Austin serves as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Minority Business Development Agency, where he co-created and now delivers the HCC Mattress Mack School of Selling, the HCC Small Business Success Series and the Sales Skills Workshop.  Austin works annually with over 500 enterprises and business owners, to start, grow, and optimize their enterprises.  Outside of his HCC responsibilities, Austin is an Executive Leadership and Business Coach with FocalPoint Coaching and Training, focusing on the challenges of new leaders to successfully transition into their new roles.  Austin holds an MBA in Finance from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in accounting from Cal State Long Beach.   

Dr. Talbert Davis is an Adjunct Senator and Professor of Government, Humanities, and History at Houston Community College. He is formerly the Managing Partner and Corporate Trainer at TL Davis Investment Group, providing real estate services throughout the Galveston-Houston Metropolitan areas. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Texas Southern University, an M.A. in History and a Master’s in Science in Public Administration from Texas Southern University, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Jackson State University. As an adjunct professor, Davis has received various awards from Lone Star Community College and Texas Southern University. Most notably, Davis was nominated Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award 2022.

John Whaley is a strategic business planner who serves as Module Faculty for Module 2: Growth and Opportunity for the program. John filed his first DBA at the age of 16 and has worked passionately in the community to support entrepreneurship at all levels for the past 30 years. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Western Governors University as well as his Masters of Business Administration degree.

Laquita Cyprian, a native Houstonian and veteran banking leader, has significant insights into the economy and the opportunities of companies in the region. At Agility Bank (in organization), she is responsible for customer relationship growth, as well as executing digital strategies that meet the needs of growing businesses in deposit, lending, and treasury management.

Her career, which spans over 20 years, has focused on providing banking solutions to small and mid-sized companies which are focused on sustainable growth. At leading Houston banks, she has managed teams that have been recognized for relationship building through strategic service and product solutions, as well as helping bring efficiencies to companies’ operations.

Laquita attended the University of Houston where she studied Business Administration. She has served on a number of boards including board chair of CSTEM, an organization supporting children in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.