Riva Walia is an accomplished leader who has been recognized both in Canada and internationally. As the first woman of Indian origin in Canada to receive the prestigious Chevalier de L’ordre national du Mérite (Knight of the French National Order of Merit) from President Emmanuel Macron of France, she has demonstrated her commitment to strengthening bilateral trade relations between Canada and France, as well as promoting growth and innovation within the French business ecosystem.

It’s the start of a school day at HCC West Loop campus and Dr. Madeline Burillo-Hopkins is walking the halls, talking to students waiting for classes to begin.
“How’s everything going?” she asks one student. She leans in and listens intently. Whether it’s a concern with financial aid, finding a ride to school or balancing family obligations and schoolwork, Burillo-Hopkins offers common sense advice rooted in her own experiences.

“Maintaining our company values and culture are essential to us. As we grow our engineering and consulting firm, we will be able to adapt and exceed expectations because of them.”
Layne Lewis, President of Willowview Consulting LLC (WVC), is a visionary, both professionally and in her personal life. Layne is a highly motivated individual, often giving more than 100% and modeling her motto “Expect Excellence” every day in all aspects of her life. She consistently goes above and beyond to achieve results with her seasoned team of likeminded individuals.

Julie Butner, President & CEO of Tarrant Area Food Bank, takes a big-picture approach to finding meaningful ways to impact. She envisions ways for Tarrant Area Food Bank to address current issues facing the community while positioning innovative solutions to develop future solutions to address food insecurity. She encourages her team to approach challenges with a positive attitude and a “can-do” spirit that inspires creativity and results.