Ormand joins prestigious program

By Kimber Westphall

Heather E. Ormand, chief executive officer of Nexus Recovery Center, has been selected to be a part of the 48th class of Leadership Dallas. Hosted by the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC), Leadership Dallas is the premier leadership development program in the Dallas Region. Through this program, Heather will work to enhance her leadership development and create meaningful change in the North Texas recovery community.

Ormand’s empathy for women seeking sobriety and long-term recovery for their families led her to Nexus in June of 2020. At a time when so much was uncertain, the one thing Heather was certain about was the need for Nexus’ services and a safe place for women and their children to turn. Ormand credits her own recovery for her personal and professional successes. As a bi-racial woman, albeit one with privileges afforded to her that others may not have had, she values the importance of creating an organization where diversity, equity and inclusion are not merely a response to a problem but at the heart of the organization’s culture. 

As a member of the Leadership Dallas Class of 2023, Ormand joins 54 other talented new members from a diverse group of companies and organizations. Founded in 1975, this program from the Dallas Regional Chamber helps acknowledged and aspiring leaders grow through one-of-a-kind professional development. Leadership Dallas is an intense, nine-month curriculum that positions class members to address the challenges and opportunities facing the Dallas Region.

“More than ever, we need agile leaders committed to doing the important work necessary to help create a better quality of life for all people in the Dallas Region,” said Dale Petroskey, president and CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber. “The DRC is honored to welcome the 2023 Leadership Dallas class, and we look forward to working closely with each class member to help make the Dallas Region the best place in the United States for all people to live, work and do business.”

Ormand and her fellow class members will learn through lectures, discussion groups and a community class project. The curriculum’s topics include education and workforce, public policy, economic mobility, health care, criminal justice and regionalism. 

As a first-generation college graduate from the University of Richmond, as well as a CPA with nearly 20 years of experience, Ormand hopes to leverage what she learns at Leadership Dallas to lead Nexus Recovery Center into the future and find a way to give back what was given to her. 

“Leadership Dallas has long demonstrated a commitment to serving the community, and each member is chosen because they want to create meaningful positive change in Dallas,” said Megan Miers, DRC’s director of leadership programs. “They graduate with the tools needed to effectively lead in our new era of work — with empathy, inclusion and agility.”

Leadership Dallas has more than 2,300 alumni who continue to impact the Dallas Region, including those who have served as police chiefs, U.S. Ambassadors and elected officials at the city, state and national levels. As Dallas’ leading expert nonprofit agency specializing in substance treatments for adult women, Nexus is proud to have Ormand in this prestigious program.