Women in Leadership Panel: Empowering and Inspiring Women

• Real-life examples of advocacy and support from mentors
• Strategies for empowering other women in the workplace
• Overcoming significant career challenges
• Identifying and leveraging personal strengths and values
• Practical career advice for growth and development

Attendees will leave inspired and equipped with actionable advice to advance their own careers, build supportive networks, and confidently navigate professional settings.

Join us before the panel for a networking happy hour & Free headshots- available 6:15 – 7:15pm

Speakers:

We are honored to have Kristen Fox, Brandi Coleman, Rebecca Anderson, and Heather Cruice share their personal journeys of overcoming challenges and rising to leadership positions. Moderated by our dear friend Caitlin C. Walker, PT, DPT, MBA.

Kristen Fox, Chief Nursing Office at Northeast Baptist Hospital:

With over 30 years of experience in the medical field, Kristen Fox has found her passion in caring for others and mentoring healthcare professionals. As a single parent, her journey has been unconventional, but her dedication to patient care and leadership development has driven her success. Kristen believes that both achievements and failures are part of the cycle of growth, leading to new strengths and goals.

Her current objectives include protecting patients at her hospital, providing the highest level of care, and helping future leaders reach their potential. Kristen’s educational journey reflects her diverse experience, having progressed from CNA to MSN. She has been with Baptist Health System since 1994, serving in various roles, including ED Director, ICU Director, Associate Chief Nursing Officer, and currently, Chief Nursing Officer.

Brandi Coleman, Founder & CEO of The Lemonade Circle:

A San Antonio native, Brandi grew up on the city’s Eastside and is a proud graduate of Brackenridge High School in the San Antonio Independent School District. She currently serves as a visiting lecturer in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

As the founder and CEO of The Lemonade Circle, established in 2017, Mrs. Coleman has grown the organization from a group of five girls to now serving over 100 young women throughout San Antonio and surrounding areas. The Lemonade Circle’s mission is to empower young women of color, particularly Black females in 5th grade and beyond, to “make lemonade” out of life’s challenges through leadership development, civic engagement, college and career readiness, literacy and the arts, STEM, and mental health. The organization aims to equip these young women with the skills they need to become leaders in their schools and communities.

Heather Cruice, Vice President & Banker at J.P. Morgan:

Heather Cruice is Vice President and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank in San Antonio, where she advises affluent clients, including entrepreneurs, executives, and nonprofit foundations. With a focus on women and the LGBTQ+ community, Heather shapes and implements wealth strategies tailored to the diverse needs of her Central Texas clients.

With over 15 years of experience, she specializes in executive compensation, banking, lending, investment portfolios, and wealth planning. Heather takes a holistic approach, leveraging J.P. Morgan’s global resources to provide customized solutions.

Heather holds a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of the Incarnate Word and maintains Series 7, Series 66, and Life & Health Insurance licenses. Beyond her professional life, she is a dedicated mother and wife, balancing her commitments through yoga and travel. She is also actively involved in nonprofit work and serves on the board of Dress for Success San Antonio.

Rebecca Anderson, Senior Associate Vice President for Operations and Strategic Initiatives, UTSA

Rebecca (Becky) Anderson is a seasoned higher education advancement leader with over two decades of experience.  She specializes in talent management, advancement operations, and strategic leadership. Currently serving as Senior
Associate Vice President for Operations and Strategic Initiatives at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), she contributes to shaping the growth and success of her organization through innovative and results-driven leadership.
Throughout her career at UTSA, Becky has spearheaded multiple high-impact initiatives, including the development of one of the first talent management teams in the advancement space. She has also played a pivotal role in designing and
implementing the frameworks for two comprehensive multimillion dollar fundraising campaigns.

Most recently, she led the creation of The UTSA Advancement Institute dedicated to empowering advancement professionals and academic leaders with specialized training, professional development, and collaborative opportunities to
deepen the understanding of philanthropy in higher education. With a commitment to operational excellence, Becky is passionate about fostering environments where teams thrive. She is recognized for her ability to lead through
complex challenges while prioritizing innovation, collaboration, and long-term success.

Dr. Caitlin C. Walker, Founder, Levàntatech:

Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Caitlin C. Walker (Dr. C) is an award-winning community leader who has supported under-resourced populations in Texas for over a decade.

In addition to her entrepreneurial work in leadership development and business operations advising, her experience includes fostering organizational excellence as the Director of Operations & Human Resources of the largest young Latina/o/e voter advocacy organization in Texas, leading learning and development as the Director of Education for a rural healthcare system during the onset of COVID-19, empowering life change as the VP of Program Operations & Experience of the first accredited coding bootcamp in Texas, and promoting economic development as the Chief Executive Officer of a small business chamber of commerce.

She is also the founder of Levántatech, a nonprofit working to eliminate economic vulnerability for Latinas by providing training in fundamental tech literacy and resilience skills needed to access educational and economic opportunities.