Richie Butler
Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
THE PEOPLE WHO HOLD THE MISSION
Leadership built for the long work.
Project Unity brings civic, business, faith, public-service, and community experience to one table. The organization is guided by people who understand that trust is built through consistency, courage, and shared responsibility.
FOUNDER & CHIEF VISIONARY OFFICER
Richie Butler
Richie Butler founded Project Unity and serves as its Chief Visionary Officer. He is also Senior Pastor of St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church. His leadership brings together faith, civic life, business, and public institutions around a practical commitment to building and sustaining community.
Read the Project Unity storyTHE GUIDING BELIEF
What unites us is greater than what divides us.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Stewardship across sectors.
Current leadership, organizational affiliations, and biographies are presented from Project Unity’s published leadership information.
Chris Arnold
Dallas Mavericks Inclusion Ambassador
Rhetta Bowers
State Representative, District 113, Texas House
Patricia Burruss, JD, MBA
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
Emiel Hill
Director, Client Onboarding, Treasury Services Division, Bank of Texas Financial
Jeff Meade
Founder, Meade
Almas Muscatwalla
Chair, Interfaith Council and Executive Director, Faith Forward Dallas
Eric Ochel
Commercial Real Estate Sales Consultant, C82 Commercial | Masterplan Land Use Experts
Matthew Ruffner
Senior Pastor, Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church
Sgt. Wanda West
Office of the Chief of Police, Dallas Police Department
ADVISORY BOARD
Experience that carries forward.
Past board leadership continues to provide institutional memory, counsel, and perspective.
Jae Ellis
HKA Global | Past Board Chair, Project Unity
ADVISORNeisha Strambler-Butler
Baylor Scott & White Health | Past Board Member, Project Unity
PROJECT UNITY STAFF
The team behind every invitation.
Programs, events, operations, finance, communications, and special projects come together here.
Christopher Morris
Financial Analyst
Micah Demby
Social Media Coordinator
Doris Edmon
Executive Administrator
Charlene Edwards
Director of Programs and Events
Bill Morse
Director of Operations and Finance
Maserati Chau
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Kyndal Kimbell
Special Projects
YEAR OF UNITY · 2017
One year. A citywide circle of leadership.
For the launch of the Year of Unity in 2017, Project Unity was honored to have the following dignitaries and community leaders serve as chairs and ambassadors. Each played a vital role in the implementation of the year’s programs and events.
2017 HONORARY CHAIRGeorge W. Bush
43rd President of the United States
2017 HONORARY CO-CHAIRS
Arcilia Acosta
CEO, CARCON Industries & STL Engineers
Michelle Carter
2016 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist
Galileo Jumaoas
President, Asian American Chamber of Commerce
Almas Muscatwalla
Chair, Interfaith Council; Board Member, Thanks-giving Foundation
Mike Rawlings
Mayor, City of Dallas
Mike Sorrell
President, Paul Quinn College
Dr. Brian Williams, MD FACS
Medical Director of Parkland Community Health Institute
2017 AMBASSADORS
31 CIVIC & COMMUNITY LEADERSBonner Allen
Junior League of Dallas
Malik Aziz
National Black Police Association
Ken Barth
CEO, Symphonic Sources, Inc.
Ty Bledsoe
Vice President, External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T
Froswa Booker-Drew
Director of Community Affairs, State Fair of Texas
Carrie Broussard
Chairman, Conscious Capitalism
Dave Brown
Executive VP and General Manager, American Airlines Center
Bryan Carter
African American Pastors Coalition; Pastor, Concord Church
Kelly Compton
Executive Director, The Hoglund Foundation
Rob Crain
President, Dallas Bar Association
Diana Einstein
Executive Director, Mayor’s Star Council
Kourtny Garrett
President and CEO, Downtown Dallas, Inc.
Cammy Gaston
District Superintendent, North Texas Conference of United Methodist Church
Samantha Goldstein
Culture Ambassador, Interstate Batteries
Gary Griffith
President, Today Foundation
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
Superintendent, Dallas ISD
Susan Hoff
Chief Strategy, Impact & Operations Officer, United Way Dallas
Larry James
CEO, City Square
Susan Wells Jenevein
Director of Development, Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep
Charles F. Johnson
Executive Director for Pastors for Texas Children
Tim Powers
Managing Partner, Haynes and Boone
Paul Rasmussen
Senior Minister, Highland Park United Methodist Church
Jolie Robinson
Manager, Dallas Police Department, Office of Community Affairs & Employee Communications
Matthew Ruffner
Senior Minister, Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church
Andres Ruzo
CEO and Chairman, LinkAmerica
Chris Slaughter
President, Thanks-Giving Foundation
Pamela Stein
Executive Director, North Texas District Council, Urban Land Institute
Andy Stoker
Senior Minister, First United Methodist Church
Robert B. Tapley
100 Black Men of Greater Dallas/Ft. Worth
Dr. R. Gerald Turner
President, Southern Methodist University
Dr. Jeff Warren
Senior Pastor, Park Cities Baptist Church
Roles and titles listed for individuals were as of 2017.
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