The Superheroes ESTE
Terrisa Duenas, Founder & CEO
Avatar: Inspiring Entrepreneur
Superpowers: As an Inspiring Entrepreneur, Terrisa Duenas, didn't start out believing she could be inspiring. As a kid, it seemed the more she tried to pursue what she loved, the more she felt like an outsider and master alienator. More than anything, she wanted to be a smart-enough mainstream kid liked by all, disliked by no one. It wasn't going to work out that way. Lacking filters, sharing her vision of a new kinder world, spending days alone on odd ideas, turning those away while drawing in others, and then one day she realized she wasn't alone.
When she grew up she became Chief Scientist for a Fortune 200 Division and her first task was to fix an engineering process that was so complex, it was known as “black magic.” In six months, Terrisa not only created a model that could predict results, but her model led to a 700% increase in success and a 90% decrease in failure, saving the company millions of dollars!
Lauri Hofherr, COO
Avatar: Thoughtful Engineer
Superpowers: For over 20 years, Lauri has used her imaginative problem-solving and practicality at multiple startups leading product teams, including an early product role at Groupon. She leverages her collaborative nature and value of diverse perspectives while mentoring motivated, high-performing teams. As a Thoughtful Engineer, Lauri started her career in financial services where she received her first multimedia email from Steve Jobs on her NeXT computer. Lauri is Chicago co-chair of A Leg To Stand On and served on the Impact Committee for Guitars Over Guns. Lauri holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Jessica Slagle, Family Advocate & Liaison
Avatar: Imaginative Entrepreneur
Superpowers: Jessica is a military spouse, mother of three, artist, and educator. She has over ten years of experience supporting families and children in diverse educational environments. As an imaginative entrepreneur, she has a natural curiosity and an open approach to her work, excelling at envisioning creative opportunities that others might overlook. Jessica's visionary mindset and strategic thinking enable her to turn these ideas into reality, making her a skilled decision-maker who can analyze information and act promptly. Jessica's background in Child Development, coupled with her early childhood special education teaching credential from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master of Education in Advanced Studies in Special Education from Concordia University, underscore her commitment to positively impacting children’s lives.
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