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 is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

Anga is founder and executive director of FEED Oak Cliff, a nonprofit initiative aimed at disrupting and eradicating the food deserts of southern Dallas. FEED Oak Cliff is currently engaged in activities designed to result in construction of a community grocery store and healthy neighborhood bistro.

She also founded the Dallas VegFest, FEED Oak Cliff’s annual festival promoting nutrition and healthy living that attracts attendees from all over the United States.

She serves as CEO of Global HR Solutions LLC, a human resources consultancy providing HR outsourced services both domestically and globally. She has held the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation, the highest level of certification in her field, for more than 23 years.

Anga is current Board Chair of the Community Council of Greater Dallas, an 80-year-old charitable organization dedicated to providing economic mobility, elder services and community wellness. She is also Vice Chair of the Board of Greenspace Dallas, an environmental restoration and development organization.

She has previously served as a member of the SMU Alumni Board and the SMU African American Alumni Board, where she was a driving force behind the creation of the Black Alumni of SMU Scholarship. In 2016, an annual award at SMU was created in her honor. The Anga Sanders Community Impact Award is presented each year to an SMU student who has consistently demonstrated dedication and personal activism on campus or service in the local community.

In her free time, Anga engages in a variety of interesting pursuits, including reading, traveling, feeding the homeless, parasailing, zip-lining.

Meet Chef Amber Williams – Oak Cliff, TX native, home grown on a blend of Texas & Louisiana culture and flavors, which sparked her immense love & passion to make food as an unforgettable experience as her life’s work.

Since 2014, the CEO and Executive Chef of her company Le Rouge Cuisine, have been curating elevated culinary experiences for their Corporate, Private/Exclusive & Special Event clientele to enjoy – all with a Creole Fusion flare and Southern charm.

Chef Amber, a product of a food desert, broadened her reach by lending a helping hand to to communities like the one she grew up in who suffer from Food disparities through her newest venture – Surviving the Food Desert Project – a Food equity resource hub focusing on providing sustainable and healthy Food & Lifestyle educational tools, programming & products. In November 2023, Amber released her first project under the initiative, a Food Desert friendly Cookbook & Resource guide entitled, “Surviving The Food Desert Cookbook & Resource Guide.”

After sharing her expertise & culinary knowledge on local news stations, national tv & media outlets, such as Food network, USA Today & Essence Magazine, the culinarian now hopes to join forces and support corporations and organizations bridge the access for healthy & sustainable food through her new initiative to use culinary & food knowledge to bring a holistic approach to change the mindset and lives of those who suffer with food disparities.

Chef Amber’s mission is not only to create experiences that put great food back at the center of entertaining and dining experiences but also to spread a message of resourcefulness and resilience to those who desire and deserve an elevated quality of life, fueled by learning your body and exploring fresh food that’s both healthy and delicious!

With over 15 years of experience developing social enterprises, Elizabeth Wattley's keen insights and breadth of knowledge allow her to lead Forest Forward with a depth of expertise. Dedicated to driving economic development in South Dallas/Fair Park while maintaining the rich history, culture, and pride of the community, Elizabeth is a community architect.

Whether that is scaling what works, thinking of innovative ways to increase impact through nonprofits and businesses, curating development strategies or building networks of collective impact, she is devoted to the infusion of resources to Dallas' most underserved communities.

Prior to joining Forest Forward, Elizabeth led transformative initiatives at CitySquare as the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Paul Quinn College as the Director of Service Learning. During her time at Paul Quinn College, she led the effort to transform the college's unused football field into a nationally recognized organic farm to combat food access. In these roles she was able to catalyze concentrated growth in Southern Dallas while raising millions of dollars to address inequities in education, food, housing, and healthcare.

Due to her commitment to Dallas and its residents, in 2020 the Dallas Business Journal awarded Elizabeth with the coveted 40 Under 40 Award. In 2021, Elizabeth was honored with the SMU Cox Outstanding Young Alumni award, and in the spring of 2022, Elizabeth was named one of the 78 women who make Dallas great by DMagazine. In 2024, Elizabeth was named an Axios Dallas Power Player which recognizes young people creating the future of North Texas. Elizabeth completed her undergraduate studies in economics at Spelman College in Atlanta and earned her MBA at the SMU Cox School of Business with a concentration in strategy and entrepreneurship.

Jess Garland is a Dallas-based singer-songwriter, recording and performing artist. She is a multi-instrumentalist who combines harp and guitar loops to evoke her unique brand of celestial avant-garde pop with ethereal jazz tones. Jess most recently became a member of the Recording Academy. She was recently featured in Modern Luxury Magazine as a December 2023/January 2024 Power Player by Visit Dallas. In May 2024, she received the Chase Bank’s 2023 Entreprenista of the Year award. She was also recently on the cover of Guitar Girl Magazine and Dallas Weekly in June 2023. Jess most recently shared a stage with Dr. Opal Lee and Erykah Badu for the Juneteenth Freedom Walk in Fair Park for Visit Dallas. Jess opened for The Suffers at Tulips in April 2024 and also performed with Kam Franklin from The Suffers and The Bayou City Comeback Chorus at the Wortham Theater with Performing Arts Houston in January 2024. She produced and performed in the 22-23 season of the Elevator Project at the Wyly Theatre debuting her 3D printed laser harp. Jess opened for Dru Hill for Deep Ellum Foundation’s 2023 Juneteenth Block Party. Jess performed and presented a talk for TEDx titled, Facing The Music: Finding Your Purpose in October 2022. Jess has also opened for Stones Throw artist MNDSGN and Warner Music Group artist Adia Victoria. She performed at the historic Kessler Theater on June 3rd. Jess sold out a concert at Undermain Theatre on February 19, 2022. In 2021, Jess opened for Jackie Venson and Hayden Pedigo. She has also opened for Gingger Shankar and Madame Gandhi. Jess has also performed with The Suffers and The Seratones. Recently, Garland was awarded the Local Legend award in Nashville, TN from Wild Turkey’s Creative Director, Matthew McConaughey for keeping music alive in Dallas.

In May 2021, Jess released “Harp & Sol” which is an art film and music composition focusing on environmental racism in Dallas and Black feminism. Jess co-produced the film and composed music for Their Lives Mattered: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement.

Jess has partnered with She Shreds Media and has been featured in Guitar Girl Magazine and Kyser Presents Locals. Jess has also worked with other guitar brands like D’Addario for funding and supplies for Swan Strings. Jess sponsored Deep Ellum 100’s Sounds of Deep Ellum vinyl album to be released on Idol Records. As a recording artist, Jess was featured on the Ataraxia Trio’s + 2 album “Nights Enter” released on Ayler Records in March 2021. She was also featured on the title track of the Billboard charting Truth to Power Project, a local fundraising initiative released on Record Store Day in June 2021. She is the featured harpist on These Machines are Winning‘s Slaves for Gods album, as well as Sunshine Village’s album, The Buffalo Trees Saved The Children of The Sun. Her debut single, “Glow” is out now. Her most recent single “I Tried (Live Again)” is available now on all streaming platforms.

Jess is also the President and Founding Director of Swan Strings and has recently been appointed Executive Director at Girls Rock Dallas. She serves on the Board of Directors for Decolonizing the Music Room, Friends of WRR 101.1 FM and Girls Rock Camp Alliance. She has served on the millennial board at The Black Academy of Arts & Letters, the auxiliary board at The AT&T Performing Arts Center and the Arts Council for Booker T. Washington High School of Performing and Visual Arts. Jess also participated in the 2023-2024 Racial Equity Now Cohort at 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.