MentorsCOLLEEN AFFELDT, Managing Director | RGT Wealth Advisors (Banking & Finance)Colleen Affeldt serves RGT as a Managing Director and member of the Executive Committee. She joined RGT in 2014, having spent over 15 years managing her own consulting practice. Her expertise growing performance-based organizations encompasses strategic planning, development of C-suite executives and succession planning. Colleen spends her time focused on human performance, using innovative

interventions intended to transform organizations through strategy development, refinement of objectives, and breakthrough thinking and performance to support the organization towards higher value proposition and successful next-gen succession. Valued for her thought leadership, Colleen has served as a visiting instructor at the SMU Cox School of Business, Texas A&M Mays School of Business and the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine. Other affiliations and board positions include Texas Women’s Foundation Economic Leadership Council, Business Executives for National Security, St. Baldrick’s Children’s Cancer Foundation and Youth With a Mission. Colleen, in collaboration with the Praevius Group, was the Co-Founder of COREIntersections, an integrated approach to supporting returning veterans and their transition into the private sector workforce, focusing on retention and “bringing them all the way home.” Colleen continues to spend time supporting those in uniform, hoping to serve those that have served on our behalf.”

ADRIENNE AKIN FAULKNER, CEO and Chief Creative Officer | Faulkner Design Group (Architecture & Planning)Adrienne Akin Faulkner is the CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Faulkner Design Group (FDG), a top national interior architecture and design firm specializing in multifamily housing and senior living environments. For over 27 years, Faulkner has devoted her career to blazing a path of leadership by understanding global social trends and advocating for the highest quality of living for all stakeholders. FDG is the most recognized interior architecture and design firm in the country, whose work has

garnered hundreds of awards and recognition. Faulkner is NCIDQ certified, a Registered Interior Designer licensed in 22 states, a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers, and LEED Green Associates certified.

KATHRYN ALLEN, SVP - North Texas Region | American Heart Association (Nonprofit)Kathryn Allen is Senior Vice President for North Texas for the American Heart Association (AHA). She has lead multiple fundraising campaigns. Currently with the AHA she is responsible for raising more than $15M. Previously she worked with top Dallas leaders to build a new Emergency Department & Level 1 Trauma center at Methodist Hospital in southern Dallas County. She began her career with Planned Parenthood leading External Affairs across North Texas.

Allen brings 25 years of health care fundraising, advocacy and community education experience in North Texas working with both corporations and high net worth individuals to make investments to improve the health of our community.

Allen earned a BA from Southern Methodist University and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has received numerous awards and honors including the American Medical Association Award for Excellence in the Use of Youth Volunteers, the Winston E. Forrest Jr. Award for Excellence in Private Fundraising and American Heart Association 2015 Excellence in Innovation (North Texas Health Alliance). She is a graduate of the Leadership Texas Class of 2004, and a member of The Dallas Summit.

MentorsLISA ARMSTRONG, Dallas Market President | IBERIABANK (Banking & Finance)Her responsibilities include setting strategy and managing the growth for the Dallas Market. This includes Commercial Banking, Private Banking, and the retail lobbies. Lisa is a career Commercial Banker with 30 years of Commercial Lending Experience. She joined IBERIABANK in June 2014 with their entrance into this Market. Prior to IBERIABANK, Lisa worked with several other National and Regional Financial Institutions in various leadership capacities. Lisa’s years of experience as cover of multitude of

lending types and sizes. She is able to provide expertise and work with business of any size with various ownership types.

BROOKE BAILEY, President | Junior League of Dallas (Nonprofit)I am a graduate of Southern Methodist University with degrees in business and psychology. During my time at SMU, I also worked as a dance teacher at Dallas PowerHouse of Dance. After graduation, I attended the University of Virginia Law School, and then returned to Dallas to work for Baker Botts and then in-house at Concentre, a technology consulting company. I currently have the honor of serving as the 2019-2020 Junior League of Dallas President.

AMANDA AUSTIN, Senior Vice President | Bank of Texas (Banking & Finance)Mandy is the Dallas Corporate Banking Manager at Bank of Texas. She leads a team that provides corporate banking solutions to middle-market companies in Dallas and the surrounding counties. Her team provides debt capital supporting business acquisitions, ownership transitions, working capital needs, equipment purchases, and owner-occupied real estate financing. Her team also helps companies optimize their cash flow through the implementation of treasury and investment management technology solutions. Mandy has both her Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the Cox School of

Business at Southern Methodist University.

Mandy is very involved in the Dallas community and her passions lie within advancing the well-being of women and children and in supporting veterans and their families. Mandy currently serves on the Board of The Family Place, a non-profit whose mission is to end domestic violence. She has served on the Annual Campaign Council for The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and is currently on the steering committee for The United Way Women of Tocqueville. Mandy is a Board Member for The Park City Club whose primary beneficiary is Allies in Service, a non-profit dedicated to helping military veterans and their families with employment assistance.

JENNIFER BARTKOWSKI, CEO | Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (Education / Nonprofit)Jennifer Bartkowski serves as CEO of Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas (GSNETX). She has been with GSNETX since 2009, serving as Chief Development Officer and EVP/Chief Operating Officer prior to assuming the role of CEO. Jennifer’s leadership is transforming GSNETX which serves more than 25,000 girls across 32 counties. Her commitment to changing the workforce pipeline of North Texas includes chairing a national STEM initiative inspired by the success of GSNETX’s $15M

STEM Center of Excellence, a 92-acre campus where girls can explore science, technology, engineering and math. Jennifer’s focus on building a 21st century business at GSNETX has led to a 25% increase in revenues, strong board leadership, and significant local and national partnerships. Today, GSNETX is seen as the leader in giving girls opportunities to thrive and reach their full potential. Jennifer has held leadership positions at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, the American Lung Association of Texas, United Way/Capital Area, and Charitygift. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Public Administration from Texas A&M University. Jennifer is a graduate of Leadership Dallas, serves on the Leadership Dallas Alumnae Board, the board of Carson’s Village and is a member of Dallas Summit.

MentorsFROSWA’ BOOKER-DREW, Vice President, Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances | State Fair of Texas (Hospitality / Tourism)Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Froswa’ joined the State Fair of Texas in 2016 as director of community affairs and strategic alliances. Prior to joining the State Fair of Texas, she was national community engagement director for World Vision – US Programs, responsible for a team across the US including staff in North Texas. Froswa’ is responsible for the development and implementation of the State Fair’s philanthropy, the department’s community and educational programming as well as the creation of

several signature programs. She is also the Co-Founder of HERitage Giving Circle. Froswa’ has been quoted in Forbes, Ozy, Bustle, Huffington Post, and other media outlets around the world. In addition, she is the author of two workbooks for women; Ready for a Revolution: 30 Days to Jolt Your Life, Rules of Engagement: Making Connections Last, and a weekly advice columnist for professional women on the global platform Business Woman Media. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington, Oklahoma City University, and a PhD graduate of Antioch University in Leadership and Change with a focus on social capital, change management, and relational leadership. Booker-Drew is a 2019 Dallas Business Journal Women in Business Honoree.

BETH BOWMAN, President & CEO | Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Nonprofit)Beth A. Bowman is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, a 5-Star accredited Chamber, and President of the Irving Economic Development Partnership, an alliance that works to retain and recruit local, national and international corporations to the city. Bowman leads the Chamber’s 1,900 member-investor business organization

representing nearly 200,000 employees. She is responsible for providing information, services, programming that help Chamber member-investors realize success. She also advocates for local, state, and national public policies that support a successful environment for the business community. Bowman was named to DCEO magazine’s “500 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth” in 2018, 2019 and 2020. She is also a recipient of the Dallas Business Journal’s “2016 Women in Business” award honoring North Texas’ most influential business women who are making a difference in their workplace, blazing trails for other women and making a positive impact on their communities. In 2012, she was honored by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the “40 Under 40” most influential business and community leaders. She is also the recipient of the ACCE 2019 “40 Under 40 award” and a member of the ACCE Board of Directors (2019).

CORRIE BROCK, Regional Marketing Director | BDO (Banking & Finance)Corrie Brock is a marketing and communications leader who has spent more than a decade helping companies build and maintain successful, memorable brands. Her expertise has influenced and shaped the global image of companies such as AmerisourceBergen, Lennox Companies, Bain Capital and most recently, Hilti, where she led the North American branding and communications team. Corrie is known for the confidence and professionalism she brings to each assignment, while fostering creativity and collaboration in the teams she is honored to lead.

A proud graduate of TCU, Corrie was an active student-leader while on campus. During her time at TCU she served as a Student Body Officer, Orientation Student Leader, Student Ambassador and President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also received the Chancellor’s Leadership Award and was a Louden Scholar. An active alumna, Corrie recently served as the Class of 2006 Gift Chair, and she never misses an opportunity to cheer for her beloved Horned Frogs. Corrie holds an B.S. in Communication Studies from Texas Christian University, and a Graduate Certificate in Marketing from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Legal Studies from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.

Mentors

MARGOT CARTER, President | Living Mountain Capital (Technology / Construction)Margot Carter builds businesses. Whether in the field of technology, construction or real estate, Margot leads boards and teams from Dallas to Barcelona and places in between. She has served as a global chief legal officer and a C-Suite Executive of five global billion dollar public technology companies and has acquired and sold 100’s of businesses and

taken numerous companies public, most recently Real Page, a Dallas based leading software and data analytics business for the real estate industry. She currently serves on public and private company boards including, IBP, Eagle Materials and Freeman Company, the world’s leading brand experience company. When she is not focusing on her latest endeavor as co-founder of Cien, an Artificial Intelligence company for improving sales productivity.

HEATHER CAPPS, President & CEO | HCK2 (Marketing & Advertising)Heather leads HCK2 with more than 20 years of marketing and business management experience. She does it all, from strategic brand positioning and encouraging a collaborative team culture to overseeing all of the day-to-day operations. She has a passion for building client relationships and creating new opportunities for continued growth through ongoing education and knowledge sharing.

Heather believes, and lives by, her core values — Growth, Integrity, Charity and Balance — and makes time to be involved in numerous professional and nonprofit organizations.

She is a member of the Hope for the Brave advisory committee, serves as a board member for the Nancy Lieberman Foundation and has held several board positions for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization Dallas Chapter.

SHERYL CHAMBERLAIN, VP Alliances | Medidata Solutions (Technology / Healthcare)A fearless and enthusiastic agent of change, Ms. Chamberlain conceives and executes global game-changing business growth strategies with insightful vision and a focus on collaboratively executing win-win results. Sheryl’s singular blend of genuine humility, energetic affability, and intense professional drive are hallmarks of her leadership style and the impetus behind high-impact business results and award-winning products and solutions.

Sheryl is Vice President, Strategic Alliances with Medidata Solutions, a Dassault Systèmes company where she is responsible for the executive management of key Global Alliances with leading systems integrators and consulting firms. Medidata accelerates the digital transformation of life sciences with the world’s leading platform for clinical development, commercial and real-world data analytics. Prior to Medidata, Sheryl was Chief of Staff at The Linux Foundation. Before that Ms. Chamberlain served as a Partner at Capgemini in their Group Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships global organization, where she was responsible for managing key partnerships with Dell Technologies leading the $800M+ partnership strategies and overseeing execution of go-to market activities globally. Sheryl is currently Board Chair of National Diversity Council – Council for Corporate Responsibility, Board Member Aleria Research Corporation, and Advisor to IMPCT Coffee. She holds a BS in Accounting from Hunter College NYC.”

MentorsJENNIFER CHANDLER, Dallas Market President | Bank of America (Banking & Finance)Jennifer Chandler is a Managing Director, the Bank of America Dallas Market President, and Division Performance Executive for Bank of America Private Bank. As Market President, Jennifer directs effective collaboration across multiple lines of business, advancing purposeful engagement with client priorities. Deeply committed to corporate stewardship, she serves on the Bank of America Foundation committee and promotes a culture of volunteerism and community support.

Jennifer joined Bank of America in 2001 She earned her B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and her M.B.A. from the University of Dallas, which honored her in 2018 as a College of Business Hall of Fame inductee.

Born and raised in Dallas County, Jennifer is very active in the greater Dallas community. She serves on the Dallas Citizens Council and the Dallas Regional Chamber board. She is also a member of the Crystal Charity Ball Advisory Board, United Way Women of Tocqueville, the Dallas Symphony League, and the National Charity League.

MAUREEN COOPER, Executive Director | Cushman & Wakefield (Commerical Real Estate)As part of the Corporate Capital Markets group and with over 25 years of commercial real estate experience, Maureen Kelly Cooper is a vital team member during the development of strategy and execution of significant and complex real estate transactions. Ms. Cooper uses structured financial products, involving tax, capital and accounting strategies, to assist major national and international corporations and public sector clients in maximizing real estate value and executes transaction such as

headquarter relocations, ground leases, sale leasebacks, lease restructurings, build to suits, and private-public partnerships.

She was based in the Manhattan office from 2006-2013 and relocated to the Dallas office in 2013. Prior to her current position, Maureen spent 8 years at the corporate headquarters of The Staubach Company in Dallas. She began her career in 1991 working in real estate accounting for Trammel Crow and JPI, Inc. in Dallas, TX followed by UBS in London, England.

SEJAL DESAI, Business Engagement Director | Communities Foundation of Texas for Business (Nonprofit) Sejal Desai leads CFT For Business, an initiative of the Communities Foundation of Texas. In her role, she has worked with over 300 companies across North Texas to engage them with the community through strategic philanthropic consulting and community engagement.

Sejal is also the Founder of SevaYatra, a social venture that offers short-term service project opportunities at NGOs in India. Sejal previously worked as a Principal at MHT Partners, a boutique investment bank based in Dallas where she worked on cross-border merger and acquisitions primarily between US and Indian companies. She was also a Co-Founder and Principal of STARTech Early Ventures, a seed stage venture firm, that invested in early stage technology ventures in Texas.

She is the recipient of the Woman of the Year Award from Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber and Dallas Business Journal Women in Business Award in 2019 and the Audrey Kaplan Inspiring Women of the Southwest. She serves on the Boards of Hunger Busters, Trusted World, talkSTEM, SMU’s Women of the Southwest and North Texas Food Bank’s Indo American Council. Sejal is a co-founder of the Orchid Giving Circle and Be the Change South Asian Youth Giving Circle.

Mentors

DARLENE ELLISON, SVP, Director of Business Development | Veritex Community Bank (Banking & Finance)A Dallas native, Darlene Ellison has 33 years experience in both child psychology & business. Darlene was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20 and Dateline NBC for her work fighting against child sexual abuse. Years as a Development Consultant and Business Development Officer led her to create a unique business development strategic plan focusing on niche positioning and high touch customer service. She is founder of two Women in Business organizations that help women business owners

and executives gain personal and professional growth. As an extension of these programs, she created the Future Women in Business internship program for college-aged women. Darlene was named a 2011 Dallas Business Journal “Women in Business” honoree, was awarded the “Chairman Award” by the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce and was named Mentor of the Year as a part of the SMU Cox School of Business BBA Mentor Alliance Program. Darlene has held leadership Board positions for Visit Dallas, Dallas Sports Commission, Junior League of Dallas and Lakewood Service League. She has delivered keynotes all over the country with her award-winning book, “The Predator Next Door…Detect, Protect and Recover from Betrayal.” In 2016, Darlene launched her “Evolution of SHE” blog for women.

CARINE M. FEYTEN, Chancellor and President | Texas Woman’s University (Education)Carine M. Feyten serves as the chancellor and president of Texas Woman’s University, founded in 1901 and now the nation’s largest public university primarily for women. The Carnegie-classified doctoral research university offers 78 master’s and doctoral degree options. Of the university’s nearly 15,500 students, 31 percent pursue graduate degrees.

Under Chancellor Feyten’s leadership, The Economist ranked Texas Woman’s 45th in the nation for the value added to its graduates’ income earning potential, and the Dallas Business Journal ranked it #1 in the region for its graduates’ earnings relative to cost. The university is tied for sixth in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for diversity, and almost half of its undergraduates are first-generation students. The chancellor has championed more than $200 million in construction projects; new degree programs to address the needs of transfer students and local industries; and doubled the university endowment. She led an initiative to establish the state’s first institute for women’s leadership with centers focused on women entrepreneurs, politics and public policy, and student leadership. Chancellor Feyten holds a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary education focused on second language acquisition and instructional technology. A native of Belgium, she is fluent in five languages.

MONICA EGERT SMITH, Chief Relationship Officer | Communities Foundation of Texas (Nonprofit)Monica leads CFT’s Relationships Department, the team charged with cultivating new donor relationships, stewarding existing donors and communicating the CFT story. Previously, Monica was CFT’s senior director of strategic philanthropy, serving as a philanthropic advisor to donors and fund holders on a variety of community needs and interest areas. In that role, she also led CFT’s grantmaking from the W.W. Caruth, Jr.

Fund, which makes transformational investments in education, public safety and medical research. Prior to joining CFT in 2008, Monica was senior director of community services for the Dallas Morning News and WFAA-TV, where she oversaw more than 150 Dallas-based community sponsorships and programs and managed the annual Dallas Morning News Charities campaign. A native of Canton, Ohio, Monica holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is active with several local nonprofit organizations, including the Women’s Auxiliary at Children’s Medical Center, the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, Leadership Dallas Alumni, and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Dallas.

MentorsVALERIE FREEMAN, CEO | Imprimis Group (Staffing & Recruiting) Valerie Freeman is the Founder and CEO of a group of specialized companies whose services include staffing, search, outsourcing, project management and consulting. The companies operate under the brand names Imprimis Group, BravoTech, Freeman+Leonard and ANSERteam and operate all over the U.S. Over the years, the companies have been named to the Inc.500/5000, Dallas 100, WPO Fast 50, and Cougar 100 (Univ. of Houston). Recently Valerie was named to D CEO’s Dallas 500 Business Leaders, Power 50 women in Dallas by the Texas Diversity Council and in past years has

also received the Tech Titans Community Hero Award, Women of Distinction Award from the Girl Scouts, Maura Award from the Dallas Women’s Foundation, Athena Award from the Dallas Regional Chamber, and WBE of the Year Award from the Women’s Business Council of the Southwest. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alliance of Technology and Women and was inducted into the Women’s Business Enterprise Hall of Fame. She was honored by the Dallas Business Journal as one of the 25 most influence women in business and DCEO Dallas 500 again in 2016. Recently, she was also awarded the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dallas Business Journal for Women in Technology.

NEEL GONUGUNTLA, President | US India Chamber of Commerce DFW (Nonprofit)Mrs. Neel Gonuguntla serves as the President of the US India Chamber of Commerce Dallas Fort Worth (USICOC). The USICOC is a 501(c)(6) organization made up of nearly 3000 individual and corporate members and is dedicated to supporting professional, business and economic development throughout the Dallas Fort Worth area. The USICOC also facilitates trade between India and the North Texas area by connecting member companies with resources to aid in their successful expansions.

As President, Mrs. Gonuguntla oversees strategic planning activities for the Chamber in addition to providing oversight of daily operations including, but not limited to, member services, event management and fundraising for the organization. Under her leadership, the Chamber has grown its member participation by 34% and event-based activity by 40%. Prior to joining the Chamber, Mrs. Gonuguntla served as President of READYTOWORK®, an education and workforce development consulting company. Mrs. Gonuguntla received her education from Boston University and Baylor University where she earned her Bachelors in Political Science and her J.D./M.B.A, respectively. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association as well as the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers.

JULIA HARMAN, Regional President - North Texas | SunTrust Bank, now Truist (Banking & Finance)Julia Harman is regional president for North Texas at Truist Financial Corporation. In this role, Harman is the company’s senior leader in the market responsible for delivering the full complement of the company’s services to clients in the area and directing the commercial business. Prior to her current role, Harman held various roles with predecessor SunTrust Bank and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey since 2013, including serving as the market president of the North Texas Region responsible for the firm’s

commercial banking expansion efforts in North Texas, and as a Managing Director within SunTrust Robinson Humphrey’s Southwest Corporate Banking team responsible for new business development with mid- and large-cap companies located in Texas and throughout the Southwest. Harman graduated summa cum laude with her BBA from Baylor University. She has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Dallas Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation, as well as the Board of Directors for Art House Dallas. She is actively involved in other local organizations including the American Heart Association; the Association for Corporate Growthand and is a Senior Member of Texas Wall Street Women.

Mentors

KAREN HUNT, Market President - Coppell / Mayor, City of Coppell | Frost Bank (Banking & Finance / Government)With over 40 years of banking experience in the North Dallas market, Karen has been the Coppell Market President for Frost Bank since 2010. She is responsible for building a customer service/relationship development team, increasing the visibility of Frost in the community and developing new business and clients for Frost Bank. Karen enjoys becoming a strategic financial partner to the business owner. Her focus is to provide the business owner with the banking solutions necessary to allow them to focus on building

a successful company. Karen was elected Mayor of the City of Coppell in May of 2012 after serving on the City Council from May 2008 through May of 2012. Currently, she is a board member of North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, North Texas Commission, Coppell Chamber of Commerce and President-Elect of the Texas Municipal League. Born in Fargo, North Dakota, Karen moved to Dallas to attend SMU. Karen and Larry Hunt have been married since 1983 and have lived in Coppell since 1997. They have two married sons – Kyle is a firefighter in Rogers, Arkansas and Bryce works for Core Logic in Cypress Waters.

WENDY HATCHELL, Director, Human Resources | McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (Construction/Building)Wendy Hatchell has served as the HR Director for McCarthy Building Companies’ Southern Region for the last six years, helping oversee talent and organizational development for over 1000 employees. With close to 20 years in Human Resources, Wendy started her HR career at Bloomberg, LLP in New York City as part of the College Recruiting team. She quickly found her passion for helping leaders manage, coach and develop teams. In 2002, Bloomberg relocated her to Brazil for two years as the HR

Business Partner for Latin American operations, supporting all technology, media and sales operations across six countries. Wendy also spent time back in NYC with McCann Erickson and Morgan Stanley, the firm that eventually relocated her to Dallas for an acquisition of a mortgage firm. Wendy is a graduate of Penn State University, with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. She is the founder and past president of Pre-Geneva Association, a group that fundraises for and connects young families with the local Dallas ISD elementary school, Geneva Heights, in East Dallas. She is also actively involved in McCarthy’s Partnership for Women program, which supports women engineers across the company and engages employees in unconscious bias education.

STEPHANIE JEFFERY, Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion Capital One (Banking & Finance)Stephanie Jeffery is the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for the Financial Services Division of Capital One, driving the overall strategy to attract and develop diverse talent, and create an enhanced culture of belonging within the division.

Joining Capital One in 2003, Stephanie has held a variety of roles within Financial Services including business analysis and operations leadership, and has led teams

responsible for product management, process improvement, project management, communications strategy, and events strategy. She has worked in auto finance originations and loan servicing, home equity originations and servicing, and mortgage originations and servicing.

Prior to Capital One, Stephanie consulted with Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young, performing revenue assurance, controls reviews, and data analysis for public companies in the telecommunications, retail, and healthcare industries.

Stephanie holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a BBA in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, graduating summa cum laude.

Mentors

PRIYANKA KHARAT, Vice President, Data Engineering and Machine Learning | Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation (PCCI) (Hospital & Healthcare)A resourceful and entrepreneurial technologist always trying to strike a balance between foresight and a ‘sense of urgency’ to develop usable solutions solving core problems. Originally from India, did Masters in Computer Engineering (MS) from University of Southern California (USC) after BS from Govt. College of Engineering, Pune Built a decade long career in Silicon valley and recently held positions as a Strategy

Advisor to a Cognitive Insights / AI startup and a Senior Manager at Intel delivering software solutions for Autonomous Cars, Digital Surveillance and Smart Cities. At PCCI, leading a multi-disciplinary team of software engineers, data scientists, analysts, program managers and social workers under clinicians’ advisement to build first-of-their-kind cloud hosted interoperable data platforms. Selected as an honoree for Dallas Business Journal’s 2019 Women in Technology Awards.

MERRILEE KICK, CEO & Founder | BuzzBallz / Southern Champion (Manufacturing / Retail)Merrilee Kick is the CEO/Founder of BuzzBallz/Southern Champion, the only woman-owned Distillery/Winery in the United States, located in Carrollton, Texas. BuzzBallz/Southern Champion makes ready-to-drink cocktails called BuzzBallz, as well as premium spirits like rum, vodka, gin and bourbon, which are sold in 45 states and 21 countries in convenience stores, liquor stores, casinos, arenas and airlines. The company is family owned and operated, and home to 100 employees in the Dallas area.

She is a winner of the Dallas Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO award, a finalist for the 2019 NAWBO Women’s Business Owner of the Year award. She is a winner of the 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award Southwest, EY’s Winning Women Award 2016; Winner of the Enterprising Women’s Award 2017, and Winner of the 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Woman’s University. Merrilee has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Montana; an MBA from Texas Woman’s University, and she is attending Harvard University in the OPM program.

LAUREN LAW, Director of Business Development | The Loomis Agency (Marketing & Advertising)Having spent more than 35 years in agency and corporate marketing roles, Lauren leads the LOOMIS business development function. She’s conducted advertising agency searches on behalf of health care system CEOs in her marketing role at Baylor Health Care System, so she understands the process from the most important perspective — the client’s.

With agency side experience in retail, banking, health care, real estate, and more, Lauren’s broad understanding of marketing communications challenges and solutions enables her to quickly evaluate client needs and match them to the right agency resources. A proud alumnus of Southern Methodist University and strong advocate for disadvantaged youth, Lauren is also a creative spirit who’s written a children’s book series she hopes to share with the world one day. She enjoys photography, video editing, and traveling with her husband and son visiting beaches around the world, but her most rewarding work is being a mom to her teenage son.

SOPHIA JOHNSON, President | ABI (Marketing & Advertising)Sophia Johnson is founder and president of ABI, a Dallas-based advertising and marketing firm. Launched in 2003, the firm is a Top 20 agency in Dallas and specializes in transportation, education, healthcare industries and for non-profit organizations.

Previously, Johnson was Vice-President for a Dallas-based institutional investment firm, overseeing all marketing and public relations. There she co-authored several papers on trends and issues affecting the financial advisory industry.

Johnson is Board Chair of FRIENDS of Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, a board member of AT&T Performing Arts Center and Chair of the Programming Committee, Former Chair of The Concilio, board member of the Trinity River LGC for the City of Dallas and a board member of Dallas Museum of Art.

MentorsMELODY LENOX, Vice President of Operations | Axxess (Hospital & Healthcare)Melody Lenox is Vice President of Operations at Axxess, the fastest growing home healthcare technology company in North America. She is responsible for advancing global growth strategies, improving operational excellence, human resources, and facilities management. Prior to Axxess, Melody worked in entrepreneurial, mid-sized, and national and

multi-national Fortune 500 firms in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, distribution, state and municipal government and higher education, including Blockbuster, ConAgra Foods and Beverly Enterprises, now Golden Living. She is a member several civic and community organizations and very involved and volunteers at schools and community centers, teaching life-skills trainings and speaking to youth on preparing for life after high school and college. Melody has served previously as a Dallas Business Journal Mentor for Mentoring Monday, a member of the Forbes HR Council, Leadership Dallas Alumni Association, Dallas Friday Group Board Member, and Society of Human Resources Management. She has served on the Dallas Regional Chamber Talent Attraction Council, Executive Roundtable for McKinney Chamber of Commerce and numerous committees. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award, LEAD (Leadership Excellence And Development) Top Corporate Leader Award and the National Women’s Council Top 15 Business Women of Dallas Award.

MARIA LENSING, VP Healthcare Solutions | AT&T (Telecommunications) Maria heads the Healthcare Solutions team for AT&T Business. She leads the sales and technical teams responsible for developing and executing the growth initiatives of this business, including the products, services and industry specific solutions for this dynamic organization. Maria has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Master of Science in Engineering Management from Christian Brothers University (CBU). She completed her Executive Education from Harvard Business School and is actively involved in many local and national nonprofits. Maria is passionate about STEM

opportunities for our youth, women in leadership and technology fueling innovation. She has received many awards including 2019 Women in Business by the Dallas Business Journal and Top 12 Latina Corporate Executive of the year in 2018 by Latina Style, Inc. Maria and her family reside in Dallas.

JENNY MARTINEZ, Senior Partner | Munck Wilson Mandala, LLP (Legal)Jenny Martinez is a senior litigation partner at Munck Wilson Mandala. In her 20-year legal career, Jenny has represented both large and small businesses in a wide variety of disputes. She was a key member of the legal team that defended Halliburton in connection with all civil litigation and investigations arising out of BP’s Macondo well (Deepwater Horizon) blowout in the Gulf of Mexico — the largest environmental lawsuit in the history of the United States. She rose to the rank of name partner and executive vice president at her previous law firm, and she continues to be honored annually as a

D Magazine Best Lawyer in Dallas and a Texas Super Lawyer. Jenny has accomplished significant milestones while raising a family with four children. She is an exemplary leader and mentor in her profession and an involved parent and business woman in her community. Jenny received her J.D., cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1999, along with her B.A., magna cum laude, in political science in 1995. While at SMU, she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the law school director for Texas Women Lawyers, and treasurer of SMU Women in Law.

MentorsDIANE MCNULTY, Associate Dean - External Affairs and Corporate Relations | University of Texas at Dallas - Naveen Jindal School of Management (Education) Diane Seay McNulty, PhD, is Associate Dean for External Affairs and Corporate Development in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, UT Dallas. She coordinates the marketing/public relations, community and corporate relations strategies and serves as editor-in-chief of MANAGEMENT and the eNewsletter of the Jindal School. She is a clinical professor in Organizations and Strategies and teaches corporate governance in the executive MBA program and the undergraduate programs in the area

of ethics. Dr. McNulty serves on the boards and executive committees of several charitable and professional organizations nationwide.

JAN MURFIELD, President & CEO | Junior Achievement of Dallas (Nonprofit)Jan Murfield, CFRE is passionate about making a difference in the lives of students in the Dallas area. A nonprofit professional who has served the nonprofit sector in four different organization. Her career has been focused in fundraising and management roles where she works leaders in organizations to improve operational efficiencies and strengthen sustainability to increase mission impact. Serving as a staff member of the American Heart Association, Children’s Miracle Network, and Junior Achievement has provided Jan the experience of leading volunteers

and staff to achieve results. Jan is the President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Dallas, Inc. where she works with over 5,000 volunteers and 20 staff to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. During the last school year with the help of partners throughout Dallas, 50,000 students were impacted with 370,000 contact hours through JA Curriculum.

SUSAN PAUL, Managing Vice President | Pariveda Solutions, Inc. (Information Technology & Services)As the Managing Vice President-Dallas at Pariveda Solutions, Inc., Susan leads Pariveda’s efforts across the Dallas/Fort Worth market to deliver successful technology and management consulting solutions. She is responsible for ensuring that we honor our commitment to developing talent in combination with creating value for our clients. Prior to her current role, Susan built and led Pariveda’s Strategy Practice, working with senior executives to collaboratively develop and operationalize their technology and

organization strategies. Susan has a strong passion for creating lifelong relationships - spanning clients, partners and business colleagues and a commitment to developing a strong community for the women of Pariveda.

JEANNETTE PAPADOPOULOS, Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships | meritize (Education)Jeannette Papadopoulos served as the Director of Workplace Learning for the Dallas ISD’s Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools for nearly three years. Papadopoulos “go-getter” attitude and charisma is what led her to be recruited to be part of the Dallas ISD team that is leading the nation in designing early college high school programs. Papadopoulos was responsible for overseeing the strategic partnership of seventy five industry partner executives, the Dallas County Community

College District that work with eighteen of the Dallas ISD Early College High Schools. She was instrumental in recruiting partners in the public and private sector. Her work aided a citywide effort to close the skills gap in the workforce that our city is currently experiencing. Her collaborative nature is changing the way we impact students by creating tools that impact the whole life of a learner. Papadopoulos has always demonstrated a keen interest in education. She began her tenure with Dallas ISD as a bilingual teacher before moving on to leadership roles on the administration side of public education—serving as an associate principal, assistant principal, and administrator of a business academy to mention a few.Papadopoulos has a strong 20 year tenure and commitment to improving public education not only through students but with her peers.

Mentors

LAKEN RAPIER, Director of Communications for Mayor and City Council | City of Fort Worth (Government)In her current role, Laken is responsible for media relations and community engagement for the City of Fort Worth’s elected officials. In addition to overseeing all communications efforts for Mayor Betsy Price, she also supports all community engagement efforts including town halls and civic engagement initiatives throughout the city. As part of her role, Laken works closely with both community leaders and stakeholders to drive citizen engagement, align strategic initiatives and elevate Fort

Worth’s national profile. Prior her role at the City of Fort Worth, Laken started her career on Capitol Hill as a congressional staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives, managing legislative correspondence, constituent communications and media relations. Previously, Laken worked for Justin Boot Company bringing communications and public relations in-house and creating an internal communications team.”

SHANTHI RAJARAM, President | Amazech Solutions (Technology)As the founder of Amazech Solutions, Shanthi Rajaram has been the sole architect spearheading the launch and growth of the organization since its inception. Founded in 2007, Amazech Solutions delivers business transformation through technology and talent. Shanthi established a strategy that addressed growth and innovation simultaneously while keeping the cash flow healthy. With Shanthi’s technical zeal and leadership, Amazech strives to deliver results that leverage the latest technologies. Shanthi has

consistently groomed Amazech resources to build deep technology expertise not only in Applications Development, but across 6 different technologies and platforms such as Data Warehousing / BI, web and mobile solutions, IoT, Legacy transformation and Artificial Intelligence/machine learning. Shanthi is privileged to contribute to women and minorities in business by serving on the board for Liftfund – Women Business Center. She represents the US India Chamber of Commerce on the Dallas ISD–M/WBE Department Advisory Council. Her unwavering ambassadorship to promote minority women business owners is further evidenced by her role on the Advisory Board for Opportunity Plus, with a vision to promote long-term societal progress for minority women business owners. As a board member/treasurer of DFW ATW since 2015, Shanthi continually supports ATW’s mission to empower women in technology.

AMY POWER, Founder and President | The Power Group (Public Relations & Communications)Amy Power is the founder and president of The Power Group, a PR and crisis management firm based in Dallas, Texas. The company just celebrated its 20th year in business. She also serves on the board of directors for Entrepreneurs Organization Dallas.

SUSAN PHILIPS, Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce President (Civic/Social Organization)Susan is the President of the Asian Chamber of Texas. Susan has over 20 years of experience in corporate and not for profit industries including higher education institutions. With a Bachelor degree in Advertising/Public Relations and an MBA, her education and professional experience has given her a unique combination of skills to be a servant leader. She serves on the following committees and advisory boards:

• North Texas Commission, Board Member

• Dallas Independent School District- M/WBE Advisory Committee

• Dallas Independent School District- Superintendent’s Corporate Advisory Board

• Parkland Hospital -M/WBE Advisory Committee

• Dallas County Community College District- Chancellor’s M/WBE Advisory Committee

• Dallas Area Rapid Transit- M/WBE Advisory Committee

Compassion and humility are the foundation of Susan’s leadership philosophy. According to Susan, serving the community and doing the right thing is what guides every decision she makes.

Mentors

MELANIE SHAFFER, President | Talent Suite LLC (Management Consulting)Melanie is President and Founder of Talent Suite, a firm founded with a mission of building stronger, more productive workplaces and people. Talent Suite teaches companies how to align their people strategy with their business strategy to maximize business results. Melanie’s desire to learn and serve as a trusted advisor to her clients has led Melanie down a diverse career path including accounting, talent management, executive recruiting and management consulting. Prior to Talent Suite, she was a Partner and Owner in a consulting firm that placed twice in the Dallas 100 fastest

growing companies. Throughout her career, Melanie has won numerous awards based on results delivered and client satisfaction. Melanie is a Predictive Index Certified Practitioner and a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach.

AMBER SCANLAN | Senior Vice President & Director of Community Relations | PNC (Banking & Finance)Amber Scanlan is Senior Vice President and Director of Client and Community Relations for PNC in North Texas. In this role, she leads client and community relations strategies, branding, sponsorships, local marketing and communications, and client entertainment. Most significantly, Amber executes all philanthropic giving on behalf of PNC and the PNC Foundation which is dedicated to early childhood education along with arts and culture.

Amber earned her bachelor’s degree and Master of Business Administration from Florida Gulf Coast University. She joined PNC’s Florida market in 2009, relocated to Birmingham, Alabama in 2012, and was tapped to relocate again in 2017 to Dallas-Ft. Worth. She serves on the Boards of Directors for Texans Care for Children, First3Years, Early Matters Dallas, and Childcare Associates. She also serves on the Dallas Regional Chamber Education & Workforce Council, the City of Dallas Cultural Plan Steering Committee and the Dallas Foundation Pegasus Prize Committee. She is a member of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Women of Tocqueville Society and a graduate of the Leadership Dallas Class of 2019. Amber is a sought-after advocate, panelist, moderator, public speaker and social media voice on many issues to include philanthropy, early childhood education, policy and economic mobilization.

CHERYL RICHARDS, SVP/Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer | VisitDallas (Hospitality / Tourism)Cheryl Richards serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer (CDIO) at VisitDallas. In this position, Richards’ duties include creating and implementing a strategic plan to elevate VisitDallas as a leader in diversity and inclusion at the local, national and international levels. Richards serves as the liaison to the Diversity & Inclusion Standing Committee, chaired by Wanda Granier, CEO of Bridgework Partners.

Richards is a member of several business community/civic organizations including Women’s Foodservice Forum Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, Texas Diversity Council, Dallas Fort Worth Area Tourism Council, Downtown Dallas, Inc. Board of Governors, NAACP, North Texas Business Leadership Network, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Richards, who has been with VisitDallas for over 30 years, recently served as vice president of strategic alliances and was responsible for establishing the membership sales and service standard for VisitDallas, overseeing corporate partnerships, member-based publications and daily operations of the member sales and services department. She received the 2017 Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award, 2015 Black Meetings & Tourism. Richards is a graduate of the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations and a minor in Business Marketing.

Mentors

LEAH WILLIAMS, President | Dala Communications (Public Relations & Communications)Leah Ekmark Williams is a seasoned PR strategist and tactician, serving as president and CEO of Dala Communications, a full-service public relations agency. An accredited PR professional, Leah’s expertise lies in creating and implementing communications campaigns for B2B and B2C clients in industries ranging from real estate, construction and engineering to healthcare, financial services and retail. Leah’s strategic approach to client work and ongoing involvement in the community has yielded multiple

leadership roles, awards and recognition from PR and business networking organizations and publications including: Dallas Regional Chamber 2019 Leadership Dallas class; 2019 Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star Young Professional of the Year; 2018 Big Brothers Big Sisters Volunteer Commitment to Excellence; 2018 Dallas Business Journal Top 40 Under 40; 2016 PRSA Dallas Norm Teich Community Service Award; 2014 President PRSA Dallas; 2013 Big Brothers Big Sisters Dallas Junior Board Chair. She is also actively involved in her neighborhood’s DISD feeder pattern and serves on the board of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation in addition to serving as the VP of Communication for Pre-Geneva Association, a community organization for families with children zoned for Geneva Heights Elementary.

LINDA VALDEZ THOMPSON, Executive Vice President, Administration & Diversity | Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Transportation)Linda Valdez Thompson is the Executive Vice President of Administration and Diversity at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport since 2001, Linda provides strategic leadership for the Human Resources, Procurement and Materials Management, Risk Management, Business Diversity and Development, and Corporate Communications & Marketing functions.

Linda is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce by implementing strategies that promote engagement and develop a culture of inclusion. She has established a leadership council, various employee resource groups (including HOLA – Hispanic Outreach by Leaders in Action), networks, and mentoring programs. She has personally mentored over 150 women. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Midwestern State University and a Masters in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix and is an alumni of the prestigious National Hispana Leadership Institute. Linda has received several distinctions, including being named Woman of the Year by Hispanic Business Magazine, Corporate Executive of the Year by Dallas Business Journal Minority Business; 2018 Top Latino in the U.S. by the National Diversity Council; and Top Corporate Latina Executive of the Year by Latina Style Magazine.

SILVIA SIQUEIRA, Diversity & Inclusion Officer

Hilti North America (Construction/Building)Silvia has influenced Executive Management Team and peers to embed D&I concepts and initiatives within HR processes and throughout the organization. She was just recognized by DBJ with the 2019 Diversity Business Leader award. Silvia focuses on the business case for inclusion and has launched Employee Led Groups throughout the company, informal mentoring programs, Beyond Bias training linked to Hilti’s culture

program, and impacted the inclusion conversation in the construction industry. Silvia also is active with Catalyst and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). Prior to this role, she served as Head of Finance for Hilti Latin America and Finance Director for Hilti in Brazil. Silvia also brings sales experience to her role with five years in the field where she achieved Top Sales Club and Masters Club. Before joining Hilti in 2004, Silvia’s professional experience includes roles with Arthur Andersen and INCOE International. Silvia is currently pursuing a doctoral program in Human Resource Workforce Development. She has a Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management Certificate from Georgetown University and an MBA from ESPM – Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing. Her undergraduate degrees are in International Business and French Literature.

Mentors

DORA ZAPATA, Vice President - Corporate Philanthropy and Community Relations | Wells Fargo (Banking & Finance)Dora Zapata is Vice President and Community Relations Senior Consultant for Wells Fargo in the greater Dallas market. She provides oversight and direction to Wells Fargo leadership on CRA related initiatives in addition to building external relationships with nonprofit entities and local officials. Dora has been in the financial services industry for 18 years. Prior to joining the

Wells Fargo team, Dora worked for Citi’s Community Mortgage Lending group where she managed the achievement of CRA, Fair Lending and Mortgage Lending goals for Texas. She has also worked for Lehman Brothers/Neuberger Berman as a Wholesale Sales Assistant and with JPMorgan Chase as a Marketing Officer. She is a certified NeighborWorks counselor, licensed banker, and a graduate of the University of Texas - Arlington with a BBA in International Business. She currently chairs the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Dallas Advisory Board, the DFW Regional Housing Consortium Board, the UT - Arlington Hispanic Advisory Council, the Real Estate Council’s Community Fund Board, the Impact Dallas Capital Board, and the Dallas Development Fund Board. She also joined the Board of Directors of Children’s Health in 2018. She is a 2014 alum of the Leadership Dallas program, a past member of the Mayor’s Star Council, and a member of the D/FW Hispanic 100.”

TINA YOUNG, CEO | Marketwave (Marketing & Advertising)Tina Young is an entrepreneur and marketing expert who started Marketwave in 1998 and has grown the business while producing award-winning campaigns for leading Texas-based brands. Marketwave has been ranked three times on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. and has been named SMU Cox School of Business Dallas 100. Tina is passionate about building a conscious company that lives its purpose and she is the Past Chair of the Dallas Chapter of Conscious Capitalism (CC), a group that inspires other business leaders to be purpose-driven and build great

cultures.

Prior to starting her company, Young was a principal at GTT Communications, an Austin, Texas-based PR firm purchased by Edelman Worldwide in 1998. Before GTT, she was with Bustin & Co., an Omnicom affiliate firm focused on marketing strategy, and the Dallas office of Edelman Worldwide, ranked in the top five of PR firms in the world.

She is a cum laude graduate of the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Tina is on the Board of Directors of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Conscious Capitalism Dallas Chapter and on the Advisory Board of the UNT Mayborn School of Journalism.

STORMEE WILLIAMS, VP & Medical Director, Network Development and Innovation | Children’s Health (Hospital & Healthcare)Dr. Stormee Williams has practiced medicine in the Dallas area for more than a decade, both as a board-certified pediatrician and a healthcare innovator. During her career at Children’s Health, she has transformed the way children in Texas receive medical care through technology. She helped create the fastest growing school-based telemedicine program in the country, expanding from two schools to over 150 schools throughout 27 school districts in Texas. Dr. Williams has also helped oversee and grow the more

than 20 virtual care programs at Children’s Health. In her role as the Medical Director and Vice President of Network Development and Innovation, she provides clinical and administrative leadership to the Children’s Health Care Network, helping to foster alignment between clinical programs and community providers, consumers and partners.