Dr. Jennifer Founder & Executive Principal 

5th-Generation East Texas Native | Higher Education Faculty | Strategic Communication Expert

Dr. Jennifer brings deep local roots and extensive academic expertise to institutional workforce development. She served over eight years in academic administration and has over 20 years of university and community college teaching experience. She holds an Associate of Arts in Communication from Panola College, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Master of Arts in Communication Studies from Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU), a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing and Communication (Military Affairs) from West Virginia University and a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University (SHSU). 

In addition to leading ETX Innovation, Dr. Jennifer serves as a university professor in Texas, and completed communication training at the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, Maryland. She leverages her background in organizational communication and instructional leadership to design high-impact professional development, faculty retreats, and executive keynotes.

Dr. Tony - Co-Founder & Managing Principal

Former Healthcare Administrator | Former Community College Faculty | Workforce Strategy & Health Sciences Lead

A 4th-generation Texan originally from San Antonio, Dr. Tony bridges healthcare administration, higher education, and regional talent pipeline architecture. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences and Master of Science in Health Administration from the Texas A&M University System, followed by a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from a university in Texas.

Dr. Tony serves as an Assistant Professor in Texas and also served as a community college instructor. He leads ETX Innovation's work-based learning, labor market data analytics, and healthcare/STEM industry alignment initiatives. His background in healthcare leadership and workforce policy helps institutional partners translate complex economic data into accredited, high-yield academic programs.

Organizational Overview

ETX Innovation bridges education, industry, and regional economic mobility across the Ark-La-Tex region and nationwide. Combining over 40 years of collective leadership experience across higher education, small business enablement, and workforce development, our team translates complex academic governance and regional labor market analytics into turnkey, executable solutions.

Core Capabilities & Institutional Solutions 

1. Academic Strategy & Program Alignment

We help secondary and post-secondary leaders modernize academic portfolios to guarantee regional relevancy, accreditation compliance, and seamless student progression.

• Industry Advisory Board Management: We recruit regional C-suite and HR leaders, structure quarterly alignment sessions, and deliver turnkey verification documentation for accreditation and state reporting agencies.

• Academic & Labor Market Alignment: Utilizing real-time Labor Market Information (LMI) analytics, we audit existing degree paths and co-design stackable credential models, industry certifications, and dual-credit crosswalks.

• K-12 Dual-Credit & CTE Pathway Articulation: We draft multi-institutional Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), align high school CTE coursework directly into degree paths, and structure teacher credentialing strategies.

2. Workforce Intermediary & Industry Integration

ETX Innovation serves as a neutral third-party bridge between institutional educators, workforce development boards, and corporate employers.

• Work-Based Learning (WBL) Intermediary Services: We vet regional employers for paid On-the-Job Training (OJT) and internships, manage student onboarding, ensure workplace compliance tracking, and deliver full grant-reporting documentation.

• Employer-in-the-Loop Capstones: We source real-world client briefs from regional industry partners, structure multidisciplinary student project teams, and manage final employer recruitment handoffs.

• LMI & Skill Gap Audits: Custom economic modeling (Lightcast/Chmura data extraction) combined with regional employer focus groups to produce data-backed skill gap visualizations and actionable recommendation roadmaps for EDCs and Chambers of Commerce.

3. Faculty Development & Executive Enablement

We equip administrators, faculty, and enterprise teams with modern pedagogical practices, leadership strategies, and hands-on industry exposure.

• Institutional Training & Workshops: Custom professional development focused on AI integration in education, competency-based learning, and leadership enablement for CTE administrators and department chairs.

• Faculty Industry Externship Programs: End-to-end placement logistics and curriculum translation workshops that send academic faculty into regional industry workplaces to align classroom instruction with modern workplace tools.

Geographic Reach & Strategic Hub

The Beckville Innovation Hub

Located at 109 South Washington Street in Beckville, Texas, our headquarters honors a rich local legacy—Beckville is the historic home of Panola County’s first patents. We prove daily that world-class innovation and workforce transformation emerge wherever dedicated leaders gather to solve real-world challenges.