Person Type: Board

Dave Porter

Executive Director
Williamson County Economic Development Partnership

Dave Porter was born in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas. He has spent 35 years in economic development in cities like Austin, TX, Raleigh, NC, Orlando, FL, Wichita, KS, and Asheville, NC. His goal is to bring prosperity through high-wage jobs to Williamson County.

Dave spent 11 years at the Austin Chamber of Commerce as the Senior Vice President of Economic Development encouraging businesses like Samsung to make Austin their home. He is currently Executive Director for the Williamson County Economic Development Partnership. He is an avid golfer.

Dave has extensive international experience in Asia and European markets. He is known for his depth of cultural knowledge and as a relationship builder. Dave received his degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University and Economic Development certification from Oklahoma University.

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart

Chancellor
Austin Community College District

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart will serve as the ninth Chancellor for Austin Community College District. Russell’s leadership is centered around the concept of LOVE, with a dedicated focus on enhancing student success through systemic and cultural transformation.

As he prefers to be called, Russell previously served as president of Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas, from 2014 to 2023 before beginning his tenure as ACC Chancellor. He also served as vice president of academic affairs for Amarillo College.

Under his leadership, Amarillo College was named co-winner of the prestigious 2023 Aspen Prize, a Community College Excellence award. The award recognizes community colleges demonstrating high-quality and equitable outcomes for students. Other accolades under his leadership include:

  • 2021 Top Five Institution and Rising Star for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
  • Leah Meyer Austin Award for Achieving the Dream
  • Bellwether Award
  • Membership in the inaugural class of the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellowship
  • Recognition from the American Association of Community Colleges

Russell received a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and rhetoric from West Texas State University, a master’s degree in communication studies from Texas Tech University, and a doctorate in interpersonal communication (with an emphasis on gender and diversity) from Ohio University. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Kody Hodge Foundation.

Russell and his wife of almost 30 years share three children.

Amanda Luther

Managing Director and Partner
Boston Consulting Group

Amanda Luther is a co-founder of the Austin office of Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which was established in 2020 and is BCG’s fastest-growing office. At BCG, she leads the Digital Transformation topic globally and is a core member of the Consumer and Technology & Digital Advantage practice areas. Over her 15 years of consulting experience, Amanda has built expertise in strategy and implementation across digital, data, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence, with a recent focus on Generative AI.
After getting to know the United Way organization through pro bono work, Amanda is excited to join the Board, where she brings deep experience in strategy, with a particular focus on driving impact via data and analytics.
Amanda received an MBA from Stanford University, where she was recognized as a Siebel Scholar. She also holds degrees in Computer Science and Economics from Stanford. Amanda is a proud second-generation Texan and lives in Austin, where she enjoys hiking, playing pickup basketball, and constantly searching for the best burger in town.
Jennifer Wu

Jennifer Wu

Capital Markets Partner
Kirkland & Ellis

Jennifer Wu is a capital markets partner in the Austin office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, an international law firm that serves a broad range of clients around the world in private equity, M&A and other corporate transactions, litigation, restructurings, and intellectual property matters. Jennifer counsels issuers across the technology and energy industries in public offerings, including IPOs and follow-on offerings. In addition, she advises companies on federal securities law compliance, ongoing corporate governance and SEC reporting, and disclosure issues.

Jennifer has consistently been recognized as a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers and served on Law360’s Capital Markets and Texas Editorial Advisory Boards. Jennifer is passionate about serving our Greater Austin community and has been an active member of the Junior League of Austin for over a decade. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Austin and has also been heavily involved with United Way for many years, serving as a longtime Women United Executive Committee Member. Jennifer is also a proud member of the Leadership Austin Emerge Class of 2016 (BCE!).

Jennifer received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, earned a Certificate in Business and Public Policy from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated with a B.A. from Rice University. Before pursuing her law degree, Jennifer taught pre-algebra at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, where she developed her lifetime passion for education and community.

Cristina Guajardo

Asset and Compliance Specialist
Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation

Cristina Guajardo became involved with United Way for Greater Austin in 2018 as a resident and ambassador for the Jeremiah Program, a United Way funded partner and member organization of the Austin/Travis County 2-Gen Coalition – powered by United Way. She has advocated for student parents and affordable child care by sharing her story at various local and national events, including with the Aspen Institute and as a Zero to Three Parent Representative in Washington D.C. Cristina’s passion for serving her community has continued after graduation from Texas State University in 2021 and through her work at the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation, a nonprofit focused on providing affordable housing to families in East Austin.

Karen Steakley

Senior Manager, Business Development & Public Policy
Tesla

Karen Steakley leads Business Development and Public Policy for Tesla across much of the US, working to expand Tesla’s footprint and impact.

Prior to joining Tesla, Karen worked in the Texas State Capitol shaping policy and legislative solutions, beginning as a legislative intern in the House of Representatives and leaving as the Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs for the Governor of Texas.

Karen holds a degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and certificates from the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs and the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.

Dr. Anjum Khurshid

Chief Data Scientist for FDA’s Sentinel Operations Center
Harvard Medical School

Dr. Anjum Khurshid is the inaugural Director of Data Integration and Associate Professor of Population Health at Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin. He is the principal investigator on community-wide projects for integrating social determinants of health data into electronic health records and developing patient engagement platforms to allow patients to access their health data easily.

Dr. Khurshid received the Health Informatics Innovation Award in 2013 for leading the $13.5 million Crescent City Beacon Community Program in New Orleans and University Blockchain Research Institute’s Visionary Award in 2020 for his seminal work in this area. He has served on the Federal Advisory Committee for Health Information Technology, a congressionally-mandated advisory body, and as a patient engagement advisor to the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington DC.

Dr. Khurshid earned his medical degree from King Edward Medical University, Lahore and his Masters in Public Affairs and PhD in Public Policy from the University of Texas at Austin.

Ed Latson

Chief Executive Officer
Opportunity Austin

Ed Latson is the Chief Executive Officer for Opportunity Austin, a regional economic development initiative aimed at fostering job-creating investment across the Austin region.

Ed Latson is the Founder and former Executive Director for ARMA—the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association, a business group focused on strengthening the manufacturing community through advocacy, workforce development, and networking. Members include some of the largest employers in the area like Samsung Semiconductor, Applied Materials, NXP, ICU Medical, and NI, but also small and medium size companies from diverse sectors, like food & beverage, bio/pharma, automotive, printing, and metal fabrication.

Latson is active in the community serving on boards or advisory groups for the Greater Austin Chamber, the Capital Area Economic Development District, the Seton Fifty, GSG Talent Solutions, Austin Community College, Texas State Technical College, Austin ISD, Pflugerville ISD, and UT School of Engineering. He is a native Austinite and a graduate of the University of Texas.

Alison Walgren

Central Texas Managing Principal
Deloitte

Alison Walgren is a Principal in Deloitte’s Core Business Operations practice with 28 years of broad-based consulting experience. She serves as the Central Texas Managing Principal, leading Deloitte’s multifunctional practice of 1,700 Consulting, Attest, Risk Advisory and Tax professionals in Austin and San Antonio, Texas. She also serves as the leader of the Deloitte Service Delivery and Business Design practice. In these roles, she leads her teams to deliver high-value solutions to Deloitte’s clients to help them transform the way they do business.

Alison is active in the community, currently serving on the boards of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, Girls Inc., and United Way for Greater Austin, and previously on the boards of the Texas Advocacy Project and ISHIDA Dance Company.

Alison grew up in San Antonio, lived in several states in the US and in Russia, and has called Austin her home since 2004. She received an MBA in International Business from The University of South Carolina and a BS in Russian and Linguistics from Georgetown University.

Alison is married to Richard Segura, a native Austinite, and they have three children between them who are currently following their passions in music, ballet, and theatre in Virginia and New York.

Laura Huffman

President and CEO
Civic Solutions Partnership

Laura Huffman is President and CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit membership organization that facilitates the creation of a prosperous regional economy and advocates on behalf of its members and the broader business community.

Laura is dedicated to solving complex problems with a spirit of collaboration, innovation, and creativity.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Laura served as Texas state director for The Nature Conservancy. During her twelve-year tenure at the Conservancy, Laura worked closely with Texas legislators to draft policy with far-reaching ramifications for statewide water conservation and spearheaded the expansion of water protection funds across Central Texas.

Laura’s distinguished public service record also includes 15+ years in city management for the City of Austin and City of San Marcos, where she helped safeguard water supply, strengthen the economy, and protect natural assets.

She earned a master’s degree in public affairs from The University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science in political science from Texas A&M University. An Austin native, she enjoys running, swimming, and hiking with her husband and four children.