REBECCA CONTRERAS
Rebecca Contreras is currently the President & CEO of AvantGarde LLC (AG), a consulting firm she cofounded in 2011 as the majority owner. AvantGarde has grown to over 120 employees across nine states including a team in the great State of Texas where Rebecca resides. AG's Offices are in the Austin and Washington DC area with clients in 26 different government agencies. AG offers integrated Human Capital expertise in three core areas: Human Resources (HR) Operations, Organizational Solutions, and Strategy. Rebecca commutes back and forth between her TX and DC offices. To do business with Rebecca’s consulting firm AvantGarde, visit AG at www.avantgarde4usa.com
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Prior to moving into the consulting business, Rebecca spent fifteen years working in government, four of those years in federal government serving in President Bush’s Administration in Washington DC. While living in DC, Rebecca served first as a Commissioned Officer to President George W. Bush in the Bush White House, managing the personnel appointments process for over 1,200 positions in the federal government. Then the president appointed her as a senior executive to lead corporate HR in the role of Deputy Assistant Secretary & Chief of Human Capital for the U.S. Department of Treasury, a workforce of 128,000 employees. Rebecca started her government career working as a civil servant for nearly twelve years in Austin in Texas Government, including serving as the Director of Human Resources for the Office of Governor Bush for six years. Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, she served six years at the State Treasury under two Texas women icons Ann Richards and then Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Rebecca lives in the Austin Texas area with her husband of 32 years, David. Rebecca and David are founders of their 501c3 organization, LaunchPad, a nonprofit foundation that supports funding programs for inner-city families and underprivileged youth and causes in her hometown in Austin and throughout her home state of Texas. Rebecca is also the Amazon best-selling author of Lost Girl, which describes her transformative journey from a poverty-stricken childhood to her career in the White House and eventually her thriving success as an entrepreneur.
Recent Awards and Accolades for Rebecca Contreras and AvantGarde
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2023
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Austin Businesswoman of the Year Award - CAHCC Celebrando Gala
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Small Business Administration of Texas District Legacy Award
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Small Business Person of the Year 2023, Texas District – U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)
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Lost Girl becomes #1 Amazon best-seller across 4 categories (Women’s Studies History, Life & Spirituality, Non-Profit Management & Leadership, Christian Leadership)
2022
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Gold Stevie Award, Best Female Entrepreneur – Women in Business
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AvantGarde listed #11 on the Austin Business Journal's Women-Owned Businesses List 2022
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AvantGarde listed #6 on the Austin Business Journal's Ethnic Minority-Owned Businesses List 2022
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In March 2022 in conjunction with Women’s History month after over 700 nominations received, Rebecca won KXAN's Texas Remarkable Woman of the year.
2021
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Stevie Silver Award for Minority-Owned Business of the Year - American Business Awards
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Governor Greg Abbott, in conjunction with the Texas Small Business Summit, honored Rebecca with the Texas Latina Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
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Rebecca was also appointed in September 2021 by Governor Greg Abbott as a Commissioner on the Texas Racing Commission where she will serve a three-year term
Past Awards
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AG Wins #11 Women-Owned Businesses on Austin Business Journal Top 50 List 2020
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AG Wins #7 Ethnic Minority-Owned Businesses on Austin Business Journal Top 50 List 2020
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Women 2 Watch for 2019 - the Women President’s Organization in New York City
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AvantGarde was recognized during National Small Business Week with Texas District Award for Women Small Business of the Year and Minority Contractor of the Year for 2018 from the -Minority Enterprise Development Consortium, Department of Commerce, San Antonio Texas
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