Staci LaToison – Panel Discussion Facilitator 

Founder & CEO Dream Big Ventures 

Staci LaToison is an award-winning investor, board director, bestselling author, and former Fortune 10 leader with more than 22 years of global experience. At Chevron, she led multi-billion-dollar energy portfolios and cross-continental teams across five continents, building deep expertise in enterprise strategy, capital governance, and operational transformation. 

She is the Founder & CEO of Dream Big Ventures, an investment and consulting firm advancing women-led and underrepresented founders while partnering with corporations on strategy, leadership development, and organizational transformation. 

Staci is the bestselling author of Money Moves: From Financial Stress to Financial Success, reaching #1 on Amazon in Women & Business. Through executive coaching, enterprise training, and the Her Money Moves platform, she equips women and leaders with the financial acumen to build wealth and lead with purpose. She also founded the Dreamgirls Foundation, advancing financial literacy and leadership development for women and underserved communities, and serves on four civic and academic boards across Houston. 

Her impact has earned proclamations from the City of Houston and Harris County, recognition as one of the Top 30 Influential Women of Houston, and placement among the Top 100 Latinas in America by Latino Leaders Magazine in 2024 and 2025. 

Nia I. Gillian

Airline Transport Pilot, United Airlines 

Nia I. Gilliam is one of the few Black female airline pilots in the United States. Her journey from a 10-year-old with dreams of flying the Boeing 777 and becoming an Airbus Captain for a major US airline, is a tale of profound resilience.  

After graduating from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a degree in aviation management and flight, she became a certified flight instructor, then a traffic patrol pilot and finally a commercial pilot. On September 11, 2001, she witnessed the terrorist attacks from her position on the flight deck at Newark Airport. This pivotal experience is at the heart of her forthcoming debut memoir: Cleared for Takeoff on 9/11: A Pilot’s Memoir. In 2016, she co-founded Sisters of the Skies Inc., a nonprofit organization with a mission to increase the number of Black female pilots through scholarship, mentorship, and outreach.  

Gillian has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the Egretha Award for extraordinary African American women, the Council of Urban Professionals Industry Innovator Award, the United Airlines BEACON Excellence Award for Community Service, the Wells International Foundation Spirit of Equality Award, and the Tradition of Excellence Award from her high school alma mater, Oak Park and River Forest, which she shares with Ernest Hemingway.  

In her personal life, Gilliam has also faced challenges. As a breast cancer survivor, she learned the true meaning of strength and resilience and is an advocate for women’s health. Gilliam is a proud mother of a 23-year-old corporate pilot son, a 15-year-old daughter who loves to travel and a cherished 5-year-old Maltipoo. 

Stephania Jimenez  

Anchor at KPRC2 

Stephania Jimenez anchors KPRC 2 News at 6 and 10 p.m. She believes local news works best when it asks clear questions, explains what’s really happening, and stays focused on how decisions affect people every day. 

She has covered major breaking news and complex community issues, often returning to stories after the headlines fade to examine unanswered questions and long-term impact.  

For example, she reported on the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde and raised questions from the scene about delays and confusion in official communication. She returned six months later to lead the documentary “21 Taken: Uvalde’s Path to Healing,” which explored accountability, recovery, and the issues families were still facing. 

Early in her career, Stephania was among the first on the scene of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. That experience shaped how she approaches journalism during moments of crisis, reinforcing the importance of accuracy, clarity and calm communication.  

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Stephania is bilingual in English and Spanish. She’s a graduate of Syracuse University. 

Hayley Ryan 

Field Engineering Manager, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, LLC 

Hayley Ryan is the Field Engineering Manager, ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, with a career built at the intersection of technical excellence, people leadership, and a passion for developing highperforming teams. Her professional journey has been shaped by a willingness to step into unfamiliar spaces, take on stretch opportunities, and redefine what leadership looks like—especially in traditionally male dominated environments. Over the course of her career, Hayley has learned that growth is rarely linear. Many of her most pivotal moments came from embracing discomfort: saying yes before she felt fully ready, asking questions others were afraid to ask, and learning to trust her own voice. Those experiences grounded her belief that confidence isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you build through action. Mentorship and community have played a defining role in her path. Hayley credits much of her development those who opened doors, offered honest feedback, and modeled what it means to lead with both strength and empathy.   

Hayley has worked for ExxonMobil for 16 years, having graduated from Georgia Tech in 2009. She lives in the Woodlands with her husband and daughter. 

Catherine Schultz 

United Football League / Houston Gamblers Business and Community Consultant