About Keeisi

Keeisi Caballero is a driven entrepreneur, scientist, and advocate for first-generation students. With a passion for creating equitable access to opportunities and capital, she brings a human-centered approach to everything she does.

In her role as Platform Operations Manager at Stand Together Ventures Lab, Keeisi supports entrepreneurs in driving meaningful paradigm shifts in the economy and healthcare sectors.

Previously, as the Manager of Strategic Impact Initiatives at Common Future, Keeisi worked with 20 organizations across the U.S. dedicated to addressing economic inequality. She provided tailored curriculum support and leadership development to uplift and test community driven solutions. Earlier, at Techstars’ Workforce Development Accelerator, she supported tech founders advancing solutions in the Future of Work and workforce development industries.

In what she likes to call her past life, Keeisi contributed passionately to the growth of the space industry in South Texas. Her efforts included securing federal grants to develop space entrepreneurship programs that gained recognition from NASA. She worked with aspiring entrepreneurs in the region to launch space-tech startups, including co-founding her own venture.

Keeisi is a first-generation Mexican-American and the eldest daughter, continuously seeking self-actualization. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending quality time with her family, tackling DIY projects like furniture restoration, and immersing herself in nature through hiking, camping, and cross-country road trips to visit state and national parks.

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Education:

Masters of Science in Physics, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Masters of Business Administration, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Bachelor’s Degree, Pure and Applied Physics of Science in Physics with minors in Pure Mathematics and Business Administration
Graduate of the Investment Talent AngelPath Academy hosted by Hispanics in Philanthropy and Inicio Ventures
Leadership for Women in Business Certificate, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Fellow, Women’s Impact Alliance

Core Values

Self Actualization

Choosing to live a life of intentionality and life-long holistic development.
"What we can be, we ought to be""

Dignity

A deep belief in, and respect for, the inherent worth of every person.

"I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be."

Collective Growth

Learning from and cultivating with cross-cultural informed solutions that consider our unique journeys while cherishing the shared humanity that unites us.

Courage

The courage to question, the strength to change, and the vision to grow, no matter how small the start.

Compassionate Stewardship

Nurturing others to grow, just as we have been nurtured. By developing our unique gifts, we empower others to do the same, fostering a continuous cycle of mentorship and growth.

Exemplary Excellence

Striving for exceptional performance and professionalism, setting a high standard for myself and those around me.

My journey so far…

I’m often asked what brought me to this point: a first-generation Mexican-American immigrant, a woman of color, navigating the worlds of *science, entrepreneurship, Venture Capital**. The short answer? It was never just me. It’s a story shaped by the sacrifices of those who came before me, the wisdom of many mentors, the pains of failure, and the tenacity to rise from it all.*

I was born in Harlingen, Texas, in 1995—a border town where the U.S. meets Mexico, and where the spirit of both countries runs deep. My family’s roots trace back to a small agricultural town in Northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. But in my life there is a before and after that began when I was 12 years old, and I made the life-altering decision to come to the United States, without my parents to pursue education.

I straddled two worlds…

Growing up in a binational environment, I straddled two worlds. During the week, I attended school in the U.S., but every weekend I crossed back into Mexico to work at our family’s businesses. My parents worked tirelessly and they instilled in me values of resilience, adaptability, and hard work. In our small town, I learned that success wasn’t handed to you—it had to be earned. But what truly stayed with me was the deep sense of community that shaped my life.

As I grew older, balancing the American Dream with my Mexican roots became a challenge. At times, it felt like a constant tug-of-war between these two worlds: the pull of independence and the weight of familial expectations.

Despite the coming of age challenges, my hard work eventually paid off when I was accepted into a high school program that allowed me to graduate with an associate degree in addition to my high school diploma.

It was a unique opportunity that paved the way for the next stage of my professional journey.

The first real leap….

After high school, I enrolled at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), where I earned both a Master of Science in Physics and an MBA. During my time at UTRGV, I had the incredible opportunity to teach students about the world’s largest radio telescopes—the Arecibo and Green Bank Telescopes—which deepened my passion for science and innovation. I also traveled globally to share our program, empowering high school students to conduct research once reserved for graduate students using some of the most advanced tools available. One of the highlights of my journey was a summer internship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which broadened my perspective and expanded my worldview.

Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who guided me, even through my missteps. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that mentorship has the power to change the trajectory of a life.

After and while earning my degrees, I worked in the emerging space industry in South Texas. This experience further fueled my passion for innovation and deepened my belief in the transformative power of entrepreneurship.

While all of the above, I witnessed the effects of the war on drugs in norther Mexico, navigated the challenges of the of my parents’ divorce, brought my brother to the U.S. and helped raise him, worked and sold cakes, experienced heartache, and broke a couple of hearts myself. Through it all, I am still deeply in awe of the depth of the human experience.

I’m deeply grateful for the life I get to live, and wouldn't trade a single piece for each part of it has forged who I am. By living authentically and unapologetically, I can heal a small piece on my corner of the world.

Living authentically and unapologetically.

I am proud of how far I’ve come, and I never forget the lessons learned along the way. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, scaling your business, or finding your place as a first-gen, I bring my lived experience, unique perspective and relentless drive to help you carve your own path to success.