The Commit Partnership Celebrates 15 Years at Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit

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On a recent fall evening, more than 400 community, business, education, and philanthropic leaders gathered at the gorgeous Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District for The Commit Partnership’s annual Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit, presented in partnership with Bain & Company, the Catalyst Sponsor of the event.

The event celebrated the organization’s 15th anniversary and its work with school districts, colleges and universities, employers, policymakers, nonprofits, and philanthropic partners to improve educational outcomes and expand economic opportunity across Dallas.

The Commit Partnership’s long-term work includes Opportunity 2040, a community investment plan designed to place 150,000 more Dallas County students on a path toward economic mobility while reducing childhood poverty.

Inside the Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit

The Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit opened with remarks from Commit’s Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Todd Williams. It then moved into a fireside chat between the President of Dallas County Impact at Commit, Miguel Solis, and special guest Jim Shelton, CEO of Blue Meridian Partners. Blue Meridian Partners is a leading philanthropic organization focused on identifying and scaling solutions that address poverty and expand opportunity.

Shelton, a nationally recognized leader in education and philanthropy, previously served as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, overseeing a broad range of management, policy, and education programs. His experience brought a national perspective to the Summit’s discussions.

The evening also featured special performances by the North Mesquite High School, Solar Preparatory School for Girls, Lakeview Centennial High School, and Duncanville High School, showcasing North Texas talent.

“The work of creating economic mobility requires all of us – educators, businesses, nonprofits, policymakers, philanthropists, and community leaders — to work together,” said Solis. “For 15 years, Commit has brought people together around a shared vision for improving outcomes for students and families across Dallas County. The Economic Mobility Summit is an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come while recommitting ourselves to the work ahead.”

Celebrating 15 Years of Making a Difference

The Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit also recognized individuals and organizations making a meaningful impact through education with numerous awards.

Chelsea Jeffery, Commit Partnership’s Vice President and COO, presented awards recognizing achievement across several local independent school districts. DeSoto ISD won the Early Learning Momentum Award, Dallas ISD was the proud recipient of the Literary Momentum Award, Garland ISD took home the Third Grade Momentum Award, and Richardson ISD soared with the Math Momentum Award.

Dr. Eric Ban, founder, and Megan Aghazdin, CEO, with the Economic Mobility Center, also recognized schools for their achievements.

Superintendent-in-Residence at Commit Partnership, Dr. Jeannie Stone, recognized Cedar Hill ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, and Grand Prairie ISD with the Commit Leadership Award. Solis presented Dallas ISD with a recognition for 15 Years of Systems Leadership and Partnership, while Williams presented JPMorgan Chase with a Partnership Award.

The Dallas County Economic Mobility Summit marked 15 years of progress for the Commit Partnership and renewed its commitment to expanding opportunity for Dallas County students and families.

PC Seen: Abigail Williams, Belen Garren, Gay Donnell Willis, Ken Malcolmson, Jeff Netzer, Lynn McBee, Eric Meadows, Wayne White, and Pedro Correa.