Bastarrachea, in addition to his position with the Consulate General of Mexico, is executive director of the San Antonio-Mexico Foundation for Education, an international exchange program he founded to expose young professionals to international business. Fluent in English, Spanish and French, he has served as a foreign service diplomat with the Mexican Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City and was president and founder of an urban management, architectural and environmental consulting group. In the late 80s and early 90s, he was an assistant architect with ARP Architects and Partners in London, an assistant urban planner in Frankfurt, Germany and designed environmental engineering projects for Alternative Technology Group, Mexico City. The State of Texas Office in Mexico works to strengthen trade, investment and tourism ties between Texas and Mexico. The office provides Texas businesses and communities with a voice in Mexico and contacts to facilitate doing business in Mexico.
Banks has more than seven years experience in program management and economic development.
She also served as industry specialist in the Department of Economic Development's Office of Corporate Expansion and Recruitment before becoming head of the small business assistance office. The Small Business Advocacy Office was established by the 76th Legislature to help provide information on the effects of proposed policies or actions on small business. The advocate will make recommendations to the Legislature to help develop and strengthen small businesses, receive comments and suggestions concerning state government policies and activities that affect small business and develop and suggest proposals for changes in those policies and activities that adversely affect small businesses.