About - Dallas / Ft. Worth | NAWBO

About NAWBO Dallas/Ft. Worth

About NAWBO Dallas/Ft. Worth

Started in 1985 by a group of energetic, visionary women who believed in the collective strength of women business owners. Our chapter is a professional organization dedicated to propelling the success of the 200,000 women entrepreneurs in the greater Dallas/Ft. Worth area. We are comprised of over 50 women-owned businesses with revenues averaging over $250,000 annually and representing a wide variety of business segments and sizes. These are the types of businesses driving our economy’s growth. The Dallas / Fort Worth Chapter is comprised of dynamic, dedicated women leaders who believe in developing strong alliances to serve women business owners across the Metroplex. Our focus is on servant leadership, public policy advocacy, and developing strategic programming to support the growth of complex businesses.

Mission

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide by:

  • Strengthening the wealth creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community
  • Creating innovative and effective change in the business culture
  • Building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations
  • Transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers 

Vision

Propel the women business owners in Dallas/Ft. Worth to their next level of success.

Teresa Hockett headshot portrait
Teresa Hockett  President
Hockett Insurance

Meet our President, Teresa Hockett - CEO & Founder of The Hockett Insurance Group, an Elite Independent Agency, who delivers peace of mind so you can live your best life knowing that you are protecting what matters most.

Teresa says, “My vision as President is to be a vessel to ensure that all women business owners have access to the resources needed to grow their businesses to heights that totally exceed their most ambitious goals. I've learned to never chase the money, but to chase your passion, operate in your purpose and when you do, doors that you never imagined possible will open. I’ve found that when I take my hands off the wheel and allow God to drive, the view is simply amazing and literally blows my mind."

Fun Fact - She has driven a pink Candillac with Mary Kay.

Wendy McGowan-Ellis headshot portrait
Wendi McGowan-Ellis  President-Elect
Wendistry

Wendi is an Executive Producer and Co-Host for Hire at Wendistry, LLC. If you’re not sure where, when, or how to start your podcast, Wendi is passionate about guiding her clients to say something significant… Something which motivates listeners to download, subscribe, and go on the journey with you.

Fun Fact - She ran a local city council campaign "Angelia for Frisco" and won.

Victoria Stephenson headshot portrait
Victoria Stevenson  Past President
Allied Supply Services

Victoria Stevenson - Immediate Past President, CEO - Allied-SCSS, Stevenson’s primary focus, throughout her career has always been to improve the marketability and profitability of minority and women owned businesses. As a Business Development Consulting firm, we specialize in helping certified socio-economic businesses successfully navigate government contracting by implementing our proprietary system "Follow The Blueprint" to help diversify their revenue streams.

Victoria's mantra is, "Every time they said I couldn't, I said I can!" As a visionary leader who empowers diversity and inclusion for all women business owners, Stevenson is passionate and intentional about the success of women entrepreneurship!

My NAWBO Why as a Board of Director is to contribute to our members’ personal and professional development.

Haydee Clark headshot
Haydee Clark  Treasurer/Secretary
Resilient Freight Solutions

Haydee Clark, MBA - Owner and Freight Agent at Resilient Freight Solutions, a freight agency dedicated to helping small to medium-size manufacturers and distributors with their commercial transportation. For the past 20 yrs, Haydee has worked as a Sales & Marketing professional for various local and international Food & Beverage companies. She decided to open her agency to assist small business owners with their logistics. She was born and raised in Cayey, Puerto Rico, and moved to Texas in 2013, looking for better professional opportunities. Haydee loves to spend time with her family and help others. Her life motto: Make a positive impact on someone every day. Her hobbies include Bonsai, fly-fishing, walking her dogs, and gardening.

Fun Fact - She used to drive a Harley Davidson as her second vehicle.

Tolu Akindunni headshot
Tolu Akindunni  DEIB/Mentorship Director
All Things Black & Beautiful (The Innovation Tribe LLC)

Tolu Akindunni is the founder of All Things Black and Beautiful, a platform that amplifies black-owned businesses by creating opportunities to collaborate together to thrive and unlock economic impact. As an innovation strategist, she helps entrepreneurs and business leaders transform and re-invent their ventures so they can navigate through disruption with clarity to deliver tangible results.

Her Mantra - You can design your best life. It takes action, patience and determination to realize it.

Fun Fact - Tolu has lived and worked in 4 continents and once sang on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Jamita Machen headshot
Jamita Machen  Marketing & Technology Director
The Software Vault
Erin Smith-Gregor headshot
Erin Smith-Gregor  Membership Director
Erin Gregor
Holly Caplan headshot portrait
Holly Caplan  Programs Director
Holly Caplan

Holly Caplan is an author, speaker, confidence coach and podcast host who resides in Dallas, TX. As she climbed the corporate ladder for over 20 years, she learned that advancing meant tolerating discrimination in the workplace. This drove Holly to write a book titled, “Surviving the Dick Clique: A Girl’s Guide to Surviving the Male Dominated Corporate World.” Her most recent work - related articles can be found in Fox Business, Inc, and Fast Company, CEO MOM and Cosmopolitan. You can find her podcast, Talking Confidence with Holly Caplan, on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Kelsey Shofner headshot portrait
Kelsey Shofner  Public Policy Director
Shofner Consulting

Kelsey is an attorney who is passionate about helping start up and growing businesses set themselves up for success with proactive legal counsel. She works as “outside in-house counsel” to help her small business clients set up enforceable contracts, employee policies, and intellectual property rights.

As Director of Public Policy, Kelsey connects NAWBO businesses with government programs that help women owned businesses succeed and uses the power of the DFW business community to influence federal, state, and local policy decisions.

Fun Fact - She was in the Macy's Day parade in 2003.

Open Positions

  • Chapter Development (Corporate Sponsorships)

Awards

NAWBO DFW honors selected women business owners, supporters and organizations annually, at our end of year holiday event. The following awards may be presented:

Chapter Leader Award

NAWBO DFW recognizes an outstanding leader within our chapter. This individual must exemplify the following criteria:

  • A leader with a servant spirit
  • A leader who you feel believes in the NAWBO mission and vision
  • A leader willing to get things done at a personal cost and finds a way for the team to win, no matter what
  • A leader who motivates and inspires others to perform at their best
  • A leader who treasures feedback, and exemplifies humility and integrity
  • A leader who shares responsibility, delegates authority, provides information and gives credit appropriately
  • A leader who communicates fairly, straightforwardly, and transparently

Outstanding Partner of the Year

Any organization or company who is a current supporting member of NAWBO, and has worked with NAWBO D/FW to help us achieve our goals. The partner believes in the mission/vision of NAWBO, and provides women in business with the tools, resources, and support necessary to build and sustain a thriving business.

Outstanding Nonprofit Achievement Award

NAWBO DFW recognizes the outstanding achievement in a nonprofit who has significantly impacted the lives of women, girls or women business owners.

Hall of Fame Honoree

NAWBO DFW recognizes members who also served on the national board or as national chair.

2017 Winners

  • Outstanding Nonprofit: IGNITE Texas
  • Leadership Award: Leslie Hassler, Your Biz Rules (TM
  • Partner of the Year: Melanie Carron and Desiree Early, Bank of America

Past Award Winners

2016

  • Outstanding Nonprofit: Texas Women's University's HUB for Women in Business
  • Leadership Award: Fran Lively, Via Real
  • Leadership Award: Stacie Grudecki, Bank of Americal
  • Hall of Fame Award: Crystal Arredondo, MPact Financial Group

2015

  • Outstanding Nonprofit: Parents Step Ahead
  • Leadership Award: Christina Winters Gears, Celebrating Diversity TV
  • Leadership Award: Crystal Arredondo, MPact Financial Group
  • Leadership Award: Tarsha Polk, The Marketing Lady, LLC
  • Hall of Fame Award: Darla Beggs

Other Honorees

  • We also recognize individuals who have been members for 5 years or more.