Board of Directors
Carlton MClain
President
Carlton McLain
Carlton is honored to serve as the Board President for The Ladder Alliance. He was asked to join Ladder Alliance in 2017 and has since then served on "It's in the Bag", Finance and the Golf Tournament committees. Carlton is the Owner of Clearfork Retirement Group focusing on Medicare Plans, Life Insurance, Long Term Care and Annuity programs. Carlton enjoys spending time with his two daughters and wife Jennifer. He loves his home town Fort Worth and his new community in Aledo. Away from work he enjoys exercising, traveling, music, focusing on spiritual growth and giving back to the community. Carlton's effort is committed to the needs of the volunteers, board, staff and students of The Ladder Alliance.
Demetrice Thompson
Vice President
Demetrice S. Thompson
Demetrice S. Thompson is an off-site coordinator/administrator with Tarrant County College. She holds a Master’s degree from Jackson State University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Tougaloo College. Demetrice has a strong background in workforce and economic development, grants compliance and higher education. Ms. Thompson joined The Ladder Alliance Board of Directors in 2016, and is currently serving her second term as Vice President.
Garrett Adams
Treasurer
Garrett Adams
Garrett graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s in Economics and started his career in the financial services industry with Edward Jones based out of St Louis. He sat on the client relations desk along with serving as the advisor to several branch offices based across the United States. Wanting to come back to Texas, Garrett took a position as the financial advisor in an office in Arlington, Texas. There he continued to work with both individuals and businesses on a more personal level to achieve their financial goals. Today he continues his work as a Registered Investment Advisor while serving in a fiduciary capacity for his clients. Garrett lives in Fort Worth, where he is not only active in the community but also active in furthering his education. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree from Texas A&M University School of Law.
Samantha Wood (Smith)
Secretary
Samantha Wood
Samantha received her BS Geology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, and her MS Geology from Texas Christian University. Currently she is the GIS Manager at Double Eagle, with whom she’s been with for the past 9 years. Samantha joined The Ladder Alliance Board of Directors in 2019 where she plays an active role on the Finance Committee.
Allison Silveus, Ed,D.
Allison Silveus, ED,D.
Dr. Silveus is a Co-Founder, Author and Virtual Reality (VR) Consultant for a Silicon Valley company seeking to transform their virtual learning and teaching. She started working in academia in 2007, where she began working on genetic typing for transplant patients and discovered a new MHC class 1 homolog. She has worked on a variety of private grants and drafted a few National Science Foundation (NSF) grants. She began teaching in 2010 at Tarrant County College, which is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as a full-time biology faculty member and served on numerous committees from diversity and inclusion co-chair to the mentoring committee. In January 2019, she took a position at her former graduate program, UNTHSC, to serve as the education program manager and adjunct professor at University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. She received her doctorate from Texas Christian University (TCU) in June 2021, after defending a dissertation focused on evidence-based decision-making in medical educators, noting that leadership approaches that adopt network approaches to decision-making base their organizational decisions on contextualized needs data that can justify costs.
Allison sees herself as a forward thinker seeking to transform hiring. Unbent aims to disrupt the common hiring practices, and instead hire in an equitable way, while also developing targeted training and education that is representative of one’s brain patterns. For Allison, the key for Unbent will be to reshape hiring so that we can move past resumes and into a space where algorithms, principles of psychology, and technology intersect. Fundamentally, this process will be driven by a diverse team.
Since 2020, she has had a NSF SBIR pitch accepted, been featured in Dallas Innovates as a leading Female Founder, been recognized by Pepperdine University Round 2 in 2021 for having one of the most fundable companies, sustained two university partnerships with TCU and SMU, mentored over ten university students from TCU and SMU, spoken at UT Dallas (2021) for WeHack for women in technology, and recently spoke at TEDX Westover Hills on Innovation for all (http://tedxwestoverhills.com/
Danyelle Ackall, Ph.D
Danyelle Ackall, PH.D
Dr. Danyelle Ackall is an instructor for the Neeley School of Business at TCU where she brings over 20 years of HR and business experience into the classroom. In addition to her corporate experience, she holds a Bachelor's of Science from Texas A&M University (Whoop!), a Master's of Science from UT Arlington, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership from TCU. In 2001, she achieved the SPHR designation and later the Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation. In 2015, she tested and passed the SHRM-SCP during the inaugural testing period. Danyelle has been a member of Fort Worth HR since 1999, serving as Chapter President in 2012. In 2011, Danyelle was recognized by HR Southwest as the HR Educator of the Year for her work as a S/PHR certification instructor. In her spare time, Danyelle operates an HR Services firm, Illustrations in Employment. The firm is focused on employee relations, management training, and compliance.
Chad Kerr
Chad Kerr
Chad has been serving The Ladder Alliance since 2014. He is a past Chairman of the Board and currently serves on the finance, golf, and bag committees. Chad is a commercial banker, primarily taking care of middle market clients here in North Texas. He is an active volunteer, having served on numerous non-profit boards in Tarrant County and is currently Chairman of the Board for Near Southside, Inc. In his free time, Chad enjoys golf, the outdoors, and spending time with his wife and four children.
Jennifer Engstrand Reeder
Jennifer Engstrand Reeder
Jennifer is a strategic marketing and communications professional with more than 20 years of experience. She is an expert in developing impactful communications and employee engagement strategies and has worked for corporate, nonprofit, agency and news organizations throughout her career. Most recently, she served as Director of Corporate Communications, Public Relations and Training at Pier 1, where she led the team responsible for internal and external communication, employee engagement, community relations and corporate training across North America. Jennifer began volunteering as a member of The Ladder Alliance’s Marketing Committee in 2014 and was invited to join the Board of Directors in 2016. Jennifer served as Secretary of the Board from 2018 to 2020. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Jennifer and her husband have one daughter.
Joni Moore
Joni Moore
Joni Moore graduated from The University of Texas Dental Branch at the Houston Health Science Center as a Registered Dental Hygienist. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to Fort Worth where, in conjunction with her husband, she opened a successful dental practice where she remained until his retirement in 2015. Joni is currently practicing 3 days a week in the Mid-cities area, and has served on The Ladder Alliance Board of Directors since 2018, and has volunteered for the Annual It’s in the Bag luncheon for 4 years, two of which she co-chaired the luncheon.
Julie Bullion
Julie Bullion
Kenny Mosley, Jr.
Kenny Mosley, Jr.
Kenny Mosley currently serves as the Executive Director at Renaissance Heights Foundation. He serves as a bridge, connecting community leaders with resources and partner organizations that share a vison to holistic, at-scale investments in defined neighborhoods to achieve excellent and equitable outcomes
for the people who live there. He has over 10 years of nonprofit leadership both in Fort Worth and in Indianapolis. He believes firmly in collaboration, problem solving, and learning from each other on an ongoing basis. Kenny is committed to preserving and enhancing City of Fort Worth community character, identity and working together to improve equity, inclusion, and environmental justice for all.
He aims to be an advocate for children and families in under resourced, distressed and access deficient communities. By doing so, potentially influence the way the country addresses the issue of urban intergenerational poverty. To that end he has collaborated with government entities, public and private nonprofit agencies and corporate partners nationwide to address issues such as youth development, improving family stability, community wellness, increasing access in low-income communities, poverty, and reducing social stigmas associated with "at risk" populations.
Kenny was recently appointed by Judge Glen Whitley to the Board of Directors of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for Tarrant County. He serves on the Public Relations Committee and Board of Directors to Community Partners of Tarrant County. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Uplift Education and advising numerous steering committees in community revitalization.
He holds a Bachelor's of Science in Health and Physical Education/Fitness and pursuing a Masters of Business Administration. Kenny is an avid cyclist, certified bike builder and personal trainer. He founded the Empower Bike Club, which is a community bike club that practices sense of belonging and promotes neighboring. Kenny takes the lead to get more kids and adults on bikes in the city. He enjoys rehabbing bikes, volunteering, competing in endurance events and watching his daughter grow in gymnastics.
Lauren Brady
Lauren Brady
Lauren Brady is a resident of Mansfield, TX where she raises three children with her husband, Matt: Paige, 15; Levi, 14; Blake, 3. Lauren has worked in the retail industry her entire career holding leadership positions for Pier 1 Imports and Target Stores. She is currently pursuing her Executive Masters of Business Administration at Texas Christian University. Lauren is passionate about using her business leadership skills to enhance her community and believes strongly in the power of growing future female leaders for the city of Fort Worth. She views The Ladder Alliance’s work as being critical to ending the cycle of poverty and domestic violence in our community by empowering individuals to confidently lead self-sufficient lives.
Misty Kimbrough
Misty Kimbrough
Misty Kimbrough is a native of Fort Worth, has worked in the insurance industry for over 13 years, and is passionate about serving the community through her work and philanthropy. Misty was asked to serve on the very first "It's in the Bag" luncheon committee 8 years ago, and from that day forward The Ladder Alliance continues to be her outlet for making a change in this world. Misty has served on the Board of Directors for four years where she continues her commitment to fundraising efforts such as "It's in the Bag" and the Annual Golf Tournament. Misty is a certified 200 RYT and trapeze yoga teacher, with a passion for adventure and traveling abroad!
Nikole Dickman
Nikole Dickman
Optimizing and leveraging a company’s investment in people, processes and technology is critical to sustaining growth and achieving success. Nikole helps clients transform their enterprises by identifying high-value opportunities, formulating effective strategies, and enhancing business processes and systems, while serving as a partner to clients to address critical operational, financial, and technology challenges.
Nikole spent a decade serving in various financial roles for an international cement and concrete company, with a focus in the areas of shared services, ERP and systems, financial reporting, and mergers and acquisitions. After a corporate relocation initiative that impacted all finance functions, she started Dickman Consulting in order to continue to support her former employer navigate a $760 million dollar acquisition. Soon after, she established Envoy Managed Services, LLC to manage the infrastructure and technology requirements that were not relocated with the corporate headquarters. Key staff include former employees of that company, who deliver services nationwide, in an outsourced model.
Most recently, Nikole established Envoy FSP to enable and encourage small to medium sized clients use their financials as a tool to drive their business forward.
Today, Nikole works with clients in several industries, and is a key contributor at multiple points in a project life cycle, delivering the expertise, insight, and knowledge required to ensure clients successfully achieve their evolving business objectives. She understands first-hand how finance, IT, and operations must collaborate to operate optimally in order for business to thrive and leverages her experience to bring these functions together for the benefit of her clients. As an entrepreneur, she is uniquely positioned to see beyond day-to-day operations and individual departmental functions in order to help stakeholders take their company to the next level. Businesses that are experiencing tremendous growth, struggling through difficult times, or just trying to keep up with the pace of change can benefit from the breadth of knowledge and practical guidance she brings to each engagement.
Sharon Cox
Board Member Emeritus
Sharon Cox
Sharon’s career spanned many different educational endeavors. During her career she has taught in elementary and secondary schools, college, managed corporate training departments and owned her own training company teaching computer software to corporations such as Johnson & Johnson and Nabisco. However, she is most proud and passionate about founding The Ladder Alliance. Being able to develop an entity focused on using education as the tool to lift victims of domestic violence out of poverty was her greatest challenge, but also the most important work of her career.
Terricka Brooks
Terricka Brooks
Terricka Brooks is a multi-talented woman. She is a certified HR professional, published author, social change maker, and philanthropist. She has a Master’s degree in Human Resources, is a certified Project Management practitioner, Financial Planner, and is active in her community and the local church. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and serves on multiple boards for a non-profits including those with missions to increase financial literacy, empower women and children, and support survivors of domestic violence. She is also a member of an entrepreneurship organization.
Terricka lives with her family in Dallas-Fort Worth.