Maya Pomroy

Maya Buryakovsky Pomroy is an influential executive, entrepreneur, and award-winning host and journalist with more than 20 years of experience shaping conversations at the intersection of business, policy, and purpose. She is the founder of multiple entrepreneurial ventures, including Maven Interests and The Public Lead.

A highly sought-after speaker and board member, Maya champions stories that drive meaningful impact across the business, public policy, and nonprofit sectors. Her speaking topics range from thought leadership and entrepreneurship to strategic planning and business transformation. She also serves as one of the hosts of Rice Business’ acclaimed podcast, Owl Have You Know, which has earned multiple honors from the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), including the Communicator Award of Distinction (2024 and 2026) and the Award of Excellence (2023 and 2025).

Maya’s entrepreneurial drive was ignited following the birth of her first child, inspiring her to launch Brilliant Sky Toys and Books, an educational toy and bookstore in Austin, Texas. She scaled the business, achieving significant revenue growth within its first three years of operation before successfully negotiating and executing its sale.

Prior to taking the leap into entrepreneurship, Maya built a distinguished career as an award-winning news anchor, reporter, and executive producer in television markets across Austin, Waco, and Bryan–College Station.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the McCombs School of Business and a Bachelor of Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, as well as a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. A Rice Business Executive MBA graduate (Class of 2022), she remains deeply engaged in education and policy initiatives.

Maya serves on the board of the Children’s Museum of Houston, is a founding member of Generation Serve Houston, and serves as an Advisory Board Member of the CEO Foundation. She and her daughters hold leadership positions within the National Charity League’s Bayou City Chapter, through which they actively support and serve numerous philanthropic organizations across Houston. Maya believes that powerful change begins within one’s own community.

In 2024, Maya was honored with the Rising Star Award at the Rice Business Alumni Awards. A refugee from the former Soviet Union, she is a passionate advocate for immigration policy reform. She and her husband, Matt, are the proud parents of two daughters, Emma and Madelyn, as well as their beloved pups, Zeus and Pearl.