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Meet Tamala Austin, MBA
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Program Strategist | Economic Development Leader | Public Procurement & Small Business Advocate
Tamala Austin, MBA, is a nationally recognized program strategist, economic development leader, and small business ecosystem architect with more than 15 years of experience designing and managing publicly funded initiatives that expand access to opportunity for entrepreneurs, contractors, and historically underserved communities. Her work operates at the intersection of economic mobility, public-sector procurement, workforce development, and entrepreneurial capacity building—helping businesses move from readiness to measurable, scalable results.
Tamala currently leads business equity and outreach initiatives within one of the nation’s largest public healthcare systems, where she develops contractor and supplier capacity-building programs supporting large-scale capital infrastructure and procurement opportunities. Through strategic outreach, training, and ecosystem collaboration, her work has contributed to more than $683 million in subcontracting awards, expanding participation among minority-, women-, and small business enterprises. In this role, she designs and delivers certification readiness programming, access-to-capital training, procurement navigation workshops, and multi-agency partnership initiatives involving municipal, transportation, education, and state institutions.
Her leadership also includes directing the Wells Fargo–funded Open for Business entrepreneurship and contractor readiness program at Houston Community College. In this role, Tamala built and launched a comprehensive business development initiative from concept to implementation, managing a $918,856 program budget while leading curriculum development, cross-sector partnership strategy, compliance oversight, and performance reporting. Under her leadership, hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners received structured technical assistance, institutional access, and operational development support.
Beyond public-sector leadership, Tamala brings firsthand entrepreneurial execution as the Founder and CEO of J.I.V.E. Juice Company, a regional retail beverage brand distributed through major grocery channels. Building the company from a startup concept to multi-retail distribution strengthened her expertise in compliance navigation, supply chain management, brand scaling, and strategic growth planning—experience she now translates into community-based business acceleration models.
Throughout her career, Tamala has collaborated with organizations including the Houston Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), financial institutions, chambers of commerce, educational institutions, and government agencies to design programming that strengthens business sustainability, branding strategy, workforce pipeline development, and procurement competitiveness. She is widely recognized for her ability to translate complex institutional requirements into accessible, results-driven strategies that position small businesses to compete and thrive.
As Founder and CEO of The B.R.I.D.G.E. to Konnect, Inc., Tamala leads the development of community-centered business accelerator programs that integrate technical assistance, certification access, capital readiness, and ecosystem connectivity. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to inclusive economic development and generational wealth-building, grounded in the belief that when entrepreneurs are equipped with knowledge, resources, and strategic relationships, they become catalysts for sustainable community transformation.
Tamala’s leadership impact has earned statewide and national recognition, including being named a 2026 Houston Business Journal Community Leadership Award Honoree, a 2026 Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs of Texas Award Recipient, and an inductee into the Texas Woman’s University School of Business Hall of Fame for Entrepreneurs, where she also served as a university commencement speaker.
Tamala holds a Master of Business Administration from Texas Woman’s University and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, where her research focuses on systemic barriers to economic and educational access for underrepresented populations.
Through her leadership, Tamala continues to bridge systems, communities, and opportunity pathways—advancing equitable economic growth and sustainable workforce and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Signature Leadership Philosophy
“Success is achievable when individuals are equipped with the right tools, strategic guidance, and meaningful connections. When communities gain access to opportunity, they build sustainable futures not only for themselves, but for generations to come.”
— Tamala Austin
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Executive Leader | Economic Development Strategist | Supplier Diversity Advocate
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Marshette Turner Ray is a nationally respected executive leader with more than two decades of experience advancing minority business development, supplier diversity, and inclusive economic growth across public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She is recognized for her ability to design and lead high-impact business development initiatives that expand access to capital, contracting opportunities, and institutional markets for small and minority-owned businesses.
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Throughout her career, Marshette has held senior leadership roles overseeing large-scale, publicly funded programs focused on business growth, contractor readiness, and economic inclusion. She previously served as Executive Director of the Houston Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), where she provided strategic leadership for programs aligned with federal and municipal contracting priorities. In that role, she led initiatives that increased minority-owned business participation in capital investment and government contracting, strengthened public-private partnerships, and exceeded performance benchmarks through data-driven program delivery.
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Marshette’s leadership experience also includes senior roles with the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (where she served as National Program Director), and government relations and policy leadership roles within the State of Illinois Comptroller’s Office. Across these positions, she has overseen multimillion-dollar budgets, strengthened fiscal oversight, and guided organizations through complex compliance, reporting, and performance requirements.
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A strategic thinker and relationship builder, Marshette has worked extensively with municipalities, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, corporations, and community organizations to build sustainable ecosystems that support business growth and workforce participation. Her work has helped hundreds of businesses improve operational readiness, secure funding, and compete successfully for institutional opportunities.
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As a leader with The B.R.I.D.G.E., Marshette brings deep expertise in program governance, stakeholder engagement, and economic development strategy. She is committed to creating equitable pathways for businesses to grow, scale, and succeed—believing that strong businesses are essential to building strong communities.
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“Marshette brings vision, discipline, and proven leadership to every initiative—building bridges between opportunity, access, and sustainable growth.”
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-Marshette Turner Ray
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