Our Team

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Aquila Mendez-Valdez

Owner & CEO

Aquila is the Founder and CEO of Haute in Texas, which has grown from scratch into an award-winning PR and Marketing agency. She’s been asked to speak and present to audiences across the US, Europe and Asia, and has been featured in Forbes, The Telegraph UK, Digiday, and PR on the Go, in addition to numerous TV appearances, publications, and podcasts. Her blog collaborations and client roster feature some of the world’s biggest brands, including Vogue, Prada, Lincoln, Neiman Marcus, Kendra Scott, Orangetheory, and many, many more. She graduated with honors playing Division I volleyball at Western Kentucky University and obtained her Master’s from Gonzaga University. She serves on various boards for a wide variety of non-profits, and in 2022 launched Haute in Network Agencies, a franchise model to help other women own their own agencies. In 2023 she was named a San Antonio Biz Journal 40 Under 40 honoree. In 2025 she was named the NAWBO National Woman Business Owner of the Year, and a member of the Leadership Texas cohort for the top business leaders across the state. Aquila and her college sweetheart, Orlando, have two girls and currently reside in San Antonio, Texas.

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Our team is made up of goal-getters and communication connoisseurs all about the pursuit of the haute life. We are passionate about helping our clients be better, every day.

Want a dedicated team curating and propelling your online and in person presence?

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Lauren Lopez

Lauren Lopez

Account Manager

Lauren brings over a decade of marketing expertise to her role as Account Manager at Haute in Texas. With experience spanning from the fast-paced world of quick-service restaurants to the meaningful missions of nonprofits, she’s spent the last four years honing her focus on community-driven marketing. A California native who spent time in Oregon and Austin, she now calls San Antonio home, and loves connecting local brands with the communities they serve.

Creative, outgoing, and driven, Lauren is passionate about thinking outside the box and helping clients bring bold ideas to life. With a background in digital strategy, social media, and grassroots outreach, she enjoys finding fresh ways to support each client’s unique goals. She was especially drawn to HIT PR’s strong female leadership and its focus on purpose-driven work. 

Outside of work, Lauren can usually be found enjoying the Texas sunshine with a good book, volunteering with children in her neighborhood, or spoiling her two fur-babies. 

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Eva Aivaliotis

Account Manager

Eva brings media relations, community relations and PR strategy experience to Haute in Texas. Her previous agency experience focused on the food & beverage sector, including serving as a key member of the account management team for one of America’s top QSRs. Her client-side background focused on the Travel & Tourism industry, including experiential media tours, curated promotional events, content creation and storytelling through media outreach strategy, both in the U.S. and Canada. She has been named a Destinations International 30 Under 30 and has won awards from the Public Relations Society of America. Eva loves a great craft chocolate bar! She’s a certified chocolate taster by the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting.

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Leah Irwin

Account Coordinator

Leah brings a creative, community-focused approach to her role at Haute In Texas, where she combines her passion for storytelling, branding, and digital marketing to help clients build meaningful connections with their audiences. With experience supporting a variety of local businesses and brands, she enjoys creating engaging content, developing fresh campaign ideas, and finding innovative ways to bring each client’s vision to life. Based in San Antonio, Leah is passionate about supporting businesses that make a positive impact within their communities.

Creative, detail-oriented, and determined, Leah thrives in collaborative environments where she can blend strategy with creativity. She especially values HIT’s strong emphasis on authentic relationships, woman-powered leadership, and community-centered marketing. Her background in social media, content creation, and brand communication allows her to approach projects with both creativity and intention.

Outside of work, Leah enjoys exploring local coffee shops, spending time with friends and family, discovering new creative outlets, and loving on every cat she meets.

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Emily Lee

Account Assistant

Emily Lee is a graduate of Texas State University, where she earned her degree in Public Relations. Passionate about continuously learning and growing within the industry, Emily loves exploring every side of PR, from social media and media relations to graphic design and creative strategy. She is driven by the desire to become the best communicator and creative professional she can be, always looking for new ways to strengthen her skill set in an industry that is constantly evolving.

Outside of work, Emily loves doing things that fill her cup, including spending time with family and friends and loving on her two fur babies, Pepper and Ginger. Known by her friends for her outgoing personality and sense of humor, she enjoys making people laugh, staying active, and creating memorable moments with the people she loves most.

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Jaiden LaVanway

Account Assistant

Jaiden is a Summer 2026 Public Relations Intern at Haute in Texas and a graduating senior pursuing a degree in Advertising and Public Relations. With plans to continue her academic journey by earning her Master’s, she is dedicated to deepening her expertise in strategic communication and client relations. Jaiden is particularly passionate about event management and face-to-face client engagement, where she can combine her creative design skills with high-intensity execution. She is focused on building a well-rounded professional foundation, using her hands-on experience in brand activations to create lasting connections between brands and their communities.