FutureINDesign Adds to Executive Team

Press Release

Over the last three months, FutureINDesign has quietly been adding individuals to its team and proudly announces that Becky Guertler, Will Macia and Xris Macias have joined the executive team.

“This was a matter of making sure we get the right people in the right seats, and we had to be selective in who we added to our already talented team,” said Nicholina Womack, FutureInDesign CEO. “We are excited to be on a trajectory of growth and looking to make positive strides in workforce development, especially in our rural and low-income areas.”

FutureINDesign is a workforce development nonprofit organization that is focused on building a future of innovators and business owners that are bringing equity and solutions into communities. According to its mission statement, FutureINDesign uplifts unrecognized experts through access to skill-building and inclusive entrepreneurship.

Becky Guertler joined the team in November as the Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Business Development with her vast experience across different industries. Guertler is a native of Utah and graduated from Western Governors University. Her experience is comprised of corporate and nonprofit marketing, sales, data management, business consulting, entrepreneurship, and customer experience. She loves to learn new skills and different languages as well as spending time with her talented husband John and her three kids, Emily, Parker and Linkin, and their two cats, Mason and Mikey.

“In business, I have followed FutureINDesign and watched it grow over the years. To be part of growing something that effectively helps individuals create their own futures is a passion for me and dream come true,” Guertler said. “I feel very honored to be part of such great efforts to remove barriers to success for individuals and communities.”

Will Macia has accepted the Manufacturing Chief Operations Officer position and officially joined the team in the beginning of February. He has been involved in the textile manufacturing industry for 25 years, and he will be making the move from Portland, OR to Price. Macia recently sold his cut-and-sew operation to his business partner to pursue this opportunity at FutureINDesign. He is married to his wife, Angie, and they have two wonderful sons, Noah and Zachary, as well as two canine companions, Maisy and Mr. Pickles.

“After 18 years in my own operation, I’m looking forward to a new challenge with a new team and a new vision. I am of the belief that we need to be better stewards of our industry, promoting our STEM roots and reducing the amount of waste and consumption our industry hides so well,” said Macia. “I hope to be a servant leader in this role and embrace our differences as a strength.”

Xris Macias is a first-generation son of immigrants and is the incoming Chief Operations Officer for FutureINDesign’s Young Adult Program. He comes to FutureINDesign from the University of Utah, where his previous experience includes providing access and retention to education to students from underrepresented and unrecognized backgrounds. His experience includes coordinating one-of-a-kind programming to students of all backgrounds, including low-income, people of color, first generation, undocumented and students with disabilities. Macias’ greatest accomplishments are his two sons, Etzio and Eros, and marrying his much cooler wife. He has a master’s degree in education, where his research included validating non-traditional forms of education outside the classroom. Macias’ emphasis was on Lowriders being educational tools for marginalized communities. He enjoys playing many musical instruments and riding his bike and is fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese.

“Thank you for all of the work you do in our communities. I am excited to join the FIND team and share the many successes you’ve all had,” Macias said. “I want to recognize the current staff, students and stakeholders of FutureInDesign that regularly innovate and raise the bar. I wish to continue the great work of centering the experiences of the unrecognized experts and hope to build a lasting impact alongside all of you. Thank you!”

The career development programs FutureINDesign runs help unrecognized experts break into industries that have been historically exclusionary and help individuals leverage their unique life experiences to build business models, owners and innovators.

Further information about FutureINDesign is available at www.futureindesign.org.