By Elizabeth Lenart | Contributor

Dallas City Councilmember Jennifer Staubach Gates has been named the recipient of the 18thAnnual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award, presented by Bank of Texas, Texas Woman’s University and the Texas Woman’s University Foundation. Texas Woman’s Chancellor Carine M. Feyten will honor Councilmember Gates on Feb. 20, 2020, at the Dallas Leadership Luncheon chaired by Ralph Hawkins, chairman emeritus with HKS, Inc. and recipient of the 2015 Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award.

Gates, a lifelong Dallas resident who resides in Preston Hollow, represents District 13 on the city council and currently chairs the Domestic Violence Task Force to help bridge communication between the Dallas Police Department, the District Attorney’s office, judges and community partners. This collaboration aims to strengthen the forces fighting to end domestic violence in Dallas. Additionally, she is a committee member at the Diocesan Education Empowerment Trust and the Dallas H.O.P.E.S. Advisory Council.

Gates is a licensed registered nurse and the recipient of numerous awards including the Marnie Wildenthal Literacy Award (2018), the Champion of Human Rights Award from Mosaic Family Services (2016), and the University of the Incarnate Word Alumni of Distinction for Service in Mission (2015).

“I am pleased to present Jennifer Staubach Gates with the 18th Annual Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award,” said Chancellor Feyten. “Jennifer’s leadership in the community, her ongoing commitment to address issues critical to improving the lives of others, and her passion for the value of education make her an ideal recipient of this award. Jennifer is someone who demonstrates a servant’s heart not only through her work as a councilmember but also in her daily life.”

Established in 2002, the Virginia Chandler Dykes Leadership Award is given annually to Dallas leaders dedicated to improving the quality of life in the community and to furthering the importance of education. The award recognizes the work of Texas Woman’s alumna Virginia Chandler Dykes whose professional and civic achievements represent a lifetime committed to helping others. Past award recipients are Dale Petroskey, Norman P. Bagwell, Stephen L. Mansfield, Frances Anne “Francie” Moody-Dahlberg, Ralph Hawkins, Mary Brinegar, Patricia and Curtis Meadows, Myrna D. Schlegel and Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, Joel Allison, Kathleen Mason, Caroline Rose Hunt, T. Boone Pickens, Lindalyn Bennett Adams, Marnie and Kern Wildenthal, Gretchen Minyard Williams and J.L. “Sonny” Williams, Geraldine “Tincy” Miller, and Susan and Charles Cooper.

“I am humbled and honored to receive this award and to be in the company of such admired individuals,” Gates said. “We are grateful for the many leaders who are passionate about improving our community, and it should be our collective challenge to aim high for quality-of-life improvements that benefit those in need and to serve as an example for others to follow.”

In addition to honoring outstanding individuals in the community, the TWU Dallas Leadership Luncheon provides scholarships for five graduate students, while continuing to grow the Virginia Chandler Dykes Endowment.

This year’s luncheon will be held at the Belo Mansion and Pavilion, 2101 Ross Ave. Tickets are $175. Sponsorships are available. For more information, call 940-898-3865, visit twu.edu/dallasleadership or email kquinones@twu.edu.