Thank you for an incredible Zoo to Do 2023

The success of Zoo To Do would not be possible without the generous support of our committee members, underwriters, donors, sponsors, chefs, and restaurants, as well as our Dallas Zoo staff and volunteers. Each of you play a significant role in ensuring the Dallas Zoo is able to fulfill its mission of Engaging People & Saving Wildlife.

save the date for next year!

Saturday

November 2, 2024

Zoo To Do 2024 Event Co-chairs

Mary McDermott Cook

and Grace Cook

EVENT CHAIRS

Steven J. Roth & Thai-lan Tran

honorary CHAIR

Lyda Hill

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Follow @DallasZooToDo to get all the latest updates, an insider look into our planning process, and more!

CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS

BOTOLINO GELATO ARTIGIANALE
Chef Carol Gattini

BOWEN HOUSE |
MIKE’S GEMINI TWIN |
LAS PALMAS

Chef Hilario Serratos and
Chef Joe Shirghio

BRIGHT BOX FOODS
Chef Christopher Patrick

CAKE BAR
Chef Tracy L. German

CANE ROSSO
Chef Josh Healy

CIRCLE T RANCH
Chef Dan Landsberg

COOKING WITH THE BLACKS
Chef Blythe Beck

DISTRICT
Chef Aaron Staudenmaier

ELLIE’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE AT HALL ARTS HOTEL
Chef Anthony Hsia

EMPIRE BAKING COMPANY
Chef Meaders Ozarow

FLETCHER’S ORIGINAL CORNY DOGS
Amber Fletcher

GEMMA AND SACHET
Chef Stephen Rogers

HARWOOD HOSPITALITY GROUP
Chef Taylor Kearney

LA BODEGA ROTISSERIE & GOODS
Chef Skye McDaniel

MAKE YOUR LIFE SWEETER
Yasmeen Tadia

MOZZARELLA COMPANY
Chef Paula Lambert

MVP COFFEE COMPANY
Victoria Parshikova

NOTHING BUNDT CAKES
Tara Cooper

OCEAN BEAUTY SEAFOODS
Chef Graham Shockley

OCEAN PRIME
Chef Charlie Tkacik

PARIGI
Chef Janice Provost

PEARLZ BOBA AND DRINKS
Madiha Bobat

ROCKOW CATERING
Chef Jeff Rockow

RED STIX STREET FOOD
Chef Uno Immanivong

SALUM
Chef Abraham Salum

SEVY’S GRILL
Chef Jim “Sevy” Severson

SIFT+POUR
Chef Elizabeth Ging

SSA GROUP
Chef Marcus Hernandez

STOCK AND BARREL
Chef Jon Stevens

SUZE RESTAURANT
Chef Gilbert Garza

TACO Y VINO
Chef Jimmy Contreras

THE ZODIAC ROOM DOWNTOWN NEIMAN MARCUS
Chef Sarah Toth

TRULUCK’S
Chef Manny Vera

committee

CHAIRS

Steven J. Roth and Thai-lan Tran

HONORARY CHAIR

Lyda Hill

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Diane Brierley
Marena Gault
Cindy Gummer
Kim Hext

UNDERWRITING COMMITTEE

Alex Arellano, Co-Chair
Ryan Gummer, Co-Chair
Jake Bender
Roger Gault
Nate Robbins
Mark Walsh

LIVE AUCTION
CO-CHAIRS

Diane and Hal Brierley
Grace Cook
Mary McDermott Cook

BIG BOARD CHAIR

Cindy Gummer

SILENT AUCTION COMMITTEE

Chuck Steelman, Chair
Ashley Anderson-Smith
Wesley Bailey
Alexandra Cohen
Robyn Chauvin
Emily Dawson
Cristina Graham
Alice Moore
Steve Rahhal
Ali Volk
Vera Wang Cassara

RAFFLE COMMITTEE

Claudia Lode and Preston Hext, Chairs
John Ackerman
Rudy Rodriguez, Jr.

WINE GUYS

Greg Hext
Preston Hext
Matthew Meadows
Michael Meadows

HONORARY CHEF

Dan Landsberg

Chef Wrangler

Brett Krafft

Chef RECRUITER

Jimmy Contreras

host committee

HOST COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Marena and Roger Gault 

Tiffany and Bobby Abtahi 

Sunny and John Ackerman

Stephanie and Donald Ainscow 

Purvi and Bill Albers       

Bonner and Thomas Allen 

Jennifer and Peter Altabef 

Ashley Anderson-Smith and Dr. Bert Smith

Angela and Alex Arellano 

April Audain  

Dana and Brad Ayres 

Wes Bailey

Lucy Bannon 

Britt and Jake Bender 

Paula and Barry Blackmon 

Diane and Hal Brierley 

Vera Wang Cassara and Bob Cassara

Kate and Lane Britain 

Robyn and Chris Chauvin 

Alexandra Cohen

Andrea and George Conklin 

Lane Conner 

Grace Cook 

Mary McDermott Cook

Emily and David Corrigan 

Emily Dawson

Gemma Descoteaux 

Alina and Ruben Esquivel 

Lois and Ross Finkelman 

Lynn Fisher

Candee and Matt Fleeger

Hilda and Mike Galvan  

Jennifer and John Gates 

Amy and James George 

Susan and Joji George

Carol and Don Glendenning 

Christina Graham

Alisha and Chris Gummer 

Cameron and Jay Gummer 

Cindy and Chuck Gummer 

Michelle and Ryan Gummer 

Debra and Ken Hamlett 

Erin and Paul Haney 

Kim and Greg Hext 

Shawna and Josh Hinkel 

Marissa and Michael Horne 

Monica and Richard Latin  

Cynthia and Jim Leano 

Carol and John Levy 

Claudia Lode and Preston Hext 

Sarah and Alan Losinger 

Terrence Maiden 

Danica Mathes and Michael Sessa 

Pat and Charles McEvoy 

Amy and Michael Meadows

Jennifer and Steve Miff 

Jerry Miller 

Kaylyn and Mike Montgomery 

Alice Moore

Christopher Moore 

Dawn and Steve Moore 

Cheryl Camin Murray and Blake Murray

Ruth Mutch 

Anu Partap and Tim Miller 

Nancy P. Patterson and Larry Maxwell 

Steve Penrose 

Gail Plummer 

J. Michael Putman, M.D.

Nancy and Doug Rabe 

Steve Rahal

Sherri and Brad Rejebian 

Nathan Robbins and John Hill 

Ruth Robinson 

Stacy and Rudy Rodriguez, Jr. 

Suzann Ruff 

Ruth Ruhl 

Virginia Martinez Schaefer

Stefanie Schneidler and Jeffrey Robinson 

Gretel and Justin Shipley 

Nicole and Justin Small 

Gloria and Juan Ernesto Snead 

Chuck Steelman and Scott Kehn

Tammany and Rob Stern 

Amy and Edward Stewart 

Caroline Symcox and Matthew Meadows

Anh and Loc Trieu 

Erin Tuomi Hannigan and Fred Tuomi 

Ali Volk

Gayla and Jim Von Ehr 

Joan and Alan Walne 

Margaret and Mark Walsh

Vera Wang Cassara and Bob Cassara 

Stephanie and Autry Warren 

Nikki and Crayton Webb 

Aimee Williams-Ramey
and Royce Ramey 

Radhika Zaveri and Nimesh Mehta 

Underwriters

Presented by

The Eugene McDermott Foundation 
Lyda Hill 

HERD OF ELEPHANTS 

Diane and Hal Brierley 
Gayla and Jim Von Ehr 

POD OF HIPPOS 

Dawn and Steve Moore  

TROOP OF GORILLAS 

Jennifer and Peter Altabef
The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation 
ANDRES Construction Services LLC 
Kate and Lane Britain  
Carol and Don Glendenning | Locke Lord 
Cindy and Chuck Gummer  
Carol and John Levy  
Ruth Mutch 
NexPoint 
Reliant 
Deedie Rose
Steven J. Roth and Thai-Lan Tran 
Joan and Alan Walne 

TOWER OF GIRAFFES 

Abigail Barton and JD Young 
Erin and Michael DeJesus  
Jennifer and John Gates 
GuideIT 
Gummer Capital Partners LLC 
Holland & Knight 
J. Michael Putman, M.D.  
PwC | Jerry Miller 
Nancy and Doug Rabe  
Ruth Robinson and Family 
The Rosewood Corporation 
RUTH RUHL, P.C. 
Erin Tuomi Hannigan and Fred Tuomi 

FLAMBOYANCE OF FLAMINGOS 

Stephanie and Donald Ainscow 
Black Mountain Sand 
Tom Connelly 
R. Harrison Edell and Michael Mahon | Dave Perry Miller Real Estate 
Jackson Walker 
Jones Day | Hilda and Mike Galvan 
Knox Built Construction 
Monica and Richard Latin | LD Class of 2009 
Jill and David Mellinger 
Oncor
Nancy P. Patterson and Larry A. Maxwell 
Stephen Penrose 
Nathan Robbins and John Hill 
Ruff Family Foundation Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas 
Stewart Law Group, PLLC 
Aimee Williams-Ramey and Royce Ramey | Versant Capital Management

Special Thanks

Emily and David R. Corrigan
Barbara and Don Daseke
Julie and Bill Evans
Husch Blackwell LLC
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Lori and Chuck Whitten
Beverly and Ken Wickham

(As of 10/10/23)

Thank you to our Zoo to Do 2023 Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors

THE EUGENE MCDERMOTT FOUNDATION

Lyda Hill

Official Zoo to Do Airline

Logo for American Airlines

TRANSPORTATION SPONSOR

Online Media Sponsor

HOST COMMITTEE RECEPTION SPONSOR

Valet Sponsor

Party Favor Sponsor

Chef Sponsor