Board of Directors

Chair

Joel coffman

Since a pivotal moment early in his e-commerce career, Joel has dedicated his professional and personal time and talents toward the betterment of a community he holds very dear. He is the executive director at RecognizeGood, a foundation built to strengthen Central Texas through sharing great examples of goodness such as outstanding individual volunteerism, dedicated group service and exceptional business ethics. He is also Vice President of Marketing at TyRex Group, a family of advanced manufacturing companies.

Volunteer experience includes Austin Miracle League, Austin Gives, the Mayor’s Corporate Engagement Council, Leadership Austin, I Live Here I Give Here, Goodwill of Central Texas and Austin / Round Rock / Leander ISDs. He is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Austin’s Essential program, received a 2018 Volunteer of the Year award from the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce for his work with Austin Gives, and was named a 2017 Business Leader of the Year by the Career and Technology Association of Texas, among other accolades.

VICE CHAIR

Rachel mallernee

Rachel Mallernee is the Chief Advancement Officer at the Thinkery.

Rachel has nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, raising millions of dollars for cancer research and support, adults with disabilities and their families, early literacy and education and now healthcare focused on children and women. She has been in leadership positions, managed staff and led searches, and has extensive experience working on strategic planning and funding planning and execution. Prior to diving into the nonprofit space, Rachel had a successful insurance and communication solutions sales career in Houston, where she grew up. Since moving to the Austin area in 2006, Rachel has served the community in a variety of ways. She was on the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Austin Chapter Board of Directors for 7 years serving in several positions including Membership Chair, Programs Chair and Mentorship Chair. Rachel was part of the leadership team and served as President in 2018 (President-elect in 2017 and Immediate Past President in 2019). She continues to mentor and support fundraisers in our community and is passionate about aligning donors with the causes they love in order to make a positive impact in our community. Rachel is graduate of Leadership Austin 43 Essentials Class of 2021 and is the current Nonprofit Advisory Board Chair representing the nonprofit community on the I Live Here I Give Here Board of Directors.

Rachel lives in Pflugerville with her husband, Louie Mallernee, her daughter Stella and fur-baby, Penny. 

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

jackie sekiguchi

Jackie Sekiguchi is the community affairs manager for Texas Mutual Insurance Company, where she's focused on creating a strategic corporate citizenship vision that maximizes Texas Mutual’s impact across the state. In addition, she leads Texas Mutual’s expansion of strategic philanthropy efforts, which has invested over $60 million in organizations focused on workforce development and safety training, supporting working families, and disaster relief and preparedness since 2016.

Jackie serves as a steering committee member for the Mayor’s Corporate Engagement Council and as the Chair for I Live Here I Give Here. She also serves on the Texas Opportunity Youth Network Leadership Council, the Dallas Regional Chamber Education and Workforce Council, and the Advance Together steering committee. When she’s not working, she’s spending time with her husband Jeff and their two young daughters, Madison and Harper.

Treasurer

celso baez

Celso serves as Director of Government Affairs at Capital Metro. With nearly fifteen years of experience as a community engagement practitioner and public administration professional, Celso brings a deep cross-sector background that includes: political campaigns, government relations, public transportation, public education, health care service delivery, and public health.

Baez is passionate about serving to improve the great equalizers that afforded him and his family opportunities to prosper and lead a dignified life. His track record of influencing public-serving organizations towards prioritizing equitable, inclusive and participatory decision-making processes is laudable. He has accomplished this through important work at Capital Metro, Austin’s public transportation authority, at Austin ISD, Central Texas’ largest public school district, and at Central Health, Travis County’s public hospital district. 

At the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Celso jumped at the chance to serve a public hospital district and a network of federally qualified health centers to help ensure populations 200% under the federal poverty level had sufficient access to care. As the liaison between Central Health and other governmental and quasi-governmental organizations, Celso advanced the mission of the district and its affiliated entities by securing public policy, agency rules, funding, and partnerships that benefitted how the district served its patient population. 

During his tenure at the school district, Celso also assisted with efforts that ensured students did not miss a healthy meal, had access to broadband internet, and were equipped with information about navigating a rapidly evolving remote-learning and virtual environment as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding. Celso led overall strategy, management, and implementation of district-wide community engagement initiatives. He also oversaw customer service, translation and interpretation, community schools, and family involvement efforts. Most notably, Celso led comprehensive engagement and outreach efforts for Austin ISD’s successful $1 billion bond proposition and 25-year facility master plan. 

Celso previously led similar community involvement projects and liaised primarily with Austin’s east, southeast, and south-central communities for Capital Metro and surrounding municipalities. In 2014, Celso was largely focused on Project Connect, a transit expansion plan and referendum that was one of the precursors to the historic 2020 tax rate election to expand Austin’s public transit network. He oversaw the public participation process for Capital Metro's annual service changes and budgets, as well as facilitated stakeholder involvement for key policy and issue-based initiatives. Celso also served as the agency intermediary for Capital Metro's two statutorily required advisory committees. 

Celso co-founded Capital Metro’s signature goodwill event and holiday food drive, Stuff the Bus. Celso is a founding committee member of United Way for Greater Austin’s Young Leaders Society and has served as President of the Board of Directors of La Fuente Learning Center. Celso is a member of the International Association for Public Participation, a member of FuturoFund Austin, a Hispanic Austin Leadership graduate, a Leadership Austin Emerge graduate, and an Austin ISD UpClose graduate. Celso has served on the board of directors at Keep Austin Beautiful, served as an appointee on the City of Austin's Urban Transportation Commission, Task Force on Community Engagement, and the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities. Celso currently serves on The New Philanthropist’s inaugural Legacy Leadership Council and recently co-chaired I Live Here I Give Here’s signature annual event, See Us Give. 

Celso is a Pasadena, Texas native, an alumnus of St. Edward’s University and The University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs, and has been a coastal Texas transplant for 15 years. He has traveled across Guatemala and Nicaragua with Mujeres Iniciando en las Américas, a delegation recognized internationally for its advances in combating violence against women, served as a Holy Cross volunteer in Lima, Peru, contributes towards leadership efforts for the National Hispanic Institute, has shared thoughts with his Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and has dabbled enough in state and local politics. Celso is passionate about strong and involved communities, a lover of culture, and enjoys hammocking at state parks together with his partner Samantha and their 5 year-old, plus their energetic Australian Shepherd named Pappy in tow. Celso is likely readying a brisket for a 12 hour-long smoke in time for family meal on Sunday.

Secretary

Daniel gibbs

Daniel Gibbs has been working in the Austin film industry since graduating from the University of Texas in 2000. He worked in almost every level of production from feature films, live broadcast television, music video and commercial work before centering his focus on editing and directing music videos. This lead him to C3 Presents. For 17 years, Daniel has produced scripted and unscripted television, multi-channel festival broadcasts and all forms of content for events like Lollapalooza, ACL Fest, Presidential Inaugurations, the NFL Draft and for artists like Coldplay, JayZ and many more.

michelle arishita

Michelle Arishita is an attorney at Vinson & Elkins LLP, where she has represented clients in both federal and state courts in commercial disputes involving contract, antitrust, oil and gas, and trade secret law. In addition to working on commercial and business litigation matters, she has also represented individuals in pro bono matters. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Psychology and received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Michelle has lived in Austin since 2011. She and her husband have one young son and dog. Michelle enjoys distance running and traveling.

Sebastian Briceno

Sebastian is a seasoned sales executive with a track record of scaling and developing teams for B2B software companies. During his tenure at Tableau, spanning over a decade, he played a pivotal role in establishing and expanding the LATAM division. Following Tableau's acquisition by Salesforce in 2018, Sebastian adeptly managed the transition of his team while consistently surpassing sales targets. Outside his professional commitments, Sebastian engages actively in advising Austin startups.

Originally from Nicaragua, Sebastian's roots trace back to a lineage of coffee producers. Prior to his career in software, he immersed himself in the world of premium coffee importation.

Lexie Hall burns

Putting her heart and soul into every aspect of life, Lexie Hall strives to be the epitome of professionalism in the real estate field. Lexie’s passion for real estate stemmed from family roots where customer service and community involvement were the highest priorities. Within the Austin community, Lexie has chaired I Live Here I Give Here’s “See Jane Give”, is on the board for Cushman & Wakefield Future Leaders, serves as President Elect of Commercial Broker Associate Austin, volunteers for Girls Empowerment Network, and maintains involvement in several other community organizations. She has been recognized as a nominee for Young Leader of the Year from the Urban Land Institute and chairs ULI’s Mentorship Forum. With a heart-based persona and persistence to succeed, Lexie will continue to champion for others while chasing her dreams in commercial real estate.

min choe

As a devoted Austinite with deep roots in our vibrant community, I take immense pride in the innovative strides we've made at Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery. Serving as the co-founder, CEO, and Chairman, I am grateful for Austin's role as the incubator for our tech-forward restaurant concept.

At Tso, our mission transcends mere gastronomy; we aspire to revolutionize the way Americans perceive Chinese cuisine. Through our cutting-edge "local ecommerce" platform, we seamlessly prepare and deliver fresh, authentic Chinese-American dishes to your doorstep, all while adhering to a steadfast No Tipping policy.

Our commitment extends beyond culinary excellence; it encompasses a profound desire to give back to the very communities we are privileged to serve. As an active participant in Austin's dynamic landscape, I am deeply invested in fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity. Proudly serving as board director for Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce and Board Advisor for Austin Community Health Initiative, I am dedicated to leveraging my expertise to support initiatives that empower our community and promote economic growth and well-being.

At Tso, our core values are not just words on paper; they guide everything we do. Our #bekind value system underscores our belief in compassion, empathy, and respect for all. Whether it's through our interactions with customers, our team members, or our community partners, kindness is at the heart of everything we do.

Through our impactful #TsoGiving initiative, we've contributed over $300,000 worth of food (and counting) to the Austin community. This is not just a one-time effort but a sustained dedication to alleviating food insecurities, promising to persist in our hard work, achieve success, and continue making a positive impact in the lives of those who need it most.

On a personal note, I am fortunate to share my journey with my loving wife Jenna Choe, and our beautiful family, including our three wonderful children, Jordyn, Joah, and Joie, as well as our two beloved dogs Willie and Nelson. They are my constant source of inspiration and motivation, reminding me of the importance of family and community in everything we do.

With unwavering dedication and a commitment to excellence, we at Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery are proud to serve our community and lead the charge in redefining the culinary experience.

ryan coaxum 

Ryan Coaxum, an Austin native, is known for his striking energy and enthusiasm for life that drives him to give back to his community in various capacities. With over a decade of banking experience, he is part of the original team that brought Guaranty Bank & Trust to Central Texas. There, he works with a diverse group of clients across a broad range of industries focusing on their loan, deposit, and private banking needs. He serves on the boards of directors of a number of non-profit organizations including Ballet Austin, I Live Here I Give Here and The Trail Foundation.

Ryan focuses on issues in arts education, financial literacy, economic development and expanding opportunities for underserved communities. Ryan has been recognized for his tireless work by both the banking industry and his peers. His career has been marked by recognition in Independent Bankers Magazine’s 40 Under 40 and Austin Black Business Journal’s Readers’ Choice Award. He is a graduate of Huston-Tillotson University, a historically black college and university in Austin, receiving his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in business administration.

elaine garza

Elaine Garza is the founder and CEO of Giant Noise, a public relations and social media agency based in Austin, Texas, with offices in San Antonio and Dallas. The agency works with an eclectic mix of clients spanning multiple industries, including some of the most creative businesses in Texas and beyond. Before moving to Austin in 2005 and launching Giant Noise, Garza lived in New York, where she worked for more than a decade in the media industry running communications for Vibe, Spin and Outside Magazine. She got her start at HarperCollins Publishers.

Garza graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. She currently lives with her husband, Rich, and their two lovely daughters, Luci and Sabina. Garza sits on the board of I Live Here I Give Here and is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier.

Lillian Díaz Gray

Lillian Díaz Gray is the Senior Community Affairs Program Manager at Texas Mutual Insurance Company.

An avid supporter of the Austin community, Lillian is a proud 2015 graduate of Leadership Austin Essential, a program that brings together cross-industry, established leaders that reflect the diversity of Greater Austin. She has also held leadership roles in The Junior League of Austin as an Active and a Sustainer. Lillian also serves in the Hispanic Impact Fund 2020 Grant Review Committee and SOMOS Austin Host Committee.

Lillian is particularly interested in equal access to a quality education and served a four-year term on the Board of Directors of Wayside Schools, a network of public charter schools serving primarily Hispanic/Latino students. She also serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of Con Mi MADRE, Fundraising Chair on the Board of Directors of Catch The Next and Advancement Committee member on the Board of Directors of Impact Austin. Lillian was honored with the 2018, 2019 and 2020 President’s Volunteer Service Award, a recognition that thanks and honors Americans who, by their demonstration and example, inspire others to serve. She also received the 2020 Bank of America Global Volunteer Award, the company’s most prestigious recognition for employees making exceptional contributions to community efforts locally and globally. She has also been recognized by the Austin Chamber of Commerce (Austin Gives 2020 and 2021 Generous Business Awards’ Volunteer of the Year Finalist and Generous Business Awards (Extra Large Business) Winner) and the Greater Austin Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2020 Capital of Texas Latina Industry Leaders Finalist).

Lillian earned her B.A. in Psychology at Yale University, where she worked in clinical research and the very first Yale Capital Campaign. A native Spanish speaker, Lillian was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and has found a second home in Austin where she lives with her husband Mike and their French Bulldog Nilla.

JOHN GUMP

John Gump is an Executive Vice President with CBRE’s Austin Occupier Advisory & Transaction Services division with over 17 years of tenant advisory experience. Over this time, he has completed over 400 transactions in excess of $1.5 billion in lease value. John specializes in helping companies create and implement their Real Estate Portfolio Strategy on a local, national and international level.

Mr. Gump has built a solid reputation for maintaining trusted relationships with his clients who range from Fortune 100 corporations to locally grown entrepreneurial businesses. By leveraging the CBRE platform and delivery of process-driven approach, he is able to put into place a sound real estate strategy that maximizes his client’s bottom line.

lesley hargraves

Lesley is an Audit Partner at Maxwell Locke & Ritter, the largest locally-owned and managed CPA firm in the greater Austin area, where she provides attestation and consulting services to privately-held companies, primarily in the technology, professional services, and retail & wholesale industries. Following her graduation from The University of Texas at Austin, she began her accounting career with Ernst & Young LLP’s Assurance and Advisory Business Services group in Austin, TX, where she served both publicly-traded and privately-held companies. Lesley also serves as a member of the University of Texas Accounting Department Advisory Council and as the Business Representative for the Murchison Middle School Campus Advisory Council.

jennifer krueger

A native Texan and Austinite since falling in love with the city while attending UT, Jennifer’s connection to the local non-profit community sprouted through volunteering with a children’s cancer non-profit during college where she used her personal experience with childhood cancer to give others hope and support. Since then, she has held roles that helped develop community involvement and invested her personal time with a variety of non-profits focused on youth in education, leadership and life skills.

Most recently, she served as the Director of Corporate Communications and Culture at Cirrus Logic, which has a long-standing history and commitment of giving back locally. There she led a global team that creates memorable employee experiences and meaningful connections with local non-profits that are enabling communities to thrive.

Jennifer lives with her husband, Chris, and is in the process of becoming an empty nester with daughter, Grace, at Savannah College of Art and Design and son, Jack, headed to college in the fall.

Founder, I Live Here I Give Here

Patsy Woods Martin

Patsy is the founder and former Executive Director of I Live Here I Give Here. Through its outreach and educational campaigns, Patsy designed the organization’s programs to inspire a movement to grow the culture of philanthropy in Central Texas. Under her leadership, I Live Here, I Give Here has changed the definition of philanthropy in Texas, making it fun and accessible. The organization’s newest program, Amplify Austin Day, a 24-hour online fundraiser, is a leading example of this innovative approach.

Before assuming her role at I Live Here, I Give Here, Patsy was the Vice President of Resource Development for United Way Capital Area. She has been a key fundraiser and volunteer for a wide range of Austin nonprofit organizations for over twenty years. Patsy currently serves on the board of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, the Women’s Fund of Central Texas and the advisory board of the newly created Legacy of Giving, initiatives to expose children to philanthropy. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Junior League of Austin, Leadership Austin, and is a founding member of Impact Austin and UWCA’s Women’s Leadership Council. She has also co-chaired galas for the Helping Hand Home for Children and Hospice Austin and was a member of the Board of Regents at Texas Tech University. Patsy has been recognized by Ballet Austin as a “Woman on Her Toes”; by the Junior League of Austin as “Volunteer Extraordinaire” and by the Girl Scouts of Central Texas as a “Woman of Distinction.”

A fourth-generation rancher in Montague County, Texas, Patsy is active in her family ranching and oil business.

Patsy and her husband Jack have three grown children and have called Austin home for over 30 years.

Summer McAfee

Summer is a bridge builder of people and helping people connect across Austin in meaningful ways sparks joy for her. She currently serves as the Community Relations manager at Consuela. She is grateful to have been part of the USAA team for 23 years. She has been part of the military community her entire life as her dad served 24 years in the Air Force and that sparked her advocacy for military families. She has an MBA in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). She completed the Nonprofit Leadership certificate from the University of Texas and the certification for the National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP) in 2020.

Outside of work Summer is passionate about volunteering and engaging in community outreach events with an emphasis on military kids, STEM initiatives, and youth empowerment programs. Her favorite annual event is the Tragedy Assistance Program For Survivors (TAPS) national good grief camp which provides a safe space for military children to explore grief and embrace healing. She currently serves as a board member and on the Community Advisory Council (CAC) for I Live Here I Give Here.

She is the 2023 Membership Chair for Circle of Impact (giving circle) that supports Dress for Success Austin and was awarded the 2020 volunteer of the year by Dress for Success Austin. She is a 2021 fellow for the inaugural cohort of the African American Leadership Institute (AALI). She is a 2022, 2021, and 2020 recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for completing 250+ volunteer hours annually in support of military families. She also enjoys earning medals from virtual races, live music, exploring museums, and trying new local restaurants/food trucks.

Rob Pennington

Rob Pennington joined Favor in 2014 as an engineer while continuing to apply his previous brand experience to develop the Favor brand into what it is today. As Senior Director of Brand + Creative, he oversees the company’s holistic brand strategy, and manages Favor’s internal creative agency and brand marketing initiatives. Most recently, he was responsible for the launch of Favor’s first statewide brand campaign and overseeing the design and development of H-E-B and Favor’s Eastside Tech Hub.

Gissela SantaCruz

Gissela is a community-centric communications professional driven to bring impactful stories into the world. Extensive experience in community programming, building strong internal and external relationships, fostering positive environments, and overseeing multiple stakeholders. Equally skilled in social media, project and event management. 

Currently, she is the Senior Director of Community Impact at Austin FC. Before joining Austin FC, she held the title of Community Engagement & Projects Specialist at Precourt Sports Ventures. Before moving to community engagement, Gissela began her career in journalism. She spent 10 years at the Austin American Statesman, first as a journalist and web content producer and later as an Editorial Board Member and Editorial Writer & Columnist. 

She has also held numerous leadership positions in the nonprofit sector. In addition to her service on the I Live Here I Give Here Board of Directors, she also serves on the Pro Sports Assembly. Previously, she has held board seats at Latinita, Inc, KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, and the Settlement Home for Children. She has also completed leadership programs through the Embassy of Spain’s Young Hispanic Leaders, as well as, graduating from GHACC’s Hispanic Austin Leadership Program.

Gissella received a BA in Latin American Studies from UT Austin, and she speaks Spanish and English. 

Angela Shaw

As the SVP of Talent at Amplify Credit Union, Angela Shaw is a well-known DEI Advocate and an award-winning human resources leader, speaker and teacher. With an extensive background in human resources, her career expands over several industries including government, education and now in the financial industry. Angela worked her way up from an entry-level position to earn her seat at the executive table. Angela is both a SHRM Senior Certified Professional and Senior Human Resources Certified Professional. Angela was recognized in 2020 as the Texas SHRM Volunteer Leader of the year, in 2021 as a graduate of the Leadership Austin Essentials Program, made The Most Inclusive HR Influencer List for the second year in a row, was recognized as a Top Ten Diversity Champion by the Austin Black Business Journal and most recently made the 2022 Top 50 Women Leaders of Austin. She tirelessly works towards building a more inclusive world by dedicating herself to educating people about the intersection of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

Angela has previously served on several other nonprofit boards including Austin SHRM, Texas SHRM, YWCA of Greater Austin and PelotonU. In addition to her action-oriented work professionally and in the community, Angela is fiercely devoted to her family. She is a zealous and loyal daughter, sister, auntie and friend.