Register for For Women, By Women: Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs
Join us as we spotlight the remarkable spirit of women-owned businesses in our vibrant Austin community. For Women, By Women: Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs is set to be an extraordinary event where we explore the invaluable contributions of entrepreneurs and their pivotal role in shaping Austin's small business landscape.
Meet several of the dynamic members of Mayor Kirk Watson's newly established Task Force for Austin Women Entrepreneurs. Learn about their mission to promote inclusivity and equitability in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and how you can become an integral part of this movement. Discover how they have conquered barriers and harnessed opportunities to achieve success and how they continue to pave the way for aspiring business owners.
This event isn't just about celebrating the achievements of women entrepreneurs; it's about fostering an ecosystem that thrives on inclusivity and equal opportunities. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, you can help shape a future where every woman's entrepreneurial dream can soar.
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request - including translation and interpretation services. For assistance, please contact the Economic Development Department at 512-974-7819. The City receives and accepts Video Relay Service (VRS) calls from people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing through Relay Texas 7-1-1.
Meet Your Event Speaker
Jen Schultz - Founder and Leader, The Non-Nine-to-Five
With a decade of expertise in education, training, and coaching, Jen Shultz, Founder of The Non-Nine-to-Five™, empowers individuals to master successful self-employment, guiding them away from traditional 9-5 jobs.
Meet Your Panel Moderator
A talented bilingual communications professional with vast experience in radio and television production and broadcasting as a producer, writer, journalist, correspondent, and voice-over talent. A longtime advocate for women and girls, Lolis has made strides for herself and all women. Lolis is the former Movement Media Director and Spokesperson for Girl Scouts of the USA. She also continues to serve with a number of local non-profits focused on women's and girls' empowerment.
Mayor Kirk Watson's Task Force for Austin Women Entrepreneurs and Panelists
Carla McDonald – Founder and Managing Director, Dynabrand Ventures and Task Force Chair
Carla is the founder and managing director of Dynabrand Ventures, an investment firm; a mentor at SKU, the nation’s leading CPG accelerator; and a founding investor in Capital Factory, the nationally known startup accelerator, and entrepreneurial hub. She is passionate about empowering women through business ownership and serves as Chair of the Mayor’s Task Force for Austin Women Entrepreneurs.
Lauren Washington - Co-founder and CEO, Fundr
Lauren is the co-founder and CEO of Fundr, a platform that uses data and AI to empower decision-making in seed investing. Prior to Fundr, she founded multiple award-winning companies, KeepUp, a social listening app, and Black Women Talk Tech, the largest conference and membership organization for black women founders. Lauren has been featured in The New York Times, TechCrunch, Elle, Inc, and Black Enterprise and has been listed as a top entrepreneur in CIO Magazine, Essence Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and the Forbes 1000NEXT list.
Cristina Silingardi – Finance, Accounting, and Operations Executive
Cristina is a Finance, Accounting, and Operations Executive with extensive leadership experience in mergers and acquisitions, scaling businesses, profitability growth, and leading multicultural teams in international expansions. She has guided 20+ organizations – from pre-revenue to $100M+ international companies – through organic expansions, acquisitions, restructuring, and divestitures.
Mellie Price – Executive Director, Texas Venture Labs, McCombs School of Business
Mellie is a widely respected educator, thought leader, consultant, and public speaker on innovation and entrepreneurship. She is the co-founder of Front Gate Tickets, Major League Pickleball, and Capital Factory. Mellie recently launched Purposeful Capital to educate, inspire, and support a movement of small business owners, regardless of size, who are focused on sustainable, organic, and profitable growth and who need access to capital and community to expedite their success.
Jan Ryan - CEO and Founder, 3Hills Group, Strategic Business Consultancy
Entrepreneur, venture-backed CEO, and investor Jan Ryan has been focused on building expansion-stage companies for 30 years, 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 entrepreneurs in 2013, Women@Austin. Today Jan serves as Advisor and Board member for some of Austin’s most innovative young companies through 3Hills Ventures, her Strategic Advisory practice. She teaches an invitation-only class at UT titled Women in Entrepreneurship and remains involved in KSWELI, a campus-wide institute she helped co-create in 2019 to equip female changemakers and entrepreneurs in this rising generation.