Priya Parker Featured at Junior League Of Dallas 2026 Milestones Luncheon
(Featured photo: JLD President Dr. Lindsay Davis, JLDSustainer of the Year Mary M. Jalonick and JLD Sustainer President Lori Whitlow Christensen)
Junior League Of Dallas 2026 Milestones Luncheon Featured Acclaimed Author, Facilitator, And Thought Leader Priya Parker And
Recognized 2026 Sustainer Of The Year Mary M. Jalonick
Junior League of Dallas’ (JLD) 15th annual Milestones Luncheon was held Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Fairmont Dallas Hotel and featured Priya Parker, facilitator, strategic advisor, and acclaimed author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters. Additionally, 2026 Sustainer of the Year Mary M. Jalonick was recognized during the Luncheon.
The morning began with a VIP reception and photos in the Gold Room, with Priya welcoming guests before heading into the Regency Ballroom to begin the luncheon. Luncheon emcee, Emmy and Associated Press Award-winning journalist and Co-anchor of NBC 5 Today, Laura Harris, welcomed guests and introduced Reverend Dr. Christopher D Girata of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, who gave the invocation.
Milestones Luncheon Co-chairs Krystle Craycraft and Diana Hamilton welcomed guests, thanked this year’s Luncheon sponsors and recognized key leaders within JLD including: Legacy Leaders, members of the Junior League for more than 50 years; Past and Current Sustainer of the Year Award recipients; Past and Current Presidents and Past and Current Sustainer Presidents; Past and Current Board of Directors Members and Past Luncheon and Ball Chairs.
“On behalf of the Junior League of Dallas, along with my wonderful co-chair, Diana, we want to express our immense gratitude to the donors and sponsors who made this luncheon possible,” Craycraft said. “For 104 years, the Junior League of Dallas has been developing women leaders who make meaningful change in our city. Through volunteer service, training, and collaboration, our members work every day to support numerous nonprofits, strengthen families, and improve lives across Dallas. Events like today make that work possible, and we are so grateful for your support.”
Hamilton added: “Like Krystle,when I first moved to Dallas, I didn’t know many people – and I certainly didn’t yet understand the profound need in our community. At my mother’s encouragement, I joined the League 26 years ago, and it truly changed my life – both personally and professionally. Not only did I meet people like me who wanted to give back, but I built friendships I will forever cherish because of the League. It taught me how to be both a friend – raiser…and a fund – raiser – two things I love – connecting passionate people to causes they care deeply about.”
Craycraft encouraged guests to purchase raffle tickets, with 100 percent of sales providing critical funding and volunteer support to programs and non-profits across Dallas. Raffle items included four $5,000 experiences: a Bachendorf’s gift card, a PlainsCapital Bank gift card, a Central Market gift card and a Highland Park Village shopping spree.
Hamilton recognized sponsors including Signature Sponsor, Sewell Automotive Group, and Legacy Sponsor, Lyda Hill. She also thanked the many individuals, corporations, and foundations who support the League’s work.
Following their remarks, Junior League of Dallas President Dr. Lindsay Davis and Sustainer President Lori Whitlow Christensen took the stage to present the Sustainer of the Year Award to Mary M. Jalonick. Guests enjoyed a wonderful video featuring touching tributes from Mary’s daughter, colleagues, fellow JLD members and friends. Mary graciously accepted the award, thanking her family and friends, and went on to detail the importance of the Junior League of Dallas in the community and in her life.
“Mary embodies the very best of what it means to be a sustaining member of the Junior League of Dallas. Her leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment to service has strengthened the Dallas community and beyond in lasting and meaningful ways. She represents the enduring legacy of the League: women who lead, who serve, and who continue to give back across a lifetime. To echo our mission, the League develops the potential of women to take effective action in our community. Mary is a remarkable example of that action,” Christensen said.
She went to talk a bit about the history of the JLD and shared about the Luncheon theme: celebrating the art of gathering, the remarkable heart of the Junior League, and the impact the JLD has made in Dallas for 105 years. The legacy of the League continues in today’s volunteers as they rise to be the next generation of women leaders to impact Dallas.
In her remarks, Davis shared how the purpose of the Luncheon is to highlight the League’s mission, as well as how The Art of Gathering has informed the League’s work this year. She emphasized the power of intentional connection: bringing women together not just to convene, but to build momentum, deepen purpose, and drive meaningful impact across Dallas. Through leadership opportunities, cross-generational engagement, and a shared commitment to service, the Junior League of Dallas continues to transform collective intention into lasting community change.
“Selecting Priya Parker as our 15th Annual Milestones Luncheon Speaker felt like a natural reflection of who we are as an organization. Her work reminds us that how we gather matters just as much as why we gather. That idea has guided our approach to leadership, connection and community throughout this year. It aligns beautifully with our mission to develop women leaders and create meaningful impact,” Davis said.
Following a break for lunch, Harris returned to the stage to welcome featured speaker Priya Parker for a candid, engaging, and humorous conversation, moderated by Davis and Christensen. Parker shared insight about how she guides communities in designing gatherings that foster trust, clarity, and shared purpose in boardrooms, classrooms, and community spaces. She told engaging stories and shared valuable tips and tricks with the audience to ensure that moments of gathering are intentional, beneficial, and meaningful to all parties involved.
Each year, the Milestones Luncheon raises funds for the Junior League of Dallas Community Service Fund, which serves as a platform to raise awareness for the programs and issues supported by the JLD and to recognize the impact and achievements of its volunteers. Proceeds from the Milestones Luncheon allow the JLD to grant approximately $1 million annually to the Dallas community.
Sponsors of the 2026 Milestones Luncheon included: Sewell Automotive Companies, Signature Sponsor; Lyda Hill, Legacy Sponsor; Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians, VIP Sponsor; Marilyn Brachman Hoffman Foundation, VIP Check-In Sponsor; The Dallas Foundation, Platinum Dinner Sponsor; Alto, Rideshare Sponsor; McShan Florist, Floral Sponsor; PaperCity, Luncheon Media Sponsor; Gittings Portraiture, Photography Sponsor; Central Market, Favor Bag Sponsor; Margaret Wells and Susan Wells Jenevein, Invitation Sponsor; Origin Bank, Menu Sponsor; Texas Health Resources, Program Sponsor; and PlainsCapital Bank, Photo Booth Sponsor.
ABOUT JUNIOR LEAGUE OF DALLAS
The Junior League of Dallas cultivates women 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 and LinkedIn.
Photos by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass
(This Philanthropy Lifestyles Scene courtesy Junior League of Dallas.)
