Debbie partners with colleges and high school Hospitality programs that lead to an increased pool of knowledgeable and prepared potential employee candidates for Texas hotels.She is a former educator who works across the State of Texas helping people understand the Hotel Industry, while also helping organizations prepare and train employees to enter the Hotel Industry. She has proven success in project management and event planning and coordination, along with five years of state agency service at the Texas Education Agency; 17 years as a Secondary Teacher in Career and Technical Education; 7 years in Human Resources; and 10 years in Retail Management. Debbie understands the opportunities andchallenges in workforce development, training, and worker preparation. She is an expert in Hospitality Education and Training Programs.About THLA:Our membership includes lodging operators and tourism partners across Texas, from the largest hotels to the smallest bed & breakfasts, along with full-service and limited-service operators, convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, and vendors who work with the hospitality industry.Over the last ten years, THLA has grown from the fourth largest state hotel association in the country to the largest hotel association in the nation with over 5,000 members currently. Our mission is simple: THLA advocates for legislation, regulations, resources, and a businessclimate that will promote a strong, vibrant, and growing lodging and tourism industry within Texas. Our goals both current and historic are to promote the resources and ability of the lodging industry operators to be successful.LinkedIn Profile: Debbie Wieland LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-wieland-2a4a647/Website: THLA Website:https://texaslodging.com/

Jessica Bartnick Founder and CEOFoundation For C.H.O.I.C.E.(Texas)By serving at-risk youth through a one-to-one mentoring program, Foundation For C.H.O.I.C.E. (Consider How One Individual Changes Everything) creates opportunities for a college education through professionally supported relationships, inspiring the student to make positive choices for their future. Through a structured 27-week course, Foundation For C.H.O.I.C.E. and their volunteer mentors empower hand-picked, at-risk students who demonstrate responsibility, motivation, and determination to overcome their own personal circumstances. The program emphasizes the importance of high school academics and creates extended learning opportunities linked to college and career readiness focusing on consistency and measurable results based on curriculum developed weekly mentor-student meetings and progress reports.LinkedIn

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bartnick-85b58217

Website: Foundation for Choice

Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt

President Jarvis Christian University (Texas)

On this week’s iBuild America Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt, President of Jarvis Christian University.

From increasing enrollment to launching adult learning and graduate programs, Dr. Lee-Pruitt shares how she’s modernizing HBCU education while honoring legacy.

Jarvis Christian University Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt as the university’s 13th president, effective July 1, 2023. She succeeds Dr. Lester C. Newman, who served as the JCU President for 11 years.

Dr. Lee-Pruitt brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the university, including higher education administration and academic affairs, having served as second in command and as a member of the executive cabinet since August 2012 as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Jarvis. She has been instrumental in increasing student enrollment, increasing articulation agreements, and establishing the Renaissance Program for Adult Learners on the JCU campus and the JCU Dallas Teaching Site. She has also provided leadership in enhancing academic program offerings, which include online degree completion programs and two online graduate programs.

Previously, she served at Mississippi Valley State University as dean of University College and First Year Experience, director of Community/Service Learning, director of the Renaissance Learning Adult Education Program, and tenured professor in the Department of Social Work.

About Jarvis Christian University:

Our Mission: Jarvis Christian University is a historically Black institution, affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), offering degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels. The mission of the University is to prepare a diverse population of lifelong learners intellectually, socially, spiritually, and personally through providing interactive services and using varied modalities of instructional delivery.

Our Commitment to You: Whether you are a prospective student, a current student, a parent, an alumnus, or a friend of the university, we are dedicated to your success. Our faculty and staff are here to support you, providing the tools, resources, and guidance needed to help you achieve your goals. At Jarvis Christian University, you will find a dynamic and engaging learning environment where your aspirations are valued and your potential is recognized.

Looking Ahead: As we look to the future, we remain committed to advancing our university’s mission and enhancing the educational experience for all our students.

We continue to invest in innovative programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and opportunities that prepare our graduates to excel in an ever-changing world.

LinkedIn Profile: Dr. Glenell Lee-Pruitt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenell-m-lee-565805284/

Website: Jarvis Christian University: https://www.jarvis.edu/

High school students with Michelin-level skills? YES. In this episode of iBuild America Podcast, Chef Devin Niederhauser shares how he turned a Texas high school culinary program into a launchpad for careers. His passion, creativity, and commitment to student success are changing lives.

This week on the iBuild America Podcast, we welcome Chef Devin Niederhauser, educator and culinary innovator at Richardson High School.Chef Devin shares how he built a cutting-edge high school culinary program from scratch—giving students hands-on skills, real-world experience, and a platform to shine.Chef Devin is an amazing and innovative leader who departed the private sector to build a culinary program at Richardson High School. Over the span of a few short years, Chef Devin is fundamentally changed and revolutionized the program. His students receive an opportunity tolearn unique techniques to culinary in addition to preparing original creations and experiment with ideas. Additionally, these students are given an opportunity to perform their skills in front of VIPs. Chef believes in provide autonomy for his students while inspiring them to excel. Hisapproach builds a level of confidence that allows students to compete with more senior people.Chef Devin did not build a cookie cutter program but rather pushed the boundaries of exploration that have allowed his students to flourish and succeed after completing the program.

Learn about his program: https://richardsonlifemagazine.com/risd-culinary-arts-programsWebsite: www.iBuildAmerica.com

Kevin MalonsonExecutive

Director, Teach Plus Texas

We’re proud to feature Kevin Malonson, Executive Director of Teach Plus Texas, on the iBuild America Podcast.

With 30 years in education, Kevin brings a deep understanding of policy, college access, and instructional excellence. His voice is reshaping education equity and elevating teacher leadership across Texas.

Kevin Malonson is the Executive Director of Teach Plus Texas, leading Teach Plus’ policy and instructional practice work in the state and supporting national teacher diversity initiatives.

Kevin has 30 years of experience in education, with particular expertise in collegereadiness and college access among students in urban, public school districts. He has workedin the for-profit and non-profit sectors, helping students realize their educational goals throughdirect assistance, teacher training, and collaboration with district administration.

Kevin was most recently the Texas Policy Manager at Teach Plus, where he managed the DFW Policy Fellowship and supported statewide policy efforts. He was a featured speaker from 2013-2018 on the United Negro College Fund’s Empower Me Tour, through which he presented to thousands of parents and students about college planning and admissions on tour stops across the country. Kevin is a Dallas Morning News Community Voices contributing columnist and was the Single Gender Coordinator for the Young Men’s Leadership Academy at FredFlorence Middle School in Dallas ISD.

He received a B.A. in geography and a M.Ed. in education administration from the University of Texas at Austin, and served as the university’s Assistant Director of Admissions. Kevin is married, has two children and is based in Dallas.

LinkedIn Profile: Kevin Malonson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-malonson-921a89b

Website: TeachPlus: https://teachplus.org/

Wes Jurey

CEO Redemption Bridge (Texas)

We’re honored to feature Wes Jurey, CEO of Redemption Bridge and workforce visionary, on the iBuild America Podcast.

From shaping national workforce policy to pioneering education-to-employment models, Wes shares powerful insights on innovation, partnerships, and purpose in workforce development.

Redemption Bridge, a non-profit intermediary, focused on establishing new models for workforce development. He is also the Founder, President and CEO of the Agriculture Technology Innovation Partnership (ATIP) Foundation, affiliated with the United States Department of Agriculture; Senior Advisor to the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council. He is the former CEO of the El Paso (TX) Chamber of Commerce and former CEO of the Arlington (TX) Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Jurey established the Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development in 2004, selected as one of 12 sites nationally for the Workforce Innovation Networks Initiative, a project of the Ford Foundation and U.S. Department of Labor. Built in partnership with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), the City of Arlington, and the Tarrant County Workforce Investment Board, the facility fostered partnerships with virtually every major education and workforce development stakeholder in Tarrant County.

He was appointed to the 9-member U.S. Department of Labor panel in 2002, charged with development of the departments five-year strategic research plan; Labor Secretary Elaine Chao appointed him to the Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeships in 2008, and he was reappointed by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis in May 2010. In 2009, he was selected as a Ford Foundation Fellow, and was appointed by the Business Roundtable as one of 25 commissioners for the Springboard Project, an independent commission that developed education & workforce policy recommendations for the Obama Administration. In 2010 he was appointed to the Council on Competitiveness’ Workforce Advisory Group.

LinkedIn Profile: Wes Jurey

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-jurey-89a22922b

Website: SDEP

https://www.southdallasemploymentproject.org/leadership