Our community is shaped by women who see their professional success as a platform for others. These leaders represent industries ranging from historic Main Street storefronts to cutting-edge technology labs. While their daily tasks vary, they share a commitment to mentorship and storytelling that defines their work. By prioritizing collaboration over competition, they are creating a supportive network for the next generation. Their dedication ensures that the heart of our local economy remains strong and rooted in service and empowerment.
Caroline Garcia-Bowman
Box St. All Day, Creative Partner & Interior Designer
As a designer in the food and beverage industry, Caroline Garcia-Bowman enjoys bringing the unexpected to the table. “My work is vibrant, whimsical, and rooted in visual storytelling, with an intentional approach to detail throughout,” she says. All to create an environment where people want to spend time with family and friends. “People can come together over brunch, coffee, or cocktails, and enjoy a thoughtful, welcoming environment.”
The funky, chic, and highly Instagrammable ambiance has been a central feature since Box St. All Day first moved into a brick-and-mortar. They expanded to a second location in La Cantera Heights, but that’s not all they have in store. “I’m excited for what’s ahead: Box St. at The Portico and Loverboy House Eats coming soon.”
Even with all her success, Garcia-Bowman knows she can’t do it alone. “I’m committed to making sure more people feel seen, supported, and considered in spaces where they may not have always been,” she says, a mission she feels keenly as a Latina leader. Because she’s grateful for the support of her family, friends, business partners, and colleagues, she strives to live that out in the way she guides her team. “Leadership means taking a chance on yourself while also being willing to take a chance on others, just as others once did for me.”
boxstallday.com | 210-476-5705 | 210-265-3435 | 623 Hemisfair Blvd., Ste. 108, San Antonio, & 17038 Fiesta Texas Dr., Ste. 112, San Antonio
Tori Bellos
Visit Boerne, Marketing Specialist
“My work blends strategy, creativity, and partnership to inspire people to visit—and often fall in love with—Boerne.” That’s how Tori Bellos describes her job as the Marketing Specialist for Visit Boerne, a department of the City that promotes Boerne as a tourism destination and helped bring an estimated $29.3 million into the local economy last year.
Bellos has lived in the community for 35 years, meaning, “I’ve seen our town evolve in meaningful ways, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve a community that has given so much to me.”
And that’s an attitude she brings to her work every day. “I hope to show that leadership can be collaborative, thoughtful, and rooted in service to others,” she says. “If my journey encourages other women to step confidently into visible leadership roles and shape the future of our community, that would mean a great deal to me.”
visitboerne.org | 830-249-7277 | 282 N. Main St.
Patrice Mainz
Black Rifle Coffee Company, Owner
Since opening in 2019, Patrice “Patti” Mainz says, “my day starts with people, and I love that.” As a member of a military family, Mainz says the mission of Black Rifle (BRCC) is to honor local law enforcement, first responders, and veteran and active duty military personnel. That’s why she prioritizes hosting events to maintain a sense of small-town connectedness.
It’s also why Mainz is a board volunteer for Das Festival and a commissioner for the Historic Landmark Commission. She says, “I feel extremely blessed to be able to serve a community and be a small part of something bigger than myself.”
Mainz hopes to inspire women to find and pursue their passion with confidence. “By supporting and encouraging one another,” she says, “we can build a strong network of women who lift each other up and work together to make Boerne a supportive and thriving community.”
blackriflecoffee.com | 830-428-6736 | 101 S. Main St., Ste. A
Elizabeth Flavin Crawford
Sendero Wealth Management, Partner, CEO, & Founder of The Women’s Initiative
As a leader at a wealth management firm, you’d think Elizabeth Flavin Crawford’s career would revolve entirely around money. But with nearly 30 years in the field, Crawford says her job is about something else entirely. “At its heart, my work is about people and helping incredible clients build the financial life they’ve always dreamed of—which makes it one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.”
It’s that mentality that has made all the difference. Over the course of eight years, Crawford has grown Sendero Wealth Management and broadened its perspective to reflect a broader mission. It’s been possible, she says, thanks to “an extraordinary team of people who show up every day with their whole hearts.”
They’re not just extraordinary, though. They care. By providing volunteer, charitable, and educational support to organizations in Boerne, the firm is living out a foundational principle, Crawford says. “We believe in showing up fully for the communities we serve.”
That’s led to a particular emphasis on building up women and their knowledge of and comfort with the world of finance: “Women didn’t always lift each other up in this industry, and I decided early on I’d be different; mentoring, speaking, teaching financial literacy, and cheering loudly for every woman willing to bet on herself.”
(Read more about these efforts in “Investing in the Power of Women” on p. XX)
sendero.com | 210-739-1818 | 1580 S. Main St., Ste. 203
Kathy Rudkin
Rudkin Productions & Digital Domino Marketing, Founder & CEO
Not everyone in the marketing world is driven by making money as fast as possible. “My work focuses on helping businesses and nonprofits grow by telling their story in meaningful ways,” says Kathy Rudkin, who has 34 years in the advertising world under her belt. “If you drive through Boerne, you’ll see so many businesses whose brands and logos we helped create. It’s a legacy that will continue through these businesses long after I am gone.”
Since opening in 1992, Rudkin’s company has become one of the leading full-service marketing firms in the Hill Country. With services that include design, printing, digital, and web development, they serve hundreds of clients and print hundreds of thousands of pieces of collateral each month.
She’s proud of what she and her team have built, but Rudkin also takes pride in a nonprofit she started with her daughter Emma Faye, Aid the Silent. Watching her daughter’s leadership grow and offering the support families raising deaf children need—a struggle she faced as a parent—is one of Rudkin’s greatest joys.
Both at home and at the office, Rudkin says she’s inspired by the work they do, and she hopes others—particularly women—are too. “It takes planning,” she says, “the courage to start, the willingness to say ‘yes,’ surrounding yourself with great talent, the grit to keep going, and the flexibility to adapt as you grow.”
rudkinproductions.com & digitaldominomarketing.com | 830-249-1744 | 34910 W I-10 #701
Felishia Shinn
LS4 3D Printing, Co-founder
It’s a high-tech one, but LS4 3D Printing is really a family business. To hear Felishia Shinn describe it: “My work focuses on bringing emerging technologies like 3D printing into applications that support industries such as military, space, medical, and even fashion.” From securing government contracts to creating textiles, Shinn does it all.
Over the years, LS4 has partnered with local businesses and nonprofits, both manufacturing products for the market and making this technology accessible to the community. Shinn has even started a smart jewelry business with her 10-year-old daughter.
It’s this fostering of interest in the next generation that Shinn believes will lead to a brighter future. “Their curiosity today will form tomorrow’s innovation. Helping that curiosity and creativity grow is the most rewarding part of my work.”
That’s particularly true, she says, for the next generation of women who will lead the way in the tech sector. She says that women in her position have a responsibility—a challenge—to inspire girls to see themselves taking charge. “That sense of connection, guidance, and shared experience is powerful. It gives you the confidence to take another step forward because it has been done before. When you move toward something that has not been done, you know why you are doing it, for the person behind you. Tell your story, ask questions, connect, and be curious.”
3dprintingls4.com | 210-560-0762 | 110 E. Houston St. 7th Floor, San Antonio
“Leadership means taking a chance on yourself while also being willing to take a chance on others, just as others once did for me.”
“At its heart, my work is about people, and helping incredible clients build the financial life they’ve always dreamed of.”
“If you drive through Boerne, you’ll see so many businesses whose brands and logos we helped create. It’s a legacy that will continue through these businesses long after I am gone.”
“That sense of connection, guidance, and shared experience is powerful. It gives you the confidence to take another step forward because it has been done before.”