2021 Frank McBee Jr. Fellows Announced

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The Austin Area Research Organization (AARO) announced the 2021 Class of Frank McBee Jr. Fellows. The Fellowship is designed to seed Central Texas with leaders who think regionally and act systemically, considering the interdependency of issues and serving as stewards for the greater common good.

This group of highly accomplished community leaders will spend a year with the AARO membership, 115+ regional civic entrepreneurs, working on a variety of public policy issues to improve the long-term economic and social quality of life for all Central Texans.

2021 Class Frank McBee Jr. Fellows

A.J. Bingham
Founder and CEO - The Bingham Group, LLC

Eric Bustos
Manager of Government Relations - Capital Metro

Ramiro Diaz
Senior Software Engineer - Under Armour

Kate Garza
Director of Advocacy and External Affairs - Ascension Texas

Nhat Ho
Vice President - Civilitude Engineers & Planners

Karen Magid
Director of Sustainability and STEM - Huston Tillotson University

Shuronda Robinson
President/CEO - Adisa Communications

Sharon Vigil
Chief Operations and Equity Officer - Communities In Schools of Central Texas

Deirdre Walsh
Director of Global Marketing and Communications - Silicon Labs

Lourdes Zuniga
Executive Director - Financial Literacy Coalition of Central Texas (FLCCT)

Austin Area Research Organization (AARO)

The Austin Area Research Organization is a non-partisan nonprofit organization of 115+ business and civic leaders from Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet and Caldwell counties. The membership is committed to, and working for, the vitality of the region. AARO focuses on long-term challenges and solutions to enhance the economic and social well-being of all Central Texans. AARO also addresses more immediate issues with long-term implications.

Frank McBee, Jr. Fellowship

The Frank McBee Jr. Fellows Program is a rigorous, 13-month program for civic leadership development. Frank McBee Jr. Fellowships offer exceptional Central T exas leaders first-hand, practical experience working with regional civic entrepreneurs on a variety of public policy issues to improve the long-term economic and social quality of life for all Central Texans.