertising competition Graphis for marketing campaigns, websites and billboards. She also currently serves as Senior Marketing Advisor for enterprise SaaS developer Synergetica, LLC.
As a motivational speaker, she shares her experiences in business, sales, family, and life that prove resilience, dedication, and willingness can move mountains. She is a wildly curious free spirit, old soul, and mother of two girls adopted as teenagers from Ukraine, and one brilliant son that keeps her on her toes.
John Hill
CEO of TechSageSolutions
John Hill, Co-Author of Amazon Best Seller, Why Your Business Must Have Cybersecurity Risk Assessments, is the CEO of TechSage Solutions, a Managed IT Solutions Provider with a Cybersecurity Focus, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Registered Provider Organization (RPO) focused on helping small to medium sized companies protect themselves against today’s increasingly hostile cyber threat landscape.
Throughout his twenty-eight year military career, his years working for a DoD contractor and since starting TechSage Solutions he has focused on providing high levels of security initially as a Communications Security Specialist on Okinawa and Thailand at the end of the Vietnam War to managing the Base Network Control Center at Kelly AFB during Desert Storm to working with dozens of businesses to enhance their security. Hill was also instrumental in the installation of the first internet firewall at Kelly AFB and the first computer network at the Air National Guard Unit.
Over the last few years, Hill has spoken at a number of luncheon seminars, webinars and panel discussions about cybersecurity. He was recently interviewed by Kaseya on a live podcast about the DoDs new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Requirements and it’s impact, he was featured on a recent High Wire Networks Cybersecurity Simplified Podcast discussing Compliance for SMBs and featured as the cover story in the Fall Edition of MSP Success Magazine.
Hill received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1998. He has served on the board of directors of the San Antonio Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), the University of Texas at San Antonio Alumni Association, International Association of Microsoft Channel Partners and other organizations.
TEzlyn Figaro
Founder of Tezlyn Figaro Communications Group
alfonso robalin, ms, sphr
Director of Human Resources | Donald L. Mooney Enterprises LLC
Mr. Robalin is the Director of Human Resources for Donald L. Mooney Enterprises LLC (DME). As the leader of DME’s Human Resources department, Mr. Robalin directs and oversees the management of more than 500 contract employees across the country and provides support to more than 50 corporate personnel across three locations, working closely with DME’s family of companies, Nurse’s ETC. Staffing, PrimaCore Logistics, Virtus Placement, Nurses’s ETC. Travel.
Mr. Robalin is an accomplished, bilingual/bicultural, hands-on, Human Resources Leader with over 20 years of proven expertise in policy and procedure development, compensation, and benefits administration, staffing and recruiting, employee relations, executive coaching, training, counseling, union contract compliance, IT administration, and Social Media management. Mr. Robalin has served as a strategic Human Resources Leader for various global, public and private organizations within various environments including manufacturing, sales, engineering, call centers and corporate HQ. Specifically, Mr. Robalin has worked for Coca-Cola Enterprises, Nokia, Friedrich Air Conditioning Company and others in the capacity of a Human Resources Leader. Lastly, Mr. Robalin has about 8 years of human resource experience working in Mexico where he was a key player in two manufacturing start-ups.
Mr. Robalin is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word with a Master’s in Science (MS) in Organizational Development and Leadership and a graduate of St. Mary’s University with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He also holds a SPHR Certification (Senior Professional in Human Resources) from HRCI.
Mr. Robalin is married to Lisa McCorquodale-Robalin. They have one son at the University of University of Texas San Antonio, Graduate School, one son at the University of Boulder, Colorado and one son in the workforce
Speakers
Lois Rouder
Senior Business Development Manager | Amazon
Barbara Patton
Business Opportunity and Diversity Development Manager | City of San Antonio Aviation Department
Barbara Patton joined the City of San Antonio in 1994. She has over 28 years of municipal government experience. 14 of those years was with the San Antonio Airport System and for the last 9 years she worked in the Small Business Division. In her current role as the Aviation Department’s Business Opportunity an Diversity Development Manager she manages and monitors the administration and compliance of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program, Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program, Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program and the Title VI Non-Discrimination Compliance Program for the Aviation Department. Under her leadership, Barbara has improved the Division’s customer and stakeholder satisfaction while continuing to achieve excellence with her other duties as the FAA’s liaison for the Department’s DBE program, ACDBE program and Title VI program. As the Business Opportunity and Diversity Development Manager her goal is to advance the economic growth of small, minority, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses and to increase greater participation of local small and minority-owned businesses. Also, Mrs. Patton is certified as a Master Compliance Administrator.
Professional Memberships
Mrs. Patton is a member and serves on Airport Council International – North America (ACI-NA) Business Diversity Committee, Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) 2022 Conference Local Planning Committee, American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA ) Airport, American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and City of Antonio’s Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program
Debbie drew
Integration Manager | City of San Antonio Aviation Department
Debbie Drew has been with the City of San Antonio since 2003. She initially joined the City as an IT Manager for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, joined the Aviation Department in 2007 as its Information Services Manager, then transferred to the Aviation Planning Division in 2015. In her Planning Manager role, she was responsible for development and management of the department’s Capital Improvement Program at both San Antonio International Airport and Stinson Municipal Airport, and she led the Planning team to complete the recent San Antonio International Airport’s Strategic Development Program. Currently she is transitioning to a new role of Integration Manager, responsible for process improvements related to the Terminal Development Program to ensure its success. Prior to joining the City of San Antonio, Ms. Drew held IT management and consulting positions in Atlanta with Earthlink, Covansys, and Firstwave. Ms. Drew has a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from Georgia Southern University. She is also a Certified Member of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Jane DOe
Job Title | Company
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Moderators
Orestes Hubbard, MBA
Director | San Antonio MBDA Business Center
Mr. Hubbard currently serves as Interim Executive Director, Minority Services Division and has worked as Director of the San Antonio MBDA Business Center since 2006, The Center has won multiple accolades under his leadership specially recognition from US Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency as the number one center in the Nation for performance outcomes for 2 years in a row. His past professional experience includes working as Vice President of lending for 6 years in which He served minority and mid-market businesses by facilitating their access to capital, also helped foreign companies receive financing to acquire US products as well as developed an international mortgage program to lend money to American nationals to buy properties in select places in Mexico. Mr. Hubbard is a former SBDC Director in New Mexico and Business Development Specialist for the SW Texas Border Region SBDC in San Antonio, Texas.
Mr. Hubbard worked as General Manager for Instituto Tecnologico y De Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Mexico for several years prior to coming to the USA. He was in charge of operations and sales of a multi-million dollar operation which employed 60+ individuals. Mr Hubbard also worked as a mechanical engineer for 2 years for a manufacturing company in Mexico. He was born in Monterrey Mexico and lives in San Antonio with his wife Amparo Hubbard and their 2 children Sarah and Orestes.
Eva Carpenter
Small Business Program Administrator | Southwest Research Institute
Amr mostafa
Business Development & Outreach Specialist | VIA Metropolitan Transit
Amr Mostafa, Serves as Business Development and outreach specialist, Office of Diversity and Federal Compliance at VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas. The Agency’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program policy ensures that Disadvantaged and Small Business Enterprise firms have the maximum opportunity to participate on all US-DOT assisted federally funded contracts.
Before joining VIA, he served as Regional Business Development manager for the Middle East and Africa, at PharmaVest one of the startups of Innovest ME – Dubai office, Pharmavest is a medical equipment start up.
Also worked as a sales executive for 3M – Medical Division, Skin and Wound department, at their regional office in Dubai UAE, leading a team of 12 professional medical representatives of 3 different local distributers in 2 different countries UAE and Oman. And served the same role at Johnson and Johnson – wound care division, Regional Office in Dubai UAE. The primary role was mapping out and execution of a strategic annual and quarterly plans in accordance with the company goals.
Mostafa is a member of COMTO SA, Mostafa received a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology from Ain Shams University in Cairo Egypt and went through the evaluation process of his degree with the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services, and was granted an equivalent of a Bachelor degree from the US.
Mostafa enjoys Motorsports and bike riding.
Jane DOe
Job Title | Company
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