A downtown Houston startup acceleration hub has created a new position focused on expanding the nonprofit's partnerships, engagement, and opportunities.

Station Houston hired Deanea LeFlore as director of community engagement, partnerships, and education. Previously, LeFlore served as chief of protocol for the city of Houston and a vice president of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"My passion is promoting Houston as a world-class place to invest, work and live, and I am thrilled to join an organization that embodies this same spirit," says LeFlore in a release. "Station's dedication to accelerating Houston's tech growth through collaboration and innovation compliments my professional experience and I look forward to opening our doors to new partners, expanding programming with our long-time supporters, and introducing Station to a new network of leaders."

LeFlore has experience connecting the city to international organizations. She's overseen visits of over 2,000 diplomats from around the world and has built relationships with more than 90 consulats. She also serves as president of a nonprofit organization, Casa Cultural de las Americas and was named an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow.

"Deanea LeFlore's enthusiasm for helping Houston reach its untapped potential, paired with her deep experience in civic leadership, make her an outstanding addition to the growing Station Houston team," says Gabriella Rowe, CEO of Station Houston, in a release. "We look forward to strengthening our foothold in Houston under Deanea's leadership."

In just three years, Station has grown to 400 members with 200 startups and 130 mentors. The new position will provide an intensified focus on new partnerships and educational opportunities for the organization's members. LeFlore's main goal will be to find the pain points of Station startups and foster new programing to advance their businesses.

In January, Station Houston officially became a nonprofit to better serve its members. And, also earlier this year, the organization was announced as the programing partner for The Ion, Rice University's innovation hub to be located in Midtown.