Why I Can’t Wait for This Year’s Women’s Forum — And Why You Should Join Me
By Whitney Fogle Lewis, United to Learn Board of Directors and Women’s Forum Committee
This October, I’ll be co-chairing the first event of United to Learn’s Margaret J. Hirsch Women’s Forum alongside Victoria Brown —and I can already tell you, it’s going to spark conversations that matter. This fall, we’re returning with fresh leadership, new perspectives, and a powerhouse media partner in D Magazine.
Designed to bring together women leaders and community advocates, this forum attracts people (yes, men are welcome!) who are interested in learning about the most pressing challenges facing Dallas public schools and potential levers of change. It’s a chance to expand your perspective, connect with others who care about our city’s future (especially, today’s youngest learners), and leave with insights you can put into motion or have in your back pocket next time the topic arises in casual conversation. Sign up to be first in line when registration opens — I’d love to see you there.
New Women’s Forum Committee Members
Margaret Hirsch, Lindsay Billingsley, and I are excited to announce our new committee members, Gillea Allison, Jordan Brainerd, Victoria Brown, Kathy Crow, Kathleen Gibson, and D’Ann Riemer. Together, we are working to shape a season that combines expert insight, in-depth policy analysis, and lively discussion.
Past forums have covered a wide range of topics and their intersection with education, including housing, private and public school partnerships, healthcare, corporate social responsibility, and compassionate discourse.
Announcing the 2025 Women’s Forum Season
This year’s lineup kicks off on October 16 at Communities Foundation of Texas with a “classroom”-style education policy discussion featuring Bridget Worley, Chief State Impact Officer at the Commit Partnership, with an annual legislative update, alongside Dallas ISD Trustee Ben Mackey, who will share how new school finance policies are affecting Dallas classrooms. The series continues on February 12 with Student Wellness in the Digital Age, a conversation about the impact of technology and digital use on student health, mental well-being, and achievement; and on April 16 with The Impact of AI on the Future Workforce.
What’s in it for you?
- Gain a front-row seat to the most urgent conversations shaping Dallas’s public education system.
- Build high-impact connections with fellow civic leaders.
- Walk away with actionable strategies to drive change in our city’s schools.
RSVP today for our October Women’s Forum —How Recent State Legislation Impacts Our Schools — these events fill up quickly, and you won’t want to miss your seat at the table.
To learn more about the Women’s Forum Committee, including the blog author, Whitney Fogle Lewis, read on.
Meet the Women’s Forum Committee
The Women’s Forum Committee brings together leaders from philanthropy, education, media, law, and business — including representatives from The Hirsch Family Foundation, LAB Strategies, AlTi Tiedemann Global, D Magazine, and more — united in their commitment to accelerating student achievement and expanding opportunity for Dallas’s youngest learners.
Gillea Allison
Gillea is President of D Magazine Partners. She oversees advertising revenue, partnerships, marketing for the D brands, D CEO’s Emerging Women Leadership Network, and the People Newspapers division. She previously held roles as Director of Marketing for the company and Associate Publisher of D Home. Before moving back to Dallas in 2016, she managed and grew Blue State Digital’s key nonprofit, advocacy, and brand accounts and technology suite partnerships in New York. She also worked in political campaigns and served as a brand marketer for Method Soap. She’s an executive board member of Dwell with Dignity and the co-chair of the Texas Women’s Foundation Executive Leadership Council. She lives in Lakewood with her husband, James Ray, and their two toddlers.
Lindsay Billingsley
Lindsay is Founder and CEO of LAB Strategies. She advises nonprofits and philanthropists on strategic planning, branding, and fundraising. Recognition for her work includes D CEO Magazine’s “Top 30 Under 30” and the Dallas Business Journal’s “Heavy Hitter” award. A graduate of SMU’s Cox School of Business (BBA, MBA), she has also chaired several record-breaking charitable events. Today, Lindsay serves on the boards of Dallas Housing Authority, Dallas 24 Hour Club, SMU Dedman College, Teach For America, and United to Learn.
Jordan Brainerd
Jordan is Program Manager at The Rainwater Charitable Foundation. In this role, she supports education and medical research initiatives. Previously, she was the founding Executive Director of The Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas. She also managed large research programs at two NCI-designated Cancer Centers. Jordan currently serves on the boards of the Visiting Nurse Association and The Lamplighter School. She holds an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in political science from the University of Colorado.
Victoria Brown
Victoria is Principal of Elemental Advisors, a consulting firm focused on health and climate. She previously worked at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. During that time, she helped forge public–private agreements with corporations and nonprofits. Her academic background includes a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. in public policy from Washington and Lee University. Victoria also serves on the board of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and on United to Learn’s Advisory Council.
Kathy Crow
Kathy is a civic volunteer who focuses on education and philanthropy. She serves on the Board of Trustees at Southern Methodist University. In addition, she sits on the Executive Advisory Boards of SMU’s Cox School of Business and Simmons School of Education. Kathy is also Board Chair of Teach For America North Texas. Other advisory roles include positions at Princeton University, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and the Manhattan Institute. She earned her B.A. from Princeton University and her MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Kathleen Gibson
Kathleen is a Managing Director at CH Investment Partners. She focuses on firm-wide initiatives and client relationships. Earlier in her career, she served as President and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation, becoming the first woman to lead the organization. Before that, she held senior roles at Citibank and Bank of America. Kathleen has also chaired the Texas A&M Foundation and The Association of Former Students. She remains active on several nonprofit and civic boards. Kathleen is a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M University.
Margaret J. Hirsch
Margaret is President of The Hirsch Family Foundation. She is the immediate past Chair of United to Learn’s Board. Other leadership roles include past Chair of the Teach For America–DFW Regional Advisory Board and past Chair of the Lamplighter School Board of Trustees. Currently, she serves as a U2L School Liaison at Harry C. Withers Elementary. Margaret previously worked as Executive Director of Government Relations for the National Math and Science Initiative. Earlier in her career, she practiced law at Hughes & Luce in Dallas. She holds a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.A. from Princeton University.
Whitney Fogle Lewis
Whitney is Chief Legal Officer, U.S. of AlTi Global, Inc. She provides legal and regulatory guidance across U.S. operations. Her education includes an A.B. in psychology from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Whitney also serves on the boards of KERA, For Oak Cliff, and The Lamplighter School. She is a Founding Member of The Village Giving Circle and The NEW Roundtable at the Communities Foundation of Texas. In addition, Whitney volunteers with Dallas CASA.
D’Ann Riemer
D’Ann is a United to Learn Liaison. She retired after a 48-year career with Bank of America, where she served as Senior Vice President in Human Resources. Her work there included leadership in recruiting, operations, change management, and personnel services during seven mergers and acquisitions. D’Ann earned a B.A. in psychology from Southern Methodist University. She also completed the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at SMU, where she was the first woman to graduate with honors. Today, she continues to serve in leadership roles with Pi Beta Phi and other nonprofit organizations.