CEO reflects on legacy created by diverse thinkers in 1985
By Lisa Petty
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Texas Women’s Foundation (TXWF), with a ruby-themed celebration featuring Emmy and Tony Award-winning star Christine Baranski planned for Nov. 14.
Founded in 1985 by a diverse group of Dallas-area women who identified across the political spectrum, the organization serves to drive meaningful social and economic change for women, girls, and families in Texas.
From year one’s grants totaling $23,500, to more than $85 million awarded across four decades, the organization has amplified its commitment to three fundamental initiatives: economic security, leadership, and impact investing.
It’s a cause of great significance to TXWF president and CEO Karen Hughes White.
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A Preston Hollow resident and mother of two, Hughes White knows firsthand the experience of working women in today’s economy.
Add in her 25 years of nonprofit experience via Tri Delta, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and stepping into this role in 2024 was a perfect fit.
“I’m building on a legacy of leadership,” she said, referencing her commitment to honor the mission of the organization’s founders while shaping the future for generations of women across Texas.
“We are looking to meet the moment,” said Hughes White. “We’re reframing the issues around women’s economic security, stability, and success, not as women’s issues, but true economic infrastructure issues.”
She underscored her statement with key statistics.
“By 2040, it is very likely that women will be at least half or potentially the majority of the workforce in Texas,” she said. Framing this projection within the “foundational issue” of a woman’s 83 cents on the dollar earnings compared to her male counterparts, Hughes White completed the full picture: “The wage gap puts about a $60 billion annual drain on the economy.”
Complementing its focus on economic security, TXWF’s Leadership initiatives include workshops, development programs, and more, for women of all ages.
A key example is the Young Women’s Initiative-Dallas, launched in 2018, which encompasses research, collaborative grantmaking, and advocacy focused on empowering young women of color ages 17-24. The initiative was expanded in 2024 to include three additional Texas cities: Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.
Regarding the third initiative, Impact Investing, the foundation began exploring how to invest its assets for impact through a Social Impact Fund in 2016.
In February 2020, TXWF announced that 100% of its financial assets would be invested in a mission-aligned portfolio focusing on companies committed to advancing economic security and opportunity for women and girls.
“Every dollar we invest in women and girls is designed to generate long-term social and economic returns — not just for individuals, but for entire communities,” Hughes White said.
To be sure, this local leader is keenly aware of the power of people when it comes to issues of statewide scope.
“We believe an investment in a woman is an investment in her family and her community, and that it creates a ripple effect,” Hughes White said.
Whether through donations, volunteering, or other shows of support, of her neighbors here in Dallas, Hughes White is proud: “We live in an incredibly generous community.”
