Fourteen dynamic leaders in the Dallas community have been recognized with the Community First Award: Sponsored by Parkland Foundation.
The 2020 class is the third to be honored with the new award, created to shine a light on individuals who use their time and talent to help their neighbors in need. The 2020 Community First Award recipients include:
Neda believes that having a solid foundation in literacy and education can help members of our community reach their full potential. To that end, she has worked tirelessly to help provide grants and scholarships for female high-school students who are emerging leaders in low-income DISD schools.
Lauren is committed to building a stronger Dallas for all our neighbors. She works to ensure that the unique needs of women and girls are being considered as organizations work to solve the complex problems facing our community.
Aubrey uses his talents to help his fellow citizens in Dallas by mentoring future engineers and attorneys, advocating for equitable workplace environments and working with civic leaders to address issues related to food deserts and lack of broadband access throughout Dallas County.
Focused on transformational change, Allison is personally and professionally committed to providing equal opportunities for all children, advancing youth through education and ensuring a safe haven for those in need. She enjoys running, volunteering, and spending time with her husband and their golden retriever.
Michelle is a staunch advocate for equity and access in our community. In her professional role, she oversees Texas Capital Bank’s philanthropic grant processes, ensuring that every dollar and every volunteer hour the bank invests has a maximum positive impact.
In his professional role, JC helps minority entrepreneurs scale their businesses. In addition, he works with local school districts to encourage students to continue their education.
Through his work at Jubilee Park, Ben is an agent of change in Southeast Dallas. In his nine-year tenure, the organization has been recognized as a national model for community revitalization and has seen measurable increases in homeownership, income, safety, and academic attainment.
Stephanie works to eliminate disparities and inequities by advocating for changes to public policies. She oversees United Way’s public policy/advocacy work, which has included efforts for the state to support telemedicine in schools, provide community grants to mental health collaborative and increase funding for child abuse prevention services.
Cristal’s passion is to empower future leaders through civic engagement. With more than a decade of experience in the government and community relations space, she advocates for more equitable solutions to the issues facing our community. Everyone has a story and we can all learn from them if we just take the time to listen.
Renita has a passion for facilitating the partnerships between corporate and community to build a better Dallas. She uses her talents to promote education initiatives and spearhead diversity and inclusion efforts. She serves on boards for Chase’s Place and First3Years, and is actively involved with the Junior League of Dallas and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Jenya is committed to organizing volunteer opportunities to benefit underserved communities in Dallas County. She is especially passionate about feeding the hungry and creating opportunities for youth to get involved and aware of their capacity to serve early. Her training makes first-time volunteers become life-long volunteers.
LaDondra’s passion is to connect our underserved populations to resources and opportunities to aide in their success. Her primary goal is to implement positive social impact as a servant leader and change agent. Named a Millennial to Watch as a Community Server, LaDondra serves as the Vice President of the Mayor’s Star Council and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.