On March 30, members of the Ruth Sharp Altshuler Tocqueville Society gathered at the Crow Library for an evening of friendly competition, connection and philanthropy at the Bench & Bar Boo-Ray Tournament. Hosted by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Tocqueville Society, the event brought together distinguished leaders from the North Texas legal community for a unique networking experience centered on purpose.

This was a historic evening, as it marked the highest attended Tocqueville Bench & Bar Boo-Ray Tournament to-date.

Designed to strengthen relationships and expand the Tocqueville Society’s impact, the evening celebrated a legacy of service while building momentum for the future. Attendees enjoyed lively rounds of the card game Boo-Ray and the opportunity to connect with peers who share a commitment to driving meaningful change across the region.

The event underscored the power of collective giving and leadership. Through the Tocqueville Society, members continue to champion United Way’s mission, investing in initiatives that improve access to education, income and health for North Texans. As United Way marks the Tocqueville Society’s 40th anniversary, gatherings like this highlight the enduring impact of engaged, community-minded leaders.

“This year is especially meaningful as we kick off our Year of Tocqueville, celebrating the past, present and future of the Tocqueville Society,” said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton president and CEO of United Way Metropolitan Dallas. “In fact, this year marks 40 years since Ruth Sharp Altshuler—our beloved ‘Ruthie’—founded the Dallas Tocqueville Society Chapter. It is an exceptional year to honor all that we have built together and all the work we have to do with this group of change-makers and innovators.”

An Ace Event

The evening was defined by spirited gameplay and meaningful connections. Legal leaders from across the region stepped away from their daily roles to engage in a relaxed, collaborative environment—strengthening relationships that extend beyond the courtroom and into the community.

Over the past four years, this tournament has exceeded every expectation, raising more than $700,000 and welcoming more than 60 new Tocqueville members into the United Way family.

This event also served as a reminder of the Tocqueville Society’s continued leadership in advancing United Way’s mission. Through their generosity and advocacy, members are helping shape a brighter future for North Texas families.

The event also honored the legendary leadership of Erin Nealy Cox and Trey Cox, who served as co-chairs of the Tocqueville Society from 2022 until 2025. They have since passed the honor to the new Tocqueville Society co-chairs: Laura and Jason Downing, Jill and Rod Burns, Laura and Jason Downing, Kaori Mitsuhashi and Mike Hsu, and Cristy and David McAtee.

“Erin and Trey have ‘ante’d’ up big time for North Texas,” Sampson said. “They didn’t just make this event a whole lot of fun, they elevated the Tocqueville Society, bringing new energy, new donors and greater impact to our community. Because of leaders like them, United Way is able to do greater work than ever before.”

Three lucky winners received gift cards to Cafe Momentum, a social entrepreneur restaurant—the very first investment of our Social Innovation Accelerator—started by James Beard award-winning chef Chad Houser. Congratulations to our winners, Stephanie Zapata Moore, April Goff and Ning Chiu, who received gift cards awarded by Cecily Gooch on behalf of the events’ presenting sponsor, FTI Consulting.

Save the Date for Our 40^th Anniversary Tocqueville Celebration

We are excited to celebrate the Ruth Sharp Altshuler Tocqueville Society’s 40th Anniversary this year. Please save the date for what is sure to be an exceptional celebration of innovation and impact.

Tocqueville Society’s 40th Anniversary Celebration

February 3, 2027
Fairmont Dallas
1717 N. Akard St., Dallas, TX 75201

Thank you to our 40th Anniversary Luncheon Chairs:

• Jennifer Staubach Gates and John Gates
• Michelle Staubach Grimes and John Grimes
• Amy Staubach Mentgen and Jamie Mentgen
• Stephanie Staubach Phillips
• Jenny and Jeff Staubach

Read our blog to learn more about the Staubach family and their commitment to United Way’s mission.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Special thanks to the sponsors who made this event possible:

• FTI Consulting
• Reed Smith LLP
• Gibson Dunn
• Sidley Austin 

Leadership & Host Committee

Finally, a big thank you to our Tocqueville leadership who made the event such a success:

Tocqueville Society Co-Chairs

• Jill and Rod Burns
• Laura and Jason Downing
• Kaori Mitsuhashi and Mike Hsu
• Cristy and David McAtee

Tocqueville Society Honorary Co-Chairs

• Erin Nealy Cox and Trey Cox
• Regen Horchow and Ken Hersh

Women of Tocqueville Chair

• Katie Rose

Event Co-Chairs, General Counsel Host Committee

• Katie Kane – Texas Instruments
• Scott Ewing – Trinity Industries
• Michele Lau -McKesson

Bench & Bar General Counsel Host Committee

• Jessica Bateman – Atmos Energy
• Van Beckwith – Halliburton
• Shonn Brown – Heidelberg Materials North America
• Kristen Cook – The Brink’s Company
• Sarah Decker – McAfee
• Ashley Duffie – Celanese
• Von Hays – Comerica Bank
• John Henrich – Cineworld Cinemas
• Marc Kesselman – Purdue Pharma L.P.
• David McAtee – AT&T
• Grant McGee – Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Stephanie Zapata Moore – Vistra Corp.
• Rachel Morgan – Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
• Adrienne Mosley – PepsiCo
• Sandra Phillips – Toyota
• Rudy Rodriguez – Dave & Buster’s
• Bryan Stevenson – Arcosa
• Cathy Tang – Qdoba