Events
Thrive & Survive Summit: A Regional Call to Action on Mental Health, Leadership, and Civic Collaboration
Hosted by Leadership Southwest Class of 2025
Date: October 7, 2025
Location: Dallas College – Cedar Valley Campus, Lancaster, TX
A Leadership-Driven Mental Health Summit With Real Impact
Best Southwest Cities did not show up on October 7, 2025 to hold another conversation. They showed up to build a coordinated response.
Hosted by the Leadership Southwest Class of 2025 at Dallas College Cedar Valley in Lancaster, the Thrive & Survive Summit put city leadership, public safety, clinicians, educators, and nonprofit operators in the same room to address one shared reality: mental health is now a public-safety, workforce, and youth-development issue at the same time.
Leadership Southwest is a leadership development program serving Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, and Lancaster. Sponsored by the Chambers of Commerce in each city, the program brings together participants from business, government, education, nonprofit, and community organizations to learn, connect, and grow as civic-minded leaders.
MSM’s Role: Make the Work Visible and Repeatable
Market Standard Media supported the Thrive & Survive Summit with intentional media production.
Most summits lose momentum once the event ends. Without documentation and follow-through, important conversations stay in the room instead of reaching the people who need them.
Market Standard Media led media production for the Thrive & Survive Summit to document key voices, extend the summit’s reach, and give sponsors and partners clear visibility into the event’s impact.
On-site deliverables included:
Designed and produced the Step & Repeat backdrop featured in press interviews and attendee photo moments
Created and installed branded signage recognizing top-tier sponsors and municipal supporters
Developed a Press Conference Media Hub to capture post-panel interviews with speakers, panelists, and guests
Produced a highlight video campaign to amplify key insights and extend the summit’s reach far beyond the room
The goal was not promotion. It was to ensure the conversation carried forward beyond the event.
Featured Voices Across the Summit
Mental health does not sit in one lane. It touches hospitals, schools, first responders, city operations, and community organizations. The summit reflected that reality with speakers who operate at every pressure point.
- Dr. Trina Hall – Police Psychologist, Dallas Police Department
Chief Eric Neal – Fire Chief & Mental Health First Responder, City of Balch Springs
Chief Bryan Southard – Fire Chief, City of DeSoto
Jacob Walker – Training Coordinator, Southwest Regional Communications Center
- Dr. John W. Burruss – CEO, Metrocare
Sue Schell – Sr. VP, Behavioral Health, Children’s Health
Pennie Beauchamp – Executive Director, Mental Health America of Greater Dallas
Karlos Lyons, LPC – Licensed Professional Counselor
- Brandon Wright – Former City Manager, DeSoto and Trophy Club
Greg Porter – Retired City Manager, City of Cedar Hill
Opal Mauldin-Jones – City Manager, City of Lancaster
- Dr. Courtney Jackson – Executive Director, Guidance and Counseling
Dr. Camille Gray – Grace Gathering Outreach Ministries
- Greg Ellis – Former NFL Defensive End, Dallas Cowboys; Founder, Getting My Help (GMH)
Moderators & Civic Hosts
Panels were expertly guided by moderators who are a part of the LSW 2025 Class, who connected powerful stories to real-world policy and practice:
Cristal Retana Lule – Community Relations, Children’s Health
Diana Mathis Thornton, LPC – Licensed Professional Counselor
Carey Neal – City Manager, City of Seagoville
Joe Veracruz – Councilmember, City of Duncanville
Mission Moments: Local Programs Already Doing the Work
- Cedar Hill ISD Chaplaincy Program – Creating in-school spiritual support and crisis care
M.A.Z.E. Youth Advocacy – Mentoring at-risk youth through mental health and advocacy
DeSoto C.A.R.E.S. Team – Coordinated crisis response and mental wellness support across city departments
These were not “spotlights.” They were proof that the region already has working pieces. The next step is alignment and scale.
$5,000 Nonprofit Donation: Turning Words Into Action
In a defining moment of the summit, the Class of 2025 awarded a $5,000 donation to Bridging the Gap Foundation, a nonprofit and member of the DeSoto Area Chamber of Commerce. This organization focuses on connecting vulnerable individuals to mental health resources, job training, and emotional support. The donation signaled that this summit wasn’t symbolic it was solutions-driven.
The LSW Class of 2025 awarded $5,000 to Bridging the Gap Foundation, a DeSoto Area Chamber of Commerce member focused on connecting vulnerable individuals to mental health resources, job training, and emotional support.
That donation turned the summit into action and set the tone for what comes next: measurable support, not just messaging.
LSW Class of 2025
This summit’s success was a direct result of the work done by these Committee Chairs and the entire LSW Class of 2025:
Production Committee: Esther Williams (Chair), Tiffiany Buris, Tonnie James, Elizabeth Madden, Diana Mathis Thornton, Carey Neal, Cristal Retana Lule, Twyla Robinson
Sponsorship Committee: Cortney Beauregard (Chair), Steve Boyer, Ben Hairgrove, Jennifer Lott, Alicia Thomas, Jennifer R. Smith, Joe Veracruz
Marketing Committee: Azariah Smith (Chair), Charles Beasley, Lluvia Flores, Jerry Hicklen, Sandy Love, Alyssa McGee, Marq Runnels, Wanda Randle, Tachia Williams-Mays
Hospitality Committee: Tanisha Goodley (Chair), Mary Horsechief, Nira McNealy, Justin Schaefer, Charlotte Simms, Kimberle Woods
Registration Committee: Shelonda Weaver (Chair), Vanessa Alonzo, Olivia Daniels, Haley Graham, Juani Hernandez, Janet Veracruz
What Happens Next
All Press Conference Media Hub interviews are being edited into a multi-part digital series designed to:
Keep the message alive year-round
Create a baseline record that future summits can measure against
Final Thoughts
The Thrive & Survive Summit proved that when cities, chambers, schools, and nonprofits come together with clarity and shared vision, they can move the needle on even the most complex issues.
Market Standard Media was proud to lead the visual execution of this movement, turning ideas into content, space into strategy, and voices into legacy.
