50 Years of Leadership Dallas: ‘The city and region need you to be all in’

By Morgan Scruggs, Coordinator, Leadership Programs

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

Gabrielle “Gabe” Madison, President of Bonton Farms, found out about LD through a professional connection with the DRC. 

“I first became aware of LD through the work my company at the time was doing with the chamber, but I didn’t think I was ready for LD,” said Madison. “I actually encouraged another employee at the company to apply that had a more senior position than I did. I was informed by an alum of LD that I would actually be the right candidate for LD, but I still shied away from pursuing it for another year.” 

Once Madison joined LD’s Class of 2019, she began learning more about the Dallas and North Texas Regions. 

“LD really opened my eyes to Dallas in a way that I was not expecting. I thought because I had been in Dallas almost 15 years at that point, I had a great understanding of what was happening and how things operated. I was blown away at how much LD provided me with true insight into Dallas and the greater North Texas region.” 

Madison’s LD experience motivated her to make a professional change. 

“Before LD, I was leading in the corporate world in various aspects, from HR and Organizational Development to Community Engagement. After LD, I had a new view of the world that I could not unsee. I felt called to action and empowered by my experiences to make a bigger impact. The experience with LD was part of the reason that I left the corporate world to lead Bonton Farms.” 

Madison’s work at Bonton partially came from her LD classmates’ encouragement.  

“My decision to go to Bonton Farms had a lot to do with my LD experience as well as encouragement from my LD classmates. They are still supporting me in various ways, and I am grateful to them and the DRC for supporting our efforts. Having connections to them have been a large part of my success in the last two years at Bonton Farms.” 

Because of the strong LD network of alums, Madison encourages others to make lasting professional connections through the program. 

“Through LD, I have witnessed how critical connection to others is in advancing your work,” said Madison. “The connection to those leading and shaping great institutions and policies in our area are pivotal to the advancement of the work I, and many others, are doing. The LD experience creates a kinship to build the bridge to other alums who you are able to assist and vice versa. We are all doing some pretty remarkable things to help the city, region, state, and country.” 

Madison also recommends LD to leaders who are ready to commit to the program and the Dallas Region. 

“If you are not committed to the class days, the homework, the networking, and the engagement LD provides, then allow someone else to take your spot. The class needs you to be all in; the DRC needs you to be all in; the city and region need you to be all in; and, of course, your employer wants to see how your dedication to this will be a benefit to the organization, and you can’t do it and show that value by only being partially committed.”