Our Team
One More Thing
My perfect Saturday - Getting up early, going for a bike ride around the lake, coming home to read and drink my coffee, then spending the afternoon with my husband attending an outdoor festival or doing something we haven't done before.
JANET MORRISON-LANE
Executive Director
Dr. Janet Morrison-Lane began at VMYDF as the Director of the EAGLE Scholars college readiness program in 2012 and became the Executive Director in 2021. Dr. Janet (as she is referred to by the Scholars) grew the program from a 5-week summer program into a year-round program where 93% of Scholars go directly into college after high school with an average of $14,000 in financial aid and 71% graduate from a four-year university. She has a Bachelor of Social Work from Harding University, a Master of Science in Reading and a Doctorate in Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction from Texas A & M - Commerce. Dr. Morrison-Lane was a Leadership ISD Fellow, served on the Friends of the Dallas Public Library board, wrote for the Dallas Morning News Community Voices, was chosen for the Dallas Public Voices Greenhouse Op-Ed Project, and received the Gail Reese Ward Excellence in Mentoring Award from SMU.
Dr. Janet believes that young people deserve to have choices in life and believes that college and education should be accessible to everyone. She is passionate about creating a world where people have a voice at the table.
BLANCA LErMA
Family Support Specialist
Blanca studied Auxiliary Accounting in Mexico City at the Escuela Superior de Auditoría y Contaduría IPN (Instituto Politecnico Nacional). Before Vickery Meadow Youth Development Foundation, she was a volunteer at a community center where the director of the volunteer group connected her to Martha Stowe, former Executive Director. Blanca has been with VMYDF since 2009 and maintains several certifications including Positive Parenting Certification, Parents Anonymous Facilitator Certification, ARC Parenting Certification and Engage Parenting Facilitator Certification.
Blanca is passionate about connecting with people regardless of their country of origin. She firmly believes in providing resources to immigrant families who, like her, arrived in the United States without prior knowledge of the school system their children would be attending. Blanca's goal is to help them have a better experience of life in this new country.
One More Thing
If I wasn’t working at VMYDF, I would definitely be volunteering with as many nonprofit organizations as possible.
YASMIN milan
Manager of Business Operations
Yasmin actively participated in the EAGLE Scholars program from 2012 to 2018. After high school, she interned with EAGLE Scholars through AmeriCorps in 2019. Graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2021, Yasmin earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas Woman's University. Impressed by her academic excellence and dedication, Dr. Janet offered Yasmin the Administrative Assistant position at EAGLE Scholars, which she gladly accepted. Her outstanding performance led to a promotion to oversee operations in the newly established Success Center.
Currently, Yasmin plays a vital role in overseeing all operations within the Success Center, effectively managing various tasks and providing valuable support. Her dedication and expertise continue to be instrumental in the organization's success and growth.
Yasmin is passionate about EAGLE Scholars, which played a pivotal role in her life for six years. As a first-generation student, their unwavering support during high school and college ensured she never felt alone. Inspired by the impact they had on her, Yasmin became an intern for the program and remains dedicated to spreading their mission to as many students as possible.
One More Thing
My perfect Saturday would consist of having brunch with my friends/family, exploring a new place in the city or doing something new and ending it with a movie.
One More Thing
If I wasn’t working at VMYDF, I would be traveling the world, getting to know more about other cultures and work with students from diverse backgrounds in the non-profit field.
Daisy gonzalez
College Success Manager, EAGLE Scholars (7th - 9th grade)
Daisy earned her Associate in Science while graduating from Richland Collegiate High School in 2019. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Texas Woman's University in 2021, followed by a Master's degree in 2022 at the age of 21.
During her academic years, Daisy interned with EAGLE Scholars virtually, supporting high school students' well-being, and worked at CitySquare's Walk-in Case Management, aiding the homeless population. She continued her service with AmeriCorps at Communities in Schools of North Texas, assisting "at-risk" elementary students. Additionally, she was a Graduate Research Assistant from 2021 to 2022, collecting and reporting survey data.
Daisy grew up in the Vickery Meadows community, and because of an after-school program in her apartment, she received the assistance she needed with school. Daisy believes in the value of after-school programs and became inspired to go into non-profit at an early age. Her passion for helping other students just like her continues to be her “why” for working at VMYDF.
dhara lad
College Success Manager, EAGLE Scholars (10th -12th grade)
Dhara holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and Global Studies, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Asian Cultures and Languages (specializing in Hindi/Urdu) from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, she is pursuing a Master's degree in School Counseling and working towards obtaining licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) at Texas A&M-Commerce.
During her six-year tenure in DallasISD, Dhara gained valuable experience as an educator. She taught various subjects, including AP Human Geography, Pre-AP World Geography, and Methodology for Academic and Personal Success (MAPS), to 9th-grade students.
Dhara's association with VMYDF began during her initial year as a teacher, and she has maintained a close connection to the organization ever since. In 2017, she took on the role of a summer AD, working with EAGLE Scholars.
Dhara is passionate about the opportunity to create real-world and meaningful experiences for Scholars and watching them grow beyond their potential as they develop into leaders.
One More Thing
If I wasn’t working at VMYDF, I’d be traveling. Hands-down, I'd be in a first class seat, exploring the world.
SYREETA PRITCHETT
College Success Director
Syreeta graduated from Agnes Scott College in Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Minor in Spanish. She also participated in a vigorous Business Program with Georgia Tech University to learn various professional administrative skills.
One More Thing
My perfect Saturday includes a day near the water–whether it be a lake, beach, or stream after an early morning hike. I also enjoy attending my son’s soccer games and going to brunch with family and friends.
Syreeta loves working with youth and believes in community partnership. In 2019, she was selected to be a part of the New Leaders Council, a social and political change fellowship that develops inclusive, cross-sector leaders with hopes of transforming their community.
Prior to joining VMYDF, Syreeta implemented college access programs for over eight years as the Road to College Counselor for Uplift Education, while helping underserved youth achieve college admissions. She has also taught U.S. History and served as the Program Manager for over 600 youth at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas.
Syreeta received the Employee of the Year award for Uplift Education and various Continuous Learning Grants. She maintained 100% college acceptance for all of her scholars during her eight-year tenure. She plans to continue that tradition at VMYDF, as a proponent for community equity and change. Her goals are to create sustainable systems that benefit all stakeholders including the organization, scholars and families.
2023 -2024 Board Members
John Neill, President and Founder
The Telesis Company
Harry Smith, President Elect
Pegasus Bank
Ellen Wood, Treasurer
Teaching Trust
Katrina Hobbs
Dallas ISD
Hesam Hosseini
Match.com
Jonathan Hustis
Teakwood Capital
Sharon Mumert
Volunteer
Barbara Neill
Community Volunteer
James Payne
JP Morgan