HKEC Team

Luis Martins

Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center | Herb Kelleher Chair in Entrepreneurship | James B. Goodson Professor of Business

Research Areas: Strategic Cognition; Entrepreneurship; Innovation; Organizational Change; Diversity in Organizations

Luis L. Martins is the Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center, the Herb Kelleher Chair in Entrepreneurship, and the James B. Goodson Professor of Business at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. He earned his Ph.D. in Management from the Stern School of Business at New York University. Prior to joining UT Austin, he was on the faculty of the College of Management at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and before that at the School of Business at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Martins conducts research on the cognitive underpinnings of entrepreneurship, innovation, organizational change, team dynamics, and work performance. His research has appeared in several top management journals, and has been covered in major newspapers such as the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.

Dr. Martins teaches strategic innovation and entrepreneurship, change management, leadership, and managing teams in the McCombs School’s full-time and professional MBA programs, and is a popular instructor on these topics in its executive programs. He has won several teaching awards, including the Jim Nolen Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching, the Houston MBA Professor of the Program Award, the Joe D. Beasley Award for Teaching Excellence in the MBA Curriculum, and the Fawn and Vijay Mahajan Teaching Excellence Award for Executive Education, at the McCombs School of Business, and is routinely on the Faculty Honor Rolls of the Full-Time MBA Program as well as the Working Professionals MBA Programs in Austin, Dallas, and Houston.

His consulting and executive development clients include Accenture, AT&T, BBVA Compass, Coca Cola, Dun & Bradstreet, Essilor, FBI Crime Labs, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Lower Colorado River Authority, McKesson, NASA, National Instruments, Petrobras, Samsung, SXSW, Waffle House, and WEG Electric.

Contact Luis:
Luis.Martins@mccombs.utexas.edu
512-471-5287

Amanda Golden

Amanda Golden is the Assistant Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. In this role, she oversees the center’s various programs and events, including managing the Forty Acres Founders Pre-Accelerator Program.

Amanda has over 12 years’ experience working in higher education and helping students navigate the college and university setting. After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Government right here on the Forty Acres, Amanda worked for two years at the University of Maryland, College Park in the Robert H. Smith School of Business. Due to snowy winters and a significant lack of breakfast tacos, she chose to move back to Austin with her family and has been working on campus for over ten years. Amanda joined the McCombs School of Business in 2018 to launch the Entrepreneurship Minor.

Prior to joining the HKEC team, Amanda worked as a Career Counselor and Academic Advisor in the Cockrell School of Engineering. While working in engineering, Amanda oversaw many complex projects, allowing her to build an expansive skill set in program coordination and student support. In 2015, Amanda earned a Master’s Degree in College Student Development from St. Edward’s University. Amanda enjoys helping students find ways to achieve their academic and professional goals and to identify and build skills that will help them be successful in their classes and careers. She has advised students and led workshops in a number of areas, including major and career exploration and enhancing academic success.

Contact Amanda:
Amanda.Golden@mccombs.utexas.edu
512-471-0707

Barrett Pearce

Ms. Tanisha Butler is the Senior Administrative Associate at Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center at McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Butler has over ten years of Administrative experience along with expertise in clerical, scheduling and correspondence skill set.

Prior to joining the HKEC team, Ms. Butler graduated from Penn Foster College and obtain a small Business license along with her Child Development Associate (CDA) license. Ms. Butler was the owner and director of Butler Little Tykes Learning Center in Austin Texas and Pflugerville Texas from May 2010 to June 2018, until she sold her business to attend to her family needs. Ms. Butler has six years in higher education with helping students to learn and advance in their education and academic success. Ms. Butler enjoys family time with her two adult children and one grandchild.

Contact Barrett

Barrett.Pearce@mccombs.utexas.edu

512-471-0707

Ali Arnold

Ali Arnold is the Communications Specialist of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. In her role, she manages the Center’s communications strategy, creates promotional content, and executes programmatic campaigns.

Prior to joining the HKEC in the spring of 2022, Ali received a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at the University of Mississippi. It was during her undergraduate experience that she developed a passion for data-driven brand development and cultivating meaningful connections through marketing. After finishing her undergraduate experience in 2020, Ali spent time working with her family on an entrepreneurial venture of their own, overseeing the creative development and web design. In her free time, Ali can be found walking the aisles of Trader Joe’s or taking selfies with her cat Stella.

Contact Ali:

Ali.Arnold@mccombs.utexas.edu

512-232-6885

Tanisha Butler

Ms. Tanisha Butler is the Senior Administrative Associate at Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center at McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Butler has over ten years of Administrative experience along with expertise in clerical, scheduling and correspondence skill set.

Prior to joining the HKEC team, Ms. Butler graduated from Penn Foster College and obtain a small Business license along with her Child Development Associate (CDA) license. Ms. Butler was the owner and director of Butler Little Tykes Learning Center in Austin Texas and Pflugerville Texas from May 2010 to June 2018, until she sold her business to attend to her family needs. Ms. Butler has six years in higher education with helping students to learn and advance in their education and academic success. Ms. Butler enjoys family time with her two adult children and one grandchild.

Contact Tanisha

Tanisha.Butler@mccombs.utexas.edu

512-471-5287

Kelsey Kerley

Kelsey Kerley is the Student Program Coordinator for the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center. Kelsey handles administrative operations and coordination of events for the HKEC.

Prior to joining the HKEC, Kelsey was a middle school language arts teacher. She holds a M.Ed. in Counseling from Angelo State University and a B.A. in English from Texas Tech University.

Contact Kelsey:
Kelsey.Kerley@mccombs.utexas.edu
512-471-0707

Lydia Ward

Lydia Ward is the Marketing Strategist in the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center at the McCombs School of Business. Lydia works on marketing and coordination of events for HKEC. In Summer 2019, Lydia designed and developed HerbKelleherCenter.com and now manages latest iterations, maintenance, and analytics for the Center’s website. In addition, she handles the marketing strategy for the Center’s various programming executed through social and email promotion platforms.

Prior to joining the Entrepreneurship Minor team, Lydia graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in English and received a certificate in Web Development.

Contact Lydia:

Lydia.Ward@mccombs.utexas.edu
512-232-6885

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Luis Martins is the Director of theHerb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center.

Amanda Golden is the Assistant Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Barrett Pearce is the Program Administrator of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Ali Arnold is the Communications Specialist of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Tanisha Butler is the Senior Administrative Associate of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Kelsey Kerley is the Student ProgramCoordinator in the Center.

Lydia Ward is the Communications Specialist for the Center.

THE HERB KELLEHER ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER Making Entrepreneurship Accessible to All Longhorns

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Luis Martins

Director of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center | Herb Kelleher Chair in Entrepreneurship | James B. Goodson Professor of Business

Research Areas: Strategic Cognition; Entrepreneurship; Innovation; Organizational Change; Diversity in Organizations

Amanda Golden

Barrett Pearce

Ali Arnold

Tanisha Butler

Kelsey Kerley

Lydia Ward

Luis Martins is the Director of the
Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center.

Amanda Golden is the Assistant Director
of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Barrett Pearce is the Program Administrator
of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Ali Arnold is the Communications Specialist
of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Tanisha Butler is the Senior Administrative Associate
of the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center

Kelsey Kerley is the Student Program
Coordinator in the Center.

Lydia Ward is the Communications
Specialist for the Center.

THE HERB KELLEHER ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER
Making Entrepreneurship Accessible to All Longhorns