Hearts of Texas Luncheon
VolunteerNow honors local volunteer and philanthropic leaders with the VolunteerNow Lifetime Achievement Award, while celebrating the impact of volunteers on North Texas.
Presented by Legacy Sponsor
Lyda Hill Philanthropies
Honorary Chair
Carolyn Gardner
Volunteer Champion
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
JCPenney
Resource Amplifier
Lisa Kraus
Patron Supporter
John Hall
Tammy Richards & Mike Douglass
Lifetime Achievement Honoree Cynt Marshall
Cynt Marshall has been a dynamic force in business over a 36-year career at AT&T and almost seven years as the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. Cynt has been a champion for achieving business results through inclusion and a relentless focus on people and operational excellence.
Prior to her joining the Mavs, Cynt founded Marshalling Resources, a consulting firm specializing in leadership development, culture transformation and optimization of people resources.
As Senior Vice President – Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer, Cynt led the team that created a world class culture and also spearheaded the work that for the first time placed AT&T on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2017, one of only two Fortune 50 companies. She’s had similar results with her clients at Marshalling Resources.
Cynt also served as President-AT&T North Carolina where she became the first African-American chair of the North Carolina State Chamber of Commerce.
Widely recognized for her visionary leadership and ability to get things done, Cynt is the recipient of several honors and awards, including the 2024 Junior Achievement Dallas Business Hall of Fame Laureate award and the 2022 Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum Hope for Humanity award. In 2021, Forbes named Cynt one of 15 of the world’s most inspiring female leaders.
A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with degrees in Business Administration and Human Resources Management, Cynt is also the recipient of five honorary doctorate degrees. She serves on four corporate boards and on several non-profit boards, including Dallas CASA, UC Berkeley Board of Visitors, and the Dallas Regional Chamber where Cynt is the immediate past chair of the board. Cynt is also on the board and the co-founder of Pro Sports Assembly and recently named to The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Board of Governors. In May 2025, Cynt was named Cal Alumni of the Year.
Cynt’s first book, You’ve Been Chosen, was released in September 2022 and nominated for an NAACP Image award. She grew up in Richmond, California, and lives in Dallas, Texas. Cynt and her husband, Kenneth Marshall, have four adult children.
Become a Sponsor and Buy Tickets
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Hilton Anatole
12:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Check-in and reception: 11:30 am to 12:00 pm
Sponsorship Packages
Legacy Sponsor $50,000
– Two premium tables seating 10 guests each
– First seating priority
– Featured speaking opportunity at event
– Spotlight article in two VolunteerNow newsletters
– Full page ad in event program
– Inclusion in pre-event publicity
– Listing as Presenting Legacy Sponsor in all event materials
Thought Leader $25,000
– Two premium tables seating 10 guests each
– Premium seating priority
– Speaking opportunity at event
– Spotlight article in one VolunteerNow newsletter
– Full page ad in event program
– Listing as Thought Leader in all event materials
Community Builder $10,000
– One table seating 10 guests
– Half page ad in event program
– Listing as Community Builder in all event materials
Volunteer Champion $5,000
– One table seating 10 guests
– Quarter page ad in event program
– Listing as Volunteer Champion in all event materials
Resource Amplifier $2,500
– One table seating 10 guests
– Listing as Resource Amplifier in select event materials
Patron Supporter $500
– Seating for two guests
– Listing as Patron Supporter in select event marketing
Friend $175 (Individual Ticket)
– Seating for one guest
Celebrating Our Community Partners
Tammy Richards Impact Award: Austin ISD
Austin ISD is home to more than 68,000 students. We are Austin’s home for inclusive learning—a place where high expectations meet high outcomes. Our mission is to prepare every student for a successful life.
We are extremely thankful to our volunteers, tutors, mentors, reading buddies, and event helpers for their tireless work and dedication to our schools. Our volunteers are crucial to the district’s mission and their contributions are vital to the success of our students and schools.
Ruth Collins Sharp Altshuler Award: Hope Restored Missions
Hope Restored Missions (HRM) is a people-centered non-profit organization dedicated to restoring dignity, stability, and hope for individuals and families experiencing housing instability. Through holistic case management, critical document recovery, housing navigation, employment support, and strong community partnerships, HRM removes barriers that prevent people from moving forward.
We meet people where they are, walk alongside them with compassion and accountability, and connect them to the resources they need to achieve sustainable independence. At HRM, transformation is not just about services, it is about restoring confidence, rebuilding trust, and creating pathways to lasting change.
