Cara Nichols served as Director of Community Affairs at Rackspace from 2010-2019. In this role, she had the unique opportunity to give back to the communities where the company operates and manage the company’s involvement in civic, nonprofit and community initiatives. Cara currently serves on the board of the Rackspace Foundation, a 100% employee-funded nonprofit that supports out-of-school programs in the adopted schools around Rackspace’s corporate headquarters in San Antonio, TX. Before her time at Rackspace, Nichols was the editor of a high-end lifestyle magazine, and prior to that she was an elementary teacher. She is currently working on her first book.

A.J. Rodriguez joined Texas 2036 in September 2020 as Executive Vice President. Texas 2036, a nonprofit, apolitical organization endeavors to make Texas a better place to live and work by the state’s bicentennial.

Most recently, A.J. was Vice President of External Affairs and served on the Executive Leadership Team of Zachry Group, a privately held business engaged primarily in the engineering, construction, and maintenance of large industrial facilities. He began at Zachry in 2011 and oversaw the organization’s community investment and philanthropic efforts, media relations, and government affairs.

A.J. served as Deputy City Manager for the City of San Antonio from 2008-2011. He had direct supervision over the areas of International Relations, Economic Development, Intergovernmental Relations, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Human Resources, Downtown Operations, the Public Library, the Office of Cultural Affairs and the Parks and Recreation Department.

Before joining the City, A.J. served as President & CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. During his four-year tenure, the Hispanic Chamber doubled its membership base and grew its total revenue by 60+ percent. He also served as Vice President at the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

In 2015, A.J. began a five-year term as an officer of the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of Business and was unanimously endorsed to serve as Chairman of the Board in 2018. He is proud to have served as the organization’s first Latino chairman.

A.J. earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree specializing in International Business, and a Master of Business Administration degree from UTSA. A.J. and his wife Estelle have three children, Alexandra, Arthur John, and Isabella.

Wayne Alexander is the retired president of SBC Southwestern Bell. He held previous senior leadership positions in marketing, sales, network operations, international, government relations and regulatory with various entities that later became AT&T in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Santiago, and Houston before settling in San Antonio. Among his current responsibilities, he is the chairman of the Southwest Research Institute, serves at a trustee of Missouri University of Science and Technology, and is Vice Chairman of Liftfund.

CEO, President, & Co-Founder of South Texas Allergy and Asthma Medical Professionals (STAAMP) and STAAMP Clinical Research and Chair, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Before opening her own business, Dr. Gonzalez served 10 years in the United States Air Force. After being honorably discharged at the rank of Major with the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force Commendation medal, she returned to her hometown of San Antonio and has been actively involved as a business owner and community leader. Among many boards and advisory posts, Dr. Gonzalez chairs the Mayor’s Commission on Status of Women, is Chairwoman for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is on the Board of Directors for Latino Victory Project, and was selected as a 2019 Presidential Leadership Scholar. Through her volunteer efforts, she works to decrease healthcare disparities and increase access to quality medical care. 

Dr. Gonzalez is the mother of two young boys and considers this her most important role. She is committed to teaching her boys the value of service to the community and integrity in all they do.

President and Chief Executive Officer Leo Gomez is responsible for leading the Brooks Development Authority and Brooks Gives Back by working with the Board of Directors and staff to establish long-range strategic plans and policies to implement the redevelopment of Brooks and regional prosperity. He leads the organization’s efforts to attract marquee employers by working closely with public officials, economic development partners, and the private sector.

Leo became Vice President of Public and Government Affairs for Spurs Sports & Entertainment in 1996. He left Spurs Sports & Entertainment for two years to serve as General Manager of Administration with Toyota Manufacturing, Texas before returning to Spurs Sports & Entertainment in 2005. His distinguished career also includes serving as President of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Leo began his professional career as an intern with the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C. He also worked with the Research and Planning Division with the Texas Department of Commerce before being named the Assistant Director for the Tomas Rivera Center at Trinity University.

Leo is very active in the San Antonio community serving on the Board of Directors of numerous organizations including greater:SATX and the San Antonio Mobility Coalition. He also graduated from the FBI San Antonio Citizens Academy.

Leo has received a number of local and national recognitions, including being featured in the Notable People of San Antonio 2020 Exhibit, named to the San Antonio Business Journal’s list of national commercial real estate influencers in 2019 and earning Power Broker recognition from the San Antonio Express-News. Leo also received the San Antonio Business Journal’s C-Suite Award in September 2018 and was named a “Legend” for his lasting impact on the Southside by the South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce in 2017.

Janie Barrera is founding president and CEO of LiftFund.The organization provides loans and management training to enterprises, from startups to long established businesses and operates in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Since its inception in 1994, LiftFund has disbursed more than 21,000 loans totaling more than $300 million – with an impressive 96 percent repayment rate.

Barrera has received nationwide recognition for her accomplishments, including the Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate of the Year, the Minority Enterprise Development Consortium’s Corporate Advocate of the Year and the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame. President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Barrera to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability and has served on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank Of Dallas, San Antonio Branch. She is presently on the Boards of Our Lady of the Lake University, the San Antonio Area Foundation, and the Board of Managers of the University Health System and Foundation

She received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of the Incarnate Word.