For so many years, Dallas Symphony Orchestra League has been such a cherished part of the social community. Written coverage and published photos through the years have documented and brought to life the many events, capturing the joy, elegance, and spirit that make the League so special.

Led by President Claire Catrino (who is a past Debutante), the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League is commemorating its 80th anniversary, along with the 40th Presentation Ball—a beloved Dallas tradition that has brought families and generations together in support of music and education. In addition, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

These anniversaries represent not just milestones in years, but also in impact — countless lives touched by music, opportunity, and community. Since its founding, the DSO League has raised more than $25 million to benefit the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s education and community engagement programs. These efforts have helped make music accessible to thousands across North Texas.

If you would like more information about the events associated with these anniversary celebrations, please reach out to Deborah Nigel Brown at deborah@nigelbrown.com or 214-649-1773

Family Feature Story-The Narayan Family

By Sarah Mitchell

In the vibrant heart of the Park Cities, Amee and Sanjay Narayan have carved out a life that weaves together family, fulfilling careers and a zest for community. Their journey to Dallas is a tale of serendipitous connections and a shared vision for a home that hums with possibility.

Amee’s roots lie in New Jersey, where she grew up before chasing her dreams at Boston University and later Fordham Law School in the electric pulse of New York City. There, she sharpened her skills as a corporate attorney, navigating the high-stakes world of legal deals. Sanjay’s path began in Plano, Texas, where his family moved when he was three. A graduate of Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, he dove into securities litigation at Jones Day in New York. Their paths converged in 2011, sparked by a mutual colleague’s introduction, setting the stage for a partnership that would lead them to Dallas.

“Sanjay sold me on Dallas, and I wanted a neighborhood with community,” Amee says with a spark in her eye. “The Park Cities delivered—great schools, lively dining spots, and a genuine sense of connection where kids play and bike to class.” After a brief chapter in Uptown, they planted roots in the Park Cities in February 2020, enchanted by its blend of urban flair and neighborly warmth.

Amee now shines as a partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth, guiding real

estate and private equity firms through the art of fund formation. Sanjay, meanwhile, continued in private practice, and is now a senior legal advisor at a real estate technology firm, tackling everything from data

privacy, employment matters, to contract negotiations with a cool-headed precision. Their careers pulse with energy, yet they make room for the rhythms of family life.

At home, they’re raising two spirited children: a five-year-old daughter, stepping into kindergarten at Hyer Elementary after Pre-K, and a three- year-old son, soon to start Pre-K at Hyer. Both cut their teeth at Alcuin’s Montessori, a nod to the couple’s commitment to fostering curious minds.

Travel fuels their sense of adventure. Recent jaunts with their kids have leaned toward the magic of Disney, skiing in New Mexico, the sun-soaked shores of Mexico, and Switzerland.  But their wanderlust runs deeper. Before parenthood, they danced through Greece on their honeymoon,

to Italy, and across the country. “Travel is an important part of our lives. There are so many amazing places and people in the US and abroad that we want to show our kids. And it helps open the world to our family,” Sanjay says, his voice warm with memories of the couple’s own study-abroad days in London’s eclectic streets.

In their Park Cities kitchen, Amee and Sanjay trade culinary riffs, blending their heritage into every dish. Amee, a lifelong cook, crafts Indian cuisine with flair, though she tips her hat to her own mom’s and mother-in-law’s unmatched skill. Sanjay’s signature pasta is a crowd-pleaser, and together they whip up a mix of cuisines, the aroma of spices filling their home with warmth. Sanjay’s passions extend beyond the kitchen. Playing basketball has always been a passion, and he still carves time for the Mavericks and Cowboys, and hits the golf course for a dose of green when he can.

A self-described “news and political junkie,” he’s also deeply engaged in public life, serving on the Texas Radiation Advisory Board, appointed by Governor Abbott, and the board of Color Us United, advocating for merit-based practices in hiring and education. Locally, he’s lent his voice to the City of University Park’s legislative and leadership committees, finding purpose in shaping our community.

For Amee and Sanjay, the Park Cities is more than a backdrop— it’s a lively canvas where their kids chase adventures on sidewalks, neighbors swap stories, and their careers move with purpose. “We’re excited to raise our children in such a wonderful community” Amee says with a smile. “It’s where we’re writing our story.”

By Sarah Mitchell

When Emily first got the call from her company in Raleigh, NC, offering her a position in Dallas, she had no idea just how much her life was about to change. “They asked if I wanted to move, and 19 days later, I was in Dallas,” she said. That was back in 2012, and what started as a quick decision has led to a full life in the Park Cities.

Emily is originally from North Carolina and attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh. She had never been to Dallas and only knew one friend that she’d grown up with in North Carolina that now lived in Dallas – whom she quickly called. “She and her husband offered me their spare bedroom until I found a place to live, becoming the first of many families in the Park Cities that folded me into their lives and their community. From making their backhouses available to me to including me in Holidays, this has been the most generous and kind neighborhood, especially when I first moved here with no family,” Emily shared.

After the move, she continued in Software Sales and worked for Securus Technologies, selling software into prison systems and later shifted to Property Management Software when she joined AppFolio. While her family remained in North Carolina, she found community in Dallas. A couple of years ago, she met her now-husband Preston, a commercial lender at Texas Security Bank. Preston’s own story had taken him from Southern Louisiana to Texas after Hurricane Katrina. His family relocated to Celina Salina, where he finished high school before attending the University of North Texas. He loves to play golf and spends most of his time supporting the Touchdown Club of Dallas. 

Together, Emily and Preston are raising two young kids – their 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son. Emily’s journey into motherhood started before she met Preston. As a single woman, she felt called to become a foster parent and had the privilege of parenting two newborn baby girls, and when Emily and Preston met, she had a 6-month-old baby in her home. Emily adopted her daughter while they were dating, and they quickly got married and Preston adopted her too!

Earlier this year, Emily decided to take a step back from corporate life and stay home with the kids. In 2024, she launched Etiquette by Emily, a business focused on teaching manners, kindness, and etiquette to children in the Park Cities. “My mom was a schoolteacher, and I’ve always had a heart for kids, education, and social politeness,” she said. “Preston and I always wanted to own a business, and this business has been such an obvious fit and blessing to our entire family.”

Emily purchased the curriculum from Amy Ranier in Mountainbrook, Alabama, who developed the etiquette program over 28 years of teaching in her community. Now, she teaches kids how to introduce themselves, table manners, how to interact respectfully with adults, classmates, and teachers, and how to be helpful at home, and several other social topics. She’s also been invited to speak to parenting groups at several local churches. 

The Smith’s children attend the Ashford RISE School of Dallas, a place that’s played a significant role in their family’s story. “The brilliant therapists and administration at The Rise School have taught us so much about social, emotional, and cognitive development and given us all the tools we need to support the education of both of our children that come from different backgrounds,” Emily explained. “They are both thriving and we feel empowered in our abilities in these early formative years because of the tools that their school has made available to us.”

Preston supports the school in his own unique way through his membership in The Touchdown Club of Dallas. This organization is composed of men that fundraise a significant amount of funds each year to support The Ashford Rise School of Dallas.  They host events around Dallas in the Fall and Spring, inviting everyone to attend and learn about the amazing things that The Rise School through a group called the Touchdown Club, a men’s fundraising organization that supports RISE. “It’s like a fraternity,” Emily said. “They only let in 18 new members each year, and last year, Preston’s group raised over $2 million. It’s amazing how quickly and effectively they fundraise.”

The family recently took a trip to Kanakuk’s Family Kamp in Branson, Missouri, where Preston checked off a bucket list dream by golfing at Payne’s Valley Golf Course. They also caught a performance of David at The Sights and Sounds Theater, which Emily described as “an absolutely incredible performance that made the Bible come alive in new ways.” Trips to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to see Emily’s parents are also a regular part of their lives, and they look forward to spending the holidays on the East Coast. When they aren’t on their beloved flight from Love Field to Raleigh, they will splurge, like they did in 2023 on a special trip to Paris. “Preston could’ve stayed in the Louvre all day,” Emily said. “He loves history, and the museums were definitely a highlight – aside from the food, of course!” Their next stop? New York City, where they plan to visit Ellis Island and the 9/11 Memorial.

Outside of her etiquette business and parenting, Emily continues to dedicate time to the foster care community. “I volunteer with some post-adoption advocates and speak on panels through Watermark Church,” she said. “Before I became a foster parent myself, I was a CASA volunteer. It’s something I really care about.” We always want to have an open home that welcomes not only foster children, but our friends, neighbors, and family. Our dinner table fills up every Monday night with friends that we share dinner with week after week, and that is definitely a habit of our household that we want to continue for decades to come!  

When they’re home, the family enjoys simple pleasures around town—weekly visits to the Saint Michael’s farmers market, coffee runs to LDU, Germany Park regulars, and dinner at their favorite restaurant, Bobbies Airway Grill. “In addition to The Touchdown Club of Dallas, we also love supporting the UP Library, One Hundred Shares, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League,” Emily added. “It’s just a special community to be part of.”  

From a spare bedroom in Highland Park to a growing family and a business of her own, Emily’s life in the Park Cities has been filled with growth and purpose. “This neighborhood welcomed me when it was just me,” she said. “And now, it’s home for not just me, but my whole family.”

By Sarah Mitchell

 Mary C. Lawson Corrigan grew up in Houston, but it’s Dallas that truly feels like home. After moving to University Park in seventh grade, she quickly became part of the fabric of the Park Cities. A graduate of Highland Park High School, she still laughs about being voted “Most Likely to Live at Home.” As it turns out, she now lives just blocks away from her parents.

The oldest of three sisters, Mary C. headed to Baylor for college where she spent four years studying child and family studies. “I always knew I wanted to work with families in some way,” she explained. “I just didn’t know exactly how that would look.” After college, she returned to the Park Cities, got married at 24, and spent nearly two decades as a full-time mom. “I loved doing that, but unfortunately, we split up last year,” she said, referring to her recent divorce.

With her daughters growing up fast, Mary C. found herself standing at a crossroads. “I realized I had this opportunity to reinvent myself for this next chapter of my life,” she said. That turning point led to what she describes as an “aha moment.” After hearing from so many friends juggling careers, raising their own kids, and suddenly helping aging parents, she recognized a major gap in support and resources. That’s when she decided to become a Certified Senior Advisor and launched Journey for HOPE (Helping Older Parents Evolve). “Helping families prepare for aging isn’t just my business, it’s personal. I know what it’s like to feel unprepared, and I never want anyone else to feel that lost.” Mary C. says her goal is simple: to help families plan ahead and make sure their parents live well and leave a meaningful legacy. “Most people wait until there’s a crisis. My goal is to work with families before that, helping them create a clear, customized roadmap for aging well, based on their parents’ needs, values, and spiritual beliefs. It’s a concierge style service that provides individual planning, care, and maintenance.” With the launch of her website (www.journeyforhope.net), she is ready to help families with customized care planning. ““Some clients come to me for overall care planning, while others need help figuring out when it’s time to move a parent into assisted living or how to support early cognitive decline. I help families navigate doctors, create personalized binders, and prepare for legacy conversations. I act as a bridge between what’s happening now and what needs to happen next, providing clarity, confidence, and peace of mind. While I do support families in crisis, my real goal is to get ahead of it. It’s so much easier to make thoughtful, confident decisions when there’s a plan in place before things get chaotic.”

By Sarah Mitchell

 John Ellerman grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, a town known more for Mark Twain and the Mississippi River. After he graduated high school, he headed south to Florida for college at Stetson University where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After Stetson, John gained a research appointment at MIT where he worked and studied in a computer science laboratory. “The only way I could go to grad school was to sign a ROTC contract, which I did,” John said. That led him to Washington, D.C. where he worked as a systems analyst. “I was fortunate and spent two years as a systems analyst working for all three military services as a young second lieutenant.”

That early chapter kicked off what became a five-decade-long career in management consulting, mostly focusing on executive compensation and corporate governance. John started out with what’s now KPMG, doing general strategy work, but in 1978, he joined Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby. His role took him to Atlanta, then Tampa for 13 years, and finally to Dallas in 1993. He stayed with the firm until 2010 when it merged with another consulting firm and went public as Towers Watson. The new public firm was facing criticism over a perceived conflict of interest with respect to its executive compensation practice and decided to divest itself of that practice following the merger. John and several of his partners purchased the executive compensation practice from Towers Watson and formed a new, free-standing firm known as Pay Governance. “We took about 40 people with us from our former firm and ended up being very successful,” he said. “I stayed there until 2022 when I retired.” These days, he enjoys a slower pace, starting his morning with the Wall Street Journal and spending time with his grandkids.

John moved to Dallas with family in mind. When he arrived in 1993, his son Robert was just two years old. “I chose the Park Cities because of the reputation for great schools,” John said. They started in University Park before settling in Highland Park. By 2014, John had built his current home, teaming up with his nephew, a Yale-educated architect based in Seattle.

Robert, now grown with a family of his own, reflects on that move. “My dad was top-tier in getting me where I wanted to be,” Robert said. A dedicated hockey player in his youth, Robert played for Highland Park but mostly focused on travel teams. “When I was about seven or eight years old, the Stars won the Stanley Cup, and I was hooked after that.”

Today, Robert works in the high-tech space as an enterprise account executive at a software company that specializes in automated testing. His focus now is on raising his own kids – three of them, including one from his wife Kim’s previous relationship.

Robert and Kim’s five-year old daughter, Remington (aka “Remi”), is full of curiosity and loves reading and painting. “She is very smart and quite gifted, and I just find her fascinating and enjoy speaking with her,” John shared. Two-year old son Brooks is car-obsessed – especially Porsches. Oldest daughter Paisley is busy with basketball, swimming, and cheerleading. “I never expected to get this kind of joy from being a grandfather,” John said.  “It has been the greatest joy of my life, and I spend every minute that I can with them.”

Outside of family time, John stays involved with his alma mater, serving on the business school’s board and attending events each year. He is also active at Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, particularly with the men’s groups, and says faith has always been an anchor in his life.

Cars are another passion. “I bought my first Porsche 911 in 1987 and have had one most of the time since,” he said. His interest in cars goes way back with early memories of riding in trucks his father used for his dairy business. “That gave me the engineering to play around with cars and trucks when I was two to three years old, just as Brooks does now,” he said. He currently drives a 2021 Porsche 911 Targa 4S and has another on the way – a Boxster with a 911 engine and 395 horsepower. “It’s probably not the most practical thing to do, but I’m looking forward to it.”

John enjoys travel and has visited several countries in Europe including England, Germany, Belgium, and France multiple times. But his most meaningful trip was to Jerusalem about six years ago. “Being able to walk in the same footsteps as Jesus was a significant experience,” he said. “It was just incredible.” Locally, he enjoys watching tennis and plans to attend the U.S. Open in New York this year. 

Robert speaks highly of his father and the values he’s passed down. “My father is an exceptional man. Everything that I’ve learned and thought to be morally right has come from him. He has been a great example in my life and his faith in God reflects on me.”

Whether he’s reading the paper, heading to New York for the U.S. Open, or simply hanging out with his grandkids, John seems content right where he is in the Park Cities!