Our Team
Cynthia Minchillo | Co-Founder and Trustee
Cynthia met Wendi in 1994 at a networking/fundraising event and an immediate friendship was struck. Cynthia was fortunate enough to have a wonderful friendship with Wendi while also having the opportunity to work with her and receive her mentorship throughout their careers together.
Cynthia began her paralegal career in 1988, and currently works as a senior paralegal for Chalker Flores, LLP, an intellectual property law firm. With Wendi's encouragement, Cynthia became involved with her trade associations and public speaking. In addition, she became a PACE Registered Paralegal in 1997 and was a Board Certified paralegal in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization from 1996 to 2014. She is a member of the Dallas Area Paralegal Association, National Federation of Paralegal Associations and the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas. She served as DAPA’s president and held numerous appointed positions for all three associations. In 1998, she was awarded DAPA’s Paralegal of the Year award, and in 2014 awarded NFPA’s Volunteer of the Year Award and DAPA’S prestigious Michele Boerder Lifetime Achievement Award. She served as the ABA Approval Commission Representative of NFPA from 2008-2011, as an ABA special site visitor from 2011-2017, and served as the Committee Chair and host of the NFPA National Paralegal Convention in Dallas in 2014. Cynthia was a frequent presenter and author on continuing legal education topics. She is a former instructor at El Centro College's paralegal program and has been an adjunct faculty member of Collin College's paralegal program since 2014.
On her time off, Cynthia enjoys equestrian activities, traveling, reading, and spending time with her family, friends and pets.
Lindy Duffney | Trustee and Social Media Director
In August 2019, I had the honor of attending the Wendi Atwood Rogers/DAPA Mentorship Workshop. This opportunity provided me the ability to learn more about the paralegal profession and the impact a paralegal has in shaping the present and future of the legal field. With guidance from my paralegal-mentor, I was inspired to start my own journey toward a career as a paralegal by enrolling in the post-baccalaureate Paralegal Studies Program at SMU. Soon after, I secured my first position as a litigation paralegal in November 2019. I have continued to grow my paralegal experience by tackling transactional matters as well.
I now proudly serve on the DAPA Board of Directors as Communications Director. Within DAPA, I am a member of DAPA’s Diversity, Inclusion & Equity committee, and liaise for the DI&E Literature Publication subcommittee. Additionally, I am a member of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas (District 2), where I am learning a great deal as to how to perfect my paralegal skills both in and out of the office.
Grounded in mentorship and distinction, the Wendi Atwood Rogers Foundation enhances the lives of many by facilitating and nurturing connections every day. I am elated at the opportunity to give back as the Social Media Director of this energizing initiative. Further, I can serve the same initiative that helped kickstart my career and allowed me to forge and nurture relationships with mentors and mentees alike.
Everett Newton | Trustee
Everett Newton holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and has been awarded a Doctorate of Jurisprudence by the University of Houston School of Law. Licensed to practice law since 1992, he is a member of the State Bar of Texas as well as several other professional associations, including the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Municipal Justice Bar Association, Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and Mensa. He is also a past president of the Dallas Municipal Justice Bar Association. For over four years, he hosted “The Everett Newton Show,” a law-oriented talk radio show, on CBS Radio’s KLLI-FM Dallas affiliate, and has appeared on 97.1 “The Eagle” KEGL-FM’s “Russ Martin Show” as “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Attorney” since 1997.
Mike Ruocco | Trustee
Mike Ruocco is a progressive event and hospitality industry veteran. He founded innoVia Events LLC in 2012 with the mission of providing event technology buyers with global Customer Centric alternatives to the heritage Event Tech providers found in hotel venues and regional hubs. 10 Years later, innoVia has been recognized 3x by Inc 5000 as one of the country's fastest growing companies.
Two months into the Covid-19 Pandemic, Mike created a bespoke business solution featuring an award winning proprietary virtual event platform called Zenevent. Zenevent provides customers a white glove production service from event conception to post event engagement analytics.
Mike also recently co-founded and launched a Dallas based Micro-Event venue called 2700 Swiss Event Space. This venue focuses on corporate event trends that reveal a need for corporate event spaces focused on supporting meetings of 10 - 80 people.
Mike's past leadership roles at Encore and Marriott International focused on redesigning business strategies to develop a culture of customer centricity thus growing market share, brand loyalty and employee satisfaction.
Debbie Oaks McBride | Co-Founder and Trustee
With more than twenty five years of corporate and transactional paralegal experience, thirteen of those spent with the Trammell Crow Company, Debbie Oaks McBride is currently in-house paralegal for NGP Energy Capital Management, LLC, a multi-billion dollar private equity firm headquartered in Las Colinas, Texas. In addition to her paralegal training, she has five years legal recruiting experience, including two years as the Managing Director of NewLine Legal Practice Support.
Debbie is a Past President and current Ambassador of the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas (PD). She served on the PD Board of Directors as District 2 Director, District 12 Director, Parliamentarian, President-Elect and President (2010-2011). In 2009, she was honored with the prestigious Paralegal Division Award of Excellence. She has previously served the PD on the TAPS Planning Committee; as Chair of the Leadership Ad Hoc Committee; as Chair of the TAPA 2014 Planning Ad Hoc Committee and as Vendor Liaison.
Debbie is a Past President (1996-1997) of the Dallas Area Paralegal Association (DAPA), where she also served as Executive Director, Membership Vice President, NFPA Primary Representative and Scholarship Chair. She was selected as the DAPA Paralegal of the Year in 2005, DAPA Volunteer of the Year in 2005 and received the DAPA President’s Award in 2007.
Debbie currently lives in Highland Village with her husband, Coach Mike McBride, and their sons Spencer, Reed and Luke. She is a football mom and coach’s wife and avid supporter of the Lewisville Fighting Farmer Football Booster Club, the Harding University Football Booster Club and the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Touchdown Club. She volunteers with and supports numerous local non-profit community service agencies, including the Children’s Advocacy Center – Denton County and the North Texas Food Bank and is an active member of the Women’s Energy Network, Texas High School Coaches Wives Association and American Football Coaches Wives Association.
Dawn Rogers | Trustee
Not only am I lucky enough to say that Wendi was a friend and mentor, she was also family. We met over 30 years ago and became friends as well as sisters in law.
Wendi was always the life of any gathering and we quickly bonded. I was a recent graduate of the University of North Texas with a degree in Social Work. I was working for Child Protective Services and was struggling with the immense pain that I saw on a daily basis. I remember always being in awe of Wendi’s passion for her career as a Paralegal. She quickly convinced me to go to Southeastern Paralegal School in Dallas to get my Paralegal Certificate. During the time I was in school I worked with her at the Law Office of Fred Shiver. I was blessed to learn from one of the best Paralegal’s there was in the field. After I graduated from Paralegal school I got a job at Baron and Budd in Dallas where I worked for several years before becoming a mom and staying home with my 2 daughters for 10 years.
After another career change, I have been a science teacher for the last 15 years. I have taught in Richardson ISD, Garland ISD, Rockwall ISD and now call Van Alstyne ISD home. I am thrilled to be a part of continuing Wendi’s legacy in the small community where she was active in making a better place. I know Wendi would be so proud to see her legacy being used to make the world a better place.
