Founders

Lisa Bailey

Lisa’s journey began on a personal note. Teaching her teenager to drive amidst a rapidly evolving era of vehicle automation, she encountered firsthand the complexities of modern driving technology. This experience ignited her passion for demystifying ADAS and empowering drivers with practical, accessible knowledge. "The level of technology in today’s vehicles demands a new approach to consumer education,” Lisa notes. “We need solutions that resonate with drivers, fostering both understanding and trust in these systems." Under Lisa's leadership, FeaturesFirst Auto has become a transformative force in transportation safety. She has developed innovative training programs tailored to the diverse needs of drivers, from teens to seniors, ensuring that education is consumer-friendly, relevant, and non-technical. Her work also extends to promoting zero-emission vehicles, further aligning with her vision for a safer and more sustainable future. As a thought leader, educator, and speaker, Lisa brings together public and private stakeholders to tackle consumer understanding challenges in transportation technology. Her efforts are paving the way for a cultural shift in how society views and adopts safety innovations. FeaturesFirst Auto's impact has not gone unnoticed. The organization has been recognized by the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, Dallas Innovates, The Dallas Morning News, Wells Fargo, and AEG. It has participated in prestigious programs, including the Toyota Mentorship Program, Capital One Mobility Impact Accelerator, Israel Innovation Academy, USC EdTech Accelerator, and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business Diverse Business Executive Program. Lisa Bailey’s mission is clear, to save lives, foster innovation, and reshape how drivers engage with the vehicles of tomorrow. Through FeaturesFirst Auto, she continues to challenge norms, inspire change, and lead the charge toward safer roads and smarter driving.

Orleatha Smith

Orleatha Smith is a serial entrepreneur with a proven track record of building impactful businesses across diverse industries. With over a decade of expertise in wellness and consumer goods, she co-founded Sip Herbals to revolutionize the coffee experience, offering a delicious herbal alternative that provides sustainable energy without the crash. Orleatha’s deep understanding of wellness stems from her lived experience overcoming personal health challenges, coupled with her professional qualifications as a Certified Master Herbalist and her advanced degree in education with a biology teaching credential. This unique blend of lived and learned expertise positions her as the ideal leader to develop innovative, health-focused products. Under her leadership, Sip Herbals has gained national recognition, airing on Shark Tank and featuring in Forbes, First For Women Magazine, WebMD, and various podcasts and television shows. Orleatha’s passion for creating products that nurture well-being continues to fuel her mission to transform the way people enjoy their daily rituals, blending science, sustainability, and care into every cup.

Aziza El Wanni

The Potion Studio is a luxury haircare brand that believes in the power of nature and quality ingredients for both men and women with all hair types. Our mission is to simplify and refine your hair care routine with intentional products designed for not so simple hair.

Chaka Stewart

Chaka Stewart is the Founder & Owner of Flipside Event Services LLC. Flipside is your one stop shop for all your event cleaning needs. Servicing Los Angeles County and surrounding areas, Dallas & Austin Texas.

Dr. Qiana O'Leary

Dr. Qiana O'Leary, founder of Minty Educational Services, is a distinguished educational consultant and edupreneur who blends her lived experiences in urban communities with scholarly expertise in educational research. Known as a "hood scholar," she creates transformative spaces through workshops, conferences, and retreats, prioritizing inclusivity and diversity in schools. With extensive experience in TK-12 teaching and administration, Dr. O'Leary has dedicated her career to building equity-centered schools and dismantling systemic barriers. In 2020, Dr. O'Leary, alongside co-creators Ernani Santos and Dr. Ijeoma Ononuju, launched Blackademx, a groundbreaking TV show. Blackademx is a teaching competition that celebrates educators of color, showcasing their innovation and creativity as they work with students of color. The show has been leveraged to offer professional development at Los Angeles Unified School District, Texas A&M International University, Houston Independent School District, Upland Unified School District, Touro University, as well as a host of educational conferences and workshops across the United States. A trailblazer in educational consulting, Dr. O'Leary is also the author of Lead with Truth, a groundbreaking exploration of authentic leadership in education. Her passion for equity and transparency continues to shape the future of learning environments.

Adimika Meadows Arthur

Adimika Arthur, epithet “Madam Medicaid,” is a well sought after hospital/health system leader, social entrepreneur, board member and revolutionary changemaker. She is a visionary and strategic executive who has spent over two decades in healthcare and whose experience in health equity and investments in underlooked populations is invaluable. She currently serves as the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director for Health Tech for Medicaid (HT4M), a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting innovation in Medicaid, the nations’ largest insurer. By further improving the quality, equity and access to care for vulnerable Medicaid populations, their families and communities, HT4M is radically changing the pace of innovation in Medicaid through innovative program service delivery, infrastructure/ecosystem development and issue/policy advocacy.

Jaime Masters

Hi, I’m Jaime, the founder of 826 & Co. In just 8 months, I lost a parent to suicide, another to a heart attack, and then my dog. I was deep in grief. I didn’t know how to cope, but my body found a way to. I developed a serious scalp issue and started scratching the same spot over and over—until the hair was gone. I caused so much scar tissue, the doctor said the hair would never grow back in that spot. Still nothing was helping the itching. So, I began researching and experimenting, until eventually I created something that soothed the inflammation and stopped the scratching. That product is now known as our Crown Scalp Serum. I turned my pain into purpose—and 826 & Co. was born. I create skin and hair care that supports visible results. I use high-performance botanicals and aromatherapy to deliver a sensorial self-care experience and we support suicide prevention, one bottle at a time.

Ibiye Anga

Ibiye Anga is the founder and CEO of Anga Haus, an award-winning production company and creative technology agency known for bringing visionary projects to life at the intersection of art, culture, and innovation. Under Ibiye’s leadership, Anga Haus has earned recognition for its bold storytelling and commitment to advancing digital equity through cutting-edge media and immersive educational experiences. A 2023 Rising Star by Austin Business Journal and DivInc Champion of Change (People’s Choice), Ibiye is a recognized force in creative industries and civic innovation. She serves on the Austin Technology Commission, where she advises on equitable and sustainable tech futures. As a speaker, strategist, and multidisciplinary artist, Ibiye champions climate action, cultural awareness, and community empowerment—from public art to boardroom strategy. Her work fuses advocacy and artistry, using both digital and creative literacy to uplift underrepresented voices and spark systemic change.

Eboni Boyd

Ebonique Boyd serves as the CEO of Museum Advocate, an AI-assisted cataloging platform helping museums document collections while gathering audience engagement data to enhance financial sustainability. As one of the first professionals to apply data science methodologies to political campaigns, Ebonique brings unique analytical expertise to the cultural sector. Under her leadership, the platform has secured partnerships with museums managing over $10M in collective annual revenue and was presented at the Academic Associations of Museums and Galleries conference (2024). Ebonique's innovative approach helps museums transform their collections into sustainable donor relationships through data-driven insights, bridging the gap between cultural preservation and institutional growth.

Diana Muturia

I turn adversity into opportunity. I came to the US when I was 18 years old by myself to study math and mechanical engineering. Unfortunately in my last year, my new math advisor looked me in the face and said "You don't seem to look like an engineer" and my scholarships and grants disappeared that semester. I found myself as a homeless dropout far away from home, and cleaning homes to survive. Even though it was a dark time for me, I got to meet other cleaners in my community and we shared the same challenges. So I decided to do something about it. I prototyped Clyn, a marketplace app at the time, that connected homes to cleaners. Because my background at that time was not programming, I used contractors four times and failed four years in a row. Then the pandemic hit. I said to myself, "I'm broke, and the world has stopped. I'll just sit down, learn how to code and do it myself." We built the first clunky (and really ugly) app but it worked. It taught me what to look for in a team and how to communicate business needs with developers. Not only did we get the first version out, we also got the second version out in the market and we have an impressive growing user base. Now, we help vacation rentals and their cleaning crews stay on top of guest turnovers through the first CleanOps AI teammate, and now available across the US, the UK, Africa and Australia. Looks like my former math advisor was right. I don't seem to look like an engineer. I AM an engineer.

Camara Samuel

Camara is the Founder and CEO of Wadadli Naturals. She started the business out of frustration of not finding a natural deodorant that worked for her. She used her experience as a Chemical Engineer and formulator to create the Natural Shea deodorant during Covid, and Wadadli Naturals was born. She went on to create more natural solutions for everyday life. Outside of work, Camara enjoys crocheting and exploring Austin with her husband and daughter.

Dr Sharita Ambrose

Sharita Ambrose has a rich 22-year background in HIV/AIDS education and advocacy. Sharita is a Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Certified Community Health Worker Instructor (CHWI). She holds a Doctorate of Health Education, specializing in Health Promotion. Her dissertation focused on Black women and their awareness and acceptability of PrEP, a Master's of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science in Health Administration. She is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. She grew up as a military child and has a passion for Public Health and wellness for Black women since her undergraduate years. “I am committed to Black women’s holistic health; I believe that Black women’s voices need to be heard in the health field and spaces need to be curated for Black women by Black women.” Sharita Ambrose has worked as a skills trainer with HIV providers across Texas for over 15 years. She developed and delivered training to providers that test, counsel, and navigate clients through the HIV continuum of care. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the community mobilization organization Allure Alliance Inc., which focuses on reducing sexual health, HIV /AIDS, and reproductive health disparities among Black women. The organization's overall mission is to significantly improve the health and well-being of Black Women through community support, education, and advocacy.