UT Students Announced For Cohort 2 Of Texas Trailblazers

UT Students Selected for Cohort 2 of Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE] Accomplished business leaders including Founder/Entrepreneur Gay Gaddis lead 14-week experience

The Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program, a 14-week experience for select undergraduate students in The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, has selected 40 exceptional students to participate in the program beginning fall 2026. The students, selected to the program’s second cohort through a competitive nominations process, will receive specialized training from top business leaders and become exposed to opportunities and challenges that come with pursuing a life defined by leadership.

Following a highly successful inaugural year, Texas Trailblazers continues its mission to develop, train and inspire the next generation of leaders by providing unparalleled access to accomplished executives, entrepreneurs and changemakers. Through networking events, fireside chats, offsite retreats and lectures, students gain real-world insights and build meaningful connections that extend far beyond the classroom.

In addition to leadership development experiences, Texas Trailblazers participants complete Capstone projects designed to unite communities and create a tangible impact both on and off campus. These projects allow students to apply their learning in real time while addressing worthy challenges.

“Launched to address the growing need for strong, values-driven leadership, Texas Trailblazers gives students a rare opportunity to learn directly from those who have navigated leadership at the highest levels,” said Gay Gaddis. “Our goal is to provide students with a rigorous course in real-world leadership by connecting them with proven leaders and immersive experiences that prepare them for a lifetime of leadership.”

Addressing the new cohort, UT President Jim Davis described passion, courage and wisdom as three important traits he looks for in leaders. He encouraged the students to think about what leadership traits matter most to them and the type of leader they want to become, and to do the work to achieve that goal.

Offered at no cost to students through a Gay Gaddis endowment, Texas Trailblazers brings together a diverse group of high-achieving students representing multiple colleges, disciplines and leadership backgrounds. Participants meet weekly through a dynamic mix of classroom sessions, workshops, networking receptions and exclusive engagements with industry leaders.

Participants are selected based on demonstrated leadership experiences, with nominations from faculty, administrators and business leaders, as well as a competitive application process. Cohort 2 continues the tradition of assembling some of the university’s most accomplished student leaders deemed as the “40 on the 40.”

“The response to Texas Trailblazers has exceeded expectations,” said program director Will Florer. “Students aren’t just learning leadership—they’re actively engaging with it, building relationships and applying those lessons in meaningful ways across campus and beyond.”

Cohort 2 Participants and their hometowns:

Anna Kate Albritton from Dallas, TX
Coen Bell from Sulphur Springs, TX
Isabel Curran from Houston, TX
Price Daniel from Austin, TX
Kiera Dixon from Round Rock, TX
Alexander Evans from Scottsdale, AZ
Spencer Gertz from Encino, CA
Callie Gormley from Houston, TX
Elijah Raphael Guerrero from Spring, TX
Ben Guerriero from Dallas, TX
Campbell Harkness from Cedar Park, TX
Chase Herbert from Atlanta, GA
Carter Jones from Houston, TX
Theo Karter from Westfield, NJ
Isabella Koopman from Miami, FL
Pranav Krishnan from Allen, TX
Avery Kurzontkowski from Shrewsbury, MA
Jada Malone from Liberty Hill, TX
Macy McAfee from Houston, TX
Grant Michelsen from Austin, TX
Bleu Monteagudo from Houston, TX
Perri Parnell from Dripping Springs, TX
Solan Patel from Katy, TX
Akash Pradeep from Plano, TX
Owen Shafer from Austin, TX
Justin Shapiro from Irvington, NY
Natalie Sherman from San Antonio, TX
Maya Sherman from Westport, CT
Luke Sotelo from San Antonio, TX
Frankie Spagnoli from San Francisco, CA
Sam Stricklin from Pearland, TX
Jay Thumbar from Sugarland, TX
Abigail Tomaski from Houston, TX
Lincoln Underwood from Dallas, TX
Cate Wagner from Dallas, TX
Sam Wagner from Austin, TX
Gardner Watson from Houston, TX
Kevin Xu from Houston, TX
Campbell Zahn from Houston, TX
Tatum Zerbib from Phoenix, AZ

About Gay Gaddis

Gaddis founded T3 (The Think Tank), an innovative digital advertising agency that grew into the largest independent female-owned agency in the U.S. under her leadership of 30+ years, with offices in Austin, New York, Atlanta and San Francisco. In 2019, she sold T3 to a leading private equity firm.

Gaddis is the first female Chairman of the Texas Business Leadership Council, former Chairman of The Committee of 200 (C200), past President of Texas Exes, a board member of the Texas Cultural Trust, a member of the McCombs Advisory Council, and an advisor for both the College of Fine Arts and the Moody College of Communication. She is also the founder of a women’s development program, Women Who Mean Business at the McCombs School of Business.

Gaddis is author of the best-selling book, Cowgirl Power: How to Kick Ass in Business and Life and a contributor to Forbes and part of Fortune’s Powerful Women Insider Network. In addition to this year’s four new accolades, Gaddis has received numerous awards including the 2022 Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award by the University of Texas, the 2021 Hall of Fame Award by the McCombs School of Business, the Liz Carpenter Lifetime Achievement Award, Fast Company’s Top 25 Women Business Builders, Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs of the Year, C200’s Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and Texas Monthly named Gaddis one of “10 Artists to Collect Now.”

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Social Media:

Instagram: @Texas_Trailblazers | @GayGaddis

LinkedIn: @GayGaddis

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