Leadership North Texas Announces Lineup for Class 9

The North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership dedicated to advancing the vibrancy of the North Texas region, announces the members of Leadership North Texas Class 9. 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 9 is made up of 33 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 230 leaders including a State Representative, numerous mayors and city council members, a county commissioner, business and non-profit executives and higher education leaders.

“Our region is unique with two major anchor cities, as well as 12 other cities with a population of more than 100,000,” said James D. Spaniolo, president and CEO of the North Texas Commission. “Leadership North Texas has proven to be instrumental in bringing together to form bonds and develop solutions.”

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 2017-2018 Leadership North Texas Class will include the following:
Judith Allen, President and CEO, Communities In Schools, Dallas Region
Geoff Bailey, Director of Communications, Oncor Electric Delivery
Harper Bateman, Associate Principal, Corgan
Kristina Brevard, VP, Strategic Planning & Development, Denton County Transportation Authority
Jeri Chambers, Junior League of Collin County
Drew Dietrich, Economic Development Manager, Town of Addison
Matt Foster, Regional Director of External Affairs, AT&T
Klint Guerry, General Manager, Sewell Automotive Companies
Deborah Helton, Emergency Management Administrator, DFW International Airport
RaDonna Hessel, CEO, Grapevine Chamber of Commerce
JoAnn Jensen, Agent, New York Life
Tammy Korns, Development & Outreach Manager, Plano Public Library
Mike Land, City Manager, City of Coppell
Valerie Landry, General Manager, The Sanford House Inn & Spa
Martin Lujan, Director, Government Relations, UT Arlington
Sean Madison, President, Trinity River Campus, Tarrant County College
Steve Mason, President, Mayor Pro-Tem, City of Cedar Hill, MAS-TEK
Wendle Medford, Assistant City Manager, City of Forney
Cory Montfort, Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, The Montfort Group
John Mulcahey, Director, State Farm Insurance Companies
Erica Mulder, Vice President, Governmental Relations & Communications, Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Archie Nettles, Jr., Veteran Liaison, The University of Texas at Dallas
Ajith Pai, Professional & Support Services Officer, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Kaufman
Andrea Russell, VP, Reliant Retail, NRG/Reliant
Jeff Schnick, Editor-in-Chief, Dallas Business Journal
Sushma Sharma, Director, DFW Hospital Council Foundation
Shelli Siemer, Assistant City Manager, City of Allen
Tom Siems, AVP and Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Mike Smiddy, Vice President, United Building Maintenance
Charmaine Solomon, Founder & Chairman of the Board, My Possibilities
Steve Stoler, Director of Media Relations, City of Plano
Rona Stringfellow, Assistant City Manager, City of Lancaster
Cordelia Tullous, Managing Director, Step Up

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.