Join us on October 16 for the AU40 Speaker Series
Join the Austin Under 40 (AU40) committee, past AU40 winners and finalists, YMBL, and community members for lunch, networking, and an inspiring talk from Liz Schoenfeld, CEO at LifeWorks, and distinguished Austin Under 40 Award Winner.
In addition to hearing from our featured speaker, this event marks the kickoff of nominations for the 26th Annual Austin Under 40 Awards. Learn more about the AU40 Awards, how you can get involved as a nominee or nominate your colleagues, and how you can get involved as a volunteer or judge for the 2025 program.
About Speaker Series
Speaker Series is a monthly networking event hosted by YMBL to give members in the community an opportunity to hear from inspiring local voices, and to raise awareness for Austin Sunshine Camps, a 501(c)3 in Austin. This month’s Speaker Series is being hosted in collaboration with the Austin Under 40 Committee.
About the speaker: Liz Schoenfeld, CEO at LifeWorks
Liz Schoenfeld is the Chief Executive Officer at LifeWorks, a large non-profit in Austin, Texas, that is committed to solving youth homelessness by providing a continuum of housing services, education & workforce programming, and behavioral health interventions. She earned her Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin and served as the Chief Research & Evaluation Officer at LifeWorks prior to becoming CEO.
Her success using data to inform service delivery and the adoption of evidence-based programs at LifeWorks were highlighted in the documentary, Failing Forward: On the Road to Social Impact. Dr. Schoenfeld is a 2024 McBee Fellow with the Austin Area Research Organization, won the Nonprofit Services category for Austin Under 40 in 2023, and holds a courtesy appointment at The University of Texas at Austin.
Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and featured in a range of notable outlets, including U.S. News & World Report and Psychology Today. In all of her work, Dr. Schoenfeld is passionate about partnering with individuals with lived expertise to challenge the status quo and create innovative, value-based solutions.
Event details
The event will be at the Headliners Club on the 20th floor in the Nash room. This establishment has been home to Texas politicians and business leaders since 1955.
Doors open at 11:30am, where there will be 30 minutes of networking as people trickle in. You will seat yourself at noon after filling up your plate at the lunch buffet. Feel free to invite your friends! Parking is easy in the connected garage, and validated parking is just $5.
Liz will talk about her career story, unique challenges in Austin, and her outlook on the future. Liz will host a brief Q&A at the end, so come prepared with your questions!
We’ll also share an overview of the Austin Under 40 Awards, have members of the committee available to answer questions, and share how you can nominate yourself and your colleagues.
