Junior League of Dallas Celebrated its 2024 Sustainer of the Year Kathleen Gibson

(Featured photo: JLD President Christina Eubanks, Linda Secrest, and 2024 Sustainer of the Year Kathleen Gibson.)

Junior League of Dallas (JLD) celebrated 2024 Sustainer of the Year Kathleen Gibson at a beautiful reception in the library at Kathy and Harlan Crow’s home on Feb. 29. Friends, family and JLD members gathered to celebrate Kathleen and her many accomplishments.  While sipping on cocktails and enjoying passed hors d’oeuvres, guests visited and took in the impressive collections featured in the Crow’s library.

Milestones luncheon co-chair Linda Secrest welcomed guests and thanked sponsors including Kathy and Harlan Crow, Central Market, Freixenet Mionetto, Needle in a Haystack, Alison Scheel, Brown Freeman, and Katie German. She then introduced Sustainer President Candace Winslow who eloquently detailed Kathleen’s commitment to the Junior League and shared about her many professional and personal endeavors. In particular, Candace shared about Kathleen’s numerous roles in the League over the years including Assistant Provisional Project Chair; JLD Ball Committee, including Advertising Sales Force and Assistant Arrangements Chair; Public Affairs Committee – Issue Researcher, and as Funding Ad Hoc Committee Member.

Candace went on to explain how Kathleen has used her JLD training both in her nonprofit board involvement and in her career. She is credited for transforming Southwestern Medical Foundation by forming committees for the board, governance and leading a successful $1 billion capital campaign. Her fundraising placements within JLD prepared her well for this role. In addition, Kathleen has chaired multiple nonprofit boards and served on numerous committees, again using the skills she learned through JLD training.

Kathleen became president and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation in 2012, making her the tenth President in Southwestern Medical Foundation’s more than 80-year history and the first woman to lead the organization. In 2022, following 10 years of service, she instituted a CEO succession plan to recruit the next Foundation leader and provide sufficient time for an orderly transition.

In addition, Kathleen has been active in the community and state serving on the boards of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Texas A&M Foundation, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Texas Higher Education Foundation, Philanthropy Southwest, Visiting Nurses Association of Texas, and LaunchBio. Her prior civic involvement includes service on the boards of the Dallas Regional Chamber, Children’s Medical Center, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, The Dallas Opera, The Lamplighter School, Dallas Citizens Council, BioNTX, and the Dallas 2012 Olympic Bid Committee.

Kathleen was recognized at the 2024 Milestones Luncheon at the Omni Dallas Hotel with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts.

ABOUT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS

The Junior League of Dallas cultivates leaders who collectively address the critical needs of the community. Founded in 1922, JLD is one of the largest Junior Leagues in the world, as well as the largest and oldest training organization for women in Dallas. Active members range in age from 22 to 49 with approximately 85% percent of women employed outside of the home. The JLD provides leadership opportunities to nearly 4,000 women each year through more than 17,000 cumulative hours of experiential and formal training. Uniquely member-run, JLD provides approximately 100,000 hours in volunteer service and more than $1 million in funding to area nonprofits each year. For more information, please visit www.jldallas.org or Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Photos by Tamytha Cameron

(This Philanthropy Lifestyles Scene courtesy Junior League of Dallas.)