Richard Vitale, Founding President
Mr. Vitale was born and reared in Dallas, Texas and is a proud graduate Woodrow Wilson High School, Class of 1991. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Mr. Vitale joined a Bank of America predecessor company in 1994, and upon graduation, he returned to North Texas with the Bank. He currently is a Senior Vice President at Bank of America and leads the Bank’s Not-for-Profit Healthcare and Institutions Practice for North and Central Texas. He is Founding President of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation.
Gary Griffith, Founding Vice President
Gary Griffith was elected to the Dallas City Council in May 2003 and served two terms through June 2007. He believes strongly in community service and gives his volunteer time by serving on a variety of boards for charitable organizations in Dallas. Mr. Griffith grew up in East Dallas and is a proud graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, Class of 1966.
Leigh Peden Straughn, Secretary
A longtime East Dallas resident, Leigh Peden Straughn attended Lakewood Elementary, K.B. Polk Elementary, J.L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School, Class of 1991. Before leaving the workforce to spend more time with her family, Leigh worked as a management consultant in the Houston office of McKinsey & Company and as a director in the advertising department of The Dallas Morning News. In addition to keeping up with her four active sons and her spouse, she devotes significant time to activities and causes in support of public education.
Leigh presently serves on the board of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation as Secretary and provides support to the Scholarship Advisory Committee. She has been an active member of Texas PTA since 2010 and has held various leadership roles on the boards of the local PTAs of her sons’ DISD schools, including multiple stints as President and Treasurer. She is currently serving as Vice Chair of the SBDM committee at her sons’ DISD magnet high school. Leigh also volunteers with ministries serving parents and youth at Church of the Incarnation.
Leigh graduated magna cum laude from Rice University and holds an MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania.
Lauren Berryman, Treasurer
Lauren Berryman grew up in Lakewood and attended Lakewood Elementary, JL Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School. She received an undergraduate and Masters degree in Accounting from Texas A&M University and is a licensed CPA. She spent 8 years at PwC in the tax department serving high net worth individuals and family offices before accepting a position as Tax Director for Petrus Trust Company, the family office for Ross Perot.
Lauren lives in Lake Highlands with her husband, Ben and their 3 boys Luke, Beau and Banks. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading new books and exercising.
Aaron Aguirre-Castillo
Aaron Aguirre-Castillo is the Executive Director of the Woodrow Wilson Vertical Team in Dallas ISD, supporting eight schools and more than 6,000 students from elementary through high school. He collaborates with principals, staff, and community partners to strengthen instruction, alignment, and campus culture, ensuring students are challenged, supported, and prepared for future opportunities.
Aaron began his career as a high school math teacher, an experience that shaped his belief that schools must help students feel seen, challenged, and supported—a principle that continues to guide his leadership. He later led districtwide curriculum design in math and social studies, directed leadership development for principals, and served as a founding leader at Uplift Heights Preparatory and founding principal of KIPP Oak Cliff Academy.
Aaron was selected for Big Picture Learning’s Ashé Fellowship (Cohort 3, Dallas–Fort Worth), a program developing leaders committed to reimagining learning and community partnership. He holds a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut, with executive education at Harvard and Stanford focused on postsecondary readiness and organizational leadership. His work is driven by a commitment to strong schools, strong communities, and the belief that students flourish when adults learn and lead together.
Alejandra Barbosa
Alejandra Barbosa currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of The Educator Collective. In this role, she recently oversaw the organization’s merger with the Principal Impact Collaborative (PIC), where she was the Founding Executive Director. Under her leadership, PIC was launched in 2016 with the aim of strengthening principal retention and enhancing leadership capacity in urban public schools. Her strategic vision ensured that education leaders received high‑quality, whole‑person professional learning experiences designed to equip and sustain them in their service to students. During PIC’s tenure at UNT Dallas from 2019 to 2025, Ms. Barbosa also served as Special Advisor to the President, supporting key institutional initiatives, including the establishment of the Center for Socioeconomic Mobility through Education.
Prior to leading PIC, Ms. Barbosa discovered her commitment to education while serving as Operations and Program Manager at Educate Texas within the Communities Foundation of Texas. She began her professional career in the private sector, first as a financial analyst in the energy industry and later as a management consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in Dallas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Princeton University and an MBA from Columbia University. Ms. Barbosa currently serves as Board Chair for Education is Freedom and previously served on the board of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation.
Originally from Southern California, Ms. Barbosa and her husband have established deep roots in Dallas, where they devote much of their time to supporting the activities of their four children. When not engaged in family commitments, they can often be found running at White Rock Lake.
Cory Barnard
A lifelong advocate for community service, Cory Barnard built her career in the nonprofit sector. After graduating from Colorado College, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer at a domestic violence shelter in Oklahoma and later supported older adults through volunteer programs at The Senior Source. She earned her Master of Science in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin in 1998 and held development roles with United Way of the Capital Area and the March of Dimes. Cory continues to empower others through her board and volunteer work with Literacy Achieves and the Advisory Board of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at UT Austin.
Cory and her husband live in Lakewood and are the proud parents of two Dallas ISD educated college students.
Elizabeth Fritze Cheek
Elizabeth Fritze Cheek spent her childhood in East Dallas and returned in 2009 as a part of the charter team at Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth. She spent over a decade at TFA and then, UNT Dallas, working adjacent to Dallas public schools and leading university-school-nonprofit partnerships. Today, she volunteers with Lakewood Elementary, The Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation, and Girl Scouts.
Elizabeth and Jeff, her husband, have two children in Dallas ISD public schools, 1 toddler, and 2 dogs.
Dr. Lindsay Davis
Dr. Lindsay Davis serves as the Director of BBA Admission in the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, where she oversees strategy, communications, recruitment, and admission review processes for all undergraduate business students. In this role, she leads a team responsible for shaping the next generation of business leaders and ensuring access to a transformative undergraduate experience.
Previously, Dr. Davis served as Deputy Director of Leadership and Programming at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where she led alumni strategy and programming for several national leadership initiatives, including the Presidential Leadership Scholars, the Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, Team 43 Sports, and Bush-Cheney Alumni. In this role, she designed engagement frameworks and large-scale programming to sustain active, service-oriented leadership communities across sectors and across the country.
Dr. Davis has spent nearly her entire career in higher education. She previously served as Assistant Dean for Scholars Programs at SMU, where she directed the Nancy Ann and Ray L. Hunt Leadership Scholars Program and the President’s Scholars Program. In that role, she developed leadership coursework, mentoring frameworks, global study experiences, and a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy to support high-achieving students from recruitment through graduation and beyond.
A two-time SMU alumna, Dr. Davis earned both her M.Ed. in Education Policy & Leadership and her Ed.D. in Higher Education from the Simmons School of Education and Human Development. She began her career as an Admission Counselor at her undergraduate alma mater, Texas Christian University, where she earned a BBA in Entrepreneurial Management and a BA in Theatre (an academic combination that still proves surprisingly useful).
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Davis is deeply engaged in the Dallas community. She serves as President of the Junior League of Dallas, leading a 4,000-member organization dedicated to developing women civic leaders and advancing meaningful community impact through volunteerism, nonprofit partnerships, and strategic grantmaking. Under her leadership, the League has strengthened leadership development pathways, modernized governance practices, and deepened community partnerships throughout the city.
A proud East Dallas resident and Dallas ISD parent, Dr. Davis is an active supporter of public education and serves on the board of Friends of Solar Prep, the foundation supporting Solar Preparatory School for Girls, where her daughter attends school. She also volunteers with Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support and Community Partners of Dallas. A member of Leadership Dallas Class of 2025, she is an avid college sports fan, a voracious reader, and an enthusiastic dance mom.
Jennifer Wheeler Hall
Jennifer Wheeler Hall, a proud East Dallasite, graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1993, where she was highly involved in various activities, including serving as Captain of the Sweethearts drill team. After attending Abilene Christian University, she embarked on a significant 15-year career in advertising and media as a Media Buyer/Copywriter for The Northway Group/Core Group Advertising agencies (now Core Publishing, LLC). During this time, she also served on the Board of American Women in Radio and Television (now The Alliance for Women in Media) and was a member of SAG/AFTRA.
While her children were young, Jennifer transitioned to work as Front Office Secretary at RISD’s Lake Highlands Junior High School (now Lake Highlands Middle School), a role she held for six years. Since 2015, she has been the Administrative Office Manager/Peer Review Specialist at McBee & Co., PC, a certified public accounting firm in the heart of Lakewood.
Deeply committed to her community, Jennifer currently serves on the WWHSCF Board, the WoodrowFest Board, and The Enclave at Wooded Creek Homeowners Association Board. She also serves as PTSA Communications VP for Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts and is the Communications VP for the Woodrow Alumni Association, as well as the Alumni Liaison with the Woodrow PTA.
Jennifer and her husband, David, reside in the Lakewood area with their youngest daughter, who is in the Music Conservatory at Booker T., two dogs and one “grand dog”. They are proud parents of three additional grown children and recently welcomed their first grandchild.
Taylor Johnson
Taylor Johnson grew up in Lakewood and attended Lakewood Elementary, J. L. Long Middle School, and Woodrow Wilson High School. She received and undergraduate degree from Boston College and M.Ed. from SMU. Taylor has 12 years of experience in Dallas ISD as a teacher and instructional coach and currently works at SMU in the Center on Research and Evaluation.
Taylor lives in Lakewood with her husband and three young kids and enjoys spending time with family, reading, and cooking.
Kristin Kelley
Kristin Kelley is a collaborative and positive leader in the Dallas nonprofit community. Leading the Development Practice for Allyn, a strategic consulting firm, Kristin works alongside non-profit organizations who are focused on strengthening their funds development efforts and who are planning for major gift, capital and comprehensive campaigns.
Outside of work, Kristin is dedicated to her community through volunteerism and advocacy. She is a current Dallas CASA Advocate, and has served through boards and committees with chambers, non-profits, her alumni sorority chapter and house of worship. An avid traveler and dining enthusiast, Kristin resides in East Dallas with her rescue pup, Goldie.
Jeff Kitner
Jeff Kitner serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce, where he oversees the operational, legal, and advocacy matters for the Chamber. Prior to joining the Chamber, Jeff was a litigation and regulatory attorney and partner with Jackson Walker. Jeff is actively involved in local civic initiatives, including as the most recent City Council District 11 representative to the Dallas Park and Recreation Board, immediate Past President of Friends of the Northaven Trail, on the Friends of Dallas Public Library Board, and on the Dallas ISD Education Foundation Board. Prior to joining the WWHSCF board, he was an active and engaged member of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation’s Scholarship Advisory Committee.
Jeff is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Texas School of Law. He and his wife are the proud parents of a 7th grader at Dallas ISD’s Sudie L. Williams TAG Academy.
Alison Kreher
Alison Kreher serves as the Director of Investor Relations at United to Learn (U2L). Originally from Tampa, Alison moved to Dallas in 2018 to join the Teach For America (TFA). Alison worked with TFA for five years, first as a fourth-grade teacher and later on the recruitment team, before joining U2L. She is the proud product of K-12 public education and loves supporting community members in finding meaningful ways to engage in their neighborhood schools. A fun fact about Alison is that she dreams of one day becoming a contestant on Survivor.
Evie Krimm
Evie Krimm is a life long Lakewood resident, coming from a multi-generational family line of East Dallasites. She attended Lakewood Elementary School, J.L. Long Middle School, and Woodrow Wilson High School (class of 2006), as did her husband, two sisters, father, aunt, and grandfather. Evie attended the University of Texas where she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Finance and Accounting. She has spent the last 14 years of her career in banking and is currently a Managing Director at Regions Bank in the Dallas office. She also serves on the board of the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA and is involved in the parent association of Incarnation Academy.
Evie lives in Lakewood with her husband and high school sweetheart, Zach, and their two young boys, Henry and Joey. She loves spending time with family and friends, traveling, audiobooks, trying new local spots, and working on her boy mom skills.
Sallie Martinez
Sallie Martinez is a dynamic leader known for her ability to build strong teams, drive innovation, and create meaningful community impact. She began her YMCA career in 2016 and quickly advanced, holding leadership roles at multiple branches. She has led initiatives that improved staff retention, enhanced member engagement, and fostered a culture of inclusivity. Sallie earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law in 2021 and integrates her legal expertise into community programming. As Associate Executive Director of the White Rock YMCA, she remains committed to strengthening relationships and advancing the organization’s mission.
Jim McFarlin
Jim McFarlin thrives on turning complexity into clarity and bringing strategy to life. As Director of IT Strategy at Hunt Consolidated, he leads global digital initiatives, aligning technology with business outcomes through visionary leadership and practical execution.
With a career spanning strategy, finance, governance, application development, operations, and sales, Jim brings a multifaceted perspective to every challenge. Prior to his role at Hunt, he spent a decade at Southwest Airlines, contributing to its growth and innovation.
A proud native of Arlington, Texas, Jim graduated from Lamar High School and earned dual degrees in Finance and Technology from the University of Notre Dame, where he also served as drum major of the marching band.
Jim and his wife Michelle have called East Dallas home for nearly 20 years. They are proud parents to Will, a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School, and Matthew, a sophomore at Townview TAG.
Marissa Castro Mikoy
Marissa Castro Mikoy serves as the President & CEO of Jubilee Park & Community Center, where she leads transformative initiatives aimed at advancing equity and expanding access to vital resources. With over 25 years of leadership in education and the nonprofit sector, Marissa brings a wealth of expertise in program development, fundraising, public engagement, and strategic planning.
Before joining Jubilee Park, she was the Executive Director of After-School All-Stars North Texas, driving organizational growth and increasing visibility across the Dallas area. A proud native Texan, Marissa’s career spans both state and national landscapes, including impactful work in Washington, D.C. with several educational nonprofits. Her tenure at the D.C. Public Charter School Board focused on early childhood education and academic excellence, providing oversight and technical support to charter schools.
In 2012, Marissa was honored by President Obama’s Administration as a “Champion of Change” for her dedication to educational equity and social justice through her work with AmeriCorps.
She remains an active civic leader, serving on the boards of Jubilee Park, Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas, and After-School All-Stars North Texas. As a Public Voices Fellow with the Op-Ed Project, she amplifies underrepresented perspectives in public discourse.
Marissa holds a degree in Business Management from St. Edward’s University and a Nonprofit Executive Leadership Certificate from Georgetown University. She lives in Richardson, Texas with her husband Chris, their sons Xavier and Sebastian, and their two beloved dogs, Jax and Lily.
Adam Miller
Adam Miller is currently the Chief Financial Officer for Matthews Southwest, a full-service private real estate development company with operations throughout the United States, Canada, and EMEA. He has been a member of the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation Scholarship Committee for four years. Adam has a passion for education and an interest in supporting the DISD feeder system in East Dallas. He has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Butler University and a Master of Science in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame.
Adam and his wife, Natalie, live with their two boys in East Dallas.
Lauren Miskin
Dr. Lauren Miskin is an eighth-grade English teacher and advisor at the Hockaday School in Dallas. At Hockaday, she sponsors the middle school literary club, Banner, and will be directing the creation of a middle school writing center next year. She has also reimagined the English curriculum as a social impact course that serves the broader Dallas community through partnerships with local elementary schools. Prior to Hockaday, Lauren was the Hughes Postdoctoral Fellow at Southern Methodist University where she designed and taught several literature classes, chaired a lecture series committee, organized annual events for the women’s and gender studies program, selected keynote speakers, and managed the events’ budgets and funds.
Lauren holds a PhD in English Literature from Southern Methodist University, an MA in English Literature from Drew University, and a BA in English Literature from the College of New Jersey.
Sarah Nicholson
Sarah Nicholson has worked in communications for nearly 20 years, promoting entities ranging from startups to well-known consumer brands. She’s specialized in communications strategy and copywriting, with an emphasis on media relations. Since returning to Dallas, her hometown, in 2009, Sarah’s worked within agencies and as a freelancer. Sarah and her husband live in East Dallas with their three daughters. As a volunteer, Sarah has been an active member her church, Vice President of then-Stonewall Gardens, and an executive board member of the PTAs at Mockingbird Elementary and JL Long Middle School. She was PTA President for JL Long for 2018-19, and her children attended Mockingbird Elementary, JL Long MS, and Woodrow Wilson HS.
Sarah is a graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she studied politics.
Jennifer Quick
Jennifer Quick is the Executive Director of Reading Partners North Texas, a community-powered, individualized literacy intervention program with a longstanding presence in the Woodrow Wilson feeder pattern. Her career in education began as a Teach For America corps member in Denver, Colorado. Like many education and nonprofit professionals, she has worn many hats, helping her to gain a deep understanding of the connected ecosystems of public education, state government, and nonprofit organizations.
Over the course of her career, Jennifer has served as an elementary reading teacher and instructional coach, managed a 21st Century Community Learning Center program, and worked as a policy fellow and analyst. Prior to stepping into the Executive Director role at Reading Partners, she served as Community Engagement Officer, where she built sustainable volunteer pipelines and cross-sector partnerships across the Dallas–Fort Worth region.
Jennifer is a proud graduate of Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado–Denver.
Kelly Richmond
Kelly Richmond is the Director of Strategy at Momentous Institute and a nationally recognized leader in the fields of mental health and education. With over 20 years of experience, Kelly began her career in Frisco ISD, where she taught early childhood education and developed programs to support second language learners. She later joined Dallas ISD as an Early Learning Coordinator, leading efforts to expand Pre-K programming and community partnerships. Since joining Momentous Institute in 2017, Kelly has collaborated with organizations around the world to embed mental health informed practices into education systems and leadership development. Through training, consultation, and program design, she helps schools and communities build environments that foster resilience, well-being, and meaningful learning.
When she’s not traveling for work, Kelly enjoys life in Oak Cliff with her husband and their four dogs and volunteering for Dallas PetsAlive, Dallas ISD, and Girls on the Run.
Laura Robison-Houser
Laura Robison-Houser is the Vice President of Development at The Concilio, an organization she believes is among the most vital in strengthening families and communities across North Texas. Laura brings a blend of corporate leadership and nonprofit passion to her work in the community. After more than a decade as a Multi-Unit Director with Kate Spade New York, she transitioned into the nonprofit sector, leading as Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Texas and later as Development Director of School Engagement for the American Heart Association.
Laura currently serves on the boards of the Greater Rockwall Youth Symphony and Friends of the Library and is an active member of the Professional Women’s Alliance of Rockwall. Married with two sons, a grandson and two dogs.
Wilson Schoellkopf
Wilson Schoellkopf is a proud native Texan, born and raised in Dallas, where he lives with his wife, Lynde, and their daughter, Willow. A graduate of the Episcopal School of Dallas, Wilson earned his psychology degree from Hampden-Sydney College and later completed a Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Southern Methodist University.
Wilson’s professional journey began in advertising, transitioned through aviation, and ultimately led him to his true passion—education. He spent several years teaching mathematics to students in grades 4 through 8 across both public and private schools in the Dallas area. Today, he devotes himself fully to service, volunteering as a math tutor in Dallas ISD classrooms.
His commitment to community extends beyond the classroom. Wilson has served on the Board of Trustees at St. John’s Episcopal School, is a current trustee at Hampden-Sydney College and SPSA Catholic Academy, and is an officer of the Exchange Club of East Dallas. He also advocates for children in foster care through his work with Dallas CASA.
Outside of his volunteer work, Wilson enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time in the peaceful landscapes of northwest Montana. He speaks what he calls “highly mediocre” Portuguese and plays an even more modest game of golf—with enthusiasm that far outweighs his scorecard.
Josh Skolnick
Josh Skolnick has served as the Executive Director of the Dallas College Foundation since 2021. In this role, he leads the Foundation’s efforts to expand student opportunity, strengthen community partnerships, and advance the mission of Dallas College through strategic philanthropy.
Before joining the Foundation, Josh led Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, a yearlong leadership program for mayors across the globe. He also played a key role in designing and developing the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, helping shape a national model for civic leadership and innovation.
Josh’s public‑sector experience includes serving as Deputy Director of Strategic Partnerships in the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. There, he oversaw the launch of the Success Mentors Program—an initiative aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism in 30 school districts nationwide as part of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative. Prior to his federal service, he worked at both the New York State Education Department and the New York City Department of Education, where he advanced a range of education innovation efforts.
Josh holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School and a B.A. from Brown University. He lives in East Dallas with his wife, Sharon, and their sons Levi (who attends Mockingbird Elementary School), Rowan, and Micah.
Liz Ward
Liz Ward grew up in Lakewood and attended Lakewood Elementary, J. L. Long Middle School, and Woodrow Wilson High School. She received an undergraduate degree in early childhood education from the University of Texas at Austin, and a M.Ed in early literacy from SMU. Liz was a member of Teach for America and has taught in public and charter schools for 12 years, most recently at Lakewood Elementary.
Liz lives in Lakewood with her husband and new baby girl.
Sarah Weinberg
Sarah Weinberg was elected as the District 2 representative to the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees in June 2023. Sarah is a proud product of Texas public schools and has long been an education advocate. In addition to grassroots volunteer roles, Sarah has served in numerous governance positions for non-profit organizations. Her variety of experiences reveal a focus on education, including serving children from all socioeconomic backgrounds. In 2019, she served as Chief Strategy Officer for United to Learn, a non-profit connecting Dallas ISD schools to resources through public-private partnerships, culminating in the creation of a bold strategic plan to positively impact student math and literacy outcomes in over 50 neighborhood schools.
Through the years, Sarah and her family have been committed volunteers in Dallas ISD schools. Sarah participated in the Leadership ISD Dallas Class of 2014 and received the 2014 Leadership ISD Dallas Community Fellow of the Year Award, as well as SMU’s Budd Center for Involving Communities in Education 2014 Community Builder Award.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Sarah holds both Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designations. She had a career in investments prior to 2006, and is married with three grown children.
Kiley White
Kiley White is a true Dallasite as her family has been in the Lakewood area of Dallas for over 5 generations. She attended Lakewood Elementary School, J.L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School following in the footsteps of her grandfather, father (Tom Crabb, class of ’71), aunt, and many cousins. Her daughter is now carrying on the tradition as a fourth generation DISD student at Lakewood Elementary.
Post high school Kiley attended Texas Tech University, graduating with a degree in Public Relations and Spanish, and settled in Dallas to pursue advertising.
Kiley is an active member within the community, currently serving as Parliamentarian for the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA, Recording Secretary and Upper Grades Retention Chair for the Lakewood Elementary PTA and the Wishlist Chair for the Lakewood Elementary SBDM Committee. In 2022/23 she served as President of the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA (LECPTA), which was extra special as her mother, Debbie Crabb, served as LECPTA President 30 years before in 1993.
Kiley, her husband, Jason, daughter, Emma, and puppy, Lily, love living and serving in Lakewood. While not volunteering, momming and wifing, Kiley stays busy as the owner of her own marketing consultancy business, Kiley White Marketing Consulting, cooking & entertaining for friends and family, and crossing off new countries on her bucket list.
Leah Ekmark Williams
Leah Ekmark Williams, APR is a seasoned communications strategist and tactician, serving as president and CEO of Dala Communications, a full-service public relations agency with an adjacent nonprofit consulting practice group. 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 nonprofits, education, healthcare and financial services. Leah excels at developing integrative strategies, bringing fresh perspective, insight and creativity that helps build brand momentum in situations and causes her clients care about. Clients count on Leah’s expertise for executive training and message development to better assist the C-suite and spokespersons to confidently use key messages in all communications opportunities.
Named a communications Woman to Watch in 2019 by Bizwomen as well as a DBJ Top 40 Under 40 2018 honoree, Leah is committed to mentoring through her involvement in organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) and PRSA Dallas. PRSA Dallas named her a 2021 Top 40 Under 40 and she was one of the youngest presidents to lead PRSA Dallas in 2014. Leah has held multiple leadership roles and received recognitions including: 2023 WWHS Community Foundation Board Member of the Year; 2019 Dallas Regional Chamber Leadership Dallas; 2019 Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star Young Professional of the Year; 2018 BBBS Volunteer Commitment to Excellence; 2016 PRSA Dallas Norm Teich Community Service Award; 2013 BBBS Dallas Junior Board Chair. She serves on the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation board as Communications Vice-Chair and is the PTA Fundraising Chair of Dallas ISD’s Geneva Heights Elementary.
Matt Wood
Matt Wood is an attorney with more than 30 years of experience in sports and entertainment law, intellectual property protection, and corporate law. He began his legal career with the international law firm Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens) in Melbourne, Australia. Upon returning to the United States, Matt served as President of U.S. Operations for Sports Marketing Group Pty. Ltd., also based in Melbourne, where he managed all aspects of international licensing, manufacturing, and distribution of sports and entertainment-related products. He later joined the Dallas law firm Hughes & Luce and was a founding member of Dallas 2012, the city’s Olympic bid committee. Matt’s legal and business practice has involved bidding for and hosting major events, including multiple Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup matches, Super Bowls, and a wide variety of national and international sporting events and festivals. He has also contributed to the planning and development of numerous sports and entertainment venue projects.
In addition to his legal career, Matt has long been engaged in civic and community leadership. He has served on boards and committees for the Deep Ellum Association, Deep Ellum Film Festival/DEFMAN, Downtown Dallas Inc., Junius Heights Historic District, The 500, Inc., and many others. In 2017, he was a candidate for Dallas City Council. He has been a member of the Exchange Club of East Dallas for eight years, serving as President in 2022. He also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Dallas Sports Commission and Friends of Fair Park.
Matt earned his J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in December 1989 and a B.B.A. in Accounting from Abilene Christian University in 1987. He and his wife, Susan, are the proud parents of twin daughters, Addison and Keeley.