Allison Ainsworth Johns is an Associate Attorney at Munck Wilson Mandala LLP where she focuses on trademark and copyright matters and assists with IP litigation. Allison earned her J.D. at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, DC where she served as an award-winning competitor on the national Mock Trial team and an editor of the International Law Review. Before law school, Allison attended the University of Texas at Austin where she earned a Bachelor of Science in political communication and held various leadership roles as part of UT’s Student Government. Allison grew up in McKinney, Texas, and she is happy to be back in the DFW area. She looks forward to serving her community and supporting the American Red Cross’s efforts as part of the 2024-2025 American Red Cross Young Professionals Advisory Board cohort.

Ambika Cheruvu is currently a Managing Partner at GS Dallas Group, a franchise operations company with over 200 locations across nine franchise brands nationwide in the restaurant and services industry.

Before her role at GS Dallas Group, Ambika served as the CEO of the Knead for Health Group (K4H), a division of GS Dallas Group, from 2010 to 2016. Under her leadership, K4H grew from an initial investment of five locations in Houston to a 32-unit portfolio of Massage Envy and European Wax Center franchises across DFW, Houston, San Diego, Utah, and Northern Virginia. She led the acquisition of 19 units and the development of 8 units across the country.

Ambika is also a Managing Partner at Eternal Lotus Capital Partners, a single-family office with investments in the service, restaurant, hospitality, and real estate industries.

In her free time, Ambika is actively involved in the community, serving as a teacher and mentor to youth through Chinmaya Mission (Sunday School). She is also a mother of two young daughters, ages 1 and 3, and loves spending time with her family.

Ambika is an alumna of Leadership Dallas 2024. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor's Degree from Austin College. She also has certifications in the Foundations of Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School (HBS) and the Mechanics of Private Equity from the International Faculty of Finance (IFF).

Peyton Coleman is an Investment Specialist in the J.P. Morgan Private Bank. In her role, Peyton collaborates with clients to develop investment strategies tailored to their specific goals and objectives. She assists in constructing and implementing investment plans across equity, fixed income, and alternative assets.

Before moving to Dallas, Peyton spent three years in J.P. Morgan Private Bank's Chicago office, where she delivered the firm’s wealth management services to families, entrepreneurs, and private and public company executives. She worked with clients on all aspects of their financial situations, including estate planning, banking, and lending.

Peyton graduated from Texas Christian University with a B.B.A. in Finance. She remains an active alumna of Texas Christian University and the Neeley Fellows Program. Additionally, she serves on the American Red Cross Young Professionals Advisory Board.

Originally from the northern suburbs of Chicago, Peyton currently resides in Uptown Dallas with her husband, Joe. They are avid TCU football fans and enthusiastic travelers. Peyton is passionate about country music, spending time with family, and enjoying the outdoors—preferably in the mountains.

Mario Perez Dolan is an experienced corporate attorney who has represented clients in a broad array of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity investments, and corporate governance.

In the mergers and acquisitions portion of his practice, Mario has represented both purchasers and sellers in negotiated transactions in a variety of industries, including, energy services and infrastructure, manufacturing, industrial, and energy transition. Mario has extensive experience representing public and private companies, private equity funds, and family offices, which provides him the background and understanding required to provide solutions to the unique challenges presented in each transaction.

Mario’s joint venture practice is largely focused on capital intensive energy, infrastructure, and real estate development projects. He has represented multiple investors and management teams in the formation and equity investment in projects or portfolio companies pursuing renewable energy, E&P, oilfield logistics, and infrastructure strategies. His real estate experience includes the negotiation and structuring of joint ventures and investment vehicles for the development and acquisition of projects in the office, multifamily, and hospitality sectors.

In each representation, Mario takes pride in understanding his client’s strategic goals and working towards achieving those outcomes in an efficient manner that focuses on client priorities. This approach has provided Mario the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with his clients and become a trusted member of the deal team.

Eddings is passionate about bettering her community, having served on boards ranging from the California and Nevada Youth Involvement Network to Young Texans of the American Cancer Society. She is also a 2024 graduate of the Dallas Regional Chamber's Leadership Dallas program.

In her professional career, she serves as senior director of brand marketing at 7-Eleven, Inc. In her role with the world’s largest convenience retailer, she leads the team behind iconic brand moments like Slurpee Day, Bring Your Own Cup Day, and more.

Prior to 7-Eleven, Marissa held roles in brand and marketing at Capital One and American Express. She received her M.B.A. from London Business School and her B.S. in Advertising from University of Texas in Austin. Outside of work, Marissa is an animal lover and in addition to having her own cat and dog, she helps others find their furever home.

Brittney is the Founder and CEO of The Coherence Collective, a social impact consulting firm committed to empowering organizations to accelerate the pace of change by guiding them through strategic problem-solving and fostering authentic partnerships to achieve their goals.

Brittney leverages her extensive expertise in strategy, operations, adult learning, and social innovation to ask hard questions and facilitate conversations around transformative solutions that empower organizations and senior leaders to create sustainable change with measurable results. Her approach combines root cause analysis & strategic foresight with a genuine connection to the communities most affected by the issues, ensuring every initiative is meaningful and impactful.

Brittney holds graduate degrees in Agriculture and Education Administration. She is a staunch advocate for STEM education and HBCUs, having attended Delaware State University as a USDA-1890 Scholar. Brittney is actively involved in the community and keeps a pulse on issues that resonate deeply with her through her work on various boards. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., serves on the Young Professionals Advisory Board for the Red Cross of North Texas, chairs the Emerging Leaders Steering Committee for the United Way of Tarrant County, and is Chair-Elect of the National Juneteenth Museum.

Known for both her sharp wit and as a quiet force who skillfully navigates complex challenges, Brittney remains dedicated to work that will leave the world better for those who come after her. Brittney resides in North Texas with her family and finds joy in spending time resting near bodies of water, exploring the bayou, blowing bubbles in the wind, and jumping on trampolines.

Makayla Rosales is a young professional with a diverse background in advocacy, community engagement, and higher education. Originally from Long Beach, California, Makayla moved to Texas four years ago to earn her Master’s in Educational Leadership and a certificate in Women and Gender Studies from Texas Christian University. Her passion for advocacy and education stemmed from her undergraduate experience receiving her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education in English and working as a ninth-grade teacher in Arizona.

She began her professional career working at UT Dallas for two years for their Student Union Programs department. Today, Makayla works at the Dallas Regional Chamber on the Opportunity & Impact Team. Makayla has lived in Dallas for over a year and engages in serving her community at Watermark Church.

In addition to this role, Makayla serves as the Editor in Chief for Global Safety, a family-owned business in the public safety realm. With a passion for service and leadership, Makayla has been active with the Red Cross since 2012, when she began as a lifeguard. The Red Cross has been a great resource for her continuing her knowledge and education in CPR, First Aid Training & is a prominent resource Global Safety uses to certify their members.

Dr. Solomon Tention’s leadership experience spans various higher education settings, including Institutional Advancement & Development, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Enrollment Management. Solomon is committed to inspiring others to live a life of purpose and building the next generation of ecosystem mid-senior-level leaders. In addition to serving on various review boards and facilitating national presentations, he has authored several articles, book chapters, and other publications. Solomon resides in Dallas, TX and lives by the quote... “Success can’t be climbed with your hands in your pockets. Solomon earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & Youth & Family Advocacy, Masters of Educational Leadership and Doctorate of Higher Education. Solomon is also an AACC John E. Roueche Future Leaders Institute graduate. 

Kayla Welsch, Vice President Development Hillwood since 2020.