Thank you to all who joined in the celebration of the 2023 Irving Schools Foundation Scholars at the 36th Annual Breakfast with the Stars, presented by Nissan, at the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas! ISF donors, sponsors, educators, and the Irving community came together to award 177 seniors with 251 college scholarships, totaling more than $450,000. Thank you for helping us honor these shining stars!
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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.
Randy Randle is a lifelong resident of Irving. He attended Otis Brown Elementary School, Bowie Junior High School and graduated from Nimitz High School. Randy attended The University of Texas at Arlington and received a Business Administration degree in accounting.
Mr. Randle has been married to Lynda for 28 years and has two sons who attended Irving Schools. Randy has long been serving in leadership roles in both our schools and our community. He has served as PTA fundraising chairman, Band Booster president and chairman of baseball concessions for the Booster Club. Randy has served on two campus improvement committees and the District Improvement Committee.
Randy served on the Irving City Council for six years and was chairman of the finance committee. He also served as chairman of the City of Irving Bond Task Force.
Randy has attended the same church for 66 years and serves as a trustee, as well as chairman of the building committee. Randy works in the family business, which has been in Irving for 60 years.
Andy is Vice President and Learning Experience Development Team Manager for Texas Capital Bank.
He has received the Volunteer of the Year Award at Texas Capital for the last two years. Andy continues to volunteer at the Resource Center Community Health Clinic (9 Years), the AT&T Performing Arts Center (6 years), Make a Wish Foundation (5 years), Oak Lawn United Methodist Church Administrative Board (1 year) and the Dallas Titans (9 years), a local softball team where he has coordinated raising over $120,000 to give back to the community in the form of back-to-school supplies, food for a local food pantry and sending children with cancer to summer camp.
Andy has a Masters Degree from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor Degree from Winthrop University.
Kitty has held many leadership positions throughout her 55 years in Irving, TX including founding and serving as past chair for the Community College Association for Texas Trustees. Kitty is presently Chair of the board for the Ranch Academy, a charter school, where she have served on the board since 1998.
All six of her children graduated from IISD as have five of Kitty’s grandchildren as well. In 2011, Kitty and her husband John were named the Irving High Spirited Citizens. Kitty has a genuine heart for the citizens of Irving and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Tracy McNeil is a Senior Sales Agent at Liberty Mutual Insurance/Comparison Insurance Agency. Prior, she retired from Enterprise Rent a Car after 27 years, with her achievements ranking her repeatedly in the top 10% nationwide.
In 2015, Tracy was voted Liberty Insurance Rookie of the Year for both Auto and Home. That same year, she joined ISF, serving on the Board of Directors before taking on the role of Secretary of the Executive Committee. She has volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House Charities for Children and has great passion for the youth in Irving ISD.
Shannon has been a member of the ISF Board since 2019, having previously held the position of Development Chair. He currently serves as the Chief Compliance Officer at CoreLogic, which has its largest office in Irving and is an established corporate partner of ISF.
Shannon has lived in the DFW area since 1995 and in his spare time enjoys traveling, boating, and tennis; he participates on a softball team that has raised over $150K for DFW charities over the past 11 years. While having no children of his own, Shannon is passionate about helping the Irving ISD students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
Michael Kelley grew up attending Irving ISD schools, and now he is serving them as a Trustee. He attended Townley Elementary School and Bowie Middle School and graduated from Nimitz High School in 2001. Kelley worked in manufacturing for 17 years and has been a realtor in Irving for six years. He and his wife, Stefanie, have two sons – a 10-year-old who attends Farine Elementary School and a 3-year-old who will enroll in the district’s tuition-based PreK program at Clifton Early Childhood School.
In addition to his role on the Irving ISD school board, Kelley also serves his community in the following ways: neighborhood association president, vice president of the Irving-Las Colinas ABMUCS and youth baseball coach. He also served on the Irving Parks and Recreation Vision Committee. He has been a member of Fellowship Church for 15 years and serves on the church greeting team.
Brook Tretter joined CoreLogic in 2006 and has held key client-facing and leadership roles throughout her tenure. She is currently responsible for leading the North America insurance sales organization and driving revenue growth and retention through innovative solutions that help insurance companies optimize their underwriting, risk management, and claims practices. She is passionate about driving growth and helping clients achieve their business objectives through strategic partnerships and a customer-centric approach.
Brook holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics from California State University, San Bernardino, where she developed a deep understanding of the science of language and its impact on society. She is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion and is actively involved in various employee resource groups and a founding member of CoreLogic’s PRIDE.
Smita Patel is an assistant vice president and wealth advisor with Frost Wealth Advisors. She joined Frost in 1997 and enjoys helping her clients reach their financial goals. Frost has been an ISF partner and Legacy Gala sponsor for many years.
In addition to being a member of the Irving Schools Foundation Board of Directors, Smita volunteers often with our Food For Thought program, assembling weekend food bags for IISD students experiencing food insecurity. She is honored to be part of ISF and enjoys serving the community.
Smita enjoys cooking, traveling, and visiting family in her hometown of Toronto, Canada.
Andrew Knowlton, a 16-year Irving resident, is a driven professional who was recently appointed to the Irving Schools Foundation’s board of directors. He is currently employed at Spectrum Enterprise as a Program Manager, where he leads cross-functional teams and projects that drive business growth.
Andrew is a dedicated philanthropist and entrepreneur in addition to his professional accomplishments. He co-owns the Irving, TX-based Elite Dance Company of Texas with his wife Tiffany, where they provide top-notch dance education and training to students of all ages. Andrew and Tiffany are also the founders of the nonprofit EDCT Cares Inc whose mission is to inspire a lifelong passion for performing arts by providing dance and theater opportunities to children without access.
Andrew brings a love for education and a commitment to making a difference in the lives of students to the Irving Schools Foundation as a new board director. With his diverse background and wealth of experience, he is well-positioned to make a significant contribution to the Foundation’s mission and vision.
Dr. Kristi Dorman has 28 years of experience in the educational field as a teacher, instructional technologist, and as a building and district administrator.
Currently, she works for an education technology firm where she continues to advocate for teachers.
Annette French is a Staff Assistant for the Assistant Chief Immigration Judge for both DOJ immigration courts in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. She is a Collaborator, Organizer, Time and Travel Recordkeeper and certified Project Manager.
Annette served in the US Navy and was runner-up for Sailor of the Year Award, and was voted Volunteer of the Year in 2000 by the American Legion.
She obtained her Master of Public Affairs degree in Government/Business Relations, from Park University in Kansas City, Missouri.
She is a key communicator among her colleagues, bridging the gap for new employees, and offering valuable contributions to the Irving community. Annette enjoys serving on several committees and boards, being an ambassador, and leading by example.
Nick comes to the Irving Schools Foundation with more than 15 years experience in the transportation and logistics industry, serving as an operations manager, account executive, and front line leader.
Before that, Nick attended and played football for the University of North Texas, being inducted into the 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame for football.
He is extremely excited to be part of the ISF team and to serve the families and community in Irving.
Chris Moore was born and raised in Irving and graduated from Irving High School in 2000. He earned an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from North Lake College and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of North Texas, with a minor in History and a Latin/Mexican American Studies certification.
Chris taught four years at Lady Bird Johnson Middle School before joining the Irving Schools Foundation. His hobbies include reading, playing video games, and disc golf.
Born and raised in Irving, Gabe is excited to bring his love for the community to #TeamISF. After working for the Irving YMCA for 12 years in the youth development and wellness departments, he now looks forward to making ISF programs known throughout the community.
Victoria joins #TeamISF with 18 years of experience in both the non-profit sector and public education. She looks forward to building new relationships with the Irving community for the benefit of students in Irving ISD.
Lori Sims has been involved with ISF for many years in a variety of roles both as a teacher at MacArthur High School and a member of the community. As an audio video production teacher, her students have created videos and slideshows for different events for the foundation over a number of years.
She has served as a volunteer for the Breakfast with the Stars for more than 15 years. Lori has a bachelor’s degree in Business Education from Hardin-Simmons University, and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction-Technology from Grand Canyon University.
She leads the Career and Technology Department at MacArthur as a Co-Department Chair and is currently serving as a Teacher Representative for the ISF board.
Michael R. Huebner is an attorney/owner at The Law Office of Michael R. Huebner, PLLC, a firm that represents clients on estate planning, estate administration, and business issues. Michael is also an Assistant Judge at the Irving Municipal Court, and Vice President of Trinity Casting Service, Inc. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and the Navy Reserve.
Michael earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at Texas A&M University a Master of Business Administration degree in Business Management at the University of Dallas, teaching certificates in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Earth Science at the University of Texas at Arlington, and a Juris Doctor degree at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, now Texas A&M University School of Law.
A resident of Irving since 1962, Michael attended A.S. Johnston Elementary School, Travis Jr. High School, and MacArthur High School. He taught Physics and Chemistry at Nimitz High School for 11 years.
Michael has been General Counsel for the Irving Schools Foundation, Inc. since 2016. He also serves on the boards of the Friends of the Texas State Vietnam Memorial, Inc. and the Irving Family Advocacy Center, Inc.
Magda Hernández, a long-serving Irving ISD employee, was named Superintendent of Schools for the Irving Independent School District in December 2018.
Hernández began her career in the district more than 25 years ago as a bilingual aide before earning her teaching degree from Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Hernández was then a Bilingual and Gifted and Talented teacher at Good and Townley elementary schools before being promoted to Assistant Principal at Townley. She then moved up to the Administration Building, where she has served as Human Resources Staffing and Recruiting Coordinator, Director of Human Resources, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Deputy Superintendent of Administrative Services.
Hernández also held the position of Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in Waxahachie ISD. She graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Educational Administration from TWU. She holds Superintendent Certification from the University of North Texas.
Hernández currently serves as Region 10 Human Resources Advisory Board Member and District IV Representative for the Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators (TASPA). In addition, she serves on the boards of Texas Workforce Solutions and Texas School Alliance.
Crystal Ramirez-Scanio serves as the President & CEO of the Irving Schools Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the students and teachers in Irving ISD. In her role as Executive Director, she is tasked with raising money to support projects and initiatives for which tax dollars cannot be expended, such as innovative classroom projects, scholarships, and funding for valuable learning tools.
Prior to joining the Irving Schools Foundation in 2012, Crystal served in many leadership roles in the Financial and Insurance industries. Formerly with Merrill Lynch in Irving, Crystal spearheaded recruitment events and marketing campaigns while managing relationships with current and potential clients. While at Merrill Lynch Crystal developed a passion for working with others and for helping individuals and businesses identify solutions to their financial needs. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, she was a top sales producer for AXA Advisors in Dallas, Texas.
Crystal earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Texas Tech University and a Certificate in Financial Planning from Southern Methodist University.
Crystal is very passionate about the success of her community and has volunteered for a variety of organizations that promote the advancement of women and children in the DFW area. Crystal serves as President-Elect of the Irving Las Colinas Rotary Club Board of Directors, serves on the Board of Directors of La Cima Club as the Chair of the Membership Council, serves on the Dallas Council for Texas Association of Business, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Irving International Women’s Consortium.
In 2012, Crystal was named by Latino Leaders Magazine as one of their “Top 25 Young Latino Leaders in DFW” because of her commitment to the betterment of the DFW community. In 2013, Crystal was awarded the Women of ALPFA (Association of Latin Professionals in Finance and Accounting) Latina Achievement Award and in 2014, she was honored to have received the 2014 Diversity Ambassador National Award from Nissan Americas. Crystal is a graduate of Leadership Irving and is currently participating in Leadership North Texas. In 2016, Crystal was selected to serve as an Ambassador for the Women’s Leadership Live Conference.
Crystal lives in Irving with her husband, Tony, and their daughter.
Jennifer Shrum is the Scholarship Manager and Digital Specialist for Irving Schools Foundation. Prior to this role, she spent five years volunteering and serving on the ISF Board of Directors.
A native of Duncanville, Texas, Jennifer holds a master’s degree in Media Studies and Management from The New School and a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV/Film from the University of North Texas. Her career prior to the non-profit world has been spent in corporate and freelance television production, teaching at North Texas colleges, trial-based legal media production, and producing digital content for broadcast television stations.
Jennifer is passionate about learning and storytelling of all kinds. Outside of ISF, she is active with the Many Helping Hands Thursday Night Feed for Irving’s homeless, the Online News Association, and the Advisory Board for Tarrant County College’s Radio/TV/Broadcast Program.
When not working, Jennifer enjoys cooking, road trips, live music, reading and loudly debating with her book club, keeping up with former students and colleagues, and spending time with her family.
Kay Branch joins Team ISF after 54 years with Irving ISD as a teacher, counselor, and most recently a Guest Educator. She has volunteered for ISF for at least 15 years and is passionate about what it means to Irving students.
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.
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.
Julie Hillman worked the first 10 years of her career as a public relations practitioner in Utah, and was a public relations manager for the Coalition for Utah’s Future during the launch of its “Envision Utah” project, a public/private community partnership that has been used as a model for similar partnerships throughout the US.
She taught for three years as an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University before changing her career to be a stay-at-home mother to her young children. After moving to Irving, Texas in 2014, Julie discovered a passion for real estate and became a realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Winans in the DFW area.
She and her husband Chris are the parents of four daughters, all of whom have attended school in Irving ISD.
Julie has been involved for many years in programs that benefit youth within local community and church organizations.
Christina Winters is the founder, president, and CEO of Creating & Managing Wealth, LLC and Factory Workers Daughter, LLC. She built her businesses without a college education, starting in 1980 as a financial representative. She moved to Irving in 1987 for a new position of Vice-President at United Resources, where she oversaw five states for the national financial planning firm. She then started her own firm in 1990. In 2016, the US Chamber of Commerce awarded Christina’s firm the honor of being chosen as one of the Top 7 Small Businesses in the US. CMW, LLC was selected based on strategic planning, employee development, customer service, and community involvement.
Christina joined the ISF Board of Directors in 2008. She is the creator of Irving Schools Foundation’s Legacy Gala, chairing the event 2012-2016 and helping raise over $1.8 million during the first years, and chaired again in post-COVID 2022.
Christina beat cancer by adopting a vegan diet and using the power of positive thinking. She says life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it. Her book about her cancer journey, For the Sake of You, was published in 1990.
Her purpose in life is to save people’s lives by making sure they are financially educated and prepared for retirement; she is excited about her life and the impact she can make each day. Christina describes herself as unstoppable, with an infectious, larger-than-life attitude toward everything she does and a passion that inspires those around her.
Christina believes prosperous entrepreneurs blur the boundaries between their personal and professional lives, resulting in a more enriching and satisfying journey. She is a passionate advocate of education and enjoys inspiring women and girls to step up and into positions of power. Supporting this, she has for years conducted classes in local middle schools for at-risk girls. Christina had a radio show on KRLD, Ms. Biz, for three years, telling her audience, “All right, ladies, let’s get your big girl panties on and deal with these finances!”
Her favorite saying is, “I am always in the right place at the right time, talking to the right people, about the right things.”
Mary Sue Daniel is the Client Liaison at Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson.
Andrew Licon has been a board member since January 2015. In 2007, Andrew started off as an Associate Adviser for Frost Brokerage Services and within 6 years he became the Wealth Adviser.
He values hard work and is dedicated to his job which makes him an important part of the Irving Schools Foundation board.
Phil Meaders is the Vice President of Lockwood Andrews and Newnam. Mr. Meaders has constructed many of the Dart Rails in the Dallas- Fort Worth area. From 2002 to 2006 Phil was a Scoutmaster for the Boys Scouts of America and from 2012-2014 he was a Trustee at the Lovers Lane United Methodist Church.
Sarah Thomas is a Senior National Account Executive for American Solutions for Business – a marketing company that focuses on print, promotional products and apparel. In 2010, she moved from Philadelphia to Texas and has lived in Irving Texas for more than a decade and has been on the ISF board for nearly that long! When she isn’t working on Irving Schools Foundation projects or selling items with logos on them… Sarah enjoys all things related to food, fitness and fun!
