The Top 50 Dallas Women Leaders of 2026
Dallas-Fort Worth doesn’t just grow-it compounds.
New headquarters arrive. Entire neighborhoods get remade. Big employers expand north, west, and everywhere in between. And in the middle of all that motion, the leaders who shape what DFW becomes next aren’t only the CEOs you see on earnings calls. They’re the women steering capital and culture: running a Federal Reserve district bank, modernizing the region’s biggest transit system, rewriting what sports leadership looks like, funding life-science breakthroughs, building talent pipelines, and quietly (or loudly) deciding which deals get done.
Below is an editorially ranked list of 50 of the most influential women leaders across the Dallas metro-spanning corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, real estate, law, accounting, healthcare, civic infrastructure, and community investment. Titles and roles can change quickly; these reflect publicly available information as of early 2026\.
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#1 Lorie K. Logan
If you want to understand why Dallas business leaders pay attention to economic signals-and why “what happens next” is so often a question of rates, inflation, labor markets, and credit-you end up at the Dallas Fed. As its President and CEO, Lorie Logan sits at the intersection of national monetary policy and the on-the-ground realities of a fast-growing region. Her influence shows up in how businesses plan hiring, expansion, and financing, and in how the region’s economic conditions are understood and communicated at the highest levels.
#2 Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall
Cynt Marshall’s Dallas impact is a masterclass in “culture is strategy.” Brought in after reports of workplace misconduct, she’s widely credited with a comprehensive overhaul of the Mavericks’ workplace policies and corporate culture-creating a 100‑day plan and resetting standards for inclusion, business effectiveness, and corporate responsibility. That ripple effect goes beyond sports: it’s become a case study for how leadership can rebuild trust, set new norms, and turn a reputational crisis into an operational reset.
#3 Lucy Billingsley
Dallas is a city where the skyline is a business biography, and Lucy Billingsley is one of the leaders whose decisions literally shape it. Through Billingsley Company, she has influenced how North Texas works, shops, and lives-helping set the tone for campus-style business environments and large-scale development across the region. Her influence isn’t just architectural; it’s economic: the kinds of projects that land here, the tenants that follow, and the way Dallas competes for corporate growth all connect back to real-estate leadership like hers.
#4 Denise Paulonis
Running a public company with deep retail reach is a constant test of operational discipline and reinvention-and that’s exactly where Denise Paulonis has built influence. As CEO of Sally Beauty Holdings (headquartered in the DFW orbit), she sits at the crossroads of consumer behavior, supply chain realities, and workforce management. Her role matters locally because major headquarters anchor talent, supplier ecosystems, and executive pipelines-and because beauty retail is a significant employer with a uniquely entrepreneurial customer base.
#5 Charlotte Jones Anderson
Few business platforms in North Texas rival the Cowboys’ brand engine-and Charlotte Jones Anderson is one of the key architects behind it. Her influence combines marketing power, partnership strategy, and community visibility at a scale most executives never touch. In practical terms: she helps shape how one of the world’s most valuable sports brands engages fans, sponsors, media, and civic initiatives-and that brand gravity pulls attention (and dollars) into the region.
#6 Karen Hughes White
Influence isn’t only measured in revenue-it’s also measured in who gets economic opportunity. Karen Hughes White leads one of the most visible women-focused philanthropic organizations in Texas, shaping initiatives and funding strategies aimed at improving outcomes for women and girls. In a metro where talent pipelines decide corporate success, organizations that support education, leadership, and financial stability aren’t “adjacent” to the economy-they’re part of its operating system.
#7 Jennifer Sampson
Jennifer Sampson sits at the center of a huge civic lever: how cross-sector partnerships address education, income stability, and health outcomes across North Texas. Under her leadership, United Way functions as a convener-aligning corporate, philanthropic, and nonprofit energy toward measurable community goals. When large-scale investments hit the region (like major foundation gifts), United Way is often the infrastructure that converts them into real programs and long-term capacity.
#8 Nicole Small
Nicole Small blends investor mindset with community-building execution. Leading LH Capital and Lyda Hill Philanthropies, she has become a visible driver behind science, nature, and local-impact funding-and she’s also tied to efforts that elevate women in STEM, including initiatives that highlight and encourage girls through the visibility of women’s accomplishments. In a region pushing to grow its life-sciences footprint, leaders who can fund, convene, and accelerate ecosystems have outsized influence.
#9 Jennifer Chandler
Banking leadership becomes “metro leadership” when it shapes capital access, philanthropy strategy, and civic partnerships. Jennifer Chandler’s dual footprint-business leadership and philanthropic solutions-matters in DFW because it connects corporate resources to community needs and economic development. In a region where growth is uneven by ZIP code, the leaders who can steer both financial services and targeted giving play a real role in what opportunity looks like on the ground.
#10 Debbie Dennis
Oncor is foundational infrastructure-when the grid works, everything works. Debbie Dennis influences how a major electric delivery company serves customers and manages its people, spanning customer experience, HR, and corporate affairs. That mix matters: reliability and trust are operational issues, but they’re also workforce and communication issues. In a region that keeps expanding, leaders who can scale essential service organizations-while keeping service quality and talent strong-quietly shape the business climate.
#11 Lara Poloni
Infrastructure is destiny in a high-growth metro, and Lara Poloni leads at the top of one of the world’s major infrastructure and engineering firms-now headquartered in Dallas. That makes her influence both global and distinctly local: executive leadership at AECOM affects which projects win, how talent is developed, and how large-scale public and private investments get delivered. When a global firm anchors leadership in Dallas, it strengthens the region’s “command center” role in the infrastructure economy.
#12 Kellyn Smith Kenny
Marketing leaders at AT\&T don’t just run campaigns-they shape one of the region’s most visible corporate brands. Kellyn Smith Kenny’s influence shows up in how AT\&T drives growth, competes in a crowded telecom market, and chooses the cultural moments it backs (including high-profile sports and entertainment partnerships). In DFW, where corporate identity and community presence are deeply linked, the executives who steer brand strategy also steer reputation, recruitment, and local investment visibility.
#13 Lillian Kirstein
A general counsel at a major headquarters isn’t only “the lawyer”-she’s a governance leader, a risk strategist, and often a key voice in how a company behaves in the world. Lillian Kirstein holds that role at 7‑Eleven, whose corporate presence is deeply tied to the Dallas metro. Her influence extends across compliance, corporate strategy support, and the decisions that keep a large consumer business resilient in a highly regulated, highly visible environment.
#14 Christy Jacoby
Finance leadership at scale is leadership-period. As CFO for PepsiCo Foods North America (which includes Frito‑Lay North America, headquartered in Plano), Christy Jacoby influences investment priorities, operational performance, and long-term planning across one of the most significant consumer packaged goods businesses in the country. That footprint matters locally because major HQ functions drive executive employment, vendor ecosystems, and philanthropic engagement across DFW.
#15 Michelle Vopni
Dallas is a deal town, and deal towns run on high-trust professional services. As EY’s Dallas office managing partner, Michelle Vopni influences how one of the world’s biggest advisory and assurance firms deploys talent and serves growth companies, multinationals, and civic institutions across North Texas. That means shaping everything from boardroom decisions to workforce development-plus helping define what “leadership” looks like inside one of the region’s largest professional ecosystems.
#16 Kim Kesler
Accounting and advisory firms are where business reality meets business ambition: valuations, audits, compliance, risk, and transformation. Kim Kesler’s leadership as KPMG’s Dallas office managing partner places her at the center of that. She’s also been highlighted as the first female Dallas office managing partner in the firm’s history-an influence point that matters for the next generation watching who gets the keys to major platforms.
#17 Monica W. Latin
In Dallas, “who’s your counsel?” often determines how fast-and how safely-you can move. Monica Latin’s influence comes from leading a prominent Dallas law firm and being recognized for her leadership path, including becoming the firm’s first female managing partner. In a market driven by transactions, disputes, and complex business growth, the attorneys leading major firms shape both outcomes and the culture of the profession itself.
#18 Elizabeth E. Mack
Big-law leadership is a combination of client trust, talent strategy, and market positioning. Elizabeth Mack leads the Dallas office of Troutman Pepper Locke-an influence point because law firms don’t just “service” the market; they enable it. The leaders of major offices shape which industries get prioritized, how teams are built, and how the next generation of lawyers is developed in a rapidly changing business environment.
#19 Maryanne Piña‑Frodsham
If Dallas is where companies come to scale, then leadership development is a core industry-and Maryanne Piña‑Frodsham sits in that business. As CEO of CMP, she is positioned to influence how executives show up, how organizations build inclusive cultures, and how career trajectories are shaped across the metro. Her impact is often behind the scenes-but it shows up in the leaders who get promoted, the teams that perform better, and the culture shifts that “stick.”
#20 Dr. Karen Duncan
Healthcare leadership is economic leadership-especially in a region this large. Dr. Karen Duncan leads JPS Health Network, a cornerstone provider in Tarrant County. Her influence is measured in access to care, health outcomes, workforce scale, and partnerships that affect the day-to-day reality of families across Fort Worth and beyond. In a metro where growth can widen disparities, leaders who improve health infrastructure and patient access are shaping DFW’s long-term competitiveness.
#21 Traci d’Auguste
Traci d’Auguste leads UT Southwestern’s flagship hospital with the operational rigor and patient-first focus required of a premier academic medical center. By aligning clinical excellence, workforce engagement, and smart growth, she strengthens a critical piece of DFW’s health infrastructure and the region’s ability to attract top medical talent.
#22 Erin George
Erin George leads BCG’s Dallas office and advises leading companies on the transformations that drive profitable growth, sharper customer strategy, and stronger competitive positioning. Her leadership elevates the region’s influence in global consulting while helping DFW enterprises execute change at scale.
#23 Deborah Gibbins
Deborah Gibbins blends financial stewardship with enterprise transformation, helping Mary Kay modernize strategy and operations while protecting long-term profitability. Her ability to turn complex change into measurable results strengthens a global brand with deep North Texas roots and a significant economic footprint.
#24 Suzanne Myers
Suzanne Myers shapes Arcosa’s people strategy, building the talent systems and culture that enable a safety- and performance-driven industrial business to scale. By investing in leadership development and employee experience, she helps sustain productivity, retention, and organizational resilience across a complex workforce.
#25 Jennifer Mitzner
Jennifer Mitzner provides the financial leadership that allows a major health system to invest confidently in facilities, technology, and access to care. Her disciplined approach to capital and performance supports sustainable growth and ensures resources are aligned with patient outcomes and community needs.
#26 Christina Mathis
Christina Mathis leads Medical City Las Colinas with a focus on operational excellence, service-line growth, and a high-reliability culture for patients and clinicians. Her stewardship strengthens a vital regional hospital, supporting both better care and the economic engine of healthcare jobs and services in Irving and across DFW.
#27 Christina Goodman
Christina Goodman advances Baylor Scott & White’s mission by mobilizing philanthropic investment that funds innovation, expanded access, and patient-centered programs. Her ability to connect donors to measurable impact elevates healthcare outcomes while strengthening Dallas’ broader culture of civic generosity.
#28 Bridget Moreno Lopez
Bridget Moreno Lopez has earned a reputation as a strong, principled leader who runs a high-performing legal practice serving complex public-sector needs. Her strategic management and community-minded approach help clients deliver essential services more effectively, amplifying impact across Dallas’ civic and business landscape.
#29 Nichole Jordan
Nichole Jordan leads Grant Thornton’s Texoma region with a growth mindset that helps companies navigate complexity, manage risk, and seize opportunity. Known for building inclusive, high-trust teams, she strengthens the firm’s market presence while mentoring talent that powers the region’s professional-services economy.
#30 Sara Madsen Miller
Sara Madsen Miller pairs operational discipline with creative leadership, helping 1820 Productions deliver standout content that elevates brands and moves audiences. By scaling a production business built on storytelling and strategy, she contributes to the expansion of North Texas’ creative economy and client-driven innovation.
#31 Torrey Littlejohn
Torrey Littlejohn is a market-shaping leader in commercial real estate, guiding JLL’s North Texas brokerage platform with deep expertise and steady execution. Her work helps organizations make critical location and space decisions that influence investment, job growth, and the evolving skyline of the Dallas region.
#32 Vickie Yakunin
Vickie Yakunin strengthens North Texas communities by leading Amazon’s partnerships, philanthropy, and civic engagement across the Dallas region. By connecting corporate resources to local priorities like workforce readiness and student opportunity, she delivers measurable community impact while reinforcing the company’s long-term regional presence.
#33 Kimberly Bizor Tolbert
Kimberly Bizor Tolbert manages one of the nation’s largest city enterprises, aligning operations, budgeting, and service delivery with Dallas’ rapid growth. Her leadership turns public administration into economic advantage by improving infrastructure, accountability, and the business climate that supports jobs and investment.
#34 Nadine S. Lee
Nadine Lee leads DART with a focus on reliable mobility, customer experience, and the long-term infrastructure planning a fast-growing region demands. By improving how people and talent move across the metroplex, she strengthens regional competitiveness and supports the economic activity tied to transit-connected development.
#35 Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde
Stephanie Elizalde leads Dallas ISD with a clear focus on student outcomes and the long-term talent pipeline that drives regional prosperity. By modernizing a large, complex organization and prioritizing opportunity, she advances workforce readiness and strengthens the foundation for inclusive economic growth.
#36 Annmarie De La Vega
Annmarie De La Vega elevates De La Vega Development through brand leadership that aligns business strategy, community relationships, and high-impact development. Her ability to translate vision into engagement helps projects gain momentum, adding value for investors while strengthening the places where Dallas lives, works, and grows.
#37 Jessica Miller Essl
Jessica Miller Essl co-leads M2G Ventures with a builder’s mindset that combines investment discipline with a commitment to creative, community-minded real estate. By advancing projects that rethink how spaces are used, she helps drive revitalization and economic momentum across the DFW development landscape.
#38 Gemma Descoteaux
Gemma Descoteaux is a trusted adviser in corporate and mergers and acquisitions matters, helping clients navigate high-stakes transactions with clarity and confidence. Her work supports the dealmaking that fuels regional growth, enabling companies to expand, innovate, and compete in fast-moving markets.
#39 Julia A. Simon
Julia Simon brings rare perspective from both the C-suite and the courtroom, pairing corporate leadership experience with elite litigation judgment. Her counsel helps organizations manage risk and resolve complex disputes, reinforcing the stability and integrity that strong business ecosystems require.
#40 Hattie Hill
Hattie Hill has built a distinctive platform at Hattie Hill Enterprises, helping leaders and organizations strengthen strategy, governance, and inclusive performance. Her long-standing influence across corporate and nonprofit circles makes her a catalyst for stronger cultures and better decision-making throughout the Dallas business community.
#41 Allison Braman
Allison Braman leads Hilti North America’s people strategy with a focus on building high-performing teams, modern talent systems, and an inclusive culture. By aligning workforce investment with business goals, she helps a major employer grow sustainably while developing leaders who elevate the broader North Texas talent market.
#42 Belen Garren
Belen Garren helps power the middle-market economy by connecting growing companies to the capital, insights, and banking partnership they need to scale responsibly. Her leadership strengthens a critical segment of Dallas’ business base, supporting expansion, hiring, and long-term resilience across diverse industries.
#43 Jennifer A. Haworth
Jennifer Haworth drives Globe Life’s marketing strategy with a performance-oriented approach that strengthens brand trust and customer growth. Her leadership modernizes how an iconic North Texas company competes, translating marketing excellence into durable revenue and market impact.
#44 Gail McDonald
Gail McDonald leads Transition Resources with a results-driven approach to executive coaching and team effectiveness that helps organizations raise performance. By developing stronger leaders and healthier cultures, she enables companies to execute strategy more consistently and create lasting value in the Dallas business community.
#45 Carolyn Perot Rathjen
Carolyn Perot Rathjen has amplified North Texas impact through philanthropic leadership that supports institutions, innovation, and community well-being. Her thoughtful stewardship helps turn charitable capital into durable outcomes, strengthening the civic infrastructure that makes Dallas a place where businesses and families thrive.
#46 Danielle Devine
Danielle Devine shapes Kimberly‑Clark’s reputation and stakeholder strategy, guiding communications and corporate affairs at a company whose brands touch millions of consumers. Her leadership builds trust through transparency and purpose, strengthening a global enterprise with a meaningful North Texas footprint.
#47 Charlene Lake
Charlene Lake has made corporate responsibility a strategic advantage at AT&T, integrating sustainability, philanthropy, and civic engagement with business objectives. By advancing programs that expand opportunity and strengthen communities, she delivers impact at scale while setting a high bar for responsible leadership.
#48 Erika N. Salter
Erika Salter has built a respected law practice by combining deep legal expertise with relentless advocacy for clients navigating complex, high-stakes matters. Her entrepreneurial leadership and commitment to outcomes have expanded access to high-quality representation, strengthening trust and stability for families and businesses across North Texas.
#49 Deanna Walker
Deanna Walker leads Venturity with a modern, client-centered vision that helps growing companies strengthen financial clarity and decision-making. By building a strong culture and scaling high-impact advisory services, she elevates the firm’s influence across the region’s entrepreneurial and middle-market ecosystem.
#50 Abiola Anyebe
Abiola Anyebe leads ScionHealth’s Kindred Hospitals in North Texas with a focus on operational excellence and high-acuity patient care across a specialized care network. Her leadership strengthens a critical segment of the healthcare continuum, supporting better outcomes, clinical teams, and the region’s broader health economy.
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