About the Irving Schools Foundation

• • Board Member

ISF Committee: Spark Tank

Patty Brauer has been a Board Member of ISF for more than eight years. She is the former Finance Director of the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and now runs her own business specializing in event design and financial services.

She is passionate about helping nonprofits by creating event décor that enhances their gatherings and fundraisers.

Suzette Plaisance Bryan, Ph.D., SPHR, GPHR, SHRM-SCP has an extensive background in human resources, leadership development, and corporate training and development. A former tenured college professor teaching organizational communication courses to both undergraduate and graduate students, Suzette has presented at numerous conferences, including ones in Athens, Greece; Belfast, Ireland; and Vevey, Switzerland. Her work has been published by the Consortium for the Study of Emotional Intelligence in Organizations. She has published book chapters and articles in academic and professional journals and is co-author of Scripts and Communication for Relationships published by Peter Lang Publishing. Suzette worked as head of training for a large organization in Dallas, for Nestle’ Health Science as a leadership and organizational development specialist and for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana as a leadership development consultant. She completed a six-month program in the Foundations of Neuroleadership, earning a Certificate of Distinction. She presently teaches in the Executive Master’s Program at the University of Texas at Dallas and formerly served as Director of the UTD Leadership Center. She is the proud mother of a son, daughter and fur baby, named Falstaff (Shakespeare not beer).

www.linkedin.com/in/suzettepbryan/

ISF Committees: Golf,  Marketing & Development

Ruby Bui is a Project Coordinator at the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

A proud Irving native, she graduated from Irving High School before earning a Bachelor of Science in Victim Studies from Sam Houston State University.

Passionate about community service, Ruby also serves as a board member for the Irving Family Advocacy Center and is dedicated to giving back in every way possible.

ISF Committees: Finance Committee, Marketing & Development Committee, Spark Tank Committee, Golf Committee

Lauren Campbell joined the Irving Schools Foundation Board in 2025 having previously contributed to various community engagement initiatives. She currently serves as the Vice President of Investor Relations at the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, which actively supports and empowers local business and non-profits.

Lauren has lived in the DFW area since 2022 and is a proud Navy veteran. In her spare time, she enjoys staying active and exploring new restaurants. As a single mother to a teenager, Lauren understands the challenges of raising the next generation and is passionate about creating opportunities for students to succeed.

At the Chamber, Lauren encourages investors to live, work, and play in Irving, recognizing the vital role that schools and student success play in this motto. She is committed to helping Irving ISD students, parents, teachers, and administrators thrive, reflecting her dedication to community involvement and educational excellence.

ISF Committees: C2C Store Chair and Manager, Food For Thought

Gwen Craig was born in Pampa Texas and spent her first 16 years there.  She moved to Irving at 16 and enrolled in Irving High School, where she received her diploma. Gwen is a retired educator who spent 20 years serving as teacher’s aide, a Special Education teacher, and a school counselor. From 2010-2013, she served as a trustee for Irving ISD.  She continues to serve in education as a board member for Irving Schools Foundation and has done so since 2013.  Her true passion is maximizing educational opportunities for students and staff in Irving ISD.

Gwen has served in leadership roles in local and district organizations of Irving Retired Personel Association and Association of Texas Professional Educators.  She served as Board Chair for Irving School’s Foundation and is currently serving as Chair of the C2C Store.  Teachers can make an appointment to come and get supplies for themselves and their students.

Gwen enjoys walking and reading, as well as spending time traveling with her husband, Larry. They enjoy spending time with their three children and twelve grandchildren.

ISF Committees: Finance Committee

Max S. Duplant is a consultant and Certified Public Accountant who previously served as Assistant City Manager and CFO for the City of Irving, with prior CFO roles in Beaumont and Groves. Earlier in her career, she was a part-owner of a CPA firm in Port Arthur, Texas, and served as Audit Partner overseeing audits for retail, manufacturing, nonprofit, and governmental entities. Max holds a BBA from Lamar University and contributed to the City of Irving’s Strategic Planning team, which earned the Malcolm Baldrige Award. She has held leadership roles in numerous professional organizations including the AICPA, GFOAT, and the Texas Society of CPAs (TXCPA), where she currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Dallas chapter.

Max’s extensive volunteer work includes service on boards for the Irving Schools Foundation, Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club, Church of the Incarnation, Irving Arts Board, and Bloom Pregnancy Assistance Center. She is a Past District Governor of Rotary District 5810 and has been recognized with several honors, including AICPA’s Outstanding CPA in Government and TXCPA’s CPA of the Year in 2025. She has also been named “Young CPA of the Year,” “CPA of the Year,” and was a finalist for the Dallas Business Journal’s CFO of the Year. In her free time, Max enjoys traveling, competitive dancing, and spending time with her grandchildren.

A native to Dallas, Joanna, spent most of her professional career owning and operating businesses in the Irving area. After earning her BBA from Texas A&M University, she began her career in the multi-family/apartment industry with the Apartment Association of Greater Dallas. Guided by an incredible mentor, Joanna was empowered to learn and grow in an environment where she did not fear failure or repercussions. This nurturing foundation was crucial, as it not only boosted her confidence but also set her on the path to thrive in the multi-family industry as an entrepreneur.

As Joanna will share, entrepreneurship is both immensely rewarding AND incredibly challenging; it is not for the faint of heart. It demands a relentless and unwavering commitment, along with the tenacity to build a business from absolutely nothing into something great. This journey often requires setting aside pride and ego, surrounding oneself with a team of individuals who are not only smarter but also share the same passion and dedication to excellence. It involves taking calculated risks and possessing the courage to try, fail, and try again until success is achieved. Moreover, building a reputation of trust and transparency is paramount. Embracing feedback and accepting responsibility when mistakes or poor decisions occur are essential components of this path.

This approach has been Joanna’s mantra, leading her to build, operate, and sell three successful companies: a customer feedback company (Ellis Partners in Management Solutions), an e-learning and policy and procedure company (Edge2Learn), and a leasing and property management company (Ellis Property Management Services). Joanna’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and the importance of having a strong, supportive team. Her experience underscores the fact that success in entrepreneurship comes from a combination of dedication, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from both successes and failures.

On a personal note, Joanna is a proud mother to two Millennial sons who have followed in her entrepreneurial footsteps and are making their mark in the real estate business. Also, Joanna enjoys walking her adorable mini-Golden doodle, Yogi and exploring new travel destinations. In addition to her family and travel, Joanna is deeply committed to her health and fitness. She is an active member of The Nelson Sports Club, where she not only prioritizes her well-being but also enjoys meeting new people and building meaningful relationships. She previously served on the social committee and currently serves as the chairperson of the fitness committees at the club, contributing her time and energy to improving member experience.

Joanna is thrilled to join the Irving Schools Foundation team. She is passionate about giving back to the community that has played such an important role in her life. Joanna is eager to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Irving students.

Cheryl’s bio is coming VERY soon!

Darin Furbush is a Branch Manager at Link Staffing Service and has been working there for 23 years. He is also a graduate of MacArthur High School and the University of Texas at Arlington.

With over two decades of experience in Human Resources, Dawn Hicks is a seasoned HR professional known for building strong, people-centered workplaces. Throughout her 20+ year career, she has led initiatives across talent acquisition, employee relations, organizational development, and building workplace culture —always with a focus on aligning people strategies with business goals. Beyond the executive table, Dawn has a deep-rooted commitment to service. She actively supports community programs, mentors emerging professionals, and partners with local organizations to create opportunities for underserved populations. Her ability to blend strategic HR leadership with a heart for service sets her apart as a leader who not only drives results but also uplifts those around her. Whether she’s guiding companies through change or helping individuals find their path, Dawn brings integrity, empathy, and purpose to everything she does.

Kimberly Hilley is a community affairs manager with Vistra, and she has been with the company since 2015. Prior to working at Vistra, she worked in government relations and external affairs in The Office of the President for the University of North Texas. She also served as a Legislative Counsel in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kimberly has a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law and a finance degree from Texas Christian University.

Kimberly resides in North Texas with her husband and two daughters.

ISF Committees: Spark Tank, Golf

 Dave is the Vice President of Event Programming & Marketing for American Airlines Center.

Dave brings over 20 years of event experience in music and sports entertainment space. He oversees the booking and marketing for all third party events at AAC as well as work with the Dallas Mavericks & Dallas Stars scheduling games/events. Dave also continues to feed his love of music and entrepreneur spirit with his own entertainment company.

Outside of work, Dave enjoys traveling abroad, golf, hiking National Parks, and live entertainment

Elizabeth Kern serves as the Director, Supply Chain of Micropac Industries, Inc, an aerospace electronics manufacturer providing mission critical products to the space, aerospace, military, medical, and industrial markets.  In her role as Director, Elizabeth is responsible for all aspects of the supply chain including contract negotiations, disruption mitigation, production planning, source selection, and legal compliance.  Elizabeth supports employee development through mentoring, training, education and career coaching.

Elizabeth developed a passion for business as a young girl watching her parents build a thriving business.  Her core business values were established through watching her mother and father build and run a business, nurture their employees, help the community, all while balancing the challenges of raising a family.  She truly embraces a “win – win” philosophy, believing that in all aspects of life, success is measured in balancing one’s passion with the ambitions of others.

Elizabeth has progressed through increasing levels of responsibility supporting and managing purchasing, production planning, Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) implementations, and Government audits.

Elizabeth earned her Masters of Business Administration from the University of Dallas, successfully presenting her team capstone project.

Elizabeth lives in Irving with her husband, Joel, and their two daughters

John Larkin was born and raised in Vermont before beginning a 22‑year career in the United States Navy, serving with distinction in the Submarine Force. Following his military service, he transitioned into the data center industry and joined QTS Data Centers in 2018. John has served as the Site Director for the Irving, Texas facility since 2022, where he leads operations, ensures mission-critical reliability, and supports organizational growth.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from North Carolina State University and a Master of Science in Data Center Systems Engineering from Southern Methodist University.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, John is deeply rooted in his community. He leads music and teaches Sunday School at Grace Baptist Church in Palmer, Texas. John and his wife, Melissa—his partner of 27 years—live on a small hobby farm in Corsicana. They are the proud parents of four adult children (who thankfully do not live with them anymore) and grandparents to one grandson.

ISF Committee: Gala Committee

Kellen Macatee brings 28 years of global business experience in the areas of marketing and sales in software and consulting across multiple verticals. Her current role is Sr Client Executive with Gartner.

She has served on multiple committees for the Las Colinas Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club as well as the Nelson Golf & Sports Club.

Kellen is a graduate of Texas Tech University and is a 28 year resident of Las Colinas. She enjoys spending time with her 14 year old son Thomas where they can be found at the Nelson, on the TPC course or enjoying local restaurants.

Christina Mathis provides leadership, strategic direction and direct administrative responsibility for all aspects of financial operations, clinical quality outcomes and patient experience for Medical City Las Colinas, a 99-bed acute care hospital with more than 500 employees. The hospital offers comprehensive services, including cardiovascular, orthopedic and spine surgery, robotic surgery, neurology, women’s services and a neonatal ICU (NICU). She is passionate about investing in students and has previously served on the Plano ISD Education Foundation board.

Janie Perelman is Assistant General Counsel at Builders FirstSource headquartered in the DFW Area.  Janie heads labor/employment law for BFS, the nation’s largest supplier of structural building products and services to the professional new residential construction market.  Prior to BFS, Janie was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for The Michaels Companies.  Janie headed the labor & employment law, real estate-legal, general liability, and litigation areas and served on Michaels Executive Diversity Council.

Before Michaels, Janie was Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary for Guaranty Financial Group Inc./Guaranty Bank; Associate General Counsel for Zale Corporation; and Associate General Counsel and VP Human Resources for Kitty Hawk, Inc.  Before going in-house, Janie was in private practice in Houston where a large amount of her docket concentrated on Plaintiff’s employment law work.

Janie graduated from the University of Texas with a journalism degree, where she was Vice President of the Students Association, and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston. Janie is Board Certified in Labor and Employment law and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly magazine.  Janie also received recognition as Outstanding Assistant General Counsel- First Chair awards (national); a 2019 Top GC Award Winner, National Diversity Counsel; 2019 Outstanding Senior Counsel-Medium Sized Company – ACC-Texas Lawbook, DFW; and the 2015 Outstanding Associate General Counsel- Small Legal Dept., D CEO Award.

Janie was a past Chair of the Greater Irving/Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce.  In addition, she is a former President of the Association of Corporate Counsel-DFW, a frequent speaker at Labor and Employment Law seminars and was previously a host on Job Talk, a Houston radio show. Janie served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Greater Irving/Las Colinas, Texas Chamber of Commerce.  She also served on the State Bar Committee on Providing Legal Services to the Poor. Janie is active in a variety of legal and community organizations including the Junior League of Dallas as a sustainer.  Janie has served on numerous non-profit boards and is currently on the Board of Directors for the Texas Neurofibromatosis Foundation and the Irving Symphony. Janie’s passion includes helping animals in need and is an avid animal advocate.

Janie was born and raised in Brownsville Texas and is fluent in Spanish.  Her parents were both born in Mexico.

ISF Committee: Gala Committee

Jessica Ragsdale is a Senior Analyst at Toyota Motors North America, where she leads change management initiatives, oversees stakeholder engagement, and drives data-backed decision-making to enhance product prioritization and fulfillment efficiency.

She is originally from Mexico, and moved to Texas in 2017 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Supply Chain Management from The University of Texas at Dallas. After completing her program, she worked 3 years for a nonprofit healthcare system in Irving doing Supply Chain Analytics, and then transitioned to her current role at Toyota.

Jessica is passionate about volunteer work, especially the one benefiting children or education. That is why, when she learned about ISF’s work, she could immediately relate to their mission and wanted to be a part of it.

During her free time, she loves spending time with her husband and two year old son. She also enjoys doing pilates, and traveling every chance she gets.

ISF Committees: Golf Committee, Supplies for Success Committee, Caring and Sharing Committee, Food for Thought Committee

Carol Robinson has been a happy resident of Irving since 2012.

Her career includes 34 years in the financial services sector with focus on mortgage lending and credit risk.

She is passionate about youth empowerment, homelessness, food insecurity and domestic abuse.

Susana’s bio is coming VERY soon!

Brian Summers has lived in Irving almost his entire life. He attended Brandenburg Elementary, Travis Middle School, and graduated from MacArthur High School.

Brian has worked for Consolidated Electrical Distributors since 2011. He’s been the owner of a  bartending service for more than 40 years and enjoys playing Santa Claus during Christmas holidays.

Rachel Wood is a Texas native who attended public schools in the Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District in Baytown. Mrs. Wood is a graduate of Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in History, and she holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Texas

Cheyenne Zokaie is an attorney with extensive experience in civil litigation, consumer finance, and creditors’ rights. Mr. Zokaie brings a wealth of knowledge to Linebarger, currently working in the Dallas office. Mr. Zokaie assists with a variety of litigation procedures.

Prior to this role, he was a senior litigation attorney at Aldridge Pite, LLP, where he specialized in consumer finance, probate issues, title curative, and deceased borrower litigation.

Mr. Zokaie has held leadership positions throughout his career, including supervising attorney at Padgett Law Group, where he managed a team across several departments and ensured compliance with foreclosure, bankruptcy, and litigation processes. As managing litigation attorney at Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, he represented institutional clients in state, federal, and probate courts and led a team across multiple states. His experience extends to overseeing complex foreclosure operations at McCarthy & Holthus, LLP, where he managed the Home Equity and Non-Judicial Foreclosure departments.

Mr. Zokaie is licensed to practice law in Texas and California and is admitted to several federal courts, including the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. He is an active member of the Texas Bar College, serves on the City of Arlington Teen Court Advisory Board, and is a certified attorney/guardian ad litem.

Mr. Zokaie received this Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from the University of Texas in Arlington.

Anne’s bio is coming VERY soon!

David’s bio is coming VERY soon!

Diana Pfaff is the Vice President of Market Communications at Irving Conventions and Visitors Bureau.

Since 2012, Diana has held a board chair for the Dallas Fort Worth Human Society which is a nonprofit organization that gives homeless and unwanted pets a second chance.

Margie Stipes has been an Irving resident since 1955. She and her late husband, John, raised three children together, Randy, now deceased, Larry, and Stacie. Margie worked 30 years as a secretary at American Airlines, receiving the company’s Customer First Award.

She has been active in schools and the community, serving on several bond program committees and with the city’s Charter Review Committee. Margie was president of the Nimitz High School Booster Club for several years and has been a longtime member of both the Keep Irving Beautiful Board and the Irving Schools Foundation Board of Directors.

Margie’s accolades include the High Spirited Citizen Award, Greater Irving Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award, Irving Schools Foundation Gala Award, and multiple local and national PTA awards for extended service. In 2014, she was inducted into the Irving Sports Hall of Fame. Margie is honored to be a namesake for IISD’s John and Margie Stipes Elementary School in south Irving.