RGV LEAD Joins the Conversation on Texas Infrastructure and Workforce Growth

EVENT: August 13, 2026

Powering Texas & Regional Growth: Infrastructure & Workforce Exchange

REGISTRATION:  https://i-lincp.wildapricot.org/event-6742435

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Texas grows when infrastructure and talent grow together. Roads, ports, utilities, schools, broadband, water systems, and energy projects all depend on people who are ready to build, manage, maintain, and improve them.

Maricela "Mari" De León, Executive Director of RGV LEAD, has been invited to serve as a panelist at Powering Texas & Regional Growth: Infrastructure & Workforce Exchange, hosted by the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects, known as I-LinCP, in partnership with the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation.

The event brings together two issues that cannot be separated: the infrastructure Texas needs and the workforce that will make it possible.

Why this conversation matters

Texas is experiencing rapid economic and population growth, adding billions in industrial investments, aerospace projects, and cross-border trade. Communities continue to add residents, jobs, projects, and new demands on public systems. Growth can bring opportunity, but it also brings pressure.

A growing region needs dependable roads and bridges. It needs water and wastewater systems that can support neighborhoods, schools, and businesses. It needs energy systems that can keep up with homes, hospitals, manufacturers, and public facilities. It needs schools, training centers, and career pathways that prepare people for the work ahead.

The practical value of an Infrastructure & Workforce Exchange: It creates space for leaders to look at growth as a shared responsibility, not as a set of disconnected tasks.

For RGV LEAD, this conversation carries special weight.

RGV LEAD brings the workforce perspective to the table

Career pathways become stronger when training connects to real regional projects.

RGV LEAD focuses on connecting education, industry, and community partners so students can see clear pathways into meaningful careers. That mission fits directly into a discussion about infrastructure and regional growth.

Large capital projects need more than funding and permits. They need people. They need a workforce with technical skill, practical experience, safety awareness, and the ability to keep learning as technology and project needs change.

Some of these careers require a four-year degree. Many do not. Some begin with dual credit, industry-recognized credentials, apprenticeships, or technical training. Others grow through on-the-job experience and continued education.

That is a key point for any serious workforce conversation. Students and families need to see that success has more than one path. Employers need to know where future talent will come from. Educators need current information about the skills that industry actually needs. Communities need systems that help people move from classroom to career with less confusion and fewer barriers.

RGV LEAD works in that space.

Mari De León’s panel role reflects RGV LEAD’s mission

By participating in this panel, Mari De León brings forward the student-centered and employer-connected view that is essential to long-term regional planning. Infrastructure is physical, but workforce development is personal. It shapes household income, career confidence, and generational opportunity.