Slice of Success: Young Professionals and Executives Mixer

Bridge the gap between executives and young professionals in a casual setting- among pizza and conversations. Come in your casual attire to meet executives and gain insight, advice, and connections with your other fellow young professionals!

5:30PM-6:00PM: Pizza & Conversations
6:00PM-7:00PM: Roundtable Networking with Executives
7:00PM-7:30PM: Networking

Check this page and our Young Professionals of Plano LinkedIn Page often for updates on our executives joining us for the event!

Alison Braman, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Hilti North America

Alison Braman serves as senior vice president of Human Resources for Hilti North America. In this capacity, Alison leads the talent acquisition, payroll, learning and development, benefits, compensation, talent management, social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion functions. She is also the executive sponsor of the company Pride Employee Resource Group.

Alison began her career with Hilti in 2015 as an HR director supporting the central United States. She immediately became a strategic thought partner, helping significantly improve Hilti?s succession planning and strategic people processes. Alison was promoted to global business partner in 2017, a role in which she provided instrumental leadership to further drive people development topics while leading a global project focused on transforming team member engagement. Alison was promoted to her current role on the Hilti North America Executive Management Team in 2019.
 
Prior to Hilti, Alison worked with The Home Depot for eight years, earning a position as a strategic business partner for a $4 billion business unit with over 16,000 associates across seven states.
 
In 2022, Alison received the prestigious Women in Leadership Executive Impact Award from ?Linkage?, the global leadership development organization.
 
The Dallas Regional Chamber appointed Alison to its Board of Directors, Executive Committee, as well as the DEI Council. Alison was elected to the national board of directors for CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a nationwide nonprofit that addresses the barriers to good health and equity. She also serves on the advisory board for Catalyst for Change.
 
Early in her career, Alison was the Operations and HR director for a non-profit organization providing foster care, adoption services, counseling and case management for families and children.
 
She holds a degree in Organizational Leadership from Arizona State University and resides in the Dallas, Texas metro area with her family.

Joan Cetera, Vice President of Communications, PepsiCo Foods North America

Joan Cetera is vice president of communications for PepsiCo Foods North America, where she is responsible for internal and external communications across customers, employees, the media and other key stakeholders.  

Before serving in this role, Joan led public relations strategy and reputation management for Frito-Lay and its portfolio of snack brands. Prior to joining Frito-Lay in 2015, she served in various leadership roles directing consumer communications across a variety of brands and companies in both domestic and global public relations at the most highly regarded public relations agencies. Her expertise spans industries: from consumer packaged goods and health and wellness to home products and financial services.
 
Joan holds an MBA in marketing from the Keller Graduate School of Management and a B.S. in news-editorial journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Crystal Clayton, Senior Director of Hegi Family Career Development Center and the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program at Southern Methodist University (SMU)

As the Senior Executive Director of the Hegi Family Career Development Center and the Hunt Leadership Scholars Program at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Crystal has over 25 years of experience in leading and managing various initiatives and programs that foster career and leadership development for students, alumni, and employers. She is passionate about creating and implementing innovative and impactful solutions that enhance the career readiness and success of diverse and talented individuals and organizations. Her core competencies include program design, talent development, counseling, strategic planning, employer relations, board leadership, and staff supervision. Crystal has a proven track record of cultivating and maintaining positive relationships with various stakeholders, such as employers, alumni, faculty, staff, and community partners.
 
Crystal holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership & Higher Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from University of Missouri, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Truman State University. She is certified in Inclusive Mindset and Hybrid Project Management, and has been recognized for her contributions and achievements by receiving multiple awards and honors, such as the Dean's Excellence Award, the Harold Peebles Fellowship, and the Students' Choice Staff Appreciation Award. Crystal has served on the Plano Chamber Board of Directors since January 2020.
 
Crystal and her husband, Nick, have one daughter, Vivianne. They enjoy traveling, supporting the Plano competitive swimming community, and spending time with their dogs, Mollie and Bohdi, and cat, Snow White. Crystal and her family are active members of Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano.

Jake Coursey, Executive Director, Group Manager, Texas Capital Bank

Jake and his wife Amanda reside in Dallas and have two children ages 8 and 5, Abigail (Abby) and Everly (Evie).  Jake is a native Texan, born in Abilene and raised in Dallas. He has a BBA in Finance and Commercial Real Estate in addition to an MBA, both from Texas Tech University.  He completed additional studies at Yale University.
 
Jake has been managing a portfolio of Middle-Market companies for over a decade and recently moved into a role leading the North Texas Business Banking Group. He is passionate about being the first call for his clients as they navigate through their business life cycles. 
 
Jake specializes in commercial and industrial financing for Texas-based companies.  This includes, but isn?t limited to, working capital and asset-based lines of credit, acquisition financing, franchise finance, owner-occupied real estate, equipment financing, letters of credit, SBA programs, ESOP buyouts, foreign exchange, treasury management services and commercial card programs.

Ana Gonzalez, Vice President of Social Impact, Allen Americans Professional Hockey Club

Ana Gonzalez graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in Radio/Television/Film and went on to have a career in television that has spanned over 20 years.

During this time, she has worked in commercial television, sports broadcasting, and local government programming. Ana has won numerous state and national awards for producing, editing and writing, including two Lone Star EMMY?s.

She continues to ?dabble? in television every now and then, using her producing and editing skills to help with local projects and ways to help promote community endeavors and nonprofits, as well as sports broadcasting.

Her passion for community involvement came when her great aunt and great uncle formed the Guadalupe and Lilia Martinez Foundation, a family foundation dedicated to helping nonprofits in the South Texas area. She is currently a board member, working with community relations, and youth philanthropy development. Her work for youth philanthropy and succession has been highlighted in national case studies.

She was able to merge her passion for sports, broadcasting and philanthropy when she accepted the position of Vice President, Social Impact and Executive Director of the Allen Americans Red Lamp Foundation in April 2021.

Ana currently serves on the City of Allen Community Engagement Advisory Board, ACO Development Committee, is an Advisory Board Member for Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Allen, and the ECHL?s Hockey is for Everyone Committee.

Michael Lawson, Senior Manager, Boeing Global Engagement

Michael Lawson is Senior Manager of Boeing Global Engagement (BGE), managing Boeing?s corporate giving and charitable donation programs for Texas and Louisiana. He also supports employee giving and non-profit engagement at the Boeing Global Services Headquarters located in Plano, TX. Lawson has been with The Boeing Company since 2004. Prior to joining BGE, Michael held the title of Senior Manager of Contracts for Government Satellite Systems located in El Segundo, CA. He also held numerous roles in other areas of the business including Commericial Satellites, New Technology, and People Development. While in CA, Michael served on the board of Boeing?s Employee Community Fund of Southern California, an employee-owned and managed fund benefitting local non-profits. Lawson serves on numerous community organizations and boards. He is the Vice Chairman of the Plano Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the Legacy Transportation Management Board. Lawson holds a bachelors degree in Finance and Economics from California Polytechnic State University. When he?s not fulfilling his duties for the Boeing Company, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Meghan, daughter, Penny, and son Benjamin.

Felix Lozano, III, CPA, CFE, Chief Growth Officer, Whitley Penn

Felix J. Lozano, III is the Chief Growth Officer and Partner-in-Charge of Whitley Penn?s Dallas office. Felix is active in both the internal and external growth strategy of the firm.

Felix has more than 31 years of public accounting experience auditing public and private companies, employee benefit plans and family office & owned businesses. His specific audit experience focuses on forensic accounting, fraud auditing, and special services related to internal control assessments.  In addition to being a Certified Public Accountant, Felix is a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Felix is on the Executive Committee, Finance Committee and the Chairman on the Board of Directors for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas where he served as the 2018 & 2019 Annual Campaign Chair. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), is a member of the Dallas Assembly, past member of the Park City Club Board of Governors, and is on the Board of Advisors and Chairman of the Investment Committee for the State Fair of Texas. He is a former Advisor and Chairman for the Nexia International Audit Committee and served as the Chair of Nexia?s International Digital Committee. In addition, Felix is a member of Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) Major Growth Firms Group, and is a member of the Class of 2007 for Leadership Dallas and the Class of 1994 for Leadership Fort Worth.

Felix is a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TXCPA), Dallas Chapter of the TXCPA, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Felix received his BBA in Accounting from Texas Christian University and is an alumnus of Ernst & Young (EY).

Hussain Manjee, President & Chief Success Officer, DHD Films

Featured in CNN Money, Inc. magazine and Yahoo Finance, Hussain Manjee is an accomplished entrepreneur whose strategic approach and business acumen has propelled DHD Films from a start-up to a thriving business. Hussain thoughtfully charts the vision and growth strategy of the company, while managing a team of creative artists.

DHD Films was honored by the US Chamber of Commerce as one of the Top 7 Small Businesses in America in 2017. Hussain earned his MBA from America's most preeminent entrepreneurship program at Babson College and is an alum of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program.

The Dallas Business Journal has recognized Hussain with two honors; The 40 Under 40 Award and a Minority Business Leader Award. As a committed servant leader, Hussain is devoted to community involvement and service. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Dallas Regional Chamber and the Irving/Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.

Hussain's passion and dedicated service have afforded him multiple opportunities to discuss President Obama's economic priorities at the White House with senior administration personnel.

Kelle Marsalis, President & CEO, Plano Chamber of Commerce

Kelle serves as the President & CEO of the Plano Chamber of Commerce. In this role she provides leadership, general management, fiscal and governance management, and oversight of all Chamber activities for the 1000-member organization.

Kelle has worked in membership, talent and economic development roles for more than 16 years, including positions with the Dallas Regional Chamber, Rockford (IL) Chamber, and the Stillwater (OK) Chamber of Commerce. Prior to her current role, she served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Dallas Regional Chamber, focusing on Board and governance, strategic plan implementation, and customer engagement.

Kelle received her Certified Chamber Executive designation from the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) in 2016. She serves as a member of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors, and formerly served as a member of the Executive Committee. In 2007, Kelle, while serving as Vice President, led the Stillwater (OK) Chamber of Commerce to be named Chamber of the Year by ACCE. Kelle is a 2010 graduate of the Institute for Organization Management through the US Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the Curriculum Committee and National Board of Trustees as Chair-elect. Locally, Kelle serves on the Historic Texas Pool Foundation Board and the Plano ISD Bond Task Force.

Kelle and her husband, Van, reside in Plano. They have a 3-year-old daughter, Tilly, and both are graduates of Oklahoma State University.

Armani Miller-Jackson, Account Vice President, UBS Financial Services Inc.

Armani is an Account Vice President at UBS with the Kravitz Group, selected to the Forbes Top 250 Financial Advisor list in America. Armani maintains relationships with families and utilizes a comprehensive financial planning approach to help them identify their objectives and leverage the appropriate resources to deliver advice in a personalized manner.
 
Armani received his B.S/M.B.A. with a Finance concentration at the University of New Haven. He is completing a Master's in Wealth Management at Columbia University where he was selected as the inaugural Wealth Management Diversity fellowship recipient.
 
Armani serves as a mentor and volunteers with the YearUp program, a nonprofit focused on supporting high-achieving young adults in underserved communities.

Beaux Olaiya, Founder, Portfolio Real Estate Group

Beaux Olaiya is a visionary entrepreneur and the founder of Portfolio Real Estate Group, a fast-rising real estate company established in 2021. He has a strong passion for the real estate industry and is dedicated to providing exceptional value and service to his clients. With an unwavering commitment to high ethics, integrity, hard work, creativity, inclusion, fairness, and family, Beaux has built a reputation for being an honest and trustworthy leader in his industry. He believes that people are at the heart of everything, and his guiding principle is that ?the food tastes better when we eat together.? Mentorship and acts of service are important values to Beaux, and he actively seeks out opportunities to give back to his community through volunteer work and philanthropy. He is also a strong advocate for accountability and grace, recognizing that everyone is capable of making mistakes and that it?s important to learn from them and move forward. Beaux?s approach to business is one that is focused on building strong relationships and partnerships. He is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and respect, and he is dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

 As a leader in the real estate industry, Beaux Olaiya is a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and a commitment to excellence. His passion for serving others, his commitment to family, and his unwavering dedication to his craft make him a true inspiration to all who have the privilege of working with him.

Kris Sanders, Senior VP of Market Growth and Development, Children's Health

Kris Sanders currently serves as Senior Vice President, Northern Market Growth and Development for Children?s Health. Kris oversees the leadership and implementation of all Northern Market activity. She is responsible for helping to advance the clinical programs and partnerships, as well as helping cultivate relationships in the community ? poising and preparing the Plano campus and Northern Market operations to care for many future generations. Prior to returning to Children?s Health where she once worked in Ambulatory Services with responsibilities in both Plano and Dallas, Kris began working more in healthcare operations. Kris has extensive experience in operations, process and performance improvement, relationship management, business development, and people leadership, all within the health care industry. She previously worked at Envision Physician Services, which she joined as Vice President of Operations in March 2016. Other roles include opportunities at Methodist Health System and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Kris is a board-certified Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix and received a bachelor's in health care administration from Texas State University. She also serves as a board member for ACHE North Texas, Live Oak Surgery Center, and Collin County Children?s Advocacy Center. She is a graduate of Leadership Plano, Class 39. Kris is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated as well where she serves the community of Collin County.