Meet our Current Committee Members

Co-Chairs: Terri Sumpter and Tracy Dews

Cristy Arscott: Cristy wasn’t born in Texas, but got here as soon as she could. She grew up in Nacogdoches and graduated with a BS in Elementary Education from Stephen F. Austin State University. She taught school and worked in retail, real estate and bookkeeping until she found her niche as a legal assistant for a real estate attorney. In 1998, she took a year off to work for political campaigns and then took a new job as the Smith County Law Librarian. Once hired, she was asked to assist the Smith County Bar Association. In 2008, the Smith County Bar Foundation was organized and she added those responsibilities. In 2013, she retired as the law librarian and focused on the SCB Association and Foundation. She retired from paid work in 2019. She thought she was going to have a little downtime, but COVID-19 gave her over a year. She has recently begun volunteer work for First Presbyterian Church, Literacy Council of Smith County, Women’s Fund of Smith County and Women in Tyler. She graduated from the University of Texas, Tyler in 2008, with a Master’s in Public Administration. She is also a graduate of Leadership Tyler and Leadership Texas. She married Carey Sloan in 2018 after a 20-year courtship and is the mother of Adam and Andrew and the grandmother of Jack and Alice.

Glenda Bowie

Maxine Caldwell

Scherel Carver: Scherel joined the WIT Committee in 2009 and has continuously chaired the invitation and program Committees. She also served as honoree liaison a couple of times. She retired in 2002 from the Tyler Public Library where she served as Assistant City Librarian for 22 years.

Debra Christian: Debra has been a Women in Tyler member since 2011. Her most recent accolade was receiving the Marquis Who’s Who of America. She is the Director of the CRC, Christian Restoration Community Residential Car Program, which is devoted to the housing and welfare of homeless veterans. She was previously named Volunteer of the Year, Therapist of the Year and Woman of the Year by the reactivated Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. Debra is also writing a book, “From Slavery to Bravery, 1850 to 1920”.

Tracy Dews

Shon Fox

Angela Geter: Angela joined Women in Tyler in 2021, after being invited by a recipient who was being recognized. She was impressed by this organization in recognizing women who have empowered this community by their great works. “Volunteering is a ministry, a gift of love that no one should take for granted. By giving of self, we become God’s hand, reaching, touching and connecting others to do what is good. It’s a mutual street, you’re not only giving back, but you are also giving the opportunity to learn from individuals of all walks of life”. Over the years, Angela has developed, organized and volunteered her time at local agencies in the Tyler area. She is a Social Worker and Mental Health professional who currently serves on the board for Tyler National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), active in NAMI Support Group meetings and continues to volunteer her service in the community. In 2019, Angela was honored by Texas Bank and Trust for “People Who Make a Difference” in East Texas.

Dorinda Henderson-Williams

Leigh Hunt-Goodson

Temeka Jackson

Dawn Johnston: Dawn joined WIT in the Fall of 2019 as a guest and ended up becoming a Sponsor of the annual WIT Luncheon. She is an RN who has been the Administrative Director of Nursing and Clinical Services for CHRISTUS Flight for Life since moving to Texas from Michigan in 2018. Dawn provides clinical leadership to assure the most seriously ill and injured patients in Northeast Texas receive urgent treatment in outlying areas. She has been teaching since becoming a nurse, including a variety of critical care subjects and advanced adult and pediatric courses for the American Heart Association. Dawn has provided public education on community health initiatives and was instrumental in garnering support for the introduction of a legislative bill to curb dangerous methamphetamine labs in Michigan. Dawn’s background includes firefighting, volunteering for the National Ski Patrol and providing community health education as a Crisis Pregnancy Coordinator for the Salvation Army. She was also Mentor of the Year for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Battle Creek, Michigan in 2008. Dawn’s hobbies include writing and she has several publishing credits, including Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America and the International Medical Corps Training Manual, a resource for war-torn areas of the world, in which she was the Associate Editor.

Grusia Jones

Rubye Kendrick

LaJean Lapaglia

Wendy Minix: Wendy has been involved with the Women in Tyler Committee since 2006, where she served twice and chair and currently holds the Treasurer position. Wendy is retired from the University of Texas at Tyler, where she spent 28 years.

Natalie Munger

Sandra Nauls-Mast: Sandra was honored in 2000 by WIT Committee in Women Pioneers. After being honored and seeing the love and sisterhoods of the members, she decided to join the group in 2001. “The best decision I have ever made”! It was not like any other committee she’d been on before. WIT took care of business but in a fun way! Her mother, Flora Nauls had also been a prior member. After retirement, she was honored in 2008, Women Who Made History. Sandra currently serves as Chair of Video and Decoration Committee and serves on the Publicity Committee. She has previously worked on the Door Prize, Honoree Liaison, Budget/Treasurer, Publicity and Hospitality Committees. She has also served as Chair of the Women in Tyler Committee.

Sandra Owens

Cherie Paro

Chennal Pullum

Melanie Roberts

Diane Robinson

Angela Rollins

Terri Sumpter: Terri Sumpter joined WIT in the Fall of 2019. She fell in love with the camaraderie amongst this very diversified group of strong and passionate women. Terri moved to Tyler in 2016, to join the Christus Trinity Mother Francis Health System family. She is the Regional Performance Improvement Director for Northeast Texas. Terri’s career began as a Medical Lab Technician and transitioned into the Quality and Performance Improvement environments. She is specially certified as a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and has been blessed to serve in many Catholic, faith-based and non-profit healthcare systems throughout her 35+ years in healthcare. She has also served as an adjunct professor to business and healthcare students. Terri strongly connects with the passion that is prevalent with this committee and hopes to serve the Women in Tyler for many years to come.

Cynthia Turner: Cynthia joined WIT in 2022. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Texas College, her Master’s degree from Ashford University and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree from Ashford University. She is a member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Counsel Negro Women and the Chapel Hill Community Service Organization. She is a University Development Counselor with Grand Canyon University’s online degree programs. She believes in women empowering other women.