Mike Allen

Michael Allen is the founder and President of Providence Energy Corporation of Dallas, TX, an oil and gas exploration and production company. Mr. Allen has been an active buyer of oil and gas properties in 15 states. Providence Energy is the managing partner of over 2.0 million net acres of minerals in the domestic U. S.

Mr. Allen graduated with an accounting degree from the University of Oklahoma. He is a certified public accountant and he spent the first few years of his career in Dallas with Ernst and Ernst. Mr. Allen is actively involved in several inner-city projects funding camps, schools and turn-around projects in the North Texas area. He and his wife and family live in Dallas.

Christie Dobbins

Christie joined the board in 2021. More about Christie Coming Soon!

Will Dowell

Will helped start Behind Every Door and led the organization until 2023. He currently serves as Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Haddon Partners. Previously, will was Managing Director for Stand Together Foundation, supporting hundreds of nonprofits across the country (including Behind Every Door) to improve their management and measurement practices and to advance approaches that empower people. Will is an entrepreneur at heart who helped launch THINX Integrated Technologies, an IoT platform-as-a-service company, and Thrive Intelligence, a security-as-a-service company before selling to Allied Universal. He began his career with CRU on the University of Texas campus. Will graduated from the University of Texas, and he, his wife and three children live in Dallas, Texas.

Avery Johnson

Avery joined the board in 2020.

Mary Love Koons

A Jackson, Mississippi, native, Mary Love graduated from the University of Mississippi and began her career with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), serving as SMU’s on-campus intern. Following her internship, Mary Love founded her own catering business, which she owned and operated for four years. Working later with the Human Trafficking Institute, a global organization that exists to end modern slavery, she fostered and managed business partnerships all over the world. Throughout the years, Mary Love has used her love of cooking and writing by contributing to multiple books and cookbooks. Mary Love and her husband, Phillip, live in Dallas.

Mike Lafitte

Mike Lafitte retired from CBRE and Trammell Crow Company in 2023 after serving in leadership roles there for over 25 years and he currently serves as Managing Partner of Maplewood Ventures LLC, an investment partnership. Mike joined Trammell Crow Company in 1997 which was later acquired by CBRE in 2006. Over the 25+ years with the combined companies, Mike served in numerous roles including Chief Executive Officer of Trammell Crow Company, CEO of CBRE’s Real Estate Investment Segment, CEO of CBRE’s Advisory Services Segment, Global Chief Operating Officer and President of CBRE Americas business. Prior to CBRE and TCC, Mike held various development, production and leadership roles starting with Lincoln Property Company followed by Bear Stearns Real Estate Group and Premisys Real Estate Services (wholly owned operating company of Prudential Life Insurance Company).

Mike is a native of Dallas and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (BBA) and Southern Methodist University (MBA). Mike and his wife of 39 years, Melinda, are members of Highland Park Presbyterian Church and have a growing family with two daughters, one son and two grandchildren.

Dave Larlee

Dave joined the board in 2020.

Darrion Lewis

Darrion spent five years as a probation officer with Dallas County while volunteering with Behind Every Door mentoring kids, hosting basketball tournaments, and recruiting his church to serve Behind Every Door’s community center in the Village Oaks apartment complex. In 2017, Darrion joined Behind Every Door staff as the Community Director at The Rose. Darrion grew up in Pleasant Grove, attending Spruce High School. He then went on to play quarterback and graduate from Langtson University. He and his wife, Ashley, live in Forney with their two sons.

Diane LaRoe

Dianne LaRoe is passionate about supporting children in their education and connecting them with resources to break the cycle of poverty. She’s been a member of the Church of the Incarnation for more than 30 years and has served as a program and volunteer coordinator for Drop-In Friday, Angel Tree, Granger Minister, and Day of Service.

Dianne began her career at the Associated Press in the sales division and was responsible for launching Texas AP Network News. She also worked in public relations for Interfirst Bank and St. Paul Medical Center.

Dianne is active in many other community programs, including Crossfire Ministries and the USA Film Festival. While living in Florida, she served on the board for Turtle Nest Village, a nonprofit dedicated to helping teens aging out of foster care become independent living adults.

Rev. Donald J. Parish, Jr.

At the age of 17, Donald began leading youth bible studies in the auditorium of Carter High School. Donald earned an academic scholarship to The University of Texas at Austin, where he served as the President of Gamma Phi Delta Christian Fraternity and was selected as a recipient of the “Most Outstanding African-American Males on Campus” award four years in a row.

Donald is now Youth and Young Adult Pastor at the historic True Lee Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. For 10 years, he served as the Program Director of the church’s non-profit called Hope Restoration, an organization providing an annual summer camp and serving as an educational and social lifeline for hundreds of inner-city children in Dallas

In addition to his other responsibilities, Donald is a board member for the African American Museum of Dallas, Parkland Clinic at Hatcher Station, Tapestry Ministries and the Dallas Police Department (mental health and homelessness, pastoral advisory and community policing). He also works with The Dallas County Youth Village/Medlock Treatment Center (a residential placement facility in southern Dallas County for males ages 10 to 17).

Tony Pettiford

Tony formed Clear Scope Media in the fall of 2008, and has worked with clientele ranging from Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Marvin Sapp and many other high profile artists and brands including RCA Sony, Black Enterprise, ESPN, Under Armour, Lifetime, Toyota, GM and more.

In addition to being one of the most accomplished short form marketing and entertainment content producers, Pettiford has played intricate roles on countless long form films including the ESPN 30 for 30 series, Multiple Netflix Documentaries, and currently directing one of the largest grossing gospel music tours in history titled the Kingdom Tour.

Known for his insatiable work ethic, keen aesthetic eye, and ardent passion for film and music, Tony Pettiford has built a transformative arsenal of successful companies and projects in the world of entertainment. Currently, Pettiford and his team at Clear Scope Media are focused on dominating the short form content world while also producing several new scripted feature films and TV series. Pettiford Is a husband of 16 years to Maria and a father to Jordan, Ariana and Mason.

Lori Turpin

Apart from her family, Lori’s greatest joy has been studying God’s word and serving in leadership positions in women’s Bible Studies such as Bible Study Fellowship and those in her church, Park Cities Presbyterian. She also enjoys serving in various capacities in the Women’s Ministries at PCPC. She is a founding board member of One Hundred Shares Dallas, a group of women who gives financial grants to inner city ministries in Dallas who serve the needy and proclaim the gospel.

Lori loves more than anything her role as wife, mother and grandmother. She and her husband, Jeff, live in Dallas.

Travis Ward

Travis joined the board in 2023. At MoxieBridge, Travis oversees all new investment activity and day-to-day operations of the company.