Unstoppable Women

NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 are celebrating unstoppable women with “Herstory.” Froswa’ Booker-Drew, Bianca Davis, Vandana Patel, Shonda Schaefer, Dione Sims and Norma Rocha Valles are local women who are impacting our community with their spirit, determination and ability to affect change.

NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 honor DFW’s Unstoppable Women.

FROSWA’ BOOKER-DREW
Vice President of Community Affairs
State Fair of Texas

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the Vice President of Community Affairs and Strategic Alliances for the State Fair of Texas. She is also the Founder and CEO of Soulstice Consultancy where she specializes as a Partnership Broker and Leadership Expert for companies and organizations to thrive with measurable and meaningful impact. Dr. Booker-Drew is a passionate philanthropist and Co-Founder of HERitage Giving Circle. Her connectivity expertise and notable research is highlighted in quotes and profiles in major media such as Forbes, Huffington Post, Bustle, Ozy, and other outlets around the world. As a national and international professional speaker, Dr. Booker-Drew educates and expands upon various subject matters such as social capital and networking, leadership, diversity, and community development. She is currently a lecturer at Tulane University, a research affiliate at Antioch University, partner at Diversity Crew, and the author of 3 books with an upcoming book, Empowering Charity: A New Narrative of Philanthropy. Froswa' is the host of The Tapestry podcast which is featured on 450 platforms and in 148+ countries.

BIANCA DAVIS
Chief Executive Officer
New Friends New Life

Bianca Davis serves as the Chief Executive Officer of New Friends New Life (NFNL), a leading nonprofit agency in Dallas that restores and empowers women and girls who have been trafficked or exploited. She joined New Friends New Life in August 2018 as the Chief Development Officer until her appointment to CEO in January 2021. Bianca describes herself as an optimistic servant leader who plants seeds and builds authentic relationships wherever she goes. Here life’s mission statement is to use her gifts and talents to inspire others into action. Bianca has a combined 20 years of experience in healthcare communications and social services. Prior to joining NFNL, she served as senior director of fund and community development for a local domestic violence recovery agency, after serving as communications manager for Medical City Dallas Hospital where she spent nine years leading community engagement, internal campaigns, and shaping the organizational culture.

VANDANA PATEL
Volunteer
BAPS/BAPS Charities

Vandana Patel is an early intervention specialist who provides therapy to infants with disabilities and developmental delay. Vandana is active with BAPS/BAPS Charities as a youth leader and regional coordinator of women's activities. BAPS is a global non-profit focused on serving communities and families all over the world. Their mission is to better communities in five key areas which are: community empowerment, educational services, environmental protection & preservation, health & wellness, and humanitarian relief. Through her volunteer work, she strives to imbibe the teachings of the guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, "In the joy of others lies our own."

SHONDA SCHAEFER
Chief Executive Officer
GRACE Grapevine

Shonda Schaefer’s passion for helping those in need is extraordinary. For the past 15 years Shonda has been the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GRACE Grapevine. She is also a certified non-profit manager with over 25 years of experience. This includes responsibilities such as strategic planning, program design, fundraising, community relations, board development, staff supervision, volunteer management, and financial planning. Her dedication is exceptional not only to GRACE, but the community as a whole, and she carries these personal characteristics with her through every interaction she has with volunteers, donors, staff, and clients. Her personal ideals and values can be best aligned with the five core competencies of GRACE which she wrote, and also embodies: compassion, stewardship, excellence, respect, and service.

DIONE SIMS
Founder
Unity Unlimited, Inc.

Dione Sims, founder of Unity Unlimited inc. works tirelessly to help people overcome racial and cultural division. Dione was instrumental in helping her grandmother Opal Lee rally support that would lead to Juneteenth to get recognized as a national holiday. She is the current producer of the Juneteenth Fort Worth, which is a community celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in Texas. Dione is also the current President of the FORT WORTH ASSOCIATION OF FEDERATED WOMENS CLUBS FOUNDATION INC (FWAFWC), which is dedicated to serving the ladies of Fort Worth with opportunities and giving women a platform to have their voices heard. By producing programs that bring people together and uplift the human condition, Mrs. Sims encourages us all to love our neighbor as ourselves.

NORMA ROCHA VALLES
Volunteer
DFW Hispanic 100

Not a fire, pandemic or life’s challenges could stop Norma Rocha Valles. She has a heart for giving back to her community. She is a volunteer for the DFW Hispanic 100, an organization that empowers Latinas, and she supports the organization year-round. Valles also donates her beautiful singing voice to many organizations -- that includes singing the national anthem at Dallas Mavericks, Texas Rangers and FC Dallas games. She helps the Junior Players raise money so they can help young aspiring thespians reach their goals and nurture their talent. She has served as the Dallas Chair of the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas and she is the past Chair of the Irving Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

After the pandemic hit, Norma’s restaurant, Casita Tex Mex & Grill, was already struggling to stay afloat when the restaurant caught fire. Despite that major setback, Norma has not wavered in her desire to donate her time and talents for others and military veterans.