AFCEA International Welcomes New Central Texas Chapter

To build on the existing AFCEA presence in Texas and take advantage of the hub of innovative technologies in Austin, Texas, U.S. Army veteran Brent Skinner helped establish the new Central Texas Chapter alongside Stephanie Miller, president of B Technology.

Before retiring and becoming an AFCEA chapter president, Skinner was the commander of the Defense Information Systems Agency Europe Field Command and was familiar with AFCEA events. Miller, now the Central Texas Chapter’s executive vice president, has been an active member of AFCEA’s Alamo Chapter and received the 2025 AFCEA International Small Business of the Year Award.

“Standing up this new chapter has been a long time coming, and kudos to our executive vice president, Ms. Stephanie Miller, for moving it forward and being persistent,” Skinner said. 

Besides being well-known for its good barbecue, Austin, Texas, is home to a growing innovation ecosystem and strong Army presence, Skinner said, and that’s why he felt there was room for another AFCEA chapter in the state. The Capital Factory, U.S. Army Futures Command headquarters, Army Software Factory, Fort Hood, Texas Military Department, Camp Mabry, University of Texas at Austin and forthcoming Army’s Transformation and Training Command are just a few examples of entities Skinner said he hopes to collaborate with in the area.

The Central Texas Chapter is “not only central to Texas, but central to defense and technology and innovation collaboration,” Skinner emphasized.

Skinner said Austin is home to a wide variety of companies and startups that offer technologies in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, government and defense. The Central Texas area also offers several universities with ROTC programs and hosts defense innovation events like Fed Supernova.

"There's a passion and an appetite here in Central Texas for unique partnerships in emerging technologies, for example, artificial intelligence, software development and autonomous systems. We not only have large companies but the startups, small businesses and venture capitalists moving into or supporting the U.S. Department of War,” Skinner said. “We want to keep building on the success of the Alamo Chapter based in San Antonio and continue growing the AFCEA presence deeper into the heart of Central Texas, such as with the U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, University of Texas-Austin, Capital Factory and Fort Hood community.”  

Skinner said he hopes the chapter will not only host events in Austin but also in the northern parts of Texas that AFCEA’s Alamo Chapter hasn’t reached.

“We want to make sure that we collaborate and coordinate with the Alamo Chapter and continue the great work they've already done here in Central Texas and in southern Central Texas, to ensure we further the goals of AFCEA,” Skinner shared.

To celebrate the launch of the new chapter, Skinner and his colleagues are planning a kickoff event at the Capital Factory for the end of January. Before then, Skinner said the chapter will participate in an emerging leaders networking event in October to spread the word about the chapter and will continue to promote the chapter at the CXO Emerging Tech Exchange.

Skinner said he’s looking forward to serving the community by guiding STEM students and those interested in the defense technology industry toward AFCEA networking events and collaboration opportunities.

“I just want to continue to give back and serve the DOW, government, industry and academia in the STEM space,” Skinner said. “As a lifelong Signal Corps officer, I've always wanted to mentor and coach younger folks in this space.”

Learn more about AFCEA's Central Texas Chapter via LinkedIn.