Brian Dillard a third-generation Eastside San Antonio native, currently the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of San Antonio. Mr. Dillard began his career in public service in 2018 as the Smart City Administrator. Prior to joining the local government sector, Mr. Dillard was a Cybersecurity consultant in the private sector working with Shell Oil, Chevron Oil, Lockheed Martin, and Delta Risk Inc. Mr. Dillard began his career as a member of the United States Air Force where he served a ten-year Active Duty as a Cybersecurity Operations Specialist. Upon returning to San Antonio toward the end of his military career, Mr. Dillard became a neighborhood advocate and community leader. Mr. Dillard is the former President of the Dignowity Hill Neighborhood Association and has served as a board member of VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority, the Ella Austin Community Center, the San Antonio Centro Partnership, and the Martinez Street Women’s Center. Mr. Dillard is an alumnus of Leadership San Antonio (LSA43), Leadership SAISD, and the San Antonio New Leaders Council. Mr. Dillard holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and currently resides in Dignowity hill.

Kanwal Sumnani Lopez is a district technology implementation specialist and a staunch advocate for STEAM education. She has experience teaching core subjects at the primary level, and mathematics, music, and computer science at the secondary level. Kanwal has served as a grade team leader, has led professional development sessions, has applied for and received multiple grants for arts and technology and coordinated implementation of funds and activities for Title I schools. She has a firm belief that all schools should be equipped with 21st-century skills in an ever-changing global environment and foster a learning community that builds globally aware critical thinkers.

Kanwal lives in San Antonio with her husband, also a fellow educator. She holds a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins University Graduate School of Education, a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is currently a doctoral student at Abilene Christian University.

Jackie Gorman has a particular interest in the areas of Higher Education, Government, Workforce Development, and Non-Profit organizations, where she brings over 16 years of executive-level management experience. Ms. Gorman is also a specialist in diversity executive searches and can bring to the table the highest caliber of diverse candidates for any organization. Ms. Gorman is known as a well-respected professional adept at dealing with senior decision-makers and a broad customer base. Prior to joining Allen Austin, Ms. Gorman served as CEO of San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, Inc. (SAGE) a non-profit charged with revitalization and economic development on San Antonio’s Eastside. She is a member of the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame and is also an alumnus of Leadership Texas (‘03). Ms. Gorman received her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Michigan and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Henrietta Muñoz, is currently the executive director of Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s Institute for School and Community Partnerships. Dr. Muñoz oversees the SB-1882 school partnerships within Edgewood ISD, whose mission is to design an equitable quality school pipeline for students in the south and west sides of San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Muñoz has over 20 years of nonprofit experience and 15 years of school-community partnership experience all within the west and east sides of San Antonio. Previously, Dr. Muñoz served as the senior VP for research and evaluation (2018-20) at the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County with oversight of all data collections, analysis, research and evaluations for the United Way and many private and public grants. Muñoz was also part of the design and backbone organizational role of a two-generational initiative on San Antonio’s Eastside, the Dual Generation Initiative with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. In 2012, she became the first director for the Eastside Promise Neighborhood, a $23.7 million Department of Education award for the Eastside of San Antonio, where a feeder pattern approach to campus change was designed and implemented within San Antonio ISD. Muñoz is a proud Annie E. Casey Foundation Children and Families Fellow (2009-10), and is part of a Community Advisory cohort of the Dallas Federal Reserve. Muñoz received her PhD from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Culture, Literacy and Language in 2009, where she served as adjunct faculty until 2013.

Mike Frisbie with over 30 years of engineering-related, community-related work experience, his priorities are faith, family, work, and then hobbies. Mr. Frisbie has a heart for the underserved, stands up for what is right, and is not willing to be on the sidelines when injustices are occurring. With a variety of experiences throughout his career in planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining thousands of projects including facilities, parks, roadways, and drainage systems. Mr. Frisbie worked alongside the NAACP leaders in San Antonio to support African American- owned design and construction companies with over $30 million in contracts. Mr. Frisbee values outcomes and life-long relationships that resulted with NAACP leaders and many others. Mr. Frisbie has a heart for teaching and a heart for youth. He has served as the ACE Mentor Program San Antonio (Architecture, Construction, Engineering) Board Chair for 8 years. Mr. Frisbee has been married to the love of his life and best friend, Lisa, for 30 years. They have three adult children – Jacob, Zach, and Macey.

Dr. Cynthia Warrick is a distinguished academic leader and the first female President of Stillman College, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Her tenure at Stillman has been marked by significant advancements, including securing over $21 million in grant funding and enhancing the college’s academic reputation nationally.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Warrick’s career spans over two decades in higher education, encompassing roles as faculty and administrator at institutions such as Howard University, the University of Texas, Texas Southern University, Florida A&M University, and Elizabeth City State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Howard University, a Master of Science in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University.

In 2016, Dr. Warrick founded the Society for Diversity in the Biomedical Sciences to support underrepresented students pursuing biomedical research and graduate programs. Her commitment to community building and educational excellence aligns seamlessly with Essence Preparatory Public School’s mission to prepare students as leading agents of change in their communities.

As a board member of Essence Prep, Dr. Warrick brings invaluable expertise and a passion for fostering educational opportunities, particularly within the Eastside community of San Antonio. Her deep roots in the area and dedication to educational equity make her an integral part of our leadership team.

Dr. Warrick’s visionary leadership and extensive experience in academia and community engagement continue to inspire and guide Essence Prep in its mission to provide high-quality education and cultivate future leaders.

Lucinda Vigil is a seasoned financial professional with extensive experience in auditing and grants management. She currently serves as a Managing Consultant in Grants Management at Forvis Mazars US, where she specializes in overseeing financial compliance and optimizing grant processes for various organizations.

Prior to her current role, Ms. Vigil held positions as a Senior Internal Auditor at Clear Channel Outdoor and as a Senior Auditor at iHeartMedia Inc., where she was responsible for assessing internal controls and ensuring adherence to financial regulations.

In addition to her corporate experience, Ms. Vigil has contributed to the educational sector as a Coordinator III for Financial Compliance and Special Programs at Education Service Center, Region 20. In this capacity, she managed financial compliance initiatives and supported special programs aimed at enhancing educational outcomes.

Ms. Vigil holds a degree from Texas State University-San Marcos, reflecting her strong foundation in finance and auditing.

As a dedicated board member of Essence Preparatory Public School, Ms. Vigil leverages her financial expertise to support the school’s mission of preparing students as leading agents of change in their communities. Her commitment to educational excellence and financial integrity makes her an invaluable asset to the Essence Prep community.