Portraits of Dallas

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Dallas.

Dr. Donovan Fredricksen

Following completion of my bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1986, my wife and I married in 1988, and our children were born in 1989, 1991 and 1994. Our earlier family years were wonderful, as I completed both a master’s degree and doctorate (Ph.D.) in education and began a 20+-year career in higher education. Read more>>

Chloe Freeman

I started working the moment I turned 15, and I’ve been working ever since. From the beginning, I knew I wanted to do something that truly helped people. Over the years, I’ve held a wide range of jobs and each one was very different, teaching me something unique. Every role shaped me in its own way, whether it was building resilience, empathy, discipline, or adaptability. Read more>>

James Griffin

I attended the University of Texas at Dallas on a full-tide scholarship and while I was there, I was constantly starting companies. For a long time, I was more of a “wannabe founder” than a successful one, experimenting and learning through trial and error. Read more>>

Danielle Jenkins

At the heart of healthcare transformation is a simple truth: nurses are not just caregivers — they are architects of innovation, leadership, and generational impact. At NursingInStyle Consulting, we believe nursing expertise deserves to extend far beyond the bedside and into the realm of entrepreneurship, community empowerment, and legacy building. Read more>>

Debby Thomas PA-C

My journey into aesthetics began long before AVIA Medical Spa existed. Growing up, I struggled with acne and pigmentation issues and experienced firsthand how thoughtful, medically guided aesthetic care can transform skin and confidence. It showed me how powerful these treatments can be when they’re done with intention, restraint, and care. Read more>>

Mary Pat Elledge

After a Chamber of Commerce meeting, an handful of citizens gathered to speak about how nice it would be recognize the Veterans with a Tribute/Memorial inside the city of Murphy, Texas. Since then, a nonprofit organization Murphy Veterans Tribute was founded in 2017, kand it has been dedicated to raising funds for a special memorial to honor all veterans right in the city of Murphy. Read more>>

Crystal Assad

How It Started: After spending over 23 years as a finance leader and executive in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Food & Beverage (17 years with PepsiCo, 6 years with The Coca-Cola Company) I reached a pivotal point after a company restructuring. I would be required to relocate to Atlanta, GA to remain with my company. Read more>>

Daniela Maria Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas

I was born and raised in Colombia, but my family briefly studied in the US leading me to spend two years learning the culture before we moved back home. In both countries I was regarded as the foreigner; too Colombian for the US and too “American” for Colombia. Read more>>

Steve Wydra

After graduating college at Northern Illinois University, I worked as bouncer at bar while also working in commercial landscaping, owning a small restaurant in Chicago and starting my journey in the gym. The guys I worked with at the bar would lift weights at least 4-5 times per week. I really enjoyed it, not only getting stronger but the friendships that I made. Read more>>

Dennis Sales

My path to golf was unconventional. Before focusing on the game, I competed in professional soccer and played a variety of sports at a high level. That multi-sport foundation shaped how I view athletic development – performance isn’t accidental. It’s built through structure, repetition, accountability, and understanding how the body actually moves. When I transitioned into professional golf, it was humbling. Read more>>

Gene Orozco

This is Gene! I’m the vocalist of Gene Ross. To get started, the band started off as a solo project during COVID. 2023 was the year that I realized that I wanted to pivot from being a solo project to becoming a full fledged band. Read more>>

Tanner Leggett

I am a devoted husband and father of three daughters, married to an exceptional wife who dedicated thirteen years to education. After relocating to Texas in 2008, I began my professional journey with the Texas Rangers Baseball Organization, where I spent a decade managing and performing as the team mascot. Read more>>

Jennifer Davis

Pull the Line: Reclaiming Vitality, Together As an operating room nurse, I’ve spent years listening to women in some of their most vulnerable moments. I hear how they talk about their bodies, their pain, and their expectations for aging. Too often, those expectations are low. One moment changed everything for me. Read more>>

Mary Quattlebaum

Before becoming a therapist, I worked in education for several years. My undergraduate degree is focused on early childhood development. Although I don’t work with young children now, that experience really helps me understand how early developmental disruptions can show up as symptoms later in life. I also come from a family of small business owners. Read more>>

Sarah Janke

I started my journey in grad school, and I had just finished my first interview when everything shifted. I was offered the chance to work in a showroom, and that experience opened my eyes to the other side of the textile industry. It pushed me to see design in a more intentional way. My first launch grew out of that moment. Read more>>

A. Marlene Wofford

2020 was a pivotal year for me. It was the first time in my life where everything truly slowed down and I had the space to turn inward. In that stillness, I came to an honest realization: I was living a life that looked successful on the outside, but wasn’t fully aligned on the inside. Read more>>

Chris Heatherdale

It was January 2021, I had just gotten sole custody of my daughter and the last job that I had was facing massive layoffs. Originally I was supposed to franchise for someone out of Houston and on the very last day of my job when I walked out into the parking lot….. I stopped hearing from the owner of the franchise. Read more>>

Maritza Echevarria

I began my career in insurance in 2008. At the time I was working as a Regional Director of Sales for Verizon Super Pages, and one of my clients Kevin McWhorter was a new Insurance Agent with State Farm. When we met, he immediately said that I was a perfect fit for the industry. Read more>>

Brian Batte

I grew up doing a lot of watersports and then in my 20’s I frequently led youth groups on trips to the mountains, beaches, and local lakes. I also earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship and knew that I wanted to start a business at some point. Starting Aquabeats Kayaking was a natural progression from those experiences. Read more>>

Niha Khan

I’ve always been drawn to creativity. I was an art major and earned my degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from the University of Houston, knowing early on that I wanted a life connected to art in some form. Read more>>

Renata Rhodes

My story began long before my career ever did. As a young child, I found myself helping care for my grandmother and other family members. Even at an early age, caregiving felt natural to me—it was simply how I showed love and responsibility. Read more>>

Brooke Richardson

In 2024, my friend KayLeigh and I were hanging out and joking about starting a side hustle – because why not? We didn’t know what that business would be at first, but after a few months of tossing around ideas, KayLeigh came across our inspiration: a mini art vending machine in New York that created fun, memorable keepsakes. Read more>>

Alesito Machado

I believe everything begins with a thought: lifting your gaze to the sky and asking yourself how far you can fly. That’s how my journey began—by visualizing myself doing everything I had always wanted, as if limitations, fears, barriers, or obstacles didn’t exist. When you imagine yourself as invincible, your mind expands. Read more>>

Alton Phillips

My journey into barbering started long before I ever picked up a set of clippers. Growing up, I watched my mom a single mother hustle by braiding hair on the side while raising my siblings and me. As a kid, I didn’t fully understand what I was witnessing, but I was paying attention. Read more>>

Rosalba Garcia Favela

I started my journey at 22 years old in Atlanta, where I took daily labor cleaning jobs through a woman who later introduced me to her boss, from whom she was receiving subcontracted work. That opportunity became my real introduction to the cleaning industry and gave me hands-on experience in demanding environments. Read more>>

Meissa Negrelli

I’m originally from Brazil and moved to Dallas about 20 years ago. I’ve raised my son here, and I truly love the quality of life, the people, and the opportunities. I began my career in marketing for an international movie theater company, but after key life experiences, I felt a deep calling to help others. Read more>>

ZOEY TRAN

I founded Jeelook in 2013, right after graduating from university in Vietnam with a degree in marketing. After working for several years and saving a small amount of money, I started the brand as an online shop focused on sustainable, handmade jewelry and leather goods. Read more>>

Stephanie Michelle

Good Health Geek was created to address a persistent disconnect between people and their health. There’s no shortage of information, but very little of it is absorbed, retained, or applied in daily life. Most wellness efforts fail because they rely on people to self-educate in an environment that already competes for their attention. Read more>>

Dr. Tash Mac

From Courageous Rebirth to Becoming UNBROKEN NOW. I did not just endure grief. I decoded the architecture grief disrupts. I did not set out to become known as the Grief Pathway Doctor. I became her because I could not find language for what was happening to me or to others. Grief, exhaustion, burnout, fear, and collapse are not the problem. They are signals of incoherence. Read more>>

Jessilyn Edwards

How I Got Here — and What I’m Building Now My path into this wasn’t some grand plan. It was built through experience and a season of my life when everything I thought was solid and secure but it wasn’t. I was working for Humana as a career field sales agent, helping seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities figure out Medicare and insurance. Read more>>

Michelle Castle

I got my start in the mortgage industry in 1996, and for a long time I measured success the way most high-performing salespeople do: production, performance, and the numbers on the scoreboard. I built a strong career and have ranked in the top 1% of the nation year after year, while becoming known for helping people make smart home and real estate decisions. Read more>>

Jessica Chance

I’ve been a registered nurse since 2011, a nurse practitioner since 2018. I’ve always loved science, the incredible workings of the human body, and helping patients and families navigate health challenges. After working in the healthcare field for over ten years, in critical care, education, and transplant, I recognized how much patients and their families have to advocate for themselves in the healthcare system. Read more>>

Angela Sham

I immigrated with my family from South Africa in 2000. Fortunately, I was granted an O1 Visa because of my expertise in Classical Ballet and my affiliation with the Royal Academy of Dance, an international organization. I hold RAD RTS status. I was trained in Johannesburg and owned a dance school there before I immigrated. Read more>>

Jordan Funk

I had an early start to art thanks to my grandmother, who is a painter. She is a folk artist, and she would watch me after school while my mom worked. Read more>>

Lukas Nathanson

I was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, and got into music very early. I started creating music at home as a kid, which eventually led to me signing my first publishing deal at 16. My parents actually had to sign the contract for me. Read more>>