Tucson Hispanic Women Honored for Entrepreneur Work

Julie Gallego-Gonzalez

By Ernesto Portillo Jr.

La Estrella de Tucson, Cox Business and the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce have joined together to recognize two successful Latina entrepreneurs, Julie Gallego-Gonzalez and Tannya Gaxiola. 

Gallego-Gonzalez is founder and owner of Viva Performing Arts Center, a dance studio, and president of CHISPA, a nonprofit foundation that promotes Latino dance and culture.

Gaxiola is the founder and owner of QuikHelp, a legal document preparation service. 

“Women-owned businesses are growing in Tucson,” said Lea Marquez Peterson, president and CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (THCC), in a news release. “According to the Arizona Women- Owned Business Enterprise report, Latina entrepreneurs are more likely to plan on expanding over the next five years.” 

The joint campaign includes 30-second spots produced in English and Spanish which will run across the Cox channel lineup in June. Profiles of the two honorees will be published in La Estrella de Tucson today and June 21. 

“These women embody a true entrepreneur spirit of creativity, dedication and hard work that positively impacts our community and state’s economy,” said Lisa Lovallo, market vice president of Cox Communications Southern Arizona, in the news release. 

Gaxiola is an alumna of the University of Arizona and has an MBA from Harvard Business School. She founded QuikHelp in 2009. 

She is chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2011 THCC Hispanic Business Woman of the Year. 

Gallego-Gonzalez, a graduate of the UA, founded Ballet Folklorico de San Juan in 1987 and has taught thousands of children the art of Mexican folkloric dance. In 2008 she opened Viva Performing Arts Center. 

In 2009 she was named the THCC Hispanic Business Woman of the Year. 

La Estrella de Tucson is the weekly Spanish-language publication of the Arizona Daily Star. 

Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 260,000 small and regional businesses, including health-care providers, educational and financial institutions, and government organizations. 

Hispanic Business magazine