OFFICERS
Chris Wallace
Pronouns: he / him
Board Chair
Chris Wallace is a certified non-profit organization executive bringing 28 years of expertise to the CfA LGBT. He is CEO of the North Texas Commission, which leads our region’s advocacy in Austin and D.C. Chris looks forward to continuing the exceptional leadership of Robert and Sandy to further build the strength and capacity of CfA LGBT to better serve our community.
Chris Wallace is President/CEO of the North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership that works with the region’s most prominent leaders to tackle the greatest challenges for the 13-county area. The NTC manages the region’s unified legislative advocacy voice at the state and federal levels. In addition to his advocacy and education-focused vision, under Wallace’s leadership, the Commission has also placed a greater emphasis on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion with the establishment the region’s first DE&I Summit and comprehensive resources.
Prior to joining the NTC, Wallace was President/COO of the Texas Association of Business, the state chamber of commerce based in Austin. As a registered lobbyist, Chris has led advocacy initiatives in the areas of economic development and trade having founded the highly recognized and successful Keep Texas Open for Business Coalition, defeating discriminatory and unnecessary legislation in the 86th Texas Legislative Session. Wallace also managed statewide campaigns reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, the Texas-Mexico Trade Coalition (advocating for the passage of the USMCA), as well as the need for telemedicine in Texas.
Wallace is a current member of the faculty and past chairman of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management as well as a former Regent of Northeast Institute at Villanova University. He is among a group of less than 700 executives in the nation who have earned their CCE (Certified Chamber Executive) designation. He also serves on the national board of the Business & Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC), the Texas Advisory Board of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and the statewide board of CHILDREN AT RISK.
He is a 1992 graduate of Texas Tech University and serves on the Texas Tech Chancellor's Council and previously on the Professional Advisory Board of the College of Media and Communication where he was named an outstanding alumnus in 2008.
Wallace is a frequent presenter and media resource on trade, the business case for diversity as well as immigration reform. He was a finalist for a 2010 White House Fellowship and is featured among the Dallas 500 most powerful business leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth by D CEO Magazine.
Pronouns: he / him
Board Chair
Chris Wallace is a certified non-profit organization executive bringing 28 years of expertise to the CfA LGBT. He is CEO of the North Texas Commission, which leads our region’s advocacy in Austin and D.C. Chris looks forward to continuing the exceptional leadership of Robert and Sandy to further build the strength and capacity of CfA LGBT to better serve our community.
Chris Wallace is President/CEO of the North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership that works with the region’s most prominent leaders to tackle the greatest challenges for the 13-county area. The NTC manages the region’s unified legislative advocacy voice at the state and federal levels. In addition to his advocacy and education-focused vision, under Wallace’s leadership, the Commission has also placed a greater emphasis on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion with the establishment the region’s first DE&I Summit and comprehensive resources.
Prior to joining the NTC, Wallace was President/COO of the Texas Association of Business, the state chamber of commerce based in Austin. As a registered lobbyist, Chris has led advocacy initiatives in the areas of economic development and trade having founded the highly recognized and successful Keep Texas Open for Business Coalition, defeating discriminatory and unnecessary legislation in the 86th Texas Legislative Session. Wallace also managed statewide campaigns reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, the Texas-Mexico Trade Coalition (advocating for the passage of the USMCA), as well as the need for telemedicine in Texas.
Wallace is a current member of the faculty and past chairman of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management as well as a former Regent of Northeast Institute at Villanova University. He is among a group of less than 700 executives in the nation who have earned their CCE (Certified Chamber Executive) designation. He also serves on the national board of the Business & Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC), the Texas Advisory Board of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and the statewide board of CHILDREN AT RISK.
He is a 1992 graduate of Texas Tech University and serves on the Texas Tech Chancellor's Council and previously on the Professional Advisory Board of the College of Media and Communication where he was named an outstanding alumnus in 2008.
Wallace is a frequent presenter and media resource on trade, the business case for diversity as well as immigration reform. He was a finalist for a 2010 White House Fellowship and is featured among the Dallas 500 most powerful business leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth by D CEO Magazine.
Robert Emery
Pronouns: he / him
Pronouns: he / him
Secretary/Treasurer & Founding Board Member
Robert is a 35-year volunteer & philanthropist in North Texas. He has served on the board of directors for Black Tie Dinner, & the Friends of WRR (Classical music radio 101.1FM). Robert co-founded The Dallas Way: a GLBT history project, and he currently serves as President. He was a founding board member of the Coalition for Aging LGBT. He served as the Grand Marshal for Dallas’ 30th Gay Pride Parade, and he co-chairs and co-hosts many fundraisers benefitting North Texas arts organizations as well as health & human services organizations. He worked with the Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum on their permanent LGBT historical presentation. Robert helped to secure Texas’ first LGBT historical Subject Marker “The Crossroads”, awarded by the Texas Historical Commission. He was the co-chair of the North Texas Planning Committee for the Archives for ALL, Y’all conference in Dallas (a 13-state regional LGBTQ+ history conference), in September of 2022. Robert serves on the Advisory Board for the future LGBTQ+ Museum of Texas. He received the "Kuchling Humanitarian Award" from Black Tie Dinner in 2022. He was named "LGBT Texan of the Year" by the Dallas VOICE newspaper. Robert serves on the University of North Texas Libraries Advocacy Board of Directors.
DIRECTORS
Janet (Fi) Macpherson Pronouns: she/ her Director Janet Macpherson has been an activist and supporter of all human rights for the past 40+ years, so joining the CfA LGBT board at this time in her life makes sense because of the mission: … to improve & protect the quality of life of older LGBT adults in North Texas. |
Jaime Duggan
Pronouns: she /her Director Jaime Duggan is an attorney & law firm owner whose professional work has focused on family law-related legal concerns for the LGBTQ community. She has also served on multiple boards of local & national organizations who work to advance LGBTQ equality. She is excited to join the leadership team of the CfA LGBT & help continue to advance its powerful & meaningful work. |
Angel Irvin
Pronouns:
she /her
Director
M. Angel Irvin owns Irvin Insurance & Financial Services in Dallas, Texas and the company has been affiliated with Farmers Insurance Group for 21 years.
Irvin has served as a member of the board of director for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Lambda Legal, and now the Coalition for Aging LGBT.
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Irvin is a Tennessean at heart and travels back to her home state as often as possible.
Pronouns:
she /her
Director
M. Angel Irvin owns Irvin Insurance & Financial Services in Dallas, Texas and the company has been affiliated with Farmers Insurance Group for 21 years.
Irvin has served as a member of the board of director for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Lambda Legal, and now the Coalition for Aging LGBT.
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Irvin is a Tennessean at heart and travels back to her home state as often as possible.
Kim Macpherson
Pronouns:
she/her
Director
Kim Macpherson has served on various LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area since the mid 1980's. Two prominent volunteer organizations include HRC Federal Club and Lambda Legal. I have served on the CfA board for the past six years as the social engagement chair for Denton County, Celebrity Serve fundraising event Chair for three years, and Vice-Chair for the all volunteer CfA board for the past five years. I am thrilled that the Board of Directors unanimously voted I remain on the Board of Directors for an additional year.
Pronouns:
she/her
Director
Kim Macpherson has served on various LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area since the mid 1980's. Two prominent volunteer organizations include HRC Federal Club and Lambda Legal. I have served on the CfA board for the past six years as the social engagement chair for Denton County, Celebrity Serve fundraising event Chair for three years, and Vice-Chair for the all volunteer CfA board for the past five years. I am thrilled that the Board of Directors unanimously voted I remain on the Board of Directors for an additional year.
Reymundo Torres
Pronouns:
he /his
Director
Reymundo is a native of El Paso, Texas, and graduated from Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1991, becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer in March 1992. He began his career in the funeral industry in 1985 in El Paso. In 2009 Reymundo relocated to Lubbock, Texas, and served for 4 years before returning to El Paso. Another relocation sent him to the Dallas area in 2015, where he served both at 2 area homes for 1 year before devoting his time to the Dignity Memorial community in 2016.
Reymundo is well-versed in all funeral customs and traditions and serves with the utmost compassion and professionalism. As a member of the Catholic Church, Reymundo served the Lions Club of El Paso in different capacities for 17 years and has chaired and volunteered for many non-profit organizations during his extensive 3-plus decades in funeral service.
Pronouns:
he /his
Director
Reymundo is a native of El Paso, Texas, and graduated from Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in 1991, becoming a licensed funeral director and embalmer in March 1992. He began his career in the funeral industry in 1985 in El Paso. In 2009 Reymundo relocated to Lubbock, Texas, and served for 4 years before returning to El Paso. Another relocation sent him to the Dallas area in 2015, where he served both at 2 area homes for 1 year before devoting his time to the Dignity Memorial community in 2016.
Reymundo is well-versed in all funeral customs and traditions and serves with the utmost compassion and professionalism. As a member of the Catholic Church, Reymundo served the Lions Club of El Paso in different capacities for 17 years and has chaired and volunteered for many non-profit organizations during his extensive 3-plus decades in funeral service.
ORGANIZATION STAFF
Briana Monsalve
Pronouns: she /her Project Lead & Organization Outreach Manager Briana is a communications and business operations support professional who is passionate about working collaboratively to make an impact and serve her community. She graduated from Southern Methodist University as a Hunt Leadership Scholar, Engaged Learning Fellow, John Goodwin Tower Award recipient, and with honors. Briana has more than six years of professional experience in non-profit, corporate, small business, academic, and international work environments providing communications strategy development, community engagement expansion, process improvement and organizational support. From her first community initiative in leading a successful jean drive for homeless teens for highschool students to advocating for equitable education across Dallas ISD as a CAMP Fellow, Briana continues to be an active member of her community and advocate for the needs of marginalized communities. Briana’s academic achievements include published research on the methods and strategies of intercultural communication in advertisements and print media in a uniquely global city, as well as completing a qualitative research study of the Jubilee Park community with the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity. Briana believes in the importance of making meaningful and lasting connections across communities as a means to drive change, inspire others and build a more inclusive future. Email: BMonsalve@cfa.lgbt |
Annie Heffley
Pronouns: she /her Project Assistant Annie is a current master’s student in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department at the University of North Texas, expected to graduate in Spring of 2023. She has been broadly interested in social justice work for several years, and found her passion in advocating for the aging population after holding a position as the activities director at a local nursing home. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community herself, working to advocate for the aging LGBT population seemed like the perfect fit for her, and she is thrilled to now be on board! As a feminist, Annie believes in justice for all people, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, etc. She values the idea of lifelong learning, and recognizes the importance of continuing to seek out alternative experiences, perspectives, ideas, and ways of thinking & knowing to help inform her activism Email: AnnieHeffley@cfa.lgbt |
