Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF) is now selling tickets for its expanded Leadership Forum & Awards Celebration for $144. The price includes a day of learning and leadership for the community on April 27, 2023, at the Omni Dallas Hotel (555 S. Lamar St, Dallas, TX 75202). 

The price, which is reduced from $400 last year, includes the Leadership Forums with the 2023 Maura Women Helping Women and Young Leader recipients discussing their journey from 4:00-5:45 p.m. The ticket also includes the Awards Celebration and dinner, with panel discussions led by Jenna Bush Hager, best-selling author and co-host of NBC’s TODAY.

Hilda Galvan, TXWF chairwoman and selection co-chair, said, “We invite you to join us for an uplifting day to hear from women who have made a significant impact in breaking barriers in education, nonprofits, finance, law and more—especially as it relates to women and girls. Plus, our tickets are less than half of what they were last year, so that more can attend.”

From 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., the Foundation hosts #BESTSELF a half-day empowerment program for girls ages 13 to 16 with invited students from Young Women’s Preparatory Network schools in Fort Worth and Dallas, Richardson ISD, Solar Preparatory for Girls (Dallas ISD), Lemon Aide Society (nonprofit) and Stand 4 Sisterhood (nonprofit).

Maura Women Helping Women Award:

For 44 years, the Maura Women Helping Women Award has been presented to more than 220 courageous individuals who have catalyzed change for women and girls.

Brenda Jackson, selection co-chair, and Hilda Galvan, TXWF chairwoman and selection co-chair, led the committee to select the following honorees. Their forums and times are listed. 

4:00-4:45 p.m. Breaking Economic Barriers, sponsored by Texas Capital Bank

Froswá Booker-Drew, Ph.D. (Dallas, TX)

Building meaningful and fruitful collaborations for the betterment of the community is what Dr. Booker-Drew has spearheaded for years. This conversation will cover how organizations can thrive with measurable and meaningful impact, and how their philanthropic investment can drive that impact. It will be centered around the importance of making connections in order to break down barriers and build partnerships to support the economic growth of the non-profit community to make the necessary change we all seek in our communities.

4:00-4:45 p.m. Young Leader Forum: Empowering Community & Teaching Financial Freedom, sponsored by Amazon 

Ann Sheu, Mpowered Journey (Dallas, TX)

“Professor” Bee Nance, Generation Teach (Katy, TX)

For generations, women have invested the lion’s share of their resources into their families and communities, so they thrive. This sessions features the work Sheu and Professor Nance are doing to build up communities through their leadership and expertise. There will be a conversation about empowering families, businesses and communities to operate at their fullest potential with intentional practices. The forum will also cover the importance of empowering and building up generations by teaching the value of financial freedom.

4:00-4:45 p.m. Championing Upstanders, sponsored by Haynes & Boone

Mary Pat Higgins (Dallas, TX) 

The gateway to understanding is through education that opens the minds and hearts of individuals. This conversation will be centered around the value of using education as a tool to bridge cultural gaps. Higgins has been instrumental in highlighting our unique stories and celebrating the rich history we all bring to create awareness and appreciation. This meaningful conversation will focus on how people can use education and history to build up future generations as conscious upstanders.

5:00-5:45 p.m. Amplifying Activism, sponsored by Cecilia and Garrett Boone

Aimee Boone Cunningham (Austin, TX) 

Fighting for the rights of all people to live quality lives has been the driving force for Cunningham. This discussion will give voice to the importance of everyone speaking up and speaking out to create equity for women and girls. As a leader in philanthropy, Cunningham will shed a light on how advocacy plays an important role in making impact and how anyone can all take part in amplifying their voices for change.

5:00-5:45 p.m. Building Potential, sponsored by Comerica Bank

Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, Ed.D. (Houston, TX) 

The belief that with guidance and support, women can be the best at whatever they put their minds to has driven Dr. Burillo-Hopkins to create opportunities for young students to thrive. This conversation will focus on the power of education and how it has the ability change the trajectory of lives. Discussions will focus on providing accessibility for all – especially women and girls – so they can realize their full potential to be leaders.

5:00-5:45 p.m. Elevating Representation, sponsored by Thrivent

Jill Louis, Perkins Coie (Dallas, TX) 

Opening the doors for more opportunities, voices and journeys to be heard is key to creating a more vital workforce. This forum will be centered around the work Louis continues to do creating a platform to discuss and give solutions to relevant issues organizations and institutions face. The talk will focus on the power of public and private partnerships to create programs that provide access to the underserved in order to build more diverse and inclusive working environments.

At the Awards Dinner, Jenna Bush Hager will moderate the following discussions: 

·      Leaders in Advocacy: Dr. Froswá Booker-Drew, Aimee Boone Cunningham, Jill Louis, Mary Pat Higgins

·      Leaders in Education: Bee Nance, Madeline Burillo-Hopkins, Ann Sheu

Information/Sponsorships:

Tickets are $144 each. Sponsorships start at $1,000. To learn more about this event, visit https://txwfleadership.org/

For those interested in sponsorship, contact Joy Busch at lfad@txwf.org, jbusch@txwf.org or 917-279-6077.

About Texas Women’s Foundation: 

Texas Women’s Foundation is Transforming Texas for Women and Girls, empowering them to build stronger, more equitable communities. One of the world’s largest women’s foundations, the Foundation raises funding from a broad base of donors, including individuals, foundations and corporations. In Fiscal Year 2022, these resources supported more than $7.1 million in investments that advance economic security and leadership for Texas women and girls through groundbreaking research, advocacy, grants and programs. Since inception in 1985, the Foundation has invested $74 million in women and girls, including $60 million since 2011. The Foundation’s statewide research on issues affecting women and girls provides decision-makers and lawmakers with critical data to inform policies, practices and programs in the state. Its advocacy, grantmaking and innovative programs support solutions that help Texas women and girls thrive. In addition, Texas Women’s Foundation is an acknowledged leader and advocate in the gender lens investing movement and has deployed 100 percent of its assets – endowments, operating investments and donor-advised funds – in a gendered impact portfolio that yields strong financial returns and social benefits to women and girls. For more information, visit www.txwf.org, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram or donate.