Leadership North Texas Announces Lineup for Class 8

The North Texas Commission, a regional consortium of businesses, municipalities and higher education institutions that markets, advocates and fosters collaboration for the North Texas region, announces the members of Leadership North Texas Class 8. Leadership North Texas is a graduate-level, regional leadership program that recruits, develops and supports stewards of our region.

Oncor is presenting sponsor for the program.

Class 8 is made up of 32 leaders from across North Texas in a variety of industry sectors including elected officials, municipal leaders, executives from DFW International Airport, higher education leaders and the business community.

Since the program launched in 2008, Leadership North Texas has graduated more than 200 leaders including a State Representative, numerous mayors and city council members, a county commissioner, business and non-profit executives and higher education leaders.

“Leadership is built on a foundation of knowledge, understanding and collaboration,” said Marcy Sherman, interim president and CEO of the North Texas Commission. “Leadership North Texas has proven to be instrumental in bringing together the various stakeholders of our region to build a bonded, educated group working together to plan for North Texas’ future.”

Leadership North Texas meets one day a month, September through May and covers topics such as regionalism, the North Texas economy, education and workforce, the cost of incarceration on a community and transportation and sustainability.

The 2016-2017 Leadership North Texas Class will include the following:

Dean Ahmad, AVP – Business Group, DFW International Airport

Geoff Bailey, Director of Communications, Oncor Electric Delivery

Chris Bhatti, Assistant Dean, Development & Alumni Relations, UT Dallas

Rebecca Caso, Attorney, Law Office of Rebecca Egelston Caso

Priscilla Cauley, Manager, Process Improvement, Parking Business Unit, DFW International Airport

Melissa Cooksey, Associate and Project Manager, Lauckgroup

Jesse Crawford, AVP, Community Engagement, DFW International Airport

Joseph DeWoody, Owner/President, Clear Fork Royalty

Alton Dixon, Purchasing Manager and Chaplain, City of Lancaster

Josh Floren, President, Texas Health Plano

Dresdene Flynn-White, Managing Director, Acquired Leadership Solutions

Marquis Fomby, Judicial Security, United States Marshal Service (DOJ)

Marta Goméz Frey, Director, Collin SBDC at Collin College, Councilmember, City of Richardson

Rick Glancey, Director, Government Relations, Tenet Healthcare

Rick Grady, Councilmember, City of Plano

Shannah Hayley, Director of Marketing & Community Engagement, City of Plano

Sherre Holmes, Contract Specialist, DART

Julia Hunt, Assistant Northern Region Manager, Trinity River Authority

Cliff Keheley, City Manager, City of Mesquite

Michael Koenig, Manager, DFW International Airport

Sean Madison, President, Trinity River Campus, Tarrant County College

Jami McCain, Vice President, Church on the Hill and Councilmember, City of Cedar Hill

Ruth McGuffey

Jason Meyer, Executive Vice President and Partner, Cooksey Communications

Alison Novak, Medical Staff Coordinator, Terrell State Hospital

Jon Oberdick, Manager, Marketing Communications, DFW International Airport

Brian O’Neill, Principal, Pacheco Koch

Melissa Sanden, Director of Client Management, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas

Bill Saunders, EVP, Production, CM Productions, Inc.

Susie Spartano, Regional Volunteer Office, American Red Cross

Melissa Valadez-Cummings, Assistant City Manager, City of Cedar Hill

Kristi Valentine, President & CEO, Coppell Chamber of Commerce

Established in 1971, the North Texas Commission is a regional non-profit consortium of businesses, cities, counties, chambers of commerce, economic development entities and higher education institutions in the North Texas Region. The North Texas Commission improves the economic vitality, infrastructure and lifestyle of North Texas by marketing the region, promoting collaboration and advocating on critical issues.

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