Our Mission
To inspire and engage the next generation of philanthropic and civic-minded leaders in the community they call home.
Reflection
Letter from
our President
Built on the principle of shared stewardship and driven by the aspirations of our members,
the Young Leaders Society (YLS) provides the socially-conscious and ambitious young professionals of El Paso the connection needed to have an impact on their personal, and professional lives. Since 2008, our members and community have benefited from United Way of El Paso County's efforts to invest in our city's next generation philanthropists and civic-minded leaders.
Throughout 2019, YLS maintained its commitment to providing the best experiences and learning opportunities for our members. Together, we learned the power of collective action through our Big Build event, honed our professional skills and expanded our networks with the YLS Cohort by REALIZE Board Training Program and Turbo Networking event; opened ourselves to the wisdom of others with our Wine & Wisdom series; and celebrated the strength and achievements of our community at the ENGAGE Summit and annual Holiday Mixer.
It's been an absolute pleasure to watch YLS grow alongside our city and community. I look forward to seeing the incredible and inspiring things our donor network and community will achieve in the year to come. The vision for 2020 is clear.
Christopher Montoya
Advisory Board President
Advisory Board
Thomas Gabriel
Bank of America/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Paulina Chavez
Census Bureau
Chelsea Lynch
The Hospitals of Providence East Campus
John Mack
Prudential
Nick Seckerson
El Paso Chihuahuas
David Valenzuela
Texas Gas
Alex Yu
TFCU
Christopher Montoya
Wells Fargo
Adrian Santiago
WestStar
Ruben Ahedo
Federal Reserve Bank
of Dallas - El Paso
Alejandra Chavira
El Paso Electric
YLS continues its tradition of delivering the highest quality of trainings and workshops designed to develop the skills and expertise of our community's next generation of local leaders.
YLS forges lasting relationships and unlocks opportunities by building bridges between peers and community leaders.
YLS curates a series of hands-on volunteer projects that harness the power of collective action.
Our Approach
Our Events
The ENGAGE Young Leadership Professionals Summit is the convergence of our region's influential leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists ready to fuel creativity and inspire action among young professionals. Featuring a keynote speaker and three carefully curated panel discussions, attendees walk away with real-world, practical knowledge that can transcend any sector. Bonus - guests are guaranteed to make unexpected connections with peers. This year, attendees explored notions surrounding our region's bi-national identity, the reawakening of El Paso and the complex perception of our community.
Our Main Event
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Speakers
Crossing Borders
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Emma Schwartz - President, Medical Center of the Americas
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Oscar Herrera - Proprietary Chef, Taft-Diaz, Maria Chuchena, Flor de Nogal
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Luis Mendoza - Deputy Director, Fundación Paso del Norte
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Mario Porras - Director of Binational Affairs, El Paso Community Foundation
Ambassadors of El Paso
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Mike Guerra - Director of Business Development, Guerra Investment Advisors
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Bryan Crowe - General Manager, Destination El Paso
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Patrick Gabaldon - Local Artist
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Jessica Walgenbach - Financial Professional, Prudential & Steering Committee Member, El Paso in Austin
Reimagining El Paso
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Shea Herman - Operations Coordinator, MIMCO
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Matthew Hernandez - Director of Inside Sales, Operations, and General Manager, Fivestars
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Kassi Foster - Business Services, Franklin Mountain Management
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Leila Melendez - Chief Operation Officer, Workforce Solutions Borderplex
Partners
Sponsors
Title
Gold
Silver
Our Vision
YLS in 2020 is optimistic, driven, and purposeful. We continue our proud legacy as stewards of our community and our careers. As we grow, we remember what motivated us to action over a decade ago; to provide the tools and opportunities young professionals need to be the architects of their own destinies. With each gathering, we build a community of partners shaping tomorrow. Our aspirations are not limited to one year. Instead, we look to the possibilities of the next decade and beyond. The future of YLS is 2020.
