Calvin Mills Jr. is a nationally award-winning serial tech entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in IT, software and application development, and help desk support. He is the Founder, CEO and president of CMC Technology Solutions, SLT Technology, Inc., and his newest venture HelpIT, Inc., a software and application development company that he plans to take public on the NASDAQ stock exchange. 

Calvin is recognized as a dynamic speaker, mentor, philanthropist, small business advocate, and author. He is vested in helping people within the tech sector, especially the next generation of entrepreneurs. Calvin launched a nonprofit called CLIMB (Changing Lives Is My Business) to help give access to technology and its resources to under deserved youth. 

Through his companies, Calvin is changing the dynamics of the technology workforce in Louisiana by helping to create Louisiana's first IT apprenticeship program with a focus on cybersecurity and custom training for individuals looking to find employment in the technology field. SLT Technology, Inc. is the only company in Louisiana backed by the global company Oracle for workforce development.

Calvin shares his story of struggle and perseverance in his book "No Secrets to Elevation: An Entrepreneur's Story of Persistence." An accomplished entrepreneur, Calvin is the recipient of the following awards and recognitions: 

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security Small Business Achievement Award (2006)
• U.S. Small Business Administration Louisiana Minority Small Business Statewide Champion of the Year (2008)
• U.S. Small Business Administration Louisiana Minority Small Business Statewide Champion of the Year (2008)
• 1 of 50 Business Leaders Invited to the White House Business Summit (2016)
• Southern University Excellence in Leadership Award (2017)
• Black Enterprise Magazine BE 100 Modern Man (2018)
• National Small Business Association Board of Trustees Appointment (2019)
• Lew Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year recipient (2019)
• Certificate of Commendation, Mayor-President Sharon Weston-Broome, City of Baton Rouge (2019)
• National Small Business Administration Small Business Advocate of the Year (2019)
• NOLA Tech 30 Honoree 

Calvin is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and holds a Bachelor's degree in computer science from Southern University A&M College. 

Connect with me

Stephen Loy is an experienced communications and legislative relations professional. He started with Nexus Louisiana as the director of communication in 2004, and was promoted to Executive Director in 2011. Stephen manages the day-to-day operations, developing strategies to attract early-stage companies, and managing one of Nexus Louisiana’s signature programs, Tech Park Academy. Prior to joining the Tech Park, Stephen managed public relations and legislative initiatives for the Louisiana Retired Teachers Association. He began his career with LSU’s Office of Public Relations. Stephen is accredited in Public Relations and is a past President of The Public Relations Association of Louisiana—Baton Rouge Chapter (PRAL-BR). He served as Treasurer of the Southern Public Relations Federation Board of Directors and is a past President of the Louisiana Business Incubation Association. Stephen currently serves on the board of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC).

Connect with me

She is passionate about advancing entrepreneurship and helping communities thrive. As the Director of Marketing and Communications she develops comprehensive marketing strategies to drive growth for Nexus Louisiana while creating collaborative relationships with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community officials. Before joining NexusLA, Na’Tisha was the director of public affairs for Louisiana Housing Corporation, the state’s housing agency dedicated to creating affordable housing solutions for Louisiana residents, and the director of marketing and communications for the Louisiana Small Business Development Center – State Office. A native of Monroe, La., she holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in marketing and mass communication from Southern University and A&M College and received executive training at the University of Notre Dame. She is a 2020 Leadership Baton Rouge alumna, was named a Northeast Louisiana Top 40 Under 40 Young Professional and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Connect with me

Kasey Frioux is the longest tenured employee at Nexus Louisiana and has been with the organization since it was founded in 2001. As the Director of Operations, she manages the 40,000 square foot Tech Park, serves as the liaison for the board of directors, and assists with all entrepreneurial initiatives. Before joining Nexus Louisiana, Kasey had a career in the automotive industry spanning more than a decade and worked for some of the South’s largest dealership networks.

Connect with me

Sylvia Alaniz is an experienced accountant and human resources professional. Committed to serving the community through her work, she takes pride in providing the best customer services possible to our members, partners, and colleagues. As the Accountant and Human Resources Manager, Sylvia’s role includes, but is not limited to grant management, donor tracking, and employee relations. She has an accounting degree from Southeastern Louisiana University.

A seasoned operational executive and strategic entrepreneur with strong technical and business acumen encompassing over 25 years of experience in leadership roles, coupled with a startup mindset.

Named one of Top 25 African American Millennial Publicists in Huffington Post, Narcisse is a passion-driven brand storyteller with a demonstrated history of presenting innovative ideas and customized strategies. On and off social media, this everyday educator shares tips and tricks with an unconventional approach to marketing and motivation. Through event production, she creates an interactive experience which allows brands to connect directly with their target audience and make a huge impact.

Connect with me

Madeleine currently works as a Business Analyst & Consultant for Nexus Louisiana to help members in building and scaling their startups.

She has a B.S. from Spring Hill College and an M.S. from LSU. As an undergraduate student, she worked as both a paid on-campus tutor and as a volunteer off-campus tutor for students in middle and high school mathematics. These experiences helped foster her enthusiasm for using her skills to help others, something she gets to do every day in her current position.

In her free time, she enjoys running with local groups, reading, and exploring dog-friendly places in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas with her dog, Betty.

Connect with me

Kimia is a dynamic, highly energetic and motivated marketing professional with a proven track record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing branding strategies, and coaching individuals to success.

Connect with me

*Bio Coming Soon

Connect with me

*Bio Coming Soon

With skills in writing, social media marketing, and building interpersonal relationships, Analise is an organized and creative marketing professional. She graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and a focus in strategic leadership. 

A Texas native, Analise has spent a large portion of her life devoted to gymnastics and adventuring. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with Young Life, traveling with friends, and creating video content.

Julian started his career in tech product development as a business analyst focused on e-commerce in the semiconductor industry. Following his curiosity, he became a management consultant at Deloitte and led M&A divestiture and integration engagements in a variety of industries, including pharma and biotech.
He then transitioned back into product development and e-commerce at Amazon, launching machine learning solutions for 3^rd party sellers on the platform. Julian was also tasked to lead product development for AWS Startups, building their first micro-targeted product line. With another stop in education technology, Julian has found a home as DoseSpot. He leads product innovation, helping the company grow and deliver safe and reliable ePrescribing technology and software integrations across multiple healthcare markets.

Julian is originally from Louisiana and graduated as valedictorian from Southern university in Baton Rouge with a B.S in Computer Science. He also has an M.B.A from The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, focusing on strategy and entrepreneurship. Julian resides in New Orleans with his wife and 2 boys. He currently is active in both the Baton Rouge and New Orleans startup ecosystems as an EIR, strategic advisor, and investor. He enjoys carnival and festival season in Louisiana, beach getaways with his family, and a good book.