About us
Welcome to the Elgin Children's Business Fair! Learn about our mission to ignite the
entrepreneurial spirit in children and cultivate the next generation of business leaders in Central Texas.
Our mission
By fostering an environment of creativity, innovation, and learning, the Elgin Children's Business Fair aims to inspire the next generation of business leaders. We invite parents, businesses, sponsors, volunteers, and the media to join us in supporting this vital mission. Together, we can empower young minds and build a brighter future for our community.
What makes us special
Unlike other fairs for children, the Elgin Children's Business Fair focuses beyond the one-day event. Throughout the year, we provide children with workshops to learn essential business skills and acumen. This comprehensive approach ensures that young entrepreneurs receive ongoing support and development.
Our Founder
The Elgin Children's Business Fair was founded and organized by Doreen Sims. Doreen's vision is to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit among children by providing a platform for them to showcase their talents and ideas.
The Elgin Children's Business Fair was founded and organized by Doreen Sims. Doreen's vision is to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit among children by providing a platform for them to showcase their talents and ideas.
Bio
Doreen Sims (Hunter) is a nonprofit strategist, public speaker, and community advocate whose work blends social impact, entrepreneurship, and survivor empowerment. As the Founder and Organizer of the Elgin Children’s Business Fair, she cultivates opportunities for young people to explore business ownership and leadership. She is also the founder of the Americas Conference to End Coercive Control (ACECC) and a Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) speaker, where she presents on topics including coercive control, financial abuse, and trauma-informed advocacy.
Earlier in her career, Doreen founded and led ConnectPR, a public relations and marketing firm active in Washington, D.C. and Texas. Through ConnectPR, she specialized in civic communications, campaign media, and public affairs strategy, producing outreach initiatives, nonprofit campaigns, and Austin’s first town hall meeting designed to strengthen civic engagement. Her work in both federal and state-level politics gave her a deep understanding of how storytelling, data, and advocacy intersect to drive meaningful policy change.
Doreen also served as Chair of the Manassas Business Council in Virginia, leading strategic growth initiatives and serving on committees dedicated to workforce development and city revitalization. Over two decades, she has secured and managed multimillion-dollar grants, guided marketing campaigns for state agencies, conglomerates, national nonprofits, and advised civic leaders on public policy.
Now based in Central Texas, Doreen continues her dual mission: fostering youth entrepreneurship through the Elgin Children’s Business Fair and supporting survivors of domestic violence through Thrive After DV and ACECC. Her speaking and organizing work unite her core principles—empowerment, economic independence, and social impact—toward one goal: helping individuals and communities thrive after adversity.
"The Elgin Children's Business Fair is an amazing event! My child learned so much and had a blast. We can't wait for next year!"
A happy parent