Remarkable Women 2023

REMARKABLE

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

When Meredith Land isn’t co-anchoring the NBC 5 News on weeknights, she volunteers with Dallas nonprofits and spends quality time with her two children and husband.

Her journalism career began with an internship in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. Once she reported live on a hurricane, she was hooked, and the rest was history.

Land then worked as the education reporter for WCBD in Charleston before becoming its single news anchor. Four years later, she landed in Dallas as the youngest person to be hired for an anchor position at NBC 5.

“I really think my general success in TV has been by just being willing to go the extra mile, work the extra hours, ask for the pipe dream interview, and have my hand raised,” Land said.

However, her devotion to the community isn’t exclusive to the TV screen. She co-chairs the National Advisory Board for the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health.

“Medicine has long been tailored toward men, from research to prescription drugs,” Land said. “We are raising funds and awareness to break the gender bias because we all know that X does not equal Y.”

Land’s charity involvement began as she emceed local charity events, and the local groups’ causes stuck with her, such as MD Anderson, Interfaith Family Services, and Deck My Room. Her previous affiliations have included the Salvation Army, and she recently got involved in the Children’s Cancer Fund through a family friend.

In 2022, she was named one of Crystal Charity Ball’s “10 Best Dressed” — a fashion show lineup of 10 of Dallas’s most fashionable and philanthropic women.

Land continues to prioritize family time, self-care, and friendships despite her busy schedule.

“[My family has] rolled with the changes and off hours,” Land said. “I really think it has given us an appreciation for the time we get together, and the hard stories that I’ve covered have given us grounding and gratitude.”

Find Meredith Land on her newsfeed Instagram, which grew during the pandemic and keeps her connected to the community, @TheLandlineNews: “I’ve learned that there is a great desire for people to simply know what’s going on without spin.”

Meredith Land

PRESENTING SPONSOR:

14 STORIES ENCOURAGE, AND INSPIRE

What better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than by featuring inspiring women in the Park Cities and Preston Hollow?

Our thoughts exactly, so we present to you our new special section, Remarkable Women.

In this 12-page section, we profile 14 trailblazing women — probably including some familiar faces and new friends.

These women were selected by People Newspapers’ staff with the help of some nominations from the section’s presenting sponsor, the Texas Women’s Foundation.

Philanthropists, business leaders, STEM experts, and other women doing important work made the cut this year.

Learning their stories has been inspiring. It’s encouraging to see the change one woman can make, regardless of the field.

Some standouts include:

• A former legislative fellow who co-authored legislation declaring International Women and Girls in Science Day.

• Highland Park’s first, “but hopefully not last,” female mayor.

• A cancer-surviving former model, who now works for SMU’s global programs department.

• A real estate entrepreneur who has sold a home to the Bush family among other iconic Dallas names.

We also asked each woman to share a remarkable woman in their life. They told us about role models, family members, and longtime friends who have shaped them into who they are now.

To learn about who inspires the 14 women in this section, visit the QR code below.

We hope you enjoy meeting some of our remarkable neighbors who continue to do good in our community each day.

Do you know of a local remarkable woman we should have on our radar for next year? Let me know at maria.lawson@ peoplenewspapers.com.

Highly Successful Companies Invest In Women

Women bring dynamic value to leadership roles.

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Harvard Business Review research shows that women in leadership positions are perceived as being every bit as effective as men. “In fact, women were thought to be more effective in 84% of the competencies most often measured. Women make highly competent leaders, according to those who work most closely with them — and what’s holding them back is not lack of capability but a lack of opportunity.”

DEBRA HUNTER JOHNSON

Now, in a post-pandemic world, Texans should pay attention to the startling data that now, more than in recent years, women are considering leaving the workforce. Citing issues such as inflexible work practices, lack of childcare, and burnout, women are leaving their companies at unprecedented rates.

McKinsey & Company’s annual Women in Workplace 2022 survey indicates that the situation is dire: 46% of women of color are planning to leave their job in the next

three to six months, as are 35% of White women. According to Fortune.com, if we brought back the 1.067 million women missing from the labor force since February 2020, we could close the worker-toopen-job gap by almost 25%. In a region that has been wildly successful at enticing companies to relocate, North Texas must continue to invest in the next generation of talent, and that includes the nearly 50% of women that make up the workforce.

In my work, I strengthen leadership capacity, corporate culture, and the employee experience to make companies more competitive. My firm focuses organizations on growing sustainably productive cultures by advancing innovation in talent acquisition, development, succession planning, retention, and DEI. By leveraging 30 years of deep human capital management, legal, and governance expertise across numerous industries, I help companies drive longterm value.

To build an engaged, motivated, and productive leadership team, I encourage my clients to dive as deeply into their people data as they do their financials. The story is always in the data — especially

if it is disaggregated by gender, race, and age. The numbers will illuminate pay disparities and underrepresentation and provide a roadmap to solutions. For every 100 men who are promoted from entry level to manager, 87 women are promoted, and 82 women of color are promoted, according to McKinsey. In the ongoing war for talent, an analysis is a first step to ensuring that top talent can be retained.

Highly successful companies work to invest in women and address the intersection of race and gender in their corporate processes. Those who hire and promote women early and often offer flexible working conditions and ensure diverse representation in leadership will find themselves at the top of their industries with a high-quality, sustainable workforce.

Debra Hunter Johnson serves on the Texas Women’s Foundation Board of Directors and as the 2023-2024 Economic Leadership Council co-chair. She considers her role an opportunity to help build the next generation of leaders who understand the connection between gender equity and economic prosperity. She also is the founder, president, and principal consultant of Reciprocity Consulting Group, Inc.

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Feb. 11 marks International Women and Girls in Science Day each year. Jennifer Stimpson, chief program officer for the T.D. Jakes Foundation, is one of the people we can thank for it.

She co-authored the resolution declaring the holiday during her 2020-2021 term as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow in Capitol Hill.

“As a fellow, my role was to influence federal policy that’s centered around STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education,” Stimpson said. “The experiences, though limited [due to COVID-19], provided me with insight on the importance

of having educator voices in federal spaces.”

STEM has always been one of her passions. She worked as a science educator at Dallas ISD for 11 years and The Hockaday School for 12 years before starting her gig at T.D. Jakes.

She says some assets she brought to the classroom were providing career-driven lessons and showing students how science influences their day-to-day lives, such as through technology, using colors, and getting up in the morning.

Stimpson is also an IF/THEN Ambassador, an initiative to further women in STEM by empowering current innovators and inspiring the next generation of pioneers. An orange, life-sized, 3D-printed can be found of her at Pegasus Park, along with a plaque about her work.

“As an IF/THEN Ambassador, I immediately saw my goal, not just as a science teacher to so many students but as a role model to inspire students to consider what science means to them and how to see themselves in the field of science,” Stimpson said. In her new role at T.D. Jakes, which started in August 2022, she oversees the programmatic output for the foundation’s entities.

“I am focused on two initiatives, and that is workforce development and STEAM (A added to STEM for art), and that is to help young students become exposed to the wonders and possibilities of science through different activities,” Stimpson said.

She continues to use her expertise to empower the next generation of women in STEM.

“What I recognize is that I’m always going to be a role model for girls who look like me and look up to me because when they can see themselves in you, then they see the possibilities of what can be because so many kids need that,” Stimpson said.

Her advice for women or girls in STEM: “The first thing I would encourage you to do is to find a mentor, find someone you can talk to about your interest. ... I would [also] say find which field of science interests you the most, and find your way to that interest and participate in opportunities that expand your active practice in that field.”

MARIA LAWSON

Jennifer Stimpson

T.D. JAKES FOUNDATION CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER

The experiences, though limited [due to COVID-19], provided me with insight on the importance of having educator voices in federal spaces.

Jennifer Stimpson

We fly more than 100 varieties of shellfish and whole fresh fish in from all over the world. Plus our fishmongers are happy to make suggestions, share their expert cooking tips, and cut your fish to order. From quick-cooking favorites like littleneck clams to our jumbo lobster tails, we’ve got a seafood feast waiting for you!

Lisa K. Simmons

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

Lisa K. Simmons, president of the Harold Simmons Foundation in Dallas since 1988, has a notable list of current and past board memberships:

• TexProtects (Texas Association for the Protection of Children)

• Texas Women’s Foundation (formerly Dallas Women’s Foundation)

• Dallas Black Dance Theatre

• Dallas Arboretum

• Southwestern Medical Foundation

• Media Projects

• HOPES (Healthy Outcomes Through Prevention and Early Support)

• Greenhill School

She’s also an executive board member of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU, and her professional affiliations include Philanthropy Southwest, the Fund for a Safer Future, and Zero to Five Funders Collaborative.

Lisa started working with her father, famed Texas businessman, investor, and philanthropist Harold C. Simmons, in 1982 after moving back to Dallas post college and a stint as a VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) volunteer.

“I was based in Raleigh, North Carolina, working with the city on a child abuse prevention initiative,” Lisa said. “That was my first experience with direct social services

and impacted what I wanted to do going forward.”

Harold created and built a large holding corporation with various investments but made charitable contributions along the way. He asked Lisa for help organizing his giving, which is where her philanthropic work began.

Now she’s the president of his foundation, which has supported a variety of nonprofits primarily in the Dallas area for 35 years. Partnerships have included “everything from capital projects to medical research to operating support for the arts and social services,” Lisa says.

“In its mission to support safety, dignity, and opportunities for everyone in the community, the foundation strives to maintain a balance between investment in critical direct services and public policy innovation,” Lisa said. “We encourage our nonprofit partners to seek creative solutions to community problems.”

Some of the organization’s nonprofit partners include Every Texan, which prioritizes policies that will measurably improve equity in and access to healthcare, food security, education, and financial security, and TexProtects, which develops and advocates for policy that protects children from child abuse and empowers Texas families to thrive.

“Currently, the issues of early childhood through grade 12 social-emotional health and gun safety are top priorities,” Lisa said. “We support education, research, and prevention programs and advocate for effective, evidence-based solutions.”

By Daniel Lalley Special Contributor

Roslyn “Ros” Dawson Thompson is a lifelong devotee to the calling of community service.

She grew up with parents who were active in the community. Dawson Thompson worked as a “Y teen” at the YWCA (a group promoting peace, justice freedom, and dignity for all) and found ways to give back through high school, college, and her early professional life.

Eventually, Dawson Thompson started a boutique marketing communications and public relations firm in Dallas and dedicated her time to growing the company. However, her service-driven mind didn’t let her stop there.

In 1986, she joined the board of the then-Dallas Women’s Foundation (now Texas Women’s Foundation) where she helped gather data and assist underserved women in the region.

“The mission and purpose of the organization were really close to my heart,” Dawson Thompson said. “The advancement and empowerment of women and girls has always been a focus for me.”

In 2010, Dawson Thompson was in her 25th year at her firm when she had a “personal epiphany.”

She was chair-elect of the Dallas Women’s Foundation’s board of directors at the time

and Becky Sykes, longtime CEO of the organization, had just announced her retirement. In a turn of fate, she found her calling for the next 10 years as the organization’s leader.

During her tenure, Dawson Thompson spearheaded critical research campaigns, grew awareness for greater impact, and evolved the organization through her expertise in communications.

“One of the accomplishments that I’m most proud of was that we were able to release a statewide study of the economic status of women and girls in Texas every three years,” Dawson Thompson said.

Dawson Thompson was also the driving force behind transforming the Dallas Women’s Foundation into the Texas Women’s Foundation.

“I think my best memory was being able to stand on the stage of our annual luncheon and reveal that our messaging and our purpose were widely endorsed by an incredibly diverse population across the state,” Dawson Thompson said. “They gave us the support to go from Dallas Women’s Foundation to Texas Women’s Foundation.”

She retired from the Texas Women’s Foundation in late 2021 but has maintained her philanthropic efforts by chairing the Tides Foundation out of San Francisco.

“It’s exciting,” Dawson Thompson said. “I’m constantly in learning mode but excited for what this organization can bring to bear within the community.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

HAROLD SIMMONS FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

Roslyn Dawson Thompson

FORMER TEXAS WOMEN’S FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

By Rachel Snyder rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants went from a student at SMU as a youth to serving as SMU Cox School of Business’ assistant dean for global programs — a role she’s served in since 1999.

Her family moved to Dallas around 1974 from Taiwan, when her father Buck ShuChang Kao, a former career diplomat, came to town to open Royal China in the Preston-Royal shopping center.

“My parents always reminded us how blessed we were and wanted us to make sure to give back to the community that has been so generous to us,” Kao said.

And give back to the Dallas community she did. Kao has served on boards including the World Affairs Council, the Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, the Texas Women’s Foundation, the Dallas Assembly, and the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce. She and her family still live in the Preston Hollow area and her daughter attended Hockaday.

After graduating from SMU in 1978, Kao had a successful modeling career and worked in production for the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants. She also went on to work on seven summer and winter Olympic games from 1992 to 2002 and three World Cup games as an event consultant.

“ I was behind the scene, working with

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

Being the first woman to serve as mayor of Highland Park may have been a breakthrough for the town, but it came naturally to Margo Goodwin.

“I was the first, but hopefully not the last,” she said.

Goodwin served on the Highland Park town council for four years prior to being elected mayor in 2018. Her term ended in May 2022.

“It’s a real privilege and an honor in a community like this,” she said. “Unlike other municipalities, no one is after my job. The people are very understanding, but they expect a lot, and I think the town delivers.”

Goodwin’s husband was a town councilmember in the ‘90s, so she knew what the gig would hold before signing up. “Dallas and Highland Park have been very good to us; it’s a chance to give back. It’s a cliché now, but it’s the truth.”

Goodwin describes herself as a “full-time volunteer.” She’s been involved in the Baylor Medical Center Foundation Board, the hospital system’s fundraising arm. Her passion for

volunteering started in PTA and Sunday school jobs, but she is now involved in the Junior League of Dallas, Crystal Charity Ball, and other organizations.

“People keep asking me what I’m doing with all my free time,” she said. “I have had more time to visit with friends, which I’ve enjoyed. Time was strapped when I was mayor.”

However, Goodwin isn’t one for idleness. One of her recent endeavors was chairing the Junior League of Dallas’ Centennial.

One of the first initiatives she launched with the Junior League was an endowment to secure part of the league’s budget to cover volunteer and leadership training. Lyda Hill donated $5 million outright, and then gave the organization another $5 million as a challenge grant.

“It fell to me and my partner Andrea Cheek to raise that $5 million,” Goodwin said. “COVID hit, and so I just started a letter writing campaign to members only. We’re right at $600,000 from the finish line, and I’m still working on that. I want to get to that finish line.”

Goodwin looks at volunteering as an opportunity for people to put themselves out there, but some think, “Oh, I can’t do that,” she said.

“If you’re a volunteer, they can’t cut your pay, they rarely fire you, and agencies are so thankful to have volunteers,” Goodwin said. “Nobody wants you to fail. … Taking responsibility is the first step. Then the rest seems easy. You just figure out how to do it.”

the Hollywood aces to produce live telecasts from wherever we were,” Kao said of her pageant work. “While I was working on the pageant, I met a team of talented logistic experts, I had no idea they [were] Olympics consultants until they invited me to join them.”

It was her experiences in philanthropy and as a world traveler that led her to her job as assistant dean for global programs at SMU Cox School of Business.

“All my activities accumulated in the fall of 1997, when I was invited to sit at VIP table at Asian Chamber luncheon,” Kao said. “The [gentleman] sitting next to me turned out to be the new Dean of Cox School of Business (Albert W. Niemi Jr.). We had a nice conversation on SMU, on globalization in education … etc. At the end, Dean Niemi told me I was the person he was looking for to launch his Global vision. Up to that point, I never imagined myself working in … higher ed, but I was always ready to take on new challenges.”

Her immediate assignment was to create the global leadership program for the full-time MBA class. The program is now in its 23rd year.

“GLP is in its 23rd year and it is still the important capstone in MBA journey,” Cox said. “I love to see the impact of GLP on students. Over the years, I have expanded the programs for the entire graduate school at Cox. This is something I am most proud of. And to win the battle against stage IV cancer when I was told I couldn’t possibly survive. I am happy to be alive.”

By Karen Chaney Special Contributor

As Stan Schaub’s days of attending Highland Park High School came to an end, Park Cities resident Patti Schaub wondered what the future held for her then 22-year-old son.

She wasn’t alone in her concern as seven other parents were in the same situation — their special needs children had aged out of the district’s public-school program.

JoAnn Ryan, another parent of a HPHS special education student who aged out of the district, rallied the group of parents to create a nonprofit for adults with disabilities to receive high quality purposeful programming.

This marked the birth of Connecting Point of Park Cities in 2014, which meets at University Park United Methodist Church.

In 2018, Patti volunteered to be the development committee chair, which means she oversees fundraising. About 25% of its expenses are covered by fees families are charged, and the other 75% comes from fundraising.

“We’re very proud of the program because … we keep our fees low so we can be accessible to families not just in Highland Park but all throughout the metroplex,” Patti said.

The day program features recreational, vocational, educational, and life skills

curriculum. One of their initiatives is creating dog biscuits, packaging them, and selling them to local businesses.

A highlight for members is the outings, which can include activities like going to lunch, museums, or classes.

“They are just hanging out with their friend,” Patti said. “It’s a wonderful sight when you see our group out having lunch.”

Teammates’ ages and disabilities vary, but they are all intellectually and developmentally disabled, Patti said. Some Teammates have significant physical disabilities that require space and a good staff ratio.

A high attendance day at Connecting Point will bring about 25 Teammates, and there are about 10 adults on the waiting list. These numbers push Patti to continue raising funds through North Texas Giving Day, grant applications, the annual spring fundraiser, and other endeavors.

“We need to increase our capacity because they aren’t going to age out; they will probably just stay for a long time,” Patti said. “Our youngest Teammate is 22, and our oldest is in his late 40s. Hopefully Stan will be here until he’s 80.”

Patti says the organization, with the help of generous donations, make her son’s life “purposeful and wonderful.”

“These are his friends, and it is important to him. I’m overwhelmed and touched by people who don’t have their own skin in the game, but they are all in this with us,” Patti said.

ASSISTANT DEAN OF GLOBAL PROGRAMS AT SMU COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

CONNECTING POINT OF PARK CITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR

Margo Goodwin

FORMER HIGHLAND PARK MAYOR KONRAD KALTENBACH

By Daniel Lalley Special Contributor

While many take career detours throughout their lives, Christa Brown-Sanford knew she wanted to be a lawyer from the age of 12.

“I told mom I wanted to be a lawyer, and then she told me, ‘Well, you’re really good at math and science. You should be a patent attorney,’” said Brown-Sanford, who is the department chair for intellectual property at Baker Botts.

Brown-Sanford attended Rice University and was one of few females and the only African American woman in the electrical engineering program. After graduation, she returned to Dallas to attend the SMU Dedman School of Law. She got on board with Baker Botts when she finished law school and has been there since.

Christa Brown-Sanford

“My focus there is in the intellectual property space, specifically in patents,” Brown-Sanford said. “I work with companies to protect their inventions, ideas, and technology. I also do patent litigation and licensing. It’s a pretty fullscale practice.”

Paula Miltenberger

By Maddie Spera People Newspapers

Dr. Paula Miltenberger, licensed psychologist and founder of Women’s Mental Wellness, is fascinated by the uniqueness of women and strives to provide them with the best comprehensive care at her Park Cities practice.

Miltenberger knew she wanted to go into psychology but was working in her family business and was hesitant to go back to school later in life. However, an unexpected tragedy pushed her to pursue her interest.

“The catalyst for me was when I was pregnant with my first child,” Miltenberger said. “He was born premature, and he didn’t survive. That was what made me think that life was short and made me realize what I was really passionate about.”

Starting down the path of a career change, Miltenberger took a job at Children’s Medical Center in the in-patient unit as a milieu therapist. From there, she went into UT Southwestern’s critical psychology program then finished with training and a fellowship at Baylor.

“I knew going into the program that I really wanted to specialize in women, which at the time really no one was doing,” Miltenberger said. “There were people that treated postpartum depression, but there wasn’t a practice that was exclusively dedicated to women, and I was passionate about helping women through all

the unique things they face.”

In 2008, Women’s Mental Wellness was born, and it’s been growing since. Miltenberger now works alongside three partners, and with the help of telehealth, they’re able to see women across the country.

They treat patients for various issues, ranging from infant loss to postpartum depression to stress management, through different treatment forms such as cognitive behavioral therapy to interpersonal therapy personalized to the individual.

“Women often take on multiple roles as mothers, spouses or partners, children, or professionals,” Miltenberger said. “There are a lot of different balls we’re trying to juggle, and sometimes the stress of that is too much to manage on our own, so we help these women put together a bag of tools they can use to manage it.”

Miltenberger also consults for Medical City Dallas, where she treats women who are under long-term hospitalization in the antepartum and postpartum units.

Women’s health remains one of Miltenberger’s passions, and she looks forward to continuing to provide comprehensive care for years to come.

“I’m grateful to have such an amazing job,” Miltenberger said. “Although we can’t change what’s happened, being able to walk beside these women as they get better, feel better, and become more confident is an amazing opportunity, and I love doing it.”

In a matter of years, Brown-Sanford was promoted to a partner position at Baker Botts. Over the years, she’s been recognized annually as one of D Magazine’s best lawyers since 2016, has been listed as one of Dallas Business Journal ’s “40 Under 40,” and is an adjunct professor at SMU’s Dedman School of Law.

While not working, she looks for ways to give back to the community and has served as the Junior League of Dallas president from 2021 to 2022 and serves on the New Friends New Life board.

Brown-Sanford says her service in the community is especially important to her because when she was growing up, there were far fewer women in STEM for her to look up to. She wants to set an example for young girls across the community to emphasize self-confidence and the importance of STEM education.

“We just have to step outside our comfort zones,” Brown-Sanford said. “Sometimes I find that young women are a bit more hesitant to take risks and may not be as comfortable doing something that they don’t have the exact training to do, so I just want to encourage them to have that confidence.”

Dallas is the perfect place to build those skillsets and dream big as a young woman, Brown-Sanford said.

“I have always wanted to remain in Dallas,” Brown-Sanford said. “It’s just a vibrant, entrepreneurial city where you can be active, where you can be helpful, and be a part of something bigger than yourself.”

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

The creation of the Boone Family Foundation by Cecilia Guthrie Boone, her husband Garrett, and their three children in 2007 came in stark contrast to Cecilia’s humble beginnings in rural Kentucky.

“I grew up in a very modest household,” Cecilia said. “My mother was a single mother and worked very hard as the circuit court clerk. She noticed the difference between how the attorneys were treated and how she was treated. It just rankled her. Gender equity became the cause that most motivated me.”

In her early corporate days, Cecilia worked for IBM and moved frequently. It was a dream of hers to live in Dallas.

“It was the biggest, fanciest, snazziest place I had ever lived,” she said.

She eventually met her husband Garrett at a local furniture store. They fell in love and got married, and that’s how she stayed in Dallas.

Cecilia wanted to be a stay-at-home mom but kept busy with school volunteering and chairing the PTA. As her children grew, she searched for new opportunities, attended a Planned Parenthood luncheon, and considered joining the board.

“The skill I had learned at all my volunteer work at schools was raising money, and there is no nonprofit out there

that doesn’t want members who can raise money,” Cecilia said.

This led her to join the Planned Parenthood board then go onto the national board.

“I think without inexpensive to free contraception, there is no hope of gender equity,” Cecilia said. “I also firmly believe it’s a woman’s right to choose an abortion.”

Cecilia led the Boone Family Foundation’s efforts to partner with the Harold Simmons Foundation to provide $2 million for long-acting reversible contraception for low-income women who are clients at local Planned Parenthood health centers.

She also is the past chair of Annie’s List, a political action committee that recruits, trains, and funds progressive female candidates running for statewide offices in Texas. Another remarkable experience was when she chaired the $30 million fundraising campaign for the then-Dallas Women’s Foundation (now Texas Women’s Foundation).

Cecilia also served on the Harvard-Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board, the international Women’s Funding Network board, and the board of Girls, Inc. Locally, she’s been involved on the advisory boards for Children At Risk and Human Rights Initiative.

Although she’s retired, Cecilia still serves on the Family Foundation’s board. She sums up her lifetime of passionate activism and societal involvement: “It’s always been about gender equity for me, only superseded by family.”

DEPARTMENT CHAIR FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT BAKER BOTTS

COURTESY PHOTOS

By Kelly Tran People Newspapers

Since moving to Dallas 33 years ago, Rabbi Nancy Kasten has modeled the welcoming spirit she saw her parents give her childhood neighbors in Boston through interfaith work.

“We had people at our house all the time that were from different countries [and] who spoke different languages,” Kasten said. “All colors, all sizes, all backgrounds, all religions. They were my

parents’ friends. My parents were incredible hosts.”

Kasten serves as the chief relationship officer at Faith Commons, a Dallas-based inclusive-faith organization committed to “promoting the common good” and allowing people to express their faith and values in a public space. In this role, she works to upkeep and find relationships that help the organization fulfill its mission.

“We do conversations where we bring people from different sectors of society

together, to learn together, to talk together, to get to know each other, and trust each other,” Kasten said. “We try to model conversations that are based on mutual respect and true curiosity.”

A year after founding the organization in 2018, the Rev. George Mason, former senior pastor at Wilshire Baptist Church, invited Kasten to join him in lifting people’s voices and bringing communities together.

“We bring very different perspectives to the table, but we also bring a history of engagement with the Dallas community and with a lot of different civic organizations and nonprofits and educational institutions in the area,” Kasten said. “We share a lot of values, and often the same frustrations, and see the same kind of needs, but we often approach them from very different places, so we learn from each other.”

The Faith Commons community sees great value in uplifting women. In February 2022, it, along with 30 partners, sponsored Valerie Kaur to give a lecture on her work, the Revolutionary Love Project, which Kasten said was one of her proudest moments.

“I feel like being a woman in any kind of public space today is an opportunity, and we have an obligation to raise awareness of what people actually need — what human beings need to thrive,” Kasten said. “Lifting up the voices of women

Thank You, Kidney Disease Fighters

Through the years, KidneyTexas, Inc.’s donors, sponsors, and underwriters have provided over $4.5 million to support local efforts to improve the diagnosis and management of kidney disease.

Beneficiaries of the nonprofit’s 23rd anniversary fundraiser, The Runway Report Luncheon and Fashion Show: Baylor Scott & White Foundation, Camp Reynal, Children’s Medical Center Foundation, Methodist Health System Foundation, Southwest Transplant Alliance, and Texas Health Resources Foundation.

Donna Arp Weitzman, the 2022 KidneyTexas, Inc. president, thanks luncheon chairs Regina Bruce and Dr. Carla Russo, honorary chairs Jeanne and George Lewis, auction chairs David Andrews and Elizabeth Smith, sponsors and other volunteers for a wonderfully entertaining Oct. 25 afternoon with a surprise performance by Grammy Hall of Famer, Sir Earl Toon, of Kool and The Gang.

Congratulations to:

Therese Rourk, Community Award honoree Sandy Secor, Sue Goodnight Service Award honoree Dr. Goran Klintmalm, Everson Walls Legacy Award

who come to their work through deep faith-based convictions, whether they are religious or ideological, is something that is part in parcel of the work that we do and who we are in this organization.”

While Kasten was doing similar work before joining the organization, Faith Commons gave her a foundation and resources to expand her reach. She said being able to associate herself with an identifiable organization like Faith Commons has helped her connect with more people.

“Calling up someone and saying, ‘Will you meet with Rabbi Nancy Kasten?’ as just some lone wolf out there versus ‘Rabbi Nancy Kasten, chief relationship officer for Faith Commons’ — it conveys a different message, even though sometimes the reality of the work isn’t that different,” Kasten said. “[The resources have] also been meaningful and helped me do the work that’s so fulfilling to me, and I think is making a bigger difference.”

Sponsored Content

James Dickey and Dr. Goran Klintmalm

Donna Arp Weitzman and Therese Rourk

Jeanne and George Lewis

David Andrews and Elizabeth Smith

John and Patty Jo Turner

Emilynn Wilson and Sandy Secor

Dr. Carla Russo and Regina Bruce

Jan Strimple

Fashion Show Producer

Photos by Danny Campbell, Thomas Garza and Rob Wythe/Wythe Portrait Studio

Presented by Lone Star Monarchs

COURTESY FAITH COMMONS

Rabbi Nancy Kasten

FAITH COMMONS CHIEF RELATIONSHIP OFFICER

We had people at our house all the time that were from different countries [and] who spoke different languages. All colors, all sizes, all backgrounds, all religions.

Nancy Kasten

Allie Beth Allman

By Kirk Dooley Special Contributor

Forty years ago, Allie Beth Allman didn’t realize that she was remarkable until her friend Alicia Landry convinced her of it.

The two women hit it off at a Dallas Tri Delta meeting. Allie Beth had no idea who Alicia’s husband, Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, was, but the couple was selling their home by owner and Alicia

asked Allie Beth to help.

She succeeded, so Alicia convinced her to go into real estate, as did another friend, so Allie Beth got her license in 1982.

As a real estate professional, she worked for Hank Dickerson & Co. before launching Allie Beth Allman Real Estate, with her husband, Pierce Allman in 1985.

“Pierce and I had different strengths,” Allie Beth said. “I didn’t like all the rules. Pierce did. At first, he said, ‘You’re supposed to have a license.’ I failed twice and

got a tutor and finally passed the real estate exam. Pierce was always my encyclopedia.”

Allie Beth’s office became the North Texas leader in major residential deals, with clients ranging from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to Ross Perot, Jr. and many more, creating a “who’s who” of Dallas elites.

She has also handled legendary homes like H.L. Hunt’s Mount Vernon replica overlooking White Rock Lake and Tom Hicks’ $100 million, 25-acre, North Dallas estate.

In 1995, Allie Beth merged her company into the Henry S. Miller Company, which eventually sold to Coldwell Banker, the largest residential firm in the nation. Several of Allie Beth’s former agents begged her to get back in the business. She approached Miller in 2004 for permission to relaunch her company independently as Allie Beth Allman & Associates. First year sales: $400,000,000.

In 2008, Allie Beth received a call from the White House with Laura Bush on the line, who was referred by her friend Debbie Francis.

Before she knew it, a black Suburban carrying the First Lady and her security detail picked up Allie Beth to look at a North Dallas home. The house was sold to the Bush couple, and Allie Beth and Pierce delivered the keys to the White House.

The deal led to Allie Beth working with Vice President Dick Cheney and his family.

“President Bush gave me one of his paintings, and it’s hanging in the hall at my home,” Allie Beth said.

Fast forward to 2021 sales: $3.8 billion.

For three consecutive years, Allie Beth was the Top Producer of all 7,000 agents in Dallas County. While her firm was part of Coldwell Banker, she was in the top 1% in sales nationally.

In 2015, she and Pierce sold the firm to Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway.

“We had the same philosophies as Warren and his company,” Allie Beth said. “At first there was no contract. I didn’t have a lawyer. We just did what’s right.”

Pierce died Nov. 25, 2022, after a three-year illness. Although her heart was broken to lose her husband, best friend, and business partner, she soldiers on with her extensive business, charity, and civic calendar.

And she continues to mentor the next generation of remarkable women of Dallas.

COURTESY ALLIE BETH ALLMAN AND ASSOCIATES

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN AND ASSOCIATES FOUNDER

President Bush gave me one of his paintings, and it’s hanging in the hall at my home.

Allie Beth Allman

By Kelly Tran People Newspapers

soul of things involved in the city.” Although retired from her position as the institute’s director, Thomas is still active on its board, working closely with its president, Seemee Ali. The institute invites professionals and lecturers from around the world to participate in their programs on the city, education, and cultural and spiritual psychology.

Gail Thomas

FOUNDER OF DALLAS INSTITUTE, TRINITY TRUST FOUNDATION

Along life in Dallas has allowed Dr. Gail Thomas to preserve the heart and soul of the city.

Thomas now lives in Bluffview, but her origins start in McKinney, where she grew up hearing about her mother’s studies of religions. This led her to become

interested in belief systems and how they can be used to understand the world.

In 1980, Thomas helped found the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, using her humanities, literature, and psychology background to keep the Dallas culture alive.

“[At the Dallas Institute], we’re concerned with the heartbeat of culture,” she said. “We’re concerned with the heart and

One of the institute’s programs is the Teacher’s Academy, where teachers come together for the Sue Rose Summer Institute, where they read and discuss literature to help broaden their knowledge and understanding in the classroom.

“[The teachers] come free because we’re honoring [them],” Thomas said. “We feel teachers don’t get the honor that they deserve. … They’re treated as valued, honored citizens of our society, and they love it. I was just reading comments from last year’s Teacher’s Academy, and oh my goodness. Just what does it for them makes me tear up to just think what it means.”

When she retired from the institute in 1998, then-Dallas Mayor Annette Strauss asked Thomas to start a project to encourage public interest in the Trinity River. In

on Earth” and the corporate tagline

While pregnant with her third child, Goglia took a giftedness profile and discovered that education and leadership development were her primary interests. After a series of casual conversations, Brent Christopher hired her as the senior marketing lead for Communities Foundation of Texas.

“I got to use my marketing experience to grow North Texas Giving Day from $5 million to $50 million, creating a true communitywide giving movement for our region,” Goglia said. “… It was so rewarding.” United to Learn turned to Goglia for her skills in building leadership, focusing on people, and encouraging volunteers. Through the nonprofit, she became deeply involved with F.P. Caillet Elementary School near Preston Hollow.

2004, the Trinity Trust Foundation — now known as the Trinity Park Conservancy — was born, where Thomas served as CEO until 2016.

Thomas

The foundation’s primary goal at the time was bridging each side of the city across the river, leading to the building of the Magaret McDermott and Margaret Hunt Hill bridges, which Thomas worked on with six other women.

“Women working together in a city and what it can do for a city is limitless,” she said. “Women will come at something with more heart, warmth, feeling, and a willing[ness] to be inclusive to others and work for the general good.”

Thomas can still remember the latter’s opening. The beating of the drums from the Indigenous group performance, the marching of everyone involved in the project, and specifically, a little boy who spoke to her.

“After the parade, I felt somebody tugging on my shirt,” Thomas said. “I said, ‘Yes, what is it?’ And he had on his daddy’s banner and his daddy’s hard hat. And he said, ‘I just wanted you to know my daddy built this bridge.’ Well, I burst into tears. I just thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what this is about. That little boy took ownership of his city.’”

benefit from being taught in classrooms by our CAR-trained teachers.”

However, Goglia didn’t like reading as a child, but her mom, a teacher, would take her to the library.

“I remember I liked the book series Encyclopedia Brown about a young detective,” she said. “Now I read nonfiction. I am currently reading The War of Art .”

Goglia believes in the remarkable women she’s encountered through her family, career, and years of volunteerism with Big Thought, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, UT Dallas marketing department’s advisory council, the Vestry of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal School, and her children’s schools.

In particular, she has always looked up to her maternal grandmother Ollie Mae Harrell.

By Evelyn Wolff People Newspapers

Carol Pierce Goglia has cultivated businesses and nonprofits in Dallas for more than two decades — but in her new role as president and CEO of Catch Up & Read, she’s digging deeper to get to the root of one of her passions: teaching

children to read.

Goglia spent time working in DC, Baltimore, and Austin after graduating with an MBA from the University of Texas. Then, she returned to Dallas and spent almost a dozen years at Frito-Lay. As brand manager, she used consumer insights to build an award-winning marketing program with campaigns like “We Grow the Best Snacks

“I saw first-hand how Catch Up & Read was zeroing in on how we can get our children reading,” Goglia said. “CAR gives teachers the strategies to unlock learning with joyful results. Currently, we are training 150 teachers from 20 Dallas schools, 865 first through third graders participate in our after-school reading programs, and almost 4,000 students

“She was an artist and a businesswoman before many women worked,” Goglia said. “She contracted tuberculosis as a young woman and was left with only one lung. She suffered a stroke, taught herself to paint with her other hand, and survived breast cancer. … Her motto: ‘Inch by inch, life is a cinch.’”

HAYNSWORTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Women working together in a city and what it can do for a city is limitless.

Gail

BRICE BEAIRD

Carol Pierce Goglia

CATCH UP & READ PRESIDENT, CEO

I remember I liked the book series

EncyclopediaBrown about a young detective. Now I read nonfiction. I am currently reading TheWarofArt. Carol Goglia

PANELS MODERATED BY Jenna

Best-Selling Author; Co-Host, NBC's TODAY

2023 Maura Women Helping Women Award Recipients

Join us to celebrate and elevate the impact of women leaders across Texas!

We will convene students, community and corporate leaders for programming to empower the next generation of leaders and recognize powerful trailblazers in our communities by presenting the Maura Women Helping Women and Young Leader Awards.

Event Agenda

#BESTSELF

11:30AM – 3:00PM

*Invitation-only program for partner schools. For more information, visit txwf.org/events/bestself

Leadership Forums

4:00 – 5:45PM

2023 Young Leader Award Recipients

Reception and Awards Celebration

5:45 – 8:00PM

For Sponsorship Opportunities or More Information:

txwfleadership.org

Froswa’ Booker-Drew, PhD Soulstice Consultancy LLC

Mary Pat Higgins Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum

Jill Louis Perkins Coie

Professor “Bee” Nance Generation Teach Ann Sheu Mpowered Families

Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, EdD Houston Community College System

Aimee Boone Cunningham Boone Family Foundation