Mavens Talk

In this episode of Maven Talks, Vanessa Hurd brings both sharp insight and unmistakable passion as she shares her journey from leading major institutions like the DoSeum to founding The Rise School of San Antonio. Vanessa is equal parts visionary and builder — and this conversation proves it.

We’re excited to welcome Lauren Mandel to the podcast today. Lauren is someone who really sits at the intersection of where things get built—literally and figuratively—in San Antonio.As President of the San Antonio AGC, she’s leading the charge for the commercial construction industry, but her background goes far beyond that. From working in county government to managing political campaigns and advising on public affairs, she’s spent her career bringing people together to get things done.We talked about her love for San Antonio, the community, the people, and the organizations that make it a great place to live, work and raise a family!

This week on the pod, we’re joined by Emily Ballew Neff, the Kelso director of the San Antonio Museum of Art. We loved this conversation as Emily shares her journey as an art historian and museum leader, and how institutions like SAMA can bring communities together through creativity, storytelling, and shared cultural experiences.A conversation about art, leadership, and the future of San Antonio’s cultural landscape!

Asia Ciaravino returns to Maven Talks, joined by Dawn Cole, Board Chair of the historic San Pedro Playhouse. Together, they offer a candid look at leadership, storytelling, and what it takes to guide one of San Antonio’s most iconic cultural institutions into the future.With more than two decades in nonprofit and arts leadership, Asia has built a career rooted in community-driven work and creative vision. Dawn, Group Manager of CEO Communications at Whataburger, brings experience spanning education, television, and corporate communications—offering a powerful lens on governance, brand, and leadership.Together, they share what it takes to build a CEO–Board partnership grounded in trust, purpose, and shared vision.A conversation about vision, collaboration, and why the arts continue to matter in building strong communities.

On this episode of Maven Talks, we sit down with Susan Steves Thompson, Executive Director of the Hemisfair Conservancy and a lifelong San Antonian whose career spans more than 30 years in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. From leading transformational work at AVANCE–San Antonio and the San Antonio Area Foundation to stewarding a bold vision for Hemisfair today, Susan brings deep perspective on what it takes to build community through place. With personal ties to HemisFair ’68, she shares how legacy, sustainability, and inclusivity are shaping the future of one of our city’s most meaningful gathering spaces—and why public spaces matter now more than ever.

Happy New Year! We kick the second season of Mavens Talk with a rock star guest, Ceslie Armstrong. From LA to NYC to San Antonio, Ceslie is an award-winning producer, publisher, speaker, and curator. She is a San Antonio native and nationally recognized leader in media and entertainment. With a 25+ year career, Ceslie has built an impressive portfolio as CEO of CESLIE Studios, Women in Film & Television Texas, and as the founding executive producer of The Celestial Awards™ and the Texas Media+Entertainment Summit™.

On this episode, we were thrilled to welcome two powerful San Antonio storytellers shaping the city’s cultural legacy: Jaselyn Blanchard and Emily Baucum. Jaselyn is the Executive Director of the Majestic Empire Foundation. Emily is the Associate Director of Public Relations for The Alamo and host of Stories Bigger Than Texas. Together, we talk about the importance of friendship, community, and protecting San Antonio's legacy.

Two powerhouse women who shaped some of the strongest workplace cultures in San Antonio.On this week’s Maven Talks, Joanna Weidman and Marian Suarez share their journeys, leadership lessons, and the communication habits that set great teams apart.

In this inspiring episode, Mel Zarb-Cousin takes us from her first moment on the Magik Theatre stage at age 14 to her return decades later as its first Managing Director. She shares how those early experiences ignited a passion for the arts, how her path through youth-focused nonprofits shaped her leadership, and why this role feels like the perfect blend of purpose and passion. Mel talks about dreaming big for Magik’s future and what it means to lead a beloved downtown institution into its next chapter. This conversation is full of heart, vision, and the magic of coming full circle.

In this episode, we sit down with Laura Vaccaro to explore her remarkable journey from healthcare leadership to Valero’s global learning and corporate philanthropy teams, and now to the helm of the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation. Laura shares the pivotal moments and inspirational women who shaped her path, the values that fuel her work, and the “why” behind her commitment to strengthening the community. A fierce advocate for women, she talks candidly about stepping outside your comfort zone, saying yes to opportunities, and recognizing the power that comes from leaders who believe in you. This conversation is equal parts wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration.

On this episode of Maven Talks, we sit down with Ashley Landers, CEO of Texas Creative, to explore how brand strategy and leadership collide in the nonprofit world. Ashley shares the pivotal moments that shaped her path, the power of culture and storytelling in purpose-driven work, and what’s next for brands striving to make an impact.

Emmy Award–winning journalist, filmmaker, and founder of The IMG Studio, Heather is a San Antonio native whose career blends storytelling, entrepreneurship, and community impact. Her work has earned recognition from international film festivals to the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. In this episode, she shares her path from the newsroom to leading a creative company—and how she harnesses the power of story to spark change.

On this episode of Maven Talks, we sat down with Jenny Carnes, President & CEO of San Antonio Sports, and Mary Ullmann Japhet, founder of Japhet Media. Jenny shares her journey from intern to CEO, leading efforts that have brought NCAA Final Fours and other marquee events to San Antonio, while Mary reflects on nearly two decades shaping the city’s sports legacy and driving $1B+ in economic impact and the power of storytelling. Together, they swap stories about mentors, doing laundry duty for Final Four athletes and coaches, and their passion for the community.

We are kicking off the Mavens Talk podcast with the one, the only, Asia Ciaravino. Our inaugural conversation is a fun one, where we discuss leadership, listening, service, and more.

We were thrilled to have this amazing conversation with Jennifer Moriarty about her work with nonprofits. We talk about her incredible career journey — from decades in corporate and nonprofit finance to founding Moriarty Consulting Group. We also dive into her passion for facilitation, community engagement, and helping organizations use intentional processes to create meaningful impact.

In this episode, we talk to the amazing Dr. Sukh Kaur. She talks to us about her journey to becoming a city councilmember and how service is so important to her.