50 years of Leadership Dallas: ‘It’s more than just a leadership program’

By Amber Dyer, Coordinator, Communications

To celebrate 50 years of the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Leadership Dallas (LD) program, presented by Grant Thornton, we are highlighting a series of alumni to learn more about the LD experience and the program’s impact on the Dallas Region. 

Byron Sanders, CEO of Arete Health, Inc., said participating in LD was a stirring experience. 

“I distinctly remember the feeling of meeting people through LD who I’d only seen on the evening news. It made me feel immediately more proximate to what was going on in the city. These people that I had looked up to from afar became more human,” said Sanders, a member of the LD Class of 2013. “I started to feel like the kinds of things that they’ve done, or the kinds of things that they’ve led, I could as well. It encouraged me to be more confident in the leadership roles that I could see myself eventually taking on in the city.” 

Sanders is from Dallas but nonetheless found LD enlightening on different aspects of the city. 

“It allowed me to better contextualize my lived experience as a native Dallasite with a broader view of history. And doing that allowed me to see how far we’ve come and the lengths we still have to go. We are constantly moving forward to create the kind of city that has accessible opportunities no matter what part of town you’re from.” 

LD’s reputation was already known to Sanders, having heard from many alumni about the program. 

“As I was becoming civically engaged beyond my immediate circle, I kept meeting people and seeing LD alums in positions of influence accomplishing meaningful work. They all raved about their experience. They all believed their class was the best class ever. I wanted to be part of that group,” he said. “LD has a sterling reputation in Dallas… There’s not a major initiative happening in the city that I’ve been involved in that didn’t have someone from LD proximate to it.” 

Sanders described his involvement with LD as transformative to both his professional network and personal perspective. 

“I’d recommend LD because it’s more than just a leadership program—it’s an experience that changes how you see yourself and your role in the city. It gives you a chance to engage directly with the people and systems shaping your community. You build relationships with a diverse group of leaders, and those connections stick with you long after the program ends,” Sanders said. “It’s about becoming part of a network of doers and changemakers who challenge and inspire you to lead in ways you didn’t even know were possible. If you want to make a real impact and feel more connected to the city you call home, Leadership Dallas is where it starts.”