Waco Young Professionals

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Waco Young Professionals

The Waco YPs are a diverse, vibrant group of young adults. The Waco Young Professionals (Waco YPs) are leading the future development of this great city.

We meet monthly to network, gain information for our lives and careers and learn ways to engage with the Greater Waco area. As an organization, we are actively impacting the economic development of our community through our efforts in talent attraction and retention, young leader-focused development and engagement, and overall image building for the city. Because of these cornerstone initiatives,

we believe this organization both is and will continue to be a communal voice for the millennial workforce generation that will not only aid the development of this community, but lead it.

05/29/2026

Happy Friday ☀️ last nights monthly Waco YP Happy Hour at was a great time!

05/28/2026

Waco Young Professionals were invited to tour the this month for our Industry Tour. We had the opportunity to see the studio, news room and podcast recording studio - and pretend we were news anchors! Big thank you to our friends at Fox44 for hosting us.

05/27/2026

Meet our Waco YP Member of the Week: Mackenzie Olvera!

Mackenzie Olvera serves as the Director of Sales at Element by Westin, where she loves building genuine relationships and bringing events to life from planning to ex*****on. Originally from Lawrenceville, Georgia, Mackenzie moved to Waco to be closer to family and continue growing her career in hospitality and sales. Since then, she’s built a life she loves here alongside her husband, Cameron, and their son, Sebastian.

Mackenzie enjoys connecting over coffee, brunch, and local events, and some of her favorite Waco spots include Cameron Park, Helados La Azteca, and Taqueria Mis Marias. Outside of work, she loves cooking new recipes, watching fashion shows, karaoke nights with friends, and making everyday moments fun with her family. She says Waco YPs has helped her expand her network, build confidence, and create meaningful relationships within the business community. Her favorite YP experiences so far have been the industry tours and networking events, where she’s enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look at local businesses while forming real connections with fellow young professionals.

05/20/2026

Meet Jarrad Emery, our Waco YP Member of the Week!

Jarrad serves as an HR Director and loves the opportunity his role gives him to wear multiple hats, contribute across an organization, and help drive growth. Originally from Brandon, South Dakota and a graduate of the University of South Dakota, Jarrad and his family made the move to Waco after what he describes as a prayerful calling—and they’ve been thriving here ever since.

An active member of Antioch Waco, Jarrad enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, whether that’s grabbing dinner at La Fiesta, exploring Cameron Park Zoo, tackling DIY home projects, or diving into a great book on leadership, business, or history. He says Industry Tours have been his favorite Waco YP experiences so far because they’ve given him a unique look into the companies and operations that make Waco run. As someone who wasn’t originally from the area, Jarrad says Waco YPs has been a huge blessing in helping him build relationships and feel more connected to the city and community.

05/13/2026

This week's member of the week is a familiar face if you've been a YP member for any length of time!

Lexy Reil serves on the Greater Waco Chamber's Economic Development team and is deeply passionate about seeing the city of Waco grow and thrive.

A Baylor University grad, she originally came to Waco as a student but quickly fell in love with the community and knew she wanted to build her life and career here. Over the years, she has done just that with her husband and two kids.

When she’s not championing economic growth, you’ll likely find her at Street Dog Cafe on a Saturday morning, baking sourdough, cheering on the Padres, or spending time with her family (including their backyard chickens!). Lexy and her family are actively involved at Antioch Waco and love serving the local and global church. Lexy values the longstanding relationships she’s built through Waco YPs, knowing that a strong network is invaluable to the work she does.

05/07/2026

Our May Lunch Connection left everyone looking at their habits and inspired to improve 1% each day - it adds up! Thank you to Taylor Teaff for joining us as our guest presenter. Making new connections and growing our members personally and professionally is what we're all about.

05/06/2026

This week's Waco YP of the Week is Jasmine Kirk!

Jasmine Kirk serves as the Coordinator of Community Programs at McLennan Community College (a Silver Sponsor of the Waco YPs!), where she’s passionate about connecting with people and creating meaningful opportunities—especially for local youth. A graduate of Tarleton State University and MCC, Jasmine loves being involved in the local community.

Originally from Sherman, TX, Jasmine enjoys spending her free time gardening, reading, and cooking (often opting for that over watching the game—though she’ll still claim the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys when pressed!). You can also find her at local favorites like Wako Taco or Jorge’s. Jasmine says Waco YPs has been a great way to build connections in the community, and she’s especially enjoyed the Lunch Connections so far. She’s always open to connecting—so don’t hesitate to reach out!

05/01/2026

Happy May! Make plans to join us on Wednesday, May 6 from 12-1pm for our May Lunch Connection. We will be joined by Taylor Teaff, speaking on the Compound Effect of Habits. Register today to join us: https://greaterwacochamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/nvFQmARFECNCZ

04/29/2026

Meet our Waco YP Member of the Week, Hannah Short!

Hannah is a Postpartum & Eating Disorder Therapist and the owner of Rooted & Nourished Psychotherapy, where she helps women navigate anxiety, their relationship with food, and the transition into motherhood. She’s passionate about creating a space where clients can make sense of experiences that once felt overwhelming—helping them realize they’re not broken, just human.

Originally from Mexia, Texas and a graduate of the University of Southern California, Hannah brings both compassion and expertise to her work. When she’s not supporting clients, you can find her attending local events, enjoying a meal at Maria Mezcaleria, or getting outside for a walk. Hannah and her family are involved at Highland Baptist and love cheering on the Texas Tech Raiders and USC Trojans.

Hannah says being part of Waco YPs has helped her stay connected as a private practice owner, allowing her to build meaningful relationships and feel more rooted in the community. Between running a business and balancing mom life (and the occasional cold coffee), she’s always happy to connect with fellow young professionals!

04/28/2026

The YPs had a great round table discussion today on communication styles and conflict. Providing a setting for young professionals to have peer conversations and hear how others handle workplace situations helps us all grow. Waco YP Round Tables are great ways to start the morning!

Address

101 S 3rd Street
Waco, TX
76701

Telephone

+12547575600

Website

http://www.WacoYP.org/

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