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.

Анга Л. Сандерс окончила Южный методистский университет в Далласе, где получила степени бакалавра и магистра.

Анга - основатель и исполнительный директор FEED Oak Cliff, некоммерческой инициативы, направленной на разрушение и искоренение продовольственных пустынь на юге Далласа. В настоящее время FEED Oak Cliff занимается деятельностью, направленной на строительство общественного продуктового магазина и бистро для здоровых соседей.

Она также основала Dallas VegFest, ежегодный фестиваль FEED Oak Cliff, пропагандирующий питание и здоровый образ жизни, который привлекает участников со всех Соединенных Штатов.

Она занимает должность генерального директора Global HR Solutions LLC, кадровой консалтинговой компании, предоставляющей услуги аутсорсинга HR как внутри страны, так и по всему миру. Уже более 23 лет она имеет сертификат Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) - высший уровень сертификации в своей области.

Анга является председателем правления Общественного совета Большого Далласа - 80-летней благотворительной организации, деятельность которой направлена на обеспечение экономической мобильности, помощь пожилым людям и оздоровление общества. Она также является заместителем председателя правления организации Greenspace Dallas, занимающейся восстановлением и развитием окружающей среды.

Ранее она была членом Совета выпускников SMU и Совета афроамериканских выпускников SMU, где она была движущей силой создания стипендии для чернокожих выпускников SMU. В 2016 году в ее честь была учреждена ежегодная премия SMU. Награда Anga Sanders Community Impact Award ежегодно вручается студенту SMU, который постоянно демонстрирует преданность делу и личную активность на кампусе или работу в местном сообществе.

В свободное время Анга занимается различными интересными делами, включая чтение, путешествия, кормление бездомных, парасейлинг, зиплайн.

Познакомьтесь с шеф-поваром Эмбер Уильямс - уроженкой Оук Клифф, штат Техас, которая выросла на смеси техасской и луизианской культуры и вкусов, что вызвало ее огромную любовь и страсть к тому, чтобы сделать еду незабываемой работой всей своей жизни.

С 2014 года генеральный директор и исполнительный шеф-повар ее компании Le Rouge Cuisine, создавала возвышенные кулинарные впечатления для своих корпоративных, частных/эксклюзивных и специальных мероприятий для клиентов - все с креольским фьюжн флейром и южным шармом.

Шеф-повар Эмбер, жительница продовольственной пустыни, расширила сферу своей деятельности, протянув руку помощи сообществам, подобным тому, в котором она выросла, и страдающим от неравенства в питании, через свое новое предприятие - Surviving the Food Desert Project - центр ресурсов по обеспечению продовольственного равенства, сосредоточенный на предоставлении образовательных инструментов, программ и продуктов для устойчивого и здорового питания и образа жизни. В ноябре 2023 года Эмбер выпустила свой первый проект в рамках этой инициативы - поваренную книгу и справочник по продовольственным пустыням под названием "Surviving The Food Desert Cookbook & Resource Guide"."

Поделившись своим опытом и кулинарными знаниями с местными новостными станциями, национальными телеканалами и СМИ, такими как Food Network, USA Today и Essence Magazine, кулинар теперь надеется объединить усилия и поддержать корпорации и организации, чтобы расширить доступ к здоровой и устойчивой пище через свою новую инициативу по использованию кулинарных и пищевых знаний для внедрения целостного подхода, чтобы изменить мышление и жизнь тех, кто страдает от неравенства в питании.

Миссия шеф-повара Эмбер заключается не только в том, чтобы создать опыт, который вернет отличную еду в центр развлечений и обедов, но и в том, чтобы распространить послание о находчивости и стойкости для тех, кто хочет и заслуживает повышенного качества жизни, подпитываемого изучением своего тела и исследованием свежих продуктов, которые одновременно полезны и вкусны!

Обладая более чем 15-летним опытом развития социальных предприятий, Элизабет Уоттли обладает глубокой проницательностью и широтой знаний, что позволяет ей руководить Forest Forward с глубокой компетентностью. Стремясь стимулировать экономическое развитие Южного Далласа/Фэйр-Парка, сохраняя при этом богатую историю, культуру и гордость сообщества, Элизабет является архитектором сообщества.

Будь то масштабирование того, что работает, поиск инновационных путей увеличения воздействия через некоммерческие организации и бизнес, разработка стратегий развития или создание сетей коллективного воздействия, она посвящает себя вливанию ресурсов в самые необеспеченные сообщества Далласа.

До прихода в Forest Forward Элизабет руководила трансформационными инициативами в CitySquare в качестве директора по стратегическим инициативам и в Paul Quinn College в качестве директора по обучению услугам. Во время работы в колледже Пола Куинна она возглавила работу по превращению неиспользуемого футбольного поля колледжа в признанную на национальном уровне органическую ферму для решения проблемы доступа к продовольствию. На этих должностях она смогла стимулировать концентрированный рост южного Далласа и собрать миллионы долларов на решение проблем неравенства в образовании, питании, жилье и здравоохранении.

Благодаря ее приверженности Далласу и его жителям в 2020 году Dallas Business Journal наградил Элизабет желанной премией 40 Under 40. В 2021 году Элизабет была удостоена награды SMU Cox Outstanding Young Alumni, а весной 2022 года журнал DMagazine назвал Элизабет одной из 78 женщин, которые делают Даллас великим. В 2024 году Элизабет была названа Axios Dallas Power Player, которая отмечает молодых людей, создающих будущее Северного Техаса. Элизабет получила высшее экономическое образование в колледже Спелман в Атланте и степень MBA в Школе бизнеса Кокса при SMU с концентрацией на стратегии и предпринимательстве.

Джесс Гарланд - автор-исполнитель, записывающий и исполняющий песни в Далласе. Она является мультиинструменталисткой, сочетающей арфу и гитарные петли, чтобы создать свой уникальный бренд небесного авангардного поп-музыки с неземными джазовыми оттенками. Совсем недавно Джесс стала членом Академии звукозаписи. Недавно в журнале Modern Luxury Magazine она была включена в список лучших игроков декабря 2023/января 2024 года по версии Visit Dallas. В мае 2024 года она получила награду "Предприниматель года 2023" от Chase Bank. Недавно она также появилась на обложке журнала Guitar Girl и журнала Dallas Weekly в июне 2023 года. Совсем недавно Джесс вместе с доктором Опал Ли и Эрикой Баду выступала на Марше свободы Juneteenth Freedom Walk в Фэйр-парке, организованном Visit Dallas. Джесс открыла концерт группы The Suffers в Tulips в апреле 2024 года, а также выступила с Камом Франклином из The Suffers и хором The Bayou City Comeback Chorus в театре Wortham при Performing Arts Houston в январе 2024 года. Она продюсировала и выступала в сезоне 22-23 проекта "Лифт" в театре Wyly, дебютировав со своей лазерной арфой, напечатанной на 3D-принтере. Джесс выступала перед Дру Хилл на блок-пати фонда Deep Ellum в 2023 году. Джесс выступила и представила доклад на TEDx под названием "Facing The Music: Finding Your Purpose" в октябре 2022 года. Джесс также выступала для артиста MNDSGN из Stones Throw и артистки Adia Victoria из Warner Music Group. Она выступила в историческом театре Кесслер 3 июня. Джесс продала концерт в театре Undermain 19 февраля 2022 года. В 2021 году Джесс выступала перед Джеки Венсон и Хейденом Педиго. Она также выступала перед Гингером Шанкаром и Мадам Ганди. Джесс также выступала с группами The Suffers и The Seratones. Недавно Гарланд получила награду "Местная легенда" в Нэшвилле, штат ТН, от креативного директора Wild Turkey Мэттью Макконахи за то, что поддерживает музыку в Далласе.

В мае 2021 года Джесс выпустила фильм "Арфа и соль", который представляет собой художественный фильм и музыкальную композицию, посвященную экологическому расизму в Далласе и черному феминизму. Джесс выступила сопродюсером фильма и написала музыку для фильма "Их жизни важны: A Dialogue Honoring Stolen Lives by Dallas law enforcement.

Джесс сотрудничает с She Shreds Media и была представлена в журналах Guitar Girl Magazine и Kyser Presents Locals. Джесс также сотрудничает с другими гитарными брендами, такими как D'Addario, предоставляя финансирование и материалы для Swan Strings. Джесс спонсировала выпуск винилового альбома Deep Ellum 100 "Sounds of Deep Ellum" на лейбле Idol Records. В качестве артиста Джесс участвовала в записи альбома Ataraxia Trio + 2 "Nights Enter", выпущенного на Ayler Records в марте 2021 года. Она также исполнила заглавный трек альбома "Truth to Power Project", вошедшего в чарты Billboard, инициативы по сбору средств для местных жителей, выпущенного в День музыкального магазина в июне 2021 года. Она является ведущей арфисткой на альбоме These Machines are Winning группы Slaves for Gods, а также на альбоме Sunshine Village The Buffalo Trees Saved The Children of The Sun. Ее дебютный сингл "Glow" уже вышел. Ее последний сингл "I Tried (Live Again)" доступен сейчас на всех потоковых платформах.

Джесс также является президентом и директором-основателем Swan Strings и недавно была назначена исполнительным директором Girls Rock Dallas. Она входит в совет директоров организации Decolonizing the Music Room, Friends of WRR 101.1 FM и Girls Rock Camp Alliance. Она входила в совет тысячелетия Черной академии искусств и литературы, вспомогательный совет Центра исполнительских искусств AT&T и художественный совет Школы исполнительских и визуальных искусств имени Букера Т. Вашингтона. Джесс также участвовала в когорте "Расовое равенство сейчас" 2023-2024 годов в Далласской правде, расовом исцелении и трансформации.

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.