Meet Our Staff & Board

Tom Johnson

President and CEO

As the CEO and President of the Greater Brazos Partnership, Tom Johnson has more than two decades of economic development experience across four states. Before this role, he led Elevate Rapid City, a regional development corporation in western South Dakota, where he positioned Rapid City as the 36th fastest-growing city in the US. During his tenure, he merged a chamber, economic and workforce development, a business incubator, and brought under Elevate’s umbrella a development authority, a pre-seed accelerator, and a foundation focused on housing, childcare, and workforce mobility. He also developed numerous innovative programs, including an equity fund, a child-care loan program, and was at the center in the establishment of an Innovation District in the downtown core with over $30 million in development projects.

Previously, Johnson was the Director of Economic Development and Community Engagement at Colorado State University, where he led CSU’s economic and community development programs. And prior to that role, he was the Chief Performance Officer of the Wyoming Business Council, where he managed five divisions and an annual budget in the tens of millions. He successfully helped to recruit diverse businesses to the state, including manufacturing, life sciences, distribution centers, and corporate headquarters.

Beyond his professional achievements, Johnson is an accomplished poet with hundreds of published works in literary journals over the past two decades. When not working or writing, he enjoys hiking with his wife and dog, and has the unusual habit of pondering discount rates while listening to true-crime podcasts.

Salman Khan

VP of Economic Development

Salman Khan is the VP of Economic Development at the Greater Brazos Partnership, where he leads initiatives to attract investment, drive business expansion, and enhance the economic competitiveness of the Greater Brazos Region.

Previously, Salman played a key role at Toronto Global, where he helped international companies establish operations in the Toronto Region, directly contributing to the creation of over 1,300 jobs and $300 million in capital investment. Before transitioning into economic development, he spent seven years at a Fortune 500 company and two years at an edtech startup, gaining valuable private-sector experience.

Salman holds an MBA from Toronto Metropolitan University and an Honours degree in Computer Science from York University. Raised in South East Asia as an expat, he moved to Canada in 2003 as an international student for his undergraduate studies.

Jillian Ryan

Strategist

Jillian Ryan is a consultant working with the Greater Brazos Partnership as their Strategist, where she drives strategic initiatives that refine and elevate the region’s messaging to showcase its unique advantages, attract new investment, and fuel economic growth. With over 20 years of experience in business strategy, marketing, and geopolitics, she specializes in developing data-driven solutions that enhance brand awareness and support business expansion projects across the United States.

Before working with the Partnership, Jillian served as a geopolitical risk analyst at the Scowcroft Group in Washington, D.C., advising Fortune 100 companies—including Google, GE, and The Gates Foundation—on market entry and stakeholder engagement strategies for emerging global markets. She then founded Marie Mae Company, a corporate gifting service that combined ethical sourcing with social impact, serving clients such as LinkedIn, FabFitFun, and Meta, and launched “The Good Office Podcast” to showcase stories of how doing good in business drives success.

Jillian holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business from Texas A&M University and a Master’s Degree in International Business and Public Policy from George Mason University.

Patricia Devidal

Manager of Business Administration

Patricia Devidal is the Manager of Business Administration at the Greater Brazos Partnership. With over 30 years of experience in administration and sales management, Patricia has worked alongside executive teams at Fortune 500 companies across multiple industries and countries. Patricia is adept at leading teams, streamlining operations, and implementing efficient policies and procedures to ensure smooth organizational functioning.

Megan Fallon

Economic Development Intern

Megan is an Economic Development Intern at the Greater Brazos Partnership and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Economics at Texas A&M University. Prior to joining the Partnership, Megan interned at the Texas Governor’s Office as an Economic Development and Tourism Intern, where she assisted with projects supporting statewide economic growth efforts.

Arthur Proenca

Economic Development Intern

Arthur is an Economic Development Intern at the Greater Brazos Partnership, where he supports regional business attraction, expansion, and site-selection efforts through data-driven research and analysis. Arthur brings experience across both public-sector economic development and private-sector operations.

Prior to joining the Greater Brazos Partnership, he served as an Economic Development Intern with the City of College Station, where he analyzed economic trends, managed CRM and departmental databases, and supported quality-of-life and business engagement initiatives. He has also held operational roles at a livestock genetics company, where he gained valuable private-sector experience.

Arthur is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Economics at Texas A&M University, where he also earned his BA in Economics. As a native of Brazil, he is able to speak English and Portuguese fluently.