The Team

Kyle Ogden

President & CEO

“I’m inspired by music, art and building something important.”

I became the president and CEO of The Thanks-Giving Foundation because I wanted to do something important in the bigger civic context, and build something sustainable for the citizens of Dallas.

The Thanks-Giving Foundation is a platform from which we can influence the future of our community, and I believe my contribution of time, effort and resources can make a real difference as an accelerant of positive change. The physical and programmatic enhancements we’ve made are being noticed, and I’m proud that our vision will deliver us to a place of importance within the nonprofit landscape.

Before joining The Thanks-Giving Foundation, I was the chairman, president and CEO of Carroll Company. I received a Bachelor of Business Administrations degree in honors business and a Master of Business Administration degree in accounting and finance from the University of Texas at Austin, and went on to earn my CPA license.

In my spare time, I enjoy golf, baseball and travel. My wife and I have four adult children.

Christopher Trowbridge

Chairman

My wife Rachel and I have been involved with The Thanks-Giving Foundation for several years. Together, we’ve previously co-chaired the National Day of Prayer Luncheon.

Rachel’s grandfather Frank Heller was a founding board member, and worked with founder Peter Stewart to help acquire the land where Thanks-Giving Square sits today. As chairman of the board of directors, I’m eager to restore Thank-Giving Square into a beautiful, green, peaceful garden for reflection that lives up to Peter’s original intention.

In addition to serving The Foundation, I’m also the former chairman of the board of directors of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, and currently a member of the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Southern Dallas Task Force.

I work as partner and the chairman of the litigation section at Dallas law firm Bell Nunnally. I received my Bachelor of Business Administration degree in economics and international business from Baylor University, and my JD degree from Baylor Law School.

John Cuellar

Director

“I believe that every individual who wants to improve the world can start by improving their community.”

My experience in nonprofit organization leadership and community relations led me to join the board of directors for The Thanks-Giving Foundation in 2008.

I also serve as president of Friends of the Latino Cultural Center, chair for Healthy Americas Foundation, and I’m a board member of Community Council,  National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Richardson ISD Excellence in Education Foundation, and YMCA of Metro Dallas. I’ve had the honor to accept the 2017 Volunteer Now Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2016 Southwest Jewish Congress Man of Action Award.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame, received my JD degree from Southern Methodist University, and earned my Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

Mark Denesuk

Director

Some people call me passionate. It’s true.

Passion is what fueled me to quit my executive gig at one of the world’s largest advertising agencies and start my own business without a single client. In 2005, I founded Commerce House, a boutique advertising agency located in the heart of the Dallas Design District.

As much as I love my day job, one of my greatest passions is staying active in my community. In addition to serving on the board of directors for The Thanks-Giving Foundation, I’m a board member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, the Promising Youth Alliance and the Dallas Film Society. I’ve also served on committees and advisory boards for the Dallas Symphony, the Junior League, March of Dimes, the Cattle Barons Ball and the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

I’m graduate of Bucknell University. My wife Pam and I live in Dallas with our two children.

Ron Gafford

Director

“Gratitude is not taking anything for granted.”

To me, gratitude is being thankful, day in and day out, for the blessings bestowed upon us. We didn’t choose our parents, nor our zip code. And if I had chosen, I wouldn’t do a thing differently.

I’ve been interested in The Thanks-Giving Foundation since its inception, and have served on the board of directors since about 1995. Initially, I was attracted to the vision of Peter Stewart and what Thanks-Giving Square meant for the city of Dallas: A jewel in the epicenter of downtown, long before there were parks or people living in the area.

After retiring from a 47-year career in the construction and development business, I’m currently engaged in private investments and board membership in public, private and nonprofit boards.

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in building construction from Texas A&M University and an Advanced Management Program degree from the Graduate School of Business, Harvard University.

I’ve been married to my wife Rebecca for 46 years. We have two children David and Jennifer, and four grandsons Dean, Eirik, Finn and Owen.

Amy Lewis Hofland

Director

“I believe that showing gratitude creates a more compassionate society.”

I believe that showing gratitude creates a more compassionate society. To help bring this practice to life, I serve on the board of directors of The Thanks-Giving Foundation, and hold various other board leadership positions in my community. I’m also working to establish Dallas as a City of Compassion, which motivated me to form and co-chair The Compassion Council for the Dallas Arts District.

My position as Executive Director at the Crow Museum of Asian Art in Dallas has granted me the opportunities to speak at public lectures and author books on the artistic traditions of Asian Art. Since the museum’s inception in 1998, I’ve had the privilege of recruiting leading Asian art scholars, and launching the museum as the first wellness museum in the United States. I’ve also had the honor of shaping the museum’s award-winning education programs to emphasize and empower collaboration and collective learning.

I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Arts degree in art education from the University of North Texas, where I was proud to be part of the Marcus Fellow program.

Noah Jeppson

Director

Since joining the board of directors of The Thanks-Giving Foundation in 2013, I’ve been passionate about spreading its message and mission.

I developed and led the Thanks-Giving Neighbors Council outreach and community volunteering opportunities, plus managed and improved communication through social media campaigns, a relaunched website, language translations, and visitor resources.

As a community activator, I work to create a constructive dialogue between neighbor groups and business leaders to support the role of design in urban activism. My accomplishments include successful installments of PARK(ing) Day, and programming for the Seattle Design Festival, crowd-funded design projects, and creating solutions that bring awareness to historic preservation and sustainability issues.

Currently, I’m a senior designer at the architecture and design firm Valerio Dewalt Train. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in commercial art from Concordia University, Nebraska.

Stan Levenson

Director

“I believe gratitude is emotional and equates to thankfulness, understanding and respect.”

Gratitude can be defined, expressed and experienced in several ways. Enjoying a sense of belonging. Being blessed by God, family and friends. Benefiting and becoming wiser from one’s own experiences commands gratefulness as well.

I was drawn to The Thanks-Giving Foundation because it was a leading advocate for encouraging gratitude and respect among all people, regardless of their religion, race or ethnicity. The Foundation provides Dallas residents and visitors with a destination — Thanks-Giving Square — to further experience life’s enrichment.

I find continued enrichment and inspiration by supporting others, which is why I’ve dedicated much of my life to community service, diversity and inclusion, jazz music, cultural arts, and support for education. I was honored to teach as an adjunct professor in Public Relations Management at Southern Methodist University. I’m proud to have been a board member of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education, Tolerance and Human Rights; SMU’s Perkins School of Theology; SMU’s Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Division; the College of Music at University of North Texas; the Jewish Family Service Foundation; and the Texas Trees Foundation.

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Michigan. After I graduated, I served in the United States Army for two years. While stationed at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, I attended night classes at the Graduate School of American University to advance my education in journalism and marketing communications.

In 1962, I married my devoted wife and business partner Barbara, and together we established an integrated advertising and public relations agency that served clients for more than five decades. We’re most proud of being blessed with two gifted daughters, a devoted son-in-law and six grandsons, three of whom are already college graduates.

Jud Pankey

Director

In addition to serving on the board of directors of The Thanks-Giving Foundation, I’ve been involved in the creation or served on the board of special projects including the Transit Oriented Development Tax Increment Finance District, Central Dallas Association, City Center TIF District, Downtown Dallas Improvement District, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., Vickery Meadow Improvement District, West End Association, Uptown Public Improvement District, The Urban Land Institute, Dallas Assembly and The Real Estate Council.

Currently, I’m the CEO of Prescott Group, which I founded in 1996. I earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University, attended London School/Center for Management Development, and I’m the recipient of a Corning World Trade Council Fellowship.

Carol Seay

Director

“I strive to live by the Seay family philosophy: To those much has been given, much is expected.”

As a college student in the ‘60s, I naturally became involved in a number of campus organizations. It was here that I came to the realization that I could use my leadership abilities to do something valuable, be a catalyst for change, and truly make a difference.

I married into a philanthropic family and have remained steadfast in carrying on this tradition by staying actively involved my community. Though broad and all-encompassing, my volunteer efforts have always focused on results to help a nonprofit fulfill its mission more effectively.

Beyond serving on the board of directors for The Thanks-Giving Foundation, I’ve chaired and co-chaired myriad fundraising events and campaigns for more than 25 organizations including Baylor Health Care System, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Betty Ford Center Children’s Program, Salvation Army, The Family Place and the North Texas Crime Commission. Most recently, as a member of Parkland Foundation, I co-chaired a capital campaign to raise funds for a new comprehensive breast center, which officially broke ground on April 12, 2019.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a Master of Arts in history from Southern Methodist University. I enjoy membership in Crystal Charity Ball, Junior League of Dallas, The Dallas Women’s Club and many more. And more importantly, I’ve been blessed with a son and two grandsons.

Joanna Singleton

Secretary

“Practicing gratitude leads to a joyful life.”

I’m inspired by the bold direction of the faith leaders within The Thanks-Giving Foundation. The Foundation’s mission to bring diverse people together on common ground with shared values, like civility and kindness, is an approach that aligns with my personal values. As a board member, I’m eager to tackle complex issues and see The Thanks-Giving Foundation reach its full, future potential.

I’ve been a long-time supporter of civic projects that help advance the quality of life in Dallas, such as Klyde Warren Park. I’m active with the Dallas Regional Chamber, where I graduated from Leadership Dallas and currently serve on the Experience Council.

As co-owner of the PR and marketing agency Jackson Spalding, I lead the Dallas office, which was recently named one of the 100 Best Places to Work in North Texas by the Dallas Business Journal. I graduated from Washington and Lee University with degrees in journalism and Spanish.

My husband Glenn and I are proud parents to Penny and Connor.

David Stewart

Director

“I’m inspired by those who have overcome great odds to accomplish their dreams.”

When I’m asked what inspires me to be a part of The Thanks-Giving Foundation, my answer is always very simple. It’s in my blood.

I joined the board of directors for The Thanks-Giving Foundation in 2005. But as the youngest son of Peter P. Stewart, one of the founders of Thanks-Giving Square, I’ve been around the message of gratitude since the age of 10. Throughout my life, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from and interact with people whose life philosophy revolves around gratitude.

Personally, I have so much to be grateful for. When I received a kidney from a family friend in 2007, my feelings of gratitude overwhelmed me. A year later, my wife donated her kidney to my niece, who was 21 years old at the time.

My love for supporting causes that I believe in also translates to my day job as a partner, writer, editor, and print and web designer for a team that has given birth and shape to a new community — Lakeside DFW Land Ltd. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Connecticut College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, and playing guitar.

Jon Altschuler

Director

Craig Davis

Director

Jamal Gharbieh

Director

Kendall Joseph

Director

Nolan Knight

Treasurer

Jack Lowe

Director

Chris Slaughter

Director

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Jerry Arnold

Carl Bell

Trammell Crow

Greg Davis

Ruben Esquivel

Don Glendenning

Harriet Miers

Cathy Moore

Sybil Novinski

Lysa Rohan

Chris Slaughter

Rose Marie Stromberg

Dr. Phillip Williams, Jr.

Dr. Linus Wright

FORMER DIRECTORS AND/OR ADVISORY COUNCIL

Jan Hart Black

Edward O. Boshell

Douglas D. Bruton

Hassan I. Bukhari

Ben Casey

John R. Castle

Liz Cedillo-Pereira

James F. Chambers Jr.

Lee Coleman

Serena Simmons Connelly

Robert C. Connor

Louise Cowan

Charles G. Cullum

George Cullum

Bill Dean

Steven Durham

Terry Flowers

Louise Gartner

Joseph M. Grant

John Grimes

Charles L. Gummer

Joe Hardt

William Hill

Michael Hinojosa

Walter Humann

Graceanna Jones

Robert Jordan

Robert Jordan

John S. Justin, Jr.

Robert Kent

Amanullah Khan

Linda S. Lehner

Anita N. Martinez

Bill Matthews

Lee McAlester

Rodger R. Meier

Liz Minyard

Almas Muscatwalla

Lydia Novakov

Erle Nye

Susan Pausky

Scott Peck

Muriel Pinkus

Kambiz Rafraf

Mark Shank

Alan Steelman

Peter Stewart, Founder

Thomas Taylor

Eldon R. Vaughan

W. Ray Wallace

Ashley Wilson

Basil P. Xeros