Human-Centered Design Panel

Join us for The Mine Experience Panel, where this year’s cohort of Tulsa’s top nonprofits and businesses will share insights from their 4-month journey in The Mine, an innovative problem-solving program. During the program, teams immersed themselves in a human-centered design curriculum sourced from leading management consulting firms and the LEAN startup methodology. By applying these principles, they crafted real-time solutions to critical issues impacting the Tulsa community. This panel offers an exclusive look at their experiences, challenges, and the impactful solutions they developed to drive positive change.

Panelists:

Bria Francisco
Bria Francisco brings over 10 years of experience in affordable housing and community development, drawing from her background as a military brat, which has deepened her passion for family, community, and innovative housing solutions.

Tamara Paddock
Tamara Paddock is the Assistant Director of Administration at Crosstown Learning Center, with a bachelor's in early childhood education and over two decades of experience working with families and children with special needs.

Kristina Ellis
Kristina Ellis is the Director of The Academy at NHSA and the Executive Director of Crosstown Learning Center, with 25 years of nonprofit early childhood experience and a deep commitment to family engagement and early education.

Alex Rodriguez
Alexe Rodriguez, a Pennsylvania native with a degree in Health Services Administration from Norfolk State University, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for aging and disabled populations by expanding access to affordable housing and transportation.

Sandra Tolliver
Sandra Tolliver, a Tulsa-based attorney and mediator specializing in family and business law, is developing a new divorce mediation model to bring humanity and resolution to the legal process.

Phiwa Langeni
Theo-Bytes

Ifeoma Okoro

Posure Leadership Institute supports high school and college students on academic probation, suspension, or with disabilities in recovering from academic setbacks and empowering them as the next generation of leaders. Our approach combines practical academic support with leadership development, helping students achieve higher GPAs and gain a renewed sense of self-worth, purpose, and leadership potential. Through design thinking, we guide students to think creatively about their challenges, encouraging them to approach obstacles with curiosity, confidence, and resilience

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)  is a celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare. During one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators.