Meet Our Leaders

Hon. Larry Wallace Jr., PhD

Co-Founder & Senior Director of Operations

Dr. Wallace is the 1st Black Mayor of Manor, Texas, and only black mayor in the Austin Metropolitan Area during his term. He is President of Wallace Brothers & Associates, Co-Owner of The Transition, and Co-Founder of the Black Men’s Health Clinic. He also serves as a Texas State University – Lecturer; Boy Scouts of America Capitol Area Council – Vice President of Strategic Planning, Black Community Advisory Chair, and Waterloo District Nominating Chair; Austin/Travis County Sobering Center – Board Member; Austin/Travis County Food Plan Advisory Board member; Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission Inaugural Chair; Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Planning Board Member; Unparalleled Preparatory Academy Founding Board President; Hungry Hill Foundation Board Member; Austin ECHO’s Continuum of Care Homelessness Response System Leadership Council; American YouthWorks Board Member; Austin Independent School District – District Advisory Committee; Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Community and Stakeholder Advisory Group; as the Texas Veterans Commission – Veterans Services Advisory Committee (former Vice Chair); East Communities YMCA – Community Advancement Board; Central Texas Hypertension Control Collaboration Member; Texas Cardiovascular Disease & Stroke Partnership Member; Cardiovascular Disease Learning Collaborative; Manor Independent School District – Special Education Parent Advisory Committee; University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Center for Equity Promotion; and 2024 Central Texas African American Family Support Conference Planning Committee member. Larry also authored three books (Adaptive Leadership in High-Stress Occupations: Application to the Military, Irony or Symbolism, The Esoteric Mason), and Co-Author The Transition: Preparing for Financial Combat.

 

Dr. Wallace previously served as Chief of Staff to Austin Councilwoman Natasha Harper-Madison; Special Advisor for Environmental Justice & Advocacy to the Austin Area Urban League; Travis County 2023 Community Bond Advisory Committee member; City of Austin Resiliency HUB Advisory Committee; Texas Veterans Leadership Task Force (Dept of Veterans Affairs – Community Veterans Engagement Board) – Chair; Aging & Unhoused Affinity Group (Austin ECHO); Senior Access – Advisory Member; Eastern Crescent Health Now Committee – Advisory Member; Northcentral University – School of Business Professional Advisory Committee Member and Military Inclusion & Diversity Lead; Texas Municipal League (Region 10) – President; Capital Area Regional Transportation Planning Organization – Board Member; Manor Schoolhouse Foundation – Board Member; State of Texas Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone (Hiring Our Heroes) – Chair; Manor Independent School District – Citizen’s Bond Advisory Committee; Travis County Healthcare Division (Central Health) – Ambassador; U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy – Senior Transition Advisor; Huston-Tillotson University – Assistant Professor of Management & Adjunct Lecturer; University of Texas System Administration – Director of Veterans Support & Leadership Programs; C2 Change – Vice Chair & Strategic Planning Chair; VETTED Foundation – Executive in Residence; Blackberry Radio – Gospel Personality; Central Texas College – Adjunct Professor; and College Proctor for 3 universities.

 

While serving in the military, Mayor Wallace was the HR Plans & Operations Division Chief, Secretary of the General Staff, Executive Officer then Deputy Chief of Staff at U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (Airborne) during the integration of women into combat roles; Deputy G2/G3 then Company Commander at USA NATO during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010, European base closures, and realignment of NATO forces; Administrative & Logistical Commander, Battalion S1, and Battle Captain for an Infantry Task Force overseeing Anbar Province (the largest in Iraq); Top Tier US Postal Commander overseeing Southern Iraq; ROTC Recruiter at University of Texas at Arlington, Mid-Cities Drill Sergeant Training Battery Commander; OSUT Drill Sergeant at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and the Customer Service NCOIC & DA Promotion Boards NCOIC for 25th Infantry Division & Johnston Island.

 

Civic & Social Body experiences include President for 3 districts & 13 local groups, State Junior Vice President, Strategic Director for 4 states, and Chief Administrative Officer for 3 national staffs; Assistant Scoutmaster; and

Greek Life President, National Pan-Hellenic Council Community Services Director, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Graduate Advisor, and Mascot at the University of Texas at Arlington. 

 

Recognitions include the 2024 MAVS100 (UT Arlington); 2024 Austin Gives Finalist – Volunteer of the Year (Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce); (2024 Distinguished Black Alumni of UTA Award; 2024 MLK Dream Legacy Builder Award (40 Acre Conference); 2024 Silver Beaver Award (Capitol Area Council BSA); 2023 Austin Business Award Finalist – Civic & Community Leader (Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce); 2023 Certificate of Appreciation (City of Austin); 2023 U.S. President Volunteer Service Award – Gold & Lifetime Achievements; 2023 Honorary Austin Resident; 2023 Top Black Politician (Austin Black Business Journal); 2023 Moore-Bowman Award (Texas Council on Family Relations); 2023 Garnet E. Coleman Eternal Flame Award (Central Texas African American Family Support Conference); 2022 Outstanding Community Dad Award (The Man In Me); 2022 Outstanding Leadership (Austin NAACP Chapter); 2021 Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award (Boy Scouts of America); 2022 Congressional Candidate; 2021 Austin Under 40 Finalist (Mentor of the Year); 2020 Alpha Great (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.); 2020 Changing the Story Distinguished Community Leader (African American Youth Harvest Foundation); 2020 Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) Honorary Member; 2019 Austin Under 40 Dual Finalist in Youth & Education and Civics, Government & Public Affairs; 2019 Achievements in Black Austin Honoree (Austin Black Business Journal); 42 performance awards; 2 district staff member of the year awards; community service & president of the year award; 3 honorary & 25 invitational civic & social organizations; National Society of Collegiate Scholars; Phi Sigma Phi National Honor Fraternity; Golden International Honour Society; Delta Mu Delta International Honor Society in Business; National Society of Leadership & Success; Honors Society; Honor Society; Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement; International Scholar Laureate Program for Business & Entrepreneurship; and 2016 National Defense University’s Joint Special Operations Masters of Arts in Strategic Studies selectee.

 

Education includes Northcentral University – Doctorates & MBA in Management; University of Texas at Arlington – Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies; Amberton University – Masters in Human Relations & Business; Texas A&M at Commerce & Saint Joseph University – Executive Leadership Certificates in Entrepreneurship; Syracuse University – Veterans in Politics & Civic Engagement Certificate; and University of Pennsylvania at Wharton – Business Skills Certificate.

 

Dr. Wallace is married to the former Jamilah Sharp of Atlanta, Georgia, and father of Levi, and twins Madison and Elijah.