Lauren Adegoke is a Dallas based ecosystem leader working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, business development, and life science innovation. As Senior Manager of Programs at MassChallenge, she leads the design and delivery of custom accelerator programs, working hands on with startups, corporate partners, and mentors to build structured program models that help founders launch, grow, and scale their businesses. 

Before joining MassChallenge, Lauren spent several years within the Dallas life science ecosystem. As Manager of Business Development at BioNorth Texas, she wore multiple hats: driving membership growth and demand generation, serving as convener for the Biotechnology & Healthcare Industry Alliance of North Texas to align biotech, healthcare, and industry leaders around shared regional priorities, and managing the EDA Good Jobs Challenge grant alongside Dallas College, which delivered healthcare and life science workforce training to hundreds of students.

Her passion for entrepreneurship is rooted in her own background in biomedical engineering and applied research, including bioprocess development work at AbbVie, and in her experience building programs and partnerships for organizations such as BWISE: Black Women in Science and Engineering and HAKing Innovation. Across these roles, she has focused on helping founders turn scientific ideas and early stage ventures into sustainable organizations, partnerships, and community impact. 

Haydee Clark is a construction industry advocate, small business champion, and founder of Resilient Freight Solutions, a certified women-owned and minority-owned logistics and construction support company based in North Texas. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Regional Hispanic Construction Association (RHCA) and chairs the Training & Capacity Building Committee, where she helps advance workforce development, contractor education, and small business growth initiatives throughout the construction industry. She also serves on the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas State Board and WBCS Women of Culture Committee.

A recognized advocate for women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses, Haydee has been honored with the Women's Business Council Southwest (WBCS) Business Advocate of the Year Award (2026), WBE of the Year Award (2025), WBE Rising Star Award (2024), and the RHCA Luna Award for Business Advocate of the Year (2024), which recognizes leaders who create opportunities and elevate professionals within the construction industry.

Haydee is passionate about helping businesses build capacity, strengthen relationships, navigate industry challenges, and create long-term growth opportunities. Through her leadership, she continues to champion collaboration, workforce development, supplier diversity, and the belief that businesses and communities grow stronger when they work together.

Gina Ford, PharmD, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer of BioNorth Texas (BioNTX), where she is focused on positioning North Texas as one of the nation’s leading hubs for life sciences innovation. She brings a builder’s mindset to the role—connecting industry, academia, healthcare systems, and investors to accelerate innovation, support company growth, and deliver meaningful impact for patients.

With more than two decades of experience across biotech and pharmaceutical industries, Gina has built her career at the intersection of strategy and execution. She has led corporate strategy, business development, and commercialization efforts for clinical-stage and growth companies, including IPSEN and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals. She is also the founder of One Joule, LLC, where she has advised life science companies on company formation, fundraising, licensing, and go-to-market strategy.

Prior to BioNTX, Gina served as CEO of Women In Bio, where she led a period of significant transformation—expanding national reach, strengthening partnerships, and building programs that advanced leadership and opportunity across the life sciences sector.

Known for her ability to bring people together around a shared vision, Gina is passionate about building ecosystems that move beyond connection to real outcomes—fueling innovation, attracting investment, and ultimately improving patient lives. Her work is grounded in a simple belief: scientific advancement only matters if it reaches and changes the lives of patients.

Valerie Freeman is the Founder of three companies that offer workforce solutions on a national scale. BravoTECH, Freeman+Leonard, and Anserteam. These firms specialize in providing staffing, search, managed services and consulting. The companies have been named multiple times to the Inc. 500/5000 and Dallas 100. Valerie has been inducted into the Dallas Business Hall of Fame, Tech Titans Hall of Fame and the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame. In 2020 she was honored with the Orbie Leadership Award by the Dallas CIO Association. She also received two Lifetime Achievement Awards—one from the Alliance of Technology and Women and the other from Dallas Business Journal for her work with women in technology. She was named to D CEO’s 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders several years and the Power 50 Women in Dallas by the Texas Diversity Council. In the past she received the Athena Award from the Dallas Regional Chamber, Maura Award from the Dallas (now Texas) Women’s Foundation and Women of Distinction from the Girl Scouts. In 2024, she received the Catalyst Award from the Information Technology Senior Management Forum national nonprofit.

Today she is a founder, investor and Director of Prime Women Media, a diversified media group, which offers high quality entertainment to the over 50 woman. She also serves on the Board of the Dallas College Enterprise Ventures, a newly created entity which invests in new and innovative opportunities to benefit Dallas Colleges.

Valerie currently serves on the Board of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the Audit Committee at the Dallas Museum of Art. She also serves on the Advisory Council of the Alliance of Technology and Women and the Advisory Board of Dallas AI. She was a founder of the DBJ’s Women in Tech Awards and is a member of YPO Gold, International Women’s Forum, Dallas Assembly, and Tech Titans technology trade association. She is a long-time member of the Women’s Business Council of the Southwest where she served on the Board of Directors and was selected as a Business Star. Valerie holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Education from the University of Houston where she was honored as a Distinguished Alum.

Ashley Hodge is a Project Manager with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport's Air Service Development team, leading strategic initiatives that support air service growth and cross-functional collaboration. Outside of work, she volunteers as a youth mentor for high school students and spends most of her free time at her spin studio and supporting the social life of her Shih Tzu, Tatum.

Alex Klinedinst is a third-generation entrepreneur and President of Bluebird Creative Company, a full-service marketing agency she founded in Fort Worth in 2018. What began as an entrepreneurial leap has grown into a trusted partner for more than 250 clients across industries, from emerging startups to established national brands.

Bluebird's core purpose is to drive real revenue for its clients through fractional CMO support, brand strategy, digital advertising, social media management, and creative development, blending big-agency expertise with a nimble, honest approach. Under Alex's leadership, the agency has become a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) and earned the 2025 WBE Rising Star Award. Alex herself was named a 2025 Entrepreneur of Excellence by Fort Worth Inc. Magazine and a 2026 Woman of Impact by 360 West Magazine.

Beyond Bluebird, Alex co-owns ventures in real estate, reflecting her broader commitment to building businesses with integrity and long-term value. She's an active voice in the Fort Worth business community and serves on the board of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Educational Program. She is also a wife, mom, and daughter, balancing career ambition with family focus.

John H. Martinez-D. is a Dallas-based executive with more than three decades of experience in business development, supplier diversity, economic opportunity, and advocacy for minority-owned and emerging businesses. His career has focused on expanding access to contracts, training, technical assistance, and long-term growth opportunities for contractors, entrepreneurs, and small businesses across Texas.

Martinez-D. began his career in 1990 with the City of Dallas Office of Minority Business Opportunity, where he developed his commitment to supplier diversity and economic inclusion. He later served as Director of Economic Development for the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, managing business assistance programs, strategic initiatives, and corporate partnerships. During his tenure, the Chamber expanded through multiple branch offices and strengthened its role as a resource for Hispanic entrepreneurs throughout North Texas.

From 1999 to 2004, Martinez-D. served as Business Development Director for the DFW Minority Supplier Development Council. He connected minority-owned companies with Fortune 500 corporations and helped businesses pursue certification and procurement opportunities, strengthening supplier diversity efforts across the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Since 2005, Martinez-D. has led RHCA as President and CEO. In July 2026, the organization adopted the name Regional Hispanic Construction Association to better reflect the full construction community it serves, including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, engineers, architects, developers, and other construction professionals. Under his leadership, RHCA has grown from a one-person operation into one of the country's largest Hispanic construction associations, with a statewide presence and services centered on business development, project procurement, safety, workforce training, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

Martinez-D. spearheaded RHCA's acquisition of an 11,000-square-foot facility in partnership with the City of Dallas. The renovated headquarters and training center opened in 2025 as the organization celebrated 30 years of service. RHCA serves the industry through locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston, with team members supporting Austin and Mexico City.

His industry and civic leadership roles include serving as Chair of the North Texas Tollway Authority Business Development and Advisory Council. He also previously chaired the National Hispanic Construction Association, advocating for policies and initiatives that support Hispanic contractors nationwide.

A Dallas native, Martinez-D. lives with his wife, Maria Montoya, in his childhood neighborhood near T.L. Marsalis Elementary School. His career reflects a sustained commitment to expanding economic opportunity, strengthening diverse businesses, and preparing the next generation of minority and small business leaders.

Brittany Rosenberg is a business development and regional growth strategist dedicated to advancing manufacturing and economic prosperity across Texas. With over a decade of experience working with major organizations and manufacturers from Google, Burns & McDonnell, GE Aerospace, and Dickies to city governments and state agencies, she has helped build partnerships that drive innovation, workforce development, and business growth. Her expertise lies in aligning industry, government, and community leaders to create scalable solutions that strengthen both organizations and regional economies.

Victoria Wilmore is a visionary supply chain leader at Johnson & Johnson, known for her technical acumen, dedication to people development, and commitment to making a positive impact on global health. Currently, she leads a global team focused on serialization and change management with external manufacturers and pharmaceutical suppliers.

With over 18 years of diverse experience within J&J, Victoria has honed her expertise across various aspects of the supply chain, including transportation, logistics, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing, and supplier management. Among her proudest achievements is her pivotal role in launching the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, where she established a robust cold chain network to ensure safe and compliant delivery to governments worldwide.

Residing in Grapevine, TX, Victoria cherishes time spent with her husband and two elementary-aged children. In her spare time, she actively pursues her long-standing dream of obtaining a private pilot license.