Can-Doers

Chad Mantooth is the Associate Publisher and Advertising Director of Dallas Voice, the Head of the Cedar Springs Wine Walk, a proud Board Member of the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, and a familiar face (and voice) as the host of the Pride in Dallas Parade. In 2025, he was named the LGBTQ Chamber Champion Award Winner, though he’s quick to point out that it’s really the community he champions that deserves the spotlight.

As part of his work with the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, Chad helped support the recent funding of Dallas’ rainbow crosswalks, a colorful symbol of pride and inclusion in the heart of the city. For the past seven years, he has also volunteered his time with the Caven Christmas Show, helping raise thousands of dollars every year for underprivileged kids in Dallas. Known for his passion for bringing people together, he has made it his mission to showcase the vibrancy and visibility of the nation’s 5th largest LGBTQ community. Whether he’s rallying merchants, raising a glass at the Wine Walk, or keeping the Pride parade energy high, Chad’s work is about building connections, creating joy, and making sure Dallas’ LGBTQ community gets the recognition it deserves, all with a wink, a smile, and maybe a refill of your glass.

And if you don’t recognize him at one of these events, don’t worry…. he’s the guy lost in the middle of Cedar Springs trying to remember which meeting, show, or happy hour he’s supposed to be at.

Cindy Pedraza is the co-owner of CocoAndre Chocolatier and the visionary behind Olmo Market, a dynamic cultural and creative space in Oak Cliff, Dallas. As a proud firstgeneration Mexican-American entrepreneur, Cindy has helped shape the future of artisan chocolate by intertwining legacy, craftsmanship, and community through her work with CocoAndre, which she co-founded with her mother, master chocolatier Andrea Pedraza.

Under Cindy’s leadership, CocoAndre has earned national acclaim, winning Best Chocolatier in D Magazine’s “Best of Big D” multiple years in a row and ultimately being inducted into the Best of Big D Hall of Fame. Her entrepreneurial journey has taken her to the White House’s United State of Women Summit not once, but twice during the Obama administration and earned her recognition from the Tory Burch Foundation. She has led collaborations with notable brands including Kia Latino, Siete Foods, and most recently, Uniqlo, where she launched a custom CocoAndre-Uniqlo merch experience at the Dallas Galleria flagship store.

In 2023, Cindy won the UPS “Deliver Your Pitch” competition, sharing the stage with NFL legend Emmitt Smith and Dallas Cowboys’ star CeeDee Lamb. The following year, she was invited back not as a contestant, but as a guest judge, sitting alongside Emmitt and her self-proclaimed "bestie," CeeDee Lamb, to help select the next round of winners. Cindy and her family were also featured in a Puma sneaker campaign, thanks to the incredible team at Politics sneaker boutique, who recognized the Pedraza family's deep involvement and longstanding impact within the Oak Cliff community. The campaign celebrated their legacy and cultural influence, blending streetwear with storytelling.

Cindy’s commitment to cultural celebration and community organizing runs deep. She is the founder of the first-ever Dia de Los Muertos celebration in Oak Cliff, a beloved annual tradition now entering its second decade. She also co-founded the first Oak Cliff Orgullo (Pride) event in partnership with TX Latino Pride, helping carve out inclusive spaces that reflect and uplift queer Latinx voices in her community.

Beyond chocolate, Cindy is the creative force behind Olmo Market, which began as an extension of CocoAndre and has evolved into a vibrant neighborhood hub. Olmo hosts everything from small business pop-ups and art shows to social justice conversations and heritage-centered events. Through this space, Cindy has cultivated a platform for local makers, artists, and entrepreneurs especially women and BIPOC creatives to be celebrated and supported.

Whether she’s on stage with NFL legends, at the White House, or hand-pouring chocolate in Dallas, Cindy leads with authenticity, vision, and a deep commitment to uplifting her community all while building legacy, one bar (or bold move) at a time.

Curtis King is a visionary arts leader, director, and producer best known as the founder and president of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL), one of the nation’s most esteemed cultural institutions. Established in 1977 from King’s dining room table with just $250, TBAAL has since generated more than $150 million under his leadership to support its capital campaigns, programming, and operations. Located in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, the institution now spans 250,000 square feet and welcomes more than 250,000 patrons annually. Its mission—celebrating and preserving African, Caribbean, and African American contributions to the arts—has flourished through King’s tireless vision, shaping Dallas into a national hub for cultural expression.

Often called the “King of Tributes,” King has produced and directed hundreds of acclaimed plays, concerts, and cultural events, collaborating with legends such as Maya Angelou, Cicely Tyson, Erykah Badu, Phylicia Rashad, and Stevie Wonder. His Emmy-winning Black Music and the Civil Rights Movement concert has become a Dallas tradition, blending artistry with activism and earning national recognition. He has also staged major productions like Bethune starring Esther Rolle, The Amen Corner starring Helen Martin and Juanita Moore, and the national touring show Don’t Start Me to Talkin’ or I’ll Tell Everything I Know. His work has extended to international stages in Paris, Addis Ababa, and Istanbul, amplifying Dallas’ reputation as a global cultural player.

Beyond his productions, King has curated unforgettable events that highlight history and social impact. These include I Remember…The March on Washington at the Kennedy Center featuring Dan Rather, Halle Berry, and Eartha Kitt; Symphony with the Divas saluting African American women in Congress; and the Riverfront Jazz Festival, which attracts more than 40 national and international musical artists each Labor Day in Dallas. His ability to bring world-class talent to the city while mentoring the next generation of artists showcases his unwavering commitment to creativity, community, and cultural preservation.

LaDondra Wilson serves as the Dallas Wing's Vice President of Social Responsibility and the inaugural Executive Director of the Dallas Wings Community Foundation. LaDondra leads the organization's community engagement efforts, advises leadership on the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and leads the social justice committee. A proud graduate of Leadership Southlake, and the inaugural class of Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy, LaDondra is a proponent of professional development and servant leadership.

After graduating from Texas State University, LaDondra worked as a Master level social worker, emphasizing Advanced Administrative Leadership for non-profit organizations. LaDondra's work has focused on addressing macro social problems and leadership development, non-profit management, program development, and evaluation. Ms. Wilson has been named the 2013 Tarrant County Case Manager of the Year. She obtained a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Center of Nonprofit Management (CNM), an Executive Sports Philanthropy Certificate from George Washington University, and a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.

A proud native of South Oak Cliff in Dallas, TX, currently LaDondra serves on the Engage Dallas , Educate Dallas, Parkland Health Foundation, and Rainbow Days Board of Directors. LaDondra serves on the UNT Sport Entertainment Management Advisory Board, Texas A&M-Commerce Sport & Recreation Management Board, Women in Sports and Events, and the Black Sports Professionals of North Texas Board of Directors, and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc as the Public Relations Chair of her chapter. LaDondra was named a 2019 Millennial to Watch as a Community Server, a 2020 Community First Award recipient from the Parkland Health Foundation, the 2021 Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Graduate Good Citizen Award, and a 2021 Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40 award recipient. In 2023, LaDondra was named a Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce 40 under 40 recipient. Also in 2023, she was awarded a Women in Sports and Events 2023 Woman of Inspiration honoree. In 2024, LaDondra was a Cosign Sports Executive of the Year nominee and a PoliChic Bravery Brunch honoree. In 2025, LaDondra was named a DCEO Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Finalist.

Through sports, LaDondra champions diversity, drives equity, and builds inclusive spaces where all individuals are empowered to thrive.

Brittany Grignon Hays is the founder and creator of SESSION Pilates, the Dallas-born, music-driven reformer Pilates brand she launched in 2016 with its first studio in the Knox-Henderson area. Under her leadership, SESSION evolved from a single studio into one of North Texas’ most recognizable boutique fitness concepts, defined by a high-intensity, beat-based 50-minute method and a strong, community-first culture.

Recognized for brand building as much as for product, Hays and SESSION have earned multiple “Best Pilates Studio” honors, including D Magazine’s Best of Big D and Dallas Observer Readers’ Choice, with ClassPass also naming SESSION among its U.S. standouts. Her operator-led approach centers on instructor excellence, continuing education, and an incentive model that aligns the team around client outcomes—principles that fueled SESSION’s swift digital pivot during the pandemic with SESSION@Home and continue to underpin its growth.

Today, SESSION comprises six studios across Dallas-Fort Worth and, in 2025, expanded into Nashville’s Green Hills—debuting to sustained sell-outs, waitlists, and a surge of earned attention. Hays continues to scale SESSION while stewarding its culture, community partnerships, and philanthropic touchpoints—such as ongoing donation-class initiatives—alongside a commitment to rigorous instructor development. As SESSION nears its 10-year anniversary in 2026, Hays is launching the SESSION Foundation — a foundation that will support and uplift female entrepreneurs across the region. Her vision remains clear: deliver an elevated, modern Pilates experience that keeps studios full, clients loyal, and the brand unmistakably SESSION.

Anga L. Sanders se licenció y obtuvo un máster en la Universidad Metodista del Sur de Dallas.

Anga es fundadora y directora ejecutiva de FEED Oak Cliff, una iniciativa sin ánimo de lucro cuyo objetivo es romper y erradicar los desiertos alimentarios del sur de Dallas. FEED Oak Cliff participa actualmente en actividades destinadas a construir una tienda de comestibles comunitaria y un bistró saludable en el barrio.

También fundó el Dallas VegFest, el festival anual de FEED Oak Cliff que promueve la nutrición y la vida sana y atrae a asistentes de todo Estados Unidos.

Es consejera delegada de Global HR Solutions LLC, una consultora de recursos humanos que presta servicios externalizados de RRHH tanto a escala nacional como mundial. Lleva más de 23 años en posesión de la designación de Profesional Senior en Recursos Humanos (SPHR), el nivel más alto de certificación en su campo.

Anga es actualmente Presidenta del Consejo de la Comunidad del Gran Dallas, una organización benéfica de 80 años de antigüedad dedicada a proporcionar movilidad económica, servicios a la tercera edad y bienestar a la comunidad. También es Vicepresidenta de la Junta de Greenspace Dallas, una organización de restauración y desarrollo medioambiental.

Anteriormente ha sido miembro de la Junta de Antiguos Alumnos de SMU y de la Junta de Antiguos Alumnos Afroamericanos de SMU, donde fue una de las impulsoras de la creación de la Beca para Antiguos Alumnos Negros de SMU. En 2016, se creó un premio anual en SMU en su honor. El Premio Anga Sanders al Impacto en la Comunidad se concede cada año a un estudiante de la SMU que haya demostrado constantemente dedicación y activismo personal en el campus o servicio en la comunidad local.

En su tiempo libre, Anga se dedica a diversas actividades interesantes, como leer, viajar, dar de comer a los sin techo, hacer parapente y tirolina.

Conozca a la Chef Amber Williams - nativa de Oak Cliff, TX, criada en casa en una mezcla de cultura y sabores de Texas y Louisiana, lo que despertó su inmenso amor y pasión por hacer de la comida una experiencia inolvidable como el trabajo de su vida.

Desde 2014, la CEO y Chef Ejecutiva de su compañía Le Rouge Cuisine, han estado curando experiencias culinarias elevadas para su clientela Corporativa, Privada/Exclusiva y de Eventos Especiales para disfrutar - todo con un toque de Fusión Criolla y encanto sureño.

Chef Amber, un producto de un desierto de alimentos, amplió su alcance al echar una mano a las comunidades como la que ella creció en que sufren de disparidades alimentarias a través de su nueva empresa - Sobrevivir al Desierto de Alimentos Proyecto - un centro de recursos de equidad alimentaria se centra en proporcionar alimentos sostenibles y saludables y estilo de vida herramientas educativas, programación y productos. En noviembre de 2023, Amber lanzó su primer proyecto en el marco de la iniciativa, un libro de cocina y una guía de recursos adaptados al desierto alimentario titulados "Surviving The Food Desert Cookbook & Resource Guide"."

Después de compartir su experiencia y conocimientos culinarios en los canales de noticias locales, la televisión nacional y los medios de comunicación, como Food Network, USA Today y Essence Magazine, la culinaria espera ahora unir fuerzas y ayudar a las empresas y organizaciones a facilitar el acceso a alimentos sanos y sostenibles a través de su nueva iniciativa de utilizar los conocimientos culinarios y alimentarios para aportar un enfoque holístico que cambie la mentalidad y la vida de quienes sufren disparidades alimentarias.

La misión de la chef Amber no es sólo crear experiencias que vuelvan a situar la buena comida en el centro del entretenimiento y las cenas, sino también difundir un mensaje de ingenio y resistencia a quienes desean y merecen una mejor calidad de vida, alimentada por el conocimiento del propio cuerpo y la exploración de alimentos frescos, saludables y deliciosos.

Con más de 15 años de experiencia en el desarrollo de empresas sociales, la perspicacia y amplitud de conocimientos de Elizabeth Wattley le permiten dirigir Forest Forward con una profunda experiencia. Dedicada a impulsar el desarrollo económico en South Dallas/Fair Park, manteniendo al mismo tiempo la rica historia, cultura y orgullo de la comunidad, Elizabeth es una arquitecta de la comunidad.

Ya sea ampliando lo que funciona, pensando en formas innovadoras de aumentar el impacto a través de organizaciones sin fines de lucro y empresas, curando estrategias de desarrollo o construyendo redes de impacto colectivo, está dedicada a la infusión de recursos a las comunidades más desatendidas de Dallas.

Antes de unirse a Forest Forward, Elizabeth dirigió iniciativas transformadoras en CitySquare como Directora de Iniciativas Estratégicas y en Paul Quinn College como Directora de Aprendizaje de Servicio. Durante su estancia en el Paul Quinn College, dirigió los esfuerzos para transformar el campo de fútbol no utilizado de la universidad en una granja orgánica reconocida a nivel nacional para combatir el acceso a los alimentos. En estas funciones fue capaz de catalizar el crecimiento concentrado en el sur de Dallas, al tiempo que recaudaba millones de dólares para hacer frente a las desigualdades en educación, alimentación, vivienda y atención sanitaria.

Debido a su compromiso con Dallas y sus residentes, en 2020 el Dallas Business Journal otorgó a Elizabeth el codiciado premio 40 Under 40 Award. En 2021, Elizabeth fue galardonada con el premio SMU Cox Outstanding Young Alumni, y en la primavera de 2022, Elizabeth fue nombrada una de las 78 mujeres que hacen grande a Dallas por DMagazine. En 2024, Elizabeth fue nombrada Axios Dallas Power Player, que reconoce a los jóvenes que crean el futuro del norte de Texas. Elizabeth completó sus estudios universitarios en economía en el Spelman College de Atlanta y obtuvo su MBA en la SMU Cox School of Business con especialización en estrategia y emprendimiento.

Jess Garland es una cantautora, grabadora e intérprete afincada en Dallas. Es una multiinstrumentista que combina arpa y loops de guitarra para evocar su marca única de pop vanguardista celestial con tonos de jazz etéreo. Jess se ha convertido recientemente en miembro de la Academia de la Grabación. Recientemente ha aparecido en la revista Modern Luxury Magazine como Power Player de diciembre de 2023/enero de 2024 por Visit Dallas. En mayo de 2024, recibió el premio a la Emprendedora del Año 2023 del Chase Bank. También ha sido recientemente portada de Guitar Girl Magazine y Dallas Weekly en junio de 2023. Recientemente, Jess compartió escenario con la Dra. Opal Lee y Erykah Badu en el Juneteenth Freedom Walk en Fair Park para Visit Dallas. Jess fue telonera de The Suffers en Tulips en abril de 2024 y también actuó con Kam Franklin de The Suffers y The Bayou City Comeback Chorus en el Wortham Theater con Performing Arts Houston en enero de 2024. Produjo y actuó en la temporada 22-23 del Elevator Project en el Wyly Theatre estrenando su arpa láser impresa en 3D. Jess actuó como telonera de Dru Hill en la Juneteenth Block Party 2023 de la Deep Ellum Foundation. Jess actuó y presentó una charla para TEDx titulada Facing The Music: Finding Your Purpose en octubre de 2022. Jess también ha sido telonera de MNDSGN, artista de Stones Throw, y de Adia Victoria, artista de Warner Music Group. Actuó en el histórico Kessler Theater el 3 de junio. Jess agotó las entradas para un concierto en el Undermain Theatre el 19 de febrero de 2022. En 2021, Jess fue telonera de Jackie Venson y Hayden Pedigo. También ha sido telonera de Gingger Shankar y Madame Gandhi. Jess también ha actuado con The Suffers y The Seratones. Recientemente, Garland recibió el premio Leyenda Local en Nashville, TN de manos del Director Creativo de Wild Turkey, Matthew McConaughey, por mantener viva la música en Dallas.

En mayo de 2021, Jess estrenó "Harp & Sol", que es una película de arte y composición musical centrada en el racismo medioambiental en Dallas y el feminismo negro. Jess coprodujo la película y compuso música para Their Lives Mattered: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement.

Jess se ha asociado con She Shreds Media y ha aparecido en Guitar Girl Magazine y Kyser Presents Locals. Jess también ha trabajado con otras marcas de guitarra como D'Addario para la financiación y suministros para Swan Strings. Jess patrocinó el álbum de vinilo de Deep Ellum 100's Sounds of Deep Ellum que se publicó en Idol Records. Como artista de grabación, Jess apareció en el álbum + 2 de Ataraxia Trio "Nights Enter" publicado en Ayler Records en marzo de 2021. También participó en la canción que da título al proyecto Truth to Power, una iniciativa local de recaudación de fondos publicada en junio de 2021 con motivo del Día de las Tiendas de Discos. Es la arpista principal en el álbum Slaves for Gods de These Machines are Winning, así como en el álbum de Sunshine Village, The Buffalo Trees Saved The Children of The Sun. Su primer single, "Glow", ya está a la venta. Su single más reciente, "I Tried (Live Again)", ya está disponible en todas las plataformas de streaming.

Jess es también Presidenta y Directora Fundadora de Swan Strings y ha sido nombrada recientemente Directora Ejecutiva de Girls Rock Dallas. Forma parte del Consejo de Administración de Decolonizing the Music Room, Friends of WRR 101.1 FM y Girls Rock Camp Alliance. Ha formado parte de la junta milenaria de The Black Academy of Arts & Letters, de la junta auxiliar de The AT&T Performing Arts Center y del Consejo de las Artes de Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts. Jess también participó en el 2023-2024 Racial Equity Now Cohort en Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation.

Jim Neil, Chief Executive Officer, USL Super League Dallas Team (Dallas Trinity FC) 
Co-founder and CEO of Churchill Capital Company (established 1995). Churchill is a Real Estate Investment Bank which also invests for its own account (based in Dallas). Jim has been in the commercial real estate business in Dallas since 1980.
Jim received his MBA from the Harvard Business School and his BA from Yale University and has been a guest lecturer at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Jim played Varsity Soccer and Baseball at Yale, 1973-1976.  He was a starter on Yale’s first soccer team to compete in the NCAA postseason tournament in 1973, where Yale was eliminated in the round of 16. 
Jim has also been heavily involved in coaching youth soccer and baseball in Dallas for over 35 years.  He is past President of the Dallas Amateur Baseball Association and coached two youth girls’ soccer teams.  Jim has also been a major donor/supporter of the US Deaf National Women’s and Men’s Soccer Teams for the past 20 years.  
Jim and his wife Jean were also instrumental in helping Ursuline Academy (Dallas) develop a girls soccer field in 2014.  The Neil’s assisted in a 15-year process to get the necessary approvals and entitlements and then joined a capital campaign to pay for the state-of-the-art facility.
Jim (with his partners at Boxer Property Company) also acquired and redeveloped a 1.2 million square foot shopping mall in Fort Worth and turned it into an Hispanic themed town center catering to the local Hispanic Community, generating scores of jobs for local minority communities, and producing many millions of dollars of additional revenue for the City of Fort Worth.  

Charlie Neil, President, USL Super League Dallas Team (Dallas Trinity FC) 
Charlie Neil serves as Club President for USL Super League Dallas. Born & raised in Dallas, Charlie was an 8-time varsity letter winner in soccer and baseball at Yale University before being drafted in the 2012 MLB Player Draft, spending time as a professional baseball player in the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals player development systems. A graduate of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Charlie worked in the League Economics and Operations group at Major League Baseball’s Office of the Commissioner before spending time in Baseball Operations with the Texas Rangers. Most recently, Charlie served as a senior executive for a sports technology company specializing in customer data insights & generating revenue for major league sports teams, leagues, and media companies.

Trip Neil, Chief Operating Officer, USL Super League Dallas Team (Dallas Trinity FC)
Trip played soccer in North Texas for Comets ’85.  He graduated from St. Mark’s School of Texas and went on to play at Johns Hopkins University.  His teams went 68-8-10, setting a record for fewest losses.  He collected 2 ECAC Championships, 2 Centennial Conference championships, and made the NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite 8.  
Trip holds a BA in economics from JHU and an MBA from Duke University.  He is a Partner for Churchill Capital Company. 
In 2004, Trip was selected to the US Deaf Men’s National Soccer Team.  He has attended 2 Deaf Pan American Games, 4 Deaf World Cups, and 3 Deaflympics.  He holds the record for most International Caps of any US Deaf soccer player (50), most consecutive international tournaments with a goal (5), most consecutive matches earning a cap (43), oldest player to score a goal (39), and longest tenured captain (10 years). He captained the team that won the 2019 Deaf Pan American Championships.
Trip served on the board of USA Deaf Soccer Association from 2010-2023, including time as President.  He has extensively supported both the women’s and men’s deaf national teams.  In 2022, he successfully led the Deaf National Teams into the US Soccer Extended National Team program where all players are now treated equally (funding, staff, gear, access, opportunities, competitions, etc.).
Trip serves on the board of PowerSense, a North Texas nonprofit, which helps create communities for deaf and hard of hearing children, family, and friends.
He was elected to US Soccer’s Athletes’ Council in 2023.  His wife (Whitney) worked for the Dallas Mavericks from 2012-2018, after time at the NBA, WNBA, and Duke Athletics.  They are die-hard Dallas sports fans and proud parents to 2 girls and a boy.

Dori Neil Araiza – Dallas Trinity FC Founder & Principal 
Dori Neil Araiza, an SMU alumna, began her professional career in 2009 in marketing at L’Oreal in New York before founding her own advertising firm in 2011. Neil Media Group represented various publications such as Allure Magazine, Inc. and Modern Luxury’s National Portfolio. Beyond her professional achievements, Dori is actively involved in her community as the former President of the Preston Hollow Early Childhood Association, current committee member for Cattle Baron's Ball, and co-chair of the Catholic Foundation, where she helped raise over $1 million for charitable causes. Balancing her entrepreneurial pursuits, Dori is also a mother of four children - two of whom she coaches in soccer, alongside her dad, Jim Neil. As passionate advocates for sports and for championing their community, Dori and her family founded Dallas Trinity FC, Dallas’ first professional women’s soccer team, deeply rooted in family values. Her commitment to philanthropy and community leadership underscores her dedication to making a positive impact both on and off the field.

Jenny Glenn – Dallas Trinity FC Founder & Principal 
Jenny Glenn grew up in Dallas, TX where she was a two-time soccer state champion at Ursuline Academy. She then went to continue her soccer career at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN where she played soccer all four years and met her husband, David Glenn. At Rhodes, Jenny majored in Business and was also a member of the Tri Delta sorority. After graduation, Jenny moved back to Dallas and started her career in banking. She then joined Goldman Sachs in their Private Markets Investment and Lending division where she underwrote over $2 Billion in financing commitment for alternative investment managers across private credit, private equity, and other asset classes. After three years at Goldman, Jenny joined her father Jim Neil’s company Churchill Capital. In her first year at Churchill, Jenny closed over $56 million in principal and brokerage transactions generating over $700,000 worth in fees to the company.
When Jenny is not working on real estate transactions or helping her family launch the first professional women’s soccer team in Dallas, she enjoys spending time at her family Ranch in Graford Texas. She and her husband love traveling, going out to dinner with friends, and playing with their nine (9) nieces and nephews.