Alumni
2016-2021 Young Alumni Rising Stars
The Young Alumni Rising Star Award honors alumni who have completed a minimum of 30 hours at Texas State University and are under the age of 40. Recipients of this award demonstrate a level of excellence that positively represents the University. They inspire current students and other recent graduates, to excel in their work and recognize the important impact of their experience as a student at Texas State.
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2021 Young Alumni Rising Star
Andrae L. Turner ('07)
Senior Operations Manager for the Pediatrics Service Line in Ambulatory Care Services at Harris Health System, responsible for all strategic initiatives and activities of the service line.
2020 Young Alumni Rising Stars
Mark Estrada ('06, '10)
Superintendent of schools for Lockhart ISD and has served in numerous capacities within the district since initially joining the district as principal of Plum Creek Elementary
in 2012.
Cortney Lebens ('10)
Successful entrepreneur, social innovator, and business executive. Her strong work ethic propelled her to become the CEO of two significant businesses before the age of 30.
Kuro Tawil ('12)
Social entrepreneur born and raised in Austin. His social enterprise, KUROS, provides free pepper spray and training to women who face a high risk of violence and sexual assault.
2019 Young Alumni Rising Stars
Jon David "J.D." Perez ('05)
Regional Manager for
HUGO BOSS – USA, managing a team of 22 stores, forecasting sales goals, and overseeing regional operations
Katie Forrest ('07) & Taylor Collins ('05, '08)
Co-founders of EPIC Provisions, which created the world’s first 100% grass-fed meat, fruit, and nut bar and was purchased by General Mills for an estimated $100 million
2018 Young Alumni Rising Stars
Lesli Ginn ('00)
Appointed chief administrative law judge for the State Office of Administrative Hearings in 2016 by Gov. Greg Abbott to oversee a staff of 123 employees, including 63 administrative law judges
Leopoldo Polo Sandoval ('07)
New York-based television journalist who covers a wide range of breaking news stories across the country for CNN and its sister networks CNNI, HLN and CNN Español
Bharati G. Naik ('05)
Cross-platform journalist with over 15 years of experience in television news including CNN and NBC News; as a student, managed the Texas State’s Bobcat Update newscast
2017 Young Alumni Rising Stars
Chris Elley ('00)
Mass communication, producer/director; creator of two primetime TV documentary series; multiple Emmy awards and nominations
Randy Rogers ('01)
Singer/songwriter; frontman of the Randy Rogers Band; reached Billboard Top 5 country albums multiple times
Major Brenda D. Bustillos ('03)
Serves as chief of the education and research branch in the Department of Nutritional Medicine at Brooke Army Medical Center and assistant professor for the U.S. Military-Baylor Graduate Program in Nutrition
2016 Young Alumni Rising Stars
Robert E. Bardwell, II ('00)
Propulsion engineer and weights and mass properties engineer for Boeing Space Launch Systems; works at NASA’s Marshall Space Center, where he is designing Space Launch System, NASA’s largest and most powerful rocket that will eventually take humans to Mars
Dr. Lindsay Bira ('08)
Clinical health psychologist, therapist, speaker, consultant, and coach; assistant professor of psychiatry in the School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
Dr. Eric S. Weaver ('00, '05)
President of the Central Texas market for Innovista Health Solutions, leading the performance of physician- led accountable care organizations throughout the state