Women Making Waves

Spring 2025

May 9

Written By Nick Blevins

By Leslie Foley

In honor of our womens' issue, Scene In SA

spoke with five leaders changing the landscape

of San Antonio across business, hospitality,

and culture.

Diana Barrios TREVIÑO

Diana Barrios Treviño, co-owner of the Los Barrios family of restaurants alongside her brother and sister, is a well-known name in San Antonio. A native daughter, she has been happily married to Roland Treviño for 36 years and is a busy mother of three.

She is a cookbook author, Los Barrios Family Cookbook, and shares her recipes on News4SA’s San Antonio Living program during her monthly segment, “In the Kitchen with Diana.” Featured in Southern Living Magazine and the Texas Department of Agriculture’s “GO TEXAN” campaign, Diana was recently awarded the Rosemary Award for Excellence in Culinary Arts & Hospitality. She is also a past scholarship chair for Les Dames d'Escoffier and was inducted into the San Antonio Business Hall of Fame 2024 and The San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame 2023, and is a current KLRN board member.

Diana established 501(c)(3) nonprofit Viola’s Huge Heart Foundation in 2008, three days after her mother died. She along with her siblings carry out the mission to help hardworking people who face insurmountable obstacles in life. “Our mother led by example and we have big shoes to fill as we continue what she did for others. This past Christmas, the Foundation, through the help of many, gifted $33,000 in H-E-B gift cards to local foster youth who have aged out of the foster care system and need the support of our community,” explains Diana.

“I hope to be able to continue to do this for as long as I can. To inspire others, you have to care. Our mother cared by listening and showing compassion, and that is what I try to do every single day. Our greatest challenge is preparing our next generation to carry on what our mother started. Our mother, Viola, built our family business with a lot of sacrifice.”

Jennifer Hwa DOBBERTIN

Hard work, determination, grit, and kindness, mixed with a little bit of luck, are a testament to the overwhelming success bestowed upon one of San Antonio’s favorite restaurateurs Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, owner-operator of Best Quality Daughter. The three-time James Beard Award semifinalist offers her diners an immersive experience that incorporates color, art, sound, and incredible service—along with delicious cuisine.

When asked about the inspiration behind her career choice, she responded, “My parents. I grew up in a restaurant—it imprinted on me.”

One of her top accomplishments, and there are many, was opening the popular dining establishment in 2020; other accomplishments and accolades include chairing the Planned Parenthood of South Texas' annual luncheon featuring Stacey Abrams, and entering her fourth year on the Planned Parenthood South Texas Board of Directors, and serving as secretary a second year.

What’s next: “Right now I’m all hands on deck to get Jue Let open!” Jue Let is a new cocktail bar slated to open at the Pearl. Jennifer's upcoming concept honors the historic Chinese chef Jue Let whose cuisine inspired American chef James Beard, a name easily recognized in the culinary arts and food media industries.

Never one to slow down, Jennifer outlines her vision for the not-so-near future, and offers this inspiration and advice: “Start a retirement account as soon as possible, be nice to yourself, be nice to others, and be empathetic. Looking ahead, one day I’d like to live on a beautiful piece of land somewhere surrounded by animals.”

Leah MEYER

Leah Meyer is making her dreams come true, launching The Mermaid Cafe this April, a specialty coffee shop serving delicious coffee and gluten-free treats. Leah has Down Syndrome, but that has never stood in her way. Leah shared, “I have always enjoyed reading Greek mythology. I love mermaids and I have mermaid hair!”

Leah’s dream of opening her own café has been brewing since she was 4 years old. “My favorite princess is Tiana, because she always wanted her own restaurant.” In Disney's The Princess and the Frog, Tiana works hard and saves up to finally buy a place to transform into a bustling eatery. Leah, like Tiana, has persevered, and with help from her friends and family members, including sister Anna and brother Kane, her grandparents and parents will see her long-awaited dream come alive. Two years ago, the plan started gaining momentum.

Leah loved watching Rachel Ray, pretending to be on her own cooking show when she was younger. Baking has been Leah's passion and she hopes to one day be featured on the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, but for now, Leah is focused on celebrating her opening at 14415 Blanco Road, where specialty coffee will be served by special people. Mermaid Cafe will employ people with disabilities, welcoming all and ensuring everyone will enjoy their dining experience.

Emily ROYALL

Emily Royall initially planned on being a doctor. Baltimore-born and San Antonio-raised, the Clark high school graduate was fascinated by AI, data, and machine learning; and their potential applications for better understanding the human body. While studying neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin however, a chance decision to crash an urban planning and architecture conference (who among us, right?) forever altered the course of her life, expanding her passion from technology’s capability of understanding the health of an individual, to utilizing emerging innovations to serve entire communities.

A few years (and a Master’s from MIT, some work for the Massachusetts state government, and a stint at Google’s urban planning subsidiary, Sidewalk Labs, among others) later, Emily now serves in the San Antonio Office of Innovation as Smart City Administrator, guiding our city’s investments in technologies that work for all of us.

As technology advances unabated and new services crop up all around us, the companies that provide those increasingly-vital services are typically under no pressure to render contracts in the ways one might hope; crucial questions like how your data are used, and to what extent it’s being mined frequently remain black boxes. When asked which of her team’s current initiatives are particularly energizing, Royall cited the collective power of cooperative purchasing, wherein multiple entities—say for example, San Antonio and surrounding towns—aggregate their demand for services, with the aim of procuring more favorable terms for their communities.

“We’re not going to adopt a technology we fundamentally don’t understand,” she said, describing her practical approach to evaluating prospective services. In exchange for potential access to larger regional markets, these companies that would be the effective stewards of our valuable data may be held to higher standards of transparency, both operationally and economically.

In a time where tech literacy is becoming a prerequisite to navigating society, Royall was clear about understanding the value of retaining ownership. “I think people should have control over their data,” she explained. She also underscored the importance of learning proper data hygiene early, especially in our always-online world: “It’s important to me to let young people know they have power and agency.” Empowering city residents to be proactive throughout San Antonio’s technological transformation will better enable us to handle whatever innovation tomorrow sends our way.

Francie MILLAN

Meet the beautiful Francie Millan, reigning Miss San Antonio USA 2024, philanthropist, author, columnist, and TV show host. “I’ve had the honor of making history as the first [Uruguayan American] Miss San Antonio and Miss San Antonio Teen USA,” explains Francie. Beyond pageantry, Francie is an active volunteer, proud fur mom to her rescued Frenchie, Simon, and author of the soon-to-be published children’s book, Simón el Gran Varón, which will benefit animal rescue efforts.

Francie loves working with kids and instills in them that success is not determined by materialistic things, how you look, or where you come from—it’s about resilience. “True success is measured by how many times you fall down and stand back up, stronger and wiser than before.” Francie’s parents are her biggest inspiration. Francie states, “My parents came to the United States with determination and resilience to build a better life for our family. Their story is a constant reminder that anything is possible with perseverance and faith.”

Placing first runner-up at Miss Texas USA as the only Latina in the top five was a significant accomplishment, reinforcing her belief in breaking barriers and serving as a voice of representation. Additionally, she is launching the Francie Millan Scholarship to support a child’s education in Thailand. As a role model she represents perseverance, authenticity, and the power of representation. She proudly serves as an ambassador for Action Culture Togo Association, which supports an orphanage in Africa. She has also had the privilege of mentoring at a pageant school in Uruguay, helping young girls build confidence and leadership skills.

A role model indeed, she hopes to inspire young women—especially Latinas—to embrace their uniqueness, chase their goals unapologetically, and give back to their communities. Through her volunteer work with organizations such as Empower House San Antonio, Be Well Texas, Special Olympics Texas, and Jennie’s Rescue, she has connected with countless women and children. She has mentored young girls in pageantry, teaching them confidence, leadership, and self-worth.

“I’m passionate about using my platform to make a difference. Whether it’s through philanthropy, writing, or media, I believe in empowering others and spreading positivity. I’m proud of my roots, my journey, and the opportunities I’ve had to inspire others,” shares Francie. “I would remind myself to trust the process, embrace every part of the journey, and always remember to keep my feet on the ground. It’s important to be grateful for the people who have supported me along the way and to never give up, no matter the challenges.” ■

EditorialWomenLeaders

Nick Blevins