Our Team – Texas Business Leadership Council

Justin Yancy

President & CEO Texas Business Leadership Council

Justin Yancy joined the Texas Business Leadership Council (TBLC) as its President in July 2001. Established in 1994, the TBLC is a statewide network of CEOs and senior business executives who advance a long-term vision of a prosperous Texas in a globally competitive business environment. Justin is responsible for all aspects of the TBLC’s mission and organization including managing membership involvement and overseeing policy work and general operations.

Justin also serves as Executive Director of the Foundation for a Globally Competitive Texas, a nonprofit organization created by Texas business leaders to facilitate the growth of a prosperous Texas in a globally competitive business environment.

Before joining the TBLC, Justin served in various roles in the Office of the Governor and Office of the Texas Secretary of State.

Justin is as a member of several boards and organizations including the national State Business Executives, where he serves as Chairman, the Commissioner of Higher Education’s Economic and Workforce Council, the Texas Student Success Council, the Texas Association of Community Colleges’ Business Advisory Council, and the national State Business Roundtable Executives.

Justin previously served on the boards of the Texas Education Reform Caucus, the H2O4TEXAS Advisory Board, Austin Sister Cities International, Texas Counts Campaign (US Census) Steering Committee, and was a member of the Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Financial Literacy Advisory Committee and the Austin Children’s Shelter Guild. From 2004-09, Justin was a Director of the Texas Lyceum and continues to stay active as an alumnus.

Kelle Kieschnick

Vice President of Policy Texas Business Leadership Council

Kelle Kieschnick joined the Texas Business Leadership Council as Vice President of Policy in December 2023. In her role, Kelle is responsible for leading TBLC’s policy work including advocating for its legislative agenda, fostering strategic relationships and supporting the work of TBLC member task forces…

Before joining TBLC, Kelle served as the Director of Postsecondary Policy at the Commit Partnership, a nonprofit collective impact organization in Dallas dedicated to increasing living wage attainment for Texans through educational success. At Commit she led the Aim Hire Texas Policy Coalition, a nonpartisan statewide partnership of business and education organizations including TBLC. Through its advocacy work during the 88th Legislative Session, the coalition played an instrumental role in passing historic community college finance reform with House Bill 8. Prior to Commit she worked in the Senate Education Committee supporting Chairman Larry Taylor and staffing him on the Community College Finance Commission.

Previous to working in policy, Kelle had a successful career in sales and marketing in the legal tech industry at Thomson Reuters. She has a Bachelor’s degree from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois and a JD from the University of Minnesota School of Law. She has been recognized by the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights for her work as a volunteer attorney representing people seeking asylum. In 2018, she relocated with her husband and son from Minnesota to Texas to live near family in northwest Austin. She is currently active in the Young Men’s Service League and McNeil Basketball Booster Club.

Sam Winkler

Director of Business Operations and Design Texas Business Leadership Council

Having joined the Texas Business Leadership Council in 2015, Sam runs the organization’s business operations, and leads all design collateral projects from concept and strategy development to final production. During her time with the TBLC, she has been instrumental in pioneering new membership marketing and recruitment materials, establishing elevated and recognizable branding for all TBLC events, and streamlining business operations by modernizing and simplifying critical systems. She plays a key role in event preparation and execution efforts and is responsible for ensuring the office runs smoothly and efficiently.

Prior to Sam’s role at the TBLC, she worked for apparel manufacturer and portfolio company, Kellwood. Their then brands included Rebecca Taylor, Vince, Briggs New York, and Democracy. Sam supported 120+ employees with their administrative needs, was pivotal in the planning of company events, and led the complete consolidation of all physical assets from two floors of the company’s St. Louis headquarters.

In 2012, Sam graduated with a dual-major BFA in Graphic Design and Photography from the University of Missouri, Columbia (Mizzou). After graduation, she interned with Alive Magazine and later served as a contributing designer, with her illustrations being featured in both print and online publications. She designed event collateral for St. Louis Fashion Week and photographed the winners of the “St. Louis’ Most Wanted” competition.

In her spare time, Sam is a freelance designer specializing in wedding and special occasion collateral and enjoys volunteering with organizations committed to the welfare of animals. A St. Louis, Missouri native, she moved to Austin, Texas in 2015.

Joely English

Policy and Operations Associate Texas Business Leadership Council

Joely English joined the Texas Business Leadership Council as its Policy & Operations Associate in August 2025. Joely supports the organization’s public policy priorities, operational initiatives, and external engagement strategies. Her work reflects a commitment to service and bringing together business, government, and community leaders alike.

Before joining TBLC, Joely interned with Twenty First Century Group, a bipartisan consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Joely supported strategic engagement through event planning and meetings with elected officials, staffers, and stakeholders. She also assisted staff with coalition-building and research across policy issues such as blockchain technologies and foreign affairs.

In 2024, Joely graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. During her time at Baylor, she was a grant-funded research assistant on the project “Not Men, But Measures”: The Development of Congressional Campaign Rhetoric in Early Republic New Hampshire, 1788–1808, in collaboration with Dr. Aric Gooch. She was an active leader in the Baylor community as a senate committee chair in Student Government and a senior member of Student Foundation. As an alumna, Joely returns for guest lecture appearances and other engagement opportunities.

In her spare time, Joely enjoys rock climbing, playing trading card games, and traveling to national parks with her partner, Nate, and dog, Bennie.

Mike Joyce

Event Strategist Texas Business Leadership Council

Mike Joyce is the Owner and Lead Coordinator of Sine Die Events, an Austin-based firm specializing in curated, high-impact events for policy, nonprofit, and business clients. With a deep background in strategy, logistics, and stakeholder engagement, Mike helps organizations design experiences that connect people and ideas in meaningful ways.

Previously, Mike served as Vice President of Operations and Outreach at the Texas Business Leadership Council (TBLC), where he led statewide engagement efforts for a network of CEOs committed to maintaining Texas’ economic competitiveness. In his new capacity through Sine Die Events Mike will continue managing events for the TBLC. Prior to joining TBLC, he was Director of Events at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, where he produced nationally recognized forums and legislative conferences.

Mike holds a degree in Public Administration from George Mason University and was selected as a Liberty@Work Fellow by the Charles G. Koch Institute (now Stand Together). He lives in Austin with his wife, Shana, and their two sons.