Leadership

Doris Knapek
President

Janie is an active community volunteer and has served on multiple symphony boards at the state and local level.

Susan Rader
President - Elect

Doris was born in Gainesville, TX, but moved to Dallas when she was one year old – she got here as soon as she could. She grew up in Oak Cliff and graduated from South Oak Cliff High School. Doris married her high school sweetheart, Henry, after they graduated and have been married for 66 years. She and her husband have 3 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild.

As a member of NWC, Doris has filled many positions including membership on the Communications Committee and has served two terms as 2nd VP in charge of Member Services.
Other than NWC, Doris has been involved in the Guild at Old City Park where she compiled a new monthly letter with Guild news. Doris has also been active in Preston Hollow Women’s Club where she served two terms as President.

Doris enjoys participation in our social activities such as Mag Jongg, Canasta, Out to Lunch, and Lunch Bunch. Doris says she stays a member of NWC because she likes the purpose of the organization to give back to the community, and meeting with the many friends in her 14 years as a member.

Jackie Shepperson
1st VP Administration

Cathy is a native Texan who was born and raised in Houston until the family relocated to the Dallas area when she was in the 9th grade. She graduated from MacArthur High School in Irving, then attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, graduating in 1973 with a major in Home Economics.
Cathy’s first job was as a demonstration agent with Unique Zipper Company. She traveled the
country giving demonstrations at stores and fairs across the country. She then began her Customer Service career for six years with Polaroid Corporation. She spent a brief time at Atari Video Games, also in Customer Service before she was recruited and hired by PepsiCo. She spent 13 years at Pepsi managing Consumer Service there then transitioned to Frito-Lay as Director of Customer Service for the last 22 years of her career.
Cathy has been divorced for many years, has no children, but 4 adorable and brilliant great-nieces and nephews. She is a member of NWC’s Can-Do Quilters. She enjoys reading, movies, and traveling. Cathy resides in
Plano.

Cathy Dial
2nd VP Member Services

Proud of my Midwest roots, I grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

My husband and I have five children and seven grandchildren, ages 13-22.
Our children live in Albuquerque (grand boys), Dripping Springs (grand girls) and Frisco (grand girls).
My four brothers are all professional musicians and live on the West Coast.

My professional preparation includes a doctorate from Texas Tech University, with majors in Instructional Technology and Administration.
My first two degrees are in mathematics (South Dakota State University and the University of Arizona).
Always the professional student, also Iowa State, Bemidji State, and currently Collin Community College.

My work history has been consistently in education with my first teaching position at St. Louis Park High School (suburb of Minneapolis) teaching mathematics and the first computer science course. Along with a professor in the Psychology department at Iowa State University, we started the first Math Anxiety course for adult women students. While completing my doctorate at Texas Tech University, I taught in the mathematics department, the college of education, the Lighthouse for the Blind, and Texas Instruments Learning Center.
My career continued in San Angelo at the Education Service Center Region XV as the math, science, and technology specialist, then a career change to San Angelo ISD as the Technology Director. We moved to Dallas in 1998; I joined the Richardson ISD as Instructional Technology Executive Director. Before retiring, my final career was Technology Consultant, JKS Consulting, Inc., project director (McKinney ISD) and various private schools in the metroplex.

Also published an article in the Phi Delta Kappan Journal, President of the Texas Computer Education Association, member of the Educational Advisory Committee for the state of Texas Education Association for ten years, and authored and coauthored several technology books.

Currently retired and enjoying numerous activities: traveling, reading, golf, bridge, courses at metroplex colleges, and staying active in our children and grandchildren's lives with their activities.

Currently, President of the Ticker Tape Texans Investment club and Richardson Retired School Personnel Directory/Yearbook chair.

We especially enjoy traveling with our families, and have discovered great destinations to share with them, including Florida, Colorado, and Missouri.
We have traveled throughout the United States and many of our recent trips are couple golf outings (Florida, Colorado, Palm Springs, Ruidoso, Texas).
We have also traveled abroad with Italy being our favorite destination.

I'm excited and look forward to the 2023-2024 year with NWC, fully embracing the
mission of Northwood Woman’s Club.

Janis Hefley
3rd VP Community Service

Wynell Esson
4th VP Charitable Fund

BIO Coming Soon

Jane Orr
General Fund Treasurer

Vicki Roberts’ hometown is Dallas, and she has lived all over Texas with a stint in Santa Rosa, California. Vicki graduated from high school in Irving, TX. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Sociology. Vicki became an accountant and earned a CPA. Vicki is a widow with one daughter and two grandchildren who live in Austin, TX.

For 27 years, Vicki worked for Centex Corporation, which was one of the most successful diversified building companies in the United States. By the end of her career at Centex, she was Vice President of Finance and Treasurer.

Vicki is a member of Financial Executives International, FEI, where key influencers network to understand emerging issues and advocate for corporate finance. As a member of this organization, she has taught Continuing Education, raised money for scholarships, and held many board
committees and officer positions including President.

Outside of NWC, Vicki Roberts has been vitally involved in Grace Presbytery which coordinates Presbyterial Churches in our area, prepares and supports leaders to build vital congregations, and help those in need. In this capacity she serves as Director of Finance. In addition to this, Vicki has participated to mentor students seeking an MBA degree at SMU. Vicki has also been active in Dallas CASA, serving as Treasurer for a number of years.

Vicki joined NWC in 2020, and its members immediately recognized her experience and abilities. She was asked and has agreed to serve on the Executive Board as Treasurer of the General Fund this year, which will lead to Treasurer of the Charitable Fund of NWC next year. She enjoys NWC social activities including the Evening Book Club, Lunch Bunch, the former Travel Club, and the Theatre Group. Her favorite charitable activities have been Our Friends Place and the Dine by Design fundraiser.

Vicki Roberts
Charitable Fund Treasurer

Sue Rader was born into an Air Force family and lived in many places until she moved to Bossier City, LA where she graduated from high school. She graduated from SMU with a BA in Geology, and from UTD with an MBA with honors. Sue also has graduate hours from UTD in Policy and Government.

Sue enjoyed a long and successful career in the oil and gas industry as a landman and negotiator. Most of her career was spent working in the offshore arena. She retired as Vice President-Land with Venari Resources nine years ago. Sue then spent several years as a consultant and as an Adjunct Professor at UTD teaching energy management in the School of Management. In 2017, she retired again to care for her husband who died that year.
Sue enjoys NWC’s Gourmet Group and Can-Do-Quilters who work together to make quilts for charity. She enjoys reading, quilting, “ladies who lunch.” She has served as co-founder and President of Texoma Westend
Support LLC, a charitable organization that provides lunch and breakfast to West Grayson County students during the summer and other school breaks. Her current involvement with this organization is as VP Fund Raising and food procurement. Last year Sue co-founded a sewing initiative, “Threads for Change,” that provides refugee women with the opportunity to learn a new skill and build community.
Sue has served NWC as Director of its General Fund Treasurer. Sue moved to Dallas in 1981 and considers Dallas her hometown. Sue loves to travel. She has been throughout the US, Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Israel. Some of her favorite cities are New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. She particularly loves any place with white sane, gentle waves, and cabana boys stopping by regularly with cold drinks. Sue even lived in Okinawa as a child. She and her husband’s next major trip is the US NW. Sue and her new husband just purchased an RV for this very purpose.

Sue has two grown children, 8 grandchildren, and a miniature Beagle who prefers to be treated as an only child. She describes herself as a Christian, dog lover, wine drinker, talker, half-way minimalist, and generally content individual. Sue has a zest for life and remarried last year to Nick Engels. Sue advises, “It’s never too late to start again, you’re never too old to fall in love, and there are some good things to be found on the internet.”

Wanda Brice
Secretary

Retired as CEO of the national Women’s Museum after a long career as an entrepreneur, Wanda lives with her Giant Schnauzer Maggie and her calico cat Kate. She has 4 children and 10 grandchildren.

Pam Meyercord
Parliamentarian

In over twenty years of membership in Northwood Woman’s Club, Pam has learned new skills, made many friends, given hundreds of volunteer hours to the Dallas community, and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for our needy philanthropies. She believes that “NWC is a place to have fun while continuing to improve the lives of women and children and continuing my own self-education.”
In NWC Pam has served on many committees and in almost every Board position, including
President.
Outside of NWC, she has served on many city and state boards of directors in addition to being a Professional Registered Parliamentarian serving a variety of clients.

Past President:
Texas State PTA
Friends of the Dallas Public Library
Northwood Woman’s Club
Big Thought, Inc.
Big Thought Endowment
Women’s Council of Dallas County, Texas, Inc
Partnership for Arts, Culture and Education

Past and Current Service Activities:
Texas State Association of Parliamentarians
Lone Star Parliamentarians, President
Texas Parent PAC, Secretary
Junior League of Dallas, Sustainer
National PTA Board Member
Coalition for North Texas Children
High school parliamentary team coach
Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association
Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Reserve Deacon

Professional Experience:
Advising on Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised
Presiding at meetings of all types and sizes
Teaching workshops on Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised; Conducting Effective Meetings;
Bylaws; Board, Governance and more
Consulting and writing bylaws
Conducting elections
Writing resolutions
Preparing agendas
Producing scripts for meetings and conventions
Advising on board governance and leadership
Moderating candidate forums

Education:
University of Oklahoma-B.S. in Special Education
Professional Registered Parliamentarian

Executive Board of Directors

Full Board of Directors