Linus N Akanoh, Jr, CIA, CISA, CRMA, CGMS is a Risk Intelligence Senior Manager with Deloitte Risk and Financial Advisory. He has more than 11 years of diversified professional services experience in the areas of crisis management, finance transformation, and disaster recovery grants management. In his current role, he helps clients in the development and operationalization of strategies to achieve timely, cost-effective, and compliant recovery from natural disaster and human-made crises. A skilled facilitator, Mr Akanoh helps client teams and executives tackle tough business challenges through immersive lab experiences such as Deloitte Business Chemistry and the Strategic Risk Lab. Mr Akanoh has worked as adjunct faculty at the Bill Munday School of Business at St Edward’s University. He currently serves as a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.

Adriana R Cruz is the President of the Greater San Marcos Partnership, the regional economic development organization for San Marcos, Hays, and Caldwell Counties, established to diversify and strengthen the regional economy in the fast-growing corridor between Austin and San Antonio. Mrs Cruz has more than 23 years of leadership experience in economic development, marketing, and international business. Her most recent accomplishments include the announcement of more than 5,700 new jobs and more than $280 million in investments in the region, including the San Marcos Amazon fulfillment center. Prior to assuming this role, Mrs Cruz was the Vice President of Global Corporate Recruitment for the Austin Chamber of Commerce and was Director of Marketing in Governor Perry’s Economic Development and Tourism office. In addition to serving on numerous local and regional boards, in January 2016 she was appointed by Governor Abbott to the Texas Economic Incentives Oversight Board and was named a Profile in Power: Central Texas Women of Influence by the Austin Business Journal and one of Bizwomen’s 100 Women to Watch by ACBJ. Mrs Cruz holds a BBA in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin™.

Kathryn E Hoyt is a finance and operations professional with more than a decade of experience in the nonprofit arena. She has worked with organizations including Wonders & Worries, Texas Mamma Jamma, and Austin Young Chamber. Ms Hoyt specializes in financial reporting, operational efficiency, and strategic planning. She has a BS in Business Administration with concentrations in Management, Marketing, and International Business from the University of Southern Maine. Ms Hoyt is a member of The Society of Women Entrepreneurs, the Austin Young Chamber, and Austin Nonprofit Financial Leaders. Philanthropically, Ms Hoyt has spent the last year continuing her tenure as a Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer and served on the University Federal Credit Union Supervisory Committee. Ms Hoyt has always been passionate about supporting nonprofits, especially those targeting the needs of children. She has been involved with a variety of nonprofits for more than 20 years. She grew up in the Northeast and made Maine, Rhode Island, Spain, and Italy home before settling in Austin in 2009.

C Cale McDowell, JD is a partner in Jackson Walker’s Corporate & Securities group and a member of its Mergers & Acquisitions, Fund Formation, Private Equity, International and Real Estate practices. Mr McDowell represents public and private companies, investor groups, and investment fund sponsors in a broad array of engagements, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, the structuring and formation of investment funds, joint ventures and other entities, offerings of debt and equity securities, and general corporate governance, securities, and transactional matters. His clients include private equity funds, private real estate investment funds, public and private real estate investment trusts, hedge funds and family offices, as well as large publicly traded operating companies, privately held companies, and startup ventures in a wide variety of industries. Mr McDowell is involved in both domestic and international transactions, including the representation of US clients in significant cross-border transactions in the British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Germany, India, Iraq, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, and Switzerland.