Trailblazers 2017
Pictured left to right: Laura Bosworth-Bucher, Albert Almanza, Jessica Reeves, and Ross Ramsey at the 2017 Trailblazers Reception (not pictured Dr. Raymund Paredes)
Laura Bosworth-Bucher is CEO and co-founder of TeVido BioDevices, an early stage life sciences/biotech start-up using 3D bio-printing to develop tissue-engineered products for reconstructive surgery, wound-healing, and burns. With a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso, she started her career in manufacturing process development for IBM Austin. At Dell, she built strategic business partnerships, led software product marketing, and created multiple technical sales support functions: enabling over $500 million in sales. She then launched a professional services business unit and has expertise in customer support services, developing corporate wide strategies that reduced operating costs by about $120 million and improved customer satisfaction by 40-50%. In her spare time, she mentors start-ups and is co-founder of a Women's Entrepreneurship Accelerator, Avinde.org. Ms. Bosworth serves on the UTEP College of Engineering Advisory Board, SafePlace, Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), and she volunteers with other STEM-focused organizations such as GirlStart, GENAustin, and the UT Women in Engineering Program and as a Spanish interpreter at a Healthcare Clinic that serves low-income individuals who could not otherwise afford medical care.
Albert Almanza retired in 2011 after 35 years of service for the New York Life insurance company in Austin, Texas. Born in Chihuahua, Almanza attended Jefferson and Austin High Schools, graduating an Austin Panther in 1957. He was well known in El Paso as a rising basketball star. When a former University of Texas player and assistant basketball coach named Leon Black watched him play in a recreational league, he was convinced he should play for the Longhorns. Despite not speaking English, he moved to Austin and became one of the best players of his era, setting many UT records. In the spring of 1960, successfully tried out for the Mexican Olympic team, and was named Mexico’s captain for the 1960 and 1964 teams. He returned to El Paso to teach at Jefferson and later at Jourdanton High before moving back to Austin in 1968. Albert Served on the board of directors for the Rivercity Youth Foundation for 25 years and is a member of the Hispanic Hall of Fame in Laredo, the San Antonio Hispanic Hall of Fame and the UT Longhorn Hall of Honor. Almanza and his wife Helen have two children (Boone and Katherine Elizabeth) and five grandchildren.
Raymund Paredes (center) with El Paso in Austin co-founder Yvonne Loya (left) and 2016 Trailblazer Caroline Enriquez at the 2017 Trailblazers Reception
Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund A. Paredes, Ph.D, spent most of his academic career at UCLA, where for 30 years he taught as an English professor and served for ten years as vice chancellor for Academic Development. He also served as special assistant to the president of the University of California System in outreach efforts to improve access to higher education for students from educationally disadvantaged communities. In 2007, he was named one of Hispanic Business Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Hispanics. Dr. Paredes is on the national board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters, served as a trustee of The College Board and Mercy College of New York, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Texas Cultural Trust. He attended The University of Texas at Austin, receiving a B.A. in English. He served in the U.S. Army for two years. After separation from military service, he resumed his education, receiving a master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Southern California and his Ph.D. in American Civilization, from The University of Texas at Austin.
Jessica Reeves is Chief Operations Officer of Voto Latino, the leading civic media organization empowering American Latino millennials. Jessica has worked closely with team members to develop and manage strategic programs for media, corporate, and nonprofit partners, including the first ever National Voter Registration Day, as well as the first All Latino Resist Concert Showcase during the 2017 SXSW Conference and Festival. Previously, Jessica worked in marketing and advertising at both general and Hispanic market agencies. She has helped build award-winning digital and social media campaigns for Kraft, Twix, Domino's, and other multinational corporations. Jessica received her Master of Arts in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University and holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology & Communications from Boston College.
Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit media organization headquartered in Austin , that aims to promote civic engagement through original, explanatory journalism and public events. Before founding the Tribune, Ross served as editor and co-owner for 15 years of Texas Weekly, the premier newsletter on government and politics in the Lone Star State. As Texas Weekly's primary writer for 11 years, he turned out roughly 2 million words in more than 500 editions, added an online library of resources and documents and items of interest to insiders, and a daily news clipping service that links to stories from papers across Texas. Ross got his start in journalism in broadcasting, covering news for radio stations in Denton and Dallas.