AvantGarde News & Insights

By Rebecca Contreras, CEO, AvantGarde The start of a new year invites reflection - on what we’ve experienced, what we’ve learned, and what we choose to carry forward. In business, January often comes with renewed energy and optimism. But leadership requires honesty and transparency: a new calendar year does not erase the realities of the loss that we sustained in 2025. For many organizations serving in Government, including AvantGarde, 2025 was marked by monumental challenges

For more than a decade, AvantGarde’s DNA has included a focus on giving back to the community and those in need. As part of AvantGarde’s 2025 end-of-year giving, the owners of AvantGarde, Greg and Rebecca, made a meaningful contribution to support children deeply impacted by the ongoing war in Israel. Their donation reflects AvantGarde’s continued commitment to investing in vulnerable communities, especially children, and responding to moments of urgent human need. The donati

Rebecca Contreras, President and CEO of AvantGarde, LLC , brought together the Girls of Legacy students and mentor team for a holiday end-of-year luncheon at Maggiano’s at The Domain  in Austin, Texas. The gathering marked a meaningful moment to reflect on a year of growth, leadership development, and community impact driven by the Girls of Legacy program. Founded and led by Rebecca as part of her broader commitment to leadership and service, Girls of Legacy reflects AvantGar

At AvantGarde, our people are at the heart of everything we do. During the 2025 Holiday Town Hall , the AvantGarde leadership team  came together to recognize employees whose contributions reflect our core values, commitment to service, and culture of care. The annual awards celebrate individuals across the organization who demonstrate innovation, excellence, compassion, and leadership—strengthening AvantGarde’s mission and impact in meaningful ways. AG Values Award for Innov

Ensuring accountability, mission delivery, and resilient workforce decisions Staffing plans aren’t just another annual requirement – they’re a chance for leaders to step back and make thoughtful decisions about the workforce their mission truly needs. In a resource-constrained environment, agencies are being asked to justify vacancies, focus on roles that keep services running, and make hiring decisions that support both immediate demands and long-term goals. This has become

Rebecca Contreras received the Entrepreneur of the Year – Austin award at the 2025 LATINA Style Business Series, a nationally recognized business development program for minority entrepreneurs.

Rebecca Contreras, CEO of AvantGarde, Featured Speaker at NAWBO Austin November Luncheon In November 2025, AvantGarde CEO Rebecca Contreras joined the Austin Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as the featured speaker for their monthly luncheon. Her keynote, “Leading in Unprecedented Times: Embrace Change, Dream, Plan & Execute,” delivered a timely and empowering message for women entrepreneurs navigating today’s complex business landscape.

AvantGarde LLC (AG) is proud to announce that we have been officially certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE)  through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)  – the nation’s leading third-party certifier of women-owned and operated businesses. This certification affirms that AvantGarde is at least 51% owned, operated, and controlled by a woman  – our founder and CEO, Rebecca Contreras  – and that our business meets WBENC’s rigorous standards for str