Michael McCollum Adams is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at TAG Strategies, where she leads national fundraising and event strategy efforts across politics and public affairs. With over a decade of experience, she has raised more than $2 billion throughout her career and earned a reputation as one of the most trusted and effective fundraisers in the industry.

Before joining TAG, Michael founded Mark Strategies, a finance consulting firm serving political, PAC, and nonprofit clients. Her career includes leadership roles as National Finance Director for Senator John Cornyn, Senator Mitt Romney, Senator Ted Cruz, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Congressman Will Hurd. As well as senior finance positions with the NRSC, RNC, and Speaker Paul Ryan.

An entrepreneur at heart, Michael founded Anderson Parker, a luxury children’s boutique in Westlake, Austin, and Little Eight, a children’s lifestyle brand debuting in early 2026 that blends coastal charm, playful spirit, and elevated preppy style.

A Conroe, Texas native and graduate of the University of Mississippi, Michael lives in Austin with her husband, Jon, and their four children. She is a Lifetime Ambassador for Texas Children’s Hospital, a Board Member and for the Center for Child Protection.

Jessica Balladares-Bennett is a senior fundraising and event strategy leader with nearly 20 years of experience in advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and high-impact philanthropy. Known for her strategic vision and meticulous execution, she designs and produces large-scale fundraising initiatives, high-profile events, and philanthropic programs that align mission-driven work with broader brand and community goals.

Jessica previously served as Vice President at JHL Company for 10 years and has been part of the leadership team for Mack, Jack & McConaughey for 13 years, helping raise more than $80 million alongside longtime colleague and friend Jennifer Stevens. Her career also includes roles as executive director of a mental health professional association and committee director for the Texas House Committee on Defense and Veterans’ Affairs. Most recently, she served as a lead collaborator on Band Together Texas, raising nearly $9 million for disaster relief following the July 2025 floods.

A longtime Austin resident, Jessica holds a degree in communications with a minor in political science and remains deeply engaged in community leadership as an active volunteer with various local charities. She lives in Austin with her husband, Joey Bennett, and is the proud mother of her grown sons, Christian Tamez and Fauye Bennett.

Jessica McCoy is a Texas-based creative and entrepreneur with a passion for building meaningful community and thoughtful brands. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she was a Texas Cheerleader and now serves on the board of the Texas Cheer & Pom Alumni Association, helping foster connection and tradition among Longhorn alumni. She is the co-founder of Little Eight, a children’s swimleisure line inspired by travel, family life, and effortless style. Jessica lives in Austin with her husband, Case — a UT graduate and former Texas Longhorn quarterback — and their four young children, who inspire much of her creativity and commitment to family-centered experiences. Known for her eye for design and heart for connection, she blends creativity with purpose — whether developing brands, bringing people together, or creating meaningful moments for families and friends.

Blair Baxter is a longtime Austinite, entrepreneur, and mother of twin three-year-old girls. A St. Edward’s University graduate with a degree in Photocommunications, Blair has built multiple businesses, but her truest passion is Pecos Jane Vintage, the East Austin boutique she launched in 2022 and was recently recognized by Vogue for its bold blend of Western style and luxury vintage.

Pecos Jane has quickly become a destination for celebrity stylists, collectors, and fashion lovers alike. More than a store, it’s a vibrant community space built around self-expression, creativity, and mentoring the next generation of creative women.

Blair is honored to dance in support of the Center for Child Protection, a mission that feels deeply personal as a mother. She believes meaningful change starts close to home, in our neighborhoods, communities, and everyday actions, because every child deserves to feel safe, heard, and seen.

Kim Chappell is the Chief Brand Officer of Bobbie, the only organic infant formula company in the U.S. founded and led by moms. She has helped build Bobbie into the fastest growing infant formula company in the U.S. since the 1980s, earning recognition as the #1 formula at Whole Foods nationwide, TIME’s Most Influential Companies (2025), and Fast Co’s #9 Most Innovative Companies (2026).

Under Kim’s leadership, Bobbie has been a four-time Fast Co Brands That Matter recipient and 2024 Shorty Award winner for Best Small Brand. Kim herself has been named Forbes 50 Most Entrepreneurial CMOs, Shorty’s Brand Marketer of the Year 2025, and Adweek’s Creative 100.

A proud University of Georgia alum (40 Under 40, Class of 2023), Kim is a busy mom of three based in Austin. She’s a SolidCore devotee, fries-and-white-wine enthusiast and loves cleaning out a closet. She hates camping so don’t ask her to.

Alicia Golinghorst has proudly called Austin home since 2007, though her Ohio roots remain strong (Go Bucks!). A dedicated supporter of the Center for Child Protection since 2024, she serves as a Guardian Angel and recently joined the Friends of Christopher Guild in 2026. Her passion for serving others and supporting children is a defining part of who she is.

Deeply rooted in faith and family, Alicia spent years homeschooling her two sons, an experience that strengthened her patience, organization and nurturing spirit. Participating in Dancing with the Stars Austin is a meaningful way for her to give back and advocate for children in need.

When she’s not volunteering or supporting the community, Alicia is a devoted stay-at-home mom. She and her husband, Kirk, spend much of their time cheering on their sons at sports practices, games and school activities. In her free time, Alicia enjoys attending sporting events and playing golf.

Marquise Goodwin is a former NFL wide receiver, Olympian, artist, entrepreneur, and proud girl dad whose life has been defined by speed, resilience, and reinvention. A University of Texas standout and 11-year NFL veteran, he competed on the world’s biggest stages — from the Olympic Games to Sunday Night Football — inspiring audiences through his perseverance, faith, and refusal to be defined by adversity.

Off the field, Marquise is the co-owner of RSRV, an emerging visual artist, published author, and founder of “Color the World with Marae,” a children’s brand built to spark curiosity, celebrate culture, and build confidence in young readers. Alongside his wife Morgan, a fellow elite athlete and UT alum, he is deeply committed to family, mentorship, and serving the Austin community.

Now trading cleats for dance shoes, he’s excited to take on a brand-new challenge and proud to support the Center for Child Protection.

J.J. Gottsch is the CEO and General Manager of Austin Gamblers, Austin’s first professional bull riding team. He oversees both business and competition operations for the franchise, which has become one of the most successful teams in the PBR Team Series, earning more wins and championships than any other team in the league’s first four seasons. Under his leadership, the Gamblers also secured major brand partnerships and became the first sporting event to debut at Moody Center.

Before joining the Gamblers, J.J. spent 24 years with Ryan Sanders Sports & Entertainment, overseeing operations for the Round Rock Express, RS3 Turf, and RS3 Strategic Hospitality. A former professional baseball player, he also played collegiately at TCU and Creighton University.

J.J. is active in the Austin community, serving on several boards, including Foster Angels of Central Texas and the Central Texas Public Safety Commission. He lives in Austin with his wife, Evonne, and their daughter, Emma Jo.

Kristina Lackey, is a devoted mother of three, is deeply rooted in family and the Austin Community. She is also an author whose debut picture book, Side by Side, We Shine, a celebration of kindness, individuality, and living together in harmony, is set to debut this year.

Kristina is equally committed to advocacy and community service. She serves as Co-Chair of Saddle Up, partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to protect children and create vital resources for them and the people who keep them safe.

Closer to home, she volunteers and serves on the boards of Steiner Ranch Elementary, Canyon Ridge Middle School, and Vandegrift High School, supporting students across every stage of their educational journey.

Kristina and her husband, John, are the proud owners of Walking 3 Ranch, a place that reflects their shared love of the outdoors, family, hard work, and stewardship.

MJ McFarland serves as Broker Associate and Principal at Christie’s International Real Estate, where he has closed more than $350 million in transactions with a distinct emphasis on luxury properties and new development.

His path to real estate was anything but conventional. Born in Watertown, New York, MJ was raised in a family shaped by service, discipline, and adaptability. With his father serving in the U.S. Military, he experienced life across multiple cities before putting down roots in Texas.

A standout athlete, MJ earned a full scholarship to The University of Texas at Austin, where he played tight end before advancing to the NFL. His professional career included stints with the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Dallas Cowboys.

Outside of business, MJ is a dedicated husband and father. He and his wife, Whitney, a former collegiate soccer player at UT, are raising their two daughters with a deep appreciation for family, legacy, and home.

Erin Stewart is a wellness entrepreneur and holistic nutrition advocate who has called Austin home since 2021. As the founder of Savor + Sweat, she blends culinary nutrition with sustainable movement to help people nourish their whole selves through body, mind, and community.

With more than 20 years in the fitness and wellness space, Erin built and led a boutique wellness brand that expanded to 26 global locations. Today, that vision translates into locally focused programs, experiences, and resources delivered through the Savor + Sweat app, including a library of 400+ on-demand workouts and clean-eating recipes designed to make wellness accessible and sustainable for everyday life.

Her approach weaves together culinary nutrition, mindful movement, and healing-food concepts into a philosophy as practical as it is inspiring.

On the Dancing with the Stars Austin stage, Erin brings purpose-driven energy, warmth, and a community-first mindset, inspiring supporters to champion meaningful change.

Chef Saine Wong is the chef and owner behind Toshokan, one of Austin’s toughest reservations to land. After moving from Los Angeles, he opened Toshokan in 2022, a six-seat omakase that quickly became an Austin standout and earned back-to-back recognition from the Michelin Guide in 2024 and 2025.

His journey to Japanese cuisine wasn’t always the plan. Saine trained across French, Italian, Belgian, and American kitchens before finding his true calling in omakase. In 2018, he stepped away from his executive chef role in Hollywood and spent two years traveling the world, immersing himself in different food cultures and techniques that now shape his menu.

Today, he’s rooted in Austin, creating intimate dining experiences night after night. Outside the restaurant, he stays active with volleyball, golf, and football. Also, he’s a proud Taylor Swift fan.

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, David attended Stanford University and earned his BA in Political Science before moving to Austin in the early 2000s to study at The University of Texas. His dance journey started when he first attended classes at Go Dance Studio. Not long after, he became immersed in the Texas salsa scene — attending congresses while performing and competing as part of a dance company.  

David was eventually recruited by Go Dance to join their teacher training program, where he received a well-rounded dance education in country, swing, smooth and rhythm. As a student and teacher, he developed a good depth of knowledge for Latin dance, history, and music. David also trained in American Style Smooth & Rhythm (Bronze Level) and both trained/competed in Country and West Coast Swing. With over 15 years of experience dancing and teaching a variety of partner & social dances, he considers himself to be a Swiss Army knife among dance instructors!  

Marcus Baker is an Austinite with roots in the DC area, his dance career began at the age of five with ballet and hip-hop classes. He was first introduced to the excitement of a competitive atmosphere while attending a breakdancing competition in Mexico. Inspired by the energy of the event and the talent of the dancers around him, he discovered a passion that would spark his lifelong dance journey.  

Marcus believes everyone can find their “why” for dancing. Whether it’s social dancing, competing, or a fun date night hobby, he understands how meaningful it can be for students to foster joy for dance. Currently training to compete in West Coast Swing competitions, Marcus remains active in the solo dance community and often serves as a judge for solo dance competitions. When he isn’t dancing, Marcus is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Human Dimensions of Organization at the University of Texas and enjoys bouldering at Austin-area gyms. 

Born and raised in Oregon, Sarah grew up loving the outdoors and horseback riding. After taking a Swing dance class at a local community college, she realized that partner dancing shared the same grace, elegance and connection she loved so much about competitive horseback riding she hasn’t been able to get enough of dancing since!

Sarah knows that discipline and practice lead to success, and she believes that dance can change the lives of others just as it has changed her own. Part of what makes Sarah a wonderful instructor is her focus on style and expression. She works hard to provide extra technical pointers and stylistic tips so that every student is challenged no matter their level, while still enjoying themselves. She believes that with dance her students can accomplish anything!

Originally from the Seattle area, Garrett has toured the world as a professional ballroom dance competitor, performer, choreographer and teacher. He competed in International Latin and American Rhythm at the Professional and Rising Star levels and was a national finalist as an amateur in International Ballroom and American Smooth.  

His television work includes credits as a choreographer and dancer on Season 2 of NBC’s World of Dance, as well as a professional coach and performer on New Zealand’s Dancing With The Stars.  

He toured for three years with the world-renowned BYU Ballroom Dance Company. He later served as artistic director and team coach for national champion youth ballroom formation teams at Pacific Ballroom Dance. Garrett brings world-class level of expertise and passion to the Go Dance studio in Austin, making him and an incredible partner to learn from. 

Maira fell in love with dancing as a young girl, starting with Folklorico and regional dance in Chihuahua, Mexico, where she grew up. She then transitioned into ballet, contemporary, jazz, and commercial dance in college. She continued her passion by studying dance at the University of Texas at El Paso.  

Later Maira moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a professional commercial dancer, performing alongside several Latin music artists, including Elvis Crespo, Gloria Trevi, Fey, Ana Barbara, and Belinda. It was when she moved to Austin that she fell in love with the social dance scene and began training at Go Dance. She began teaching in 2022 and loves helping new dancers get started in Salsa, Two Step, Country Swing, and more! Her favorite part about teaching is watching her students grow and feel more confident after every lesson. 

Sofi Ortiz, originally from Virginia, has been dancing competitively since 2022. After her first social Two Step, she quickly fell in love with the connection and movement of social dancing. She became fascinated by the mind-body relationship and how the mental engagement required in dance positively influenced other areas of her life.  

As an instructor, Sofi combines positive energy with a strong focus on technique to help students master every movement, pattern, and skill they learn. She is committed to fostering a supportive environment where students can build confidence, express themselves authentically, and find their own rhythm.  

Sofi is currently competing in Open Couples Division I and ProPro I in the UCWDC. She is also an active social dancer, enjoying West Coast Swing, salsa, bachata, one step, two step, and country swing. When she isn’t dancing, she is pursuing a master’s degree in Nutritional Science at UT Austin or tending to her houseplants. 

Tristan Reimann’s journey in dance began at a young age, inspired by his Cuban mother’s love of music and rhythm. His passion for dance quickly grew, leading him into musical theater and eventually into professional training with a major international dance franchise by age 17. Since then, Tristan has been devoted to teaching and sharing his skills  

Originally from Upstate New York, Tristan built his career in Saratoga Springs and Cambridge, Massachusetts, before settling in Austin to be closer to family. Specializing in rhythm dancing, he brings a vibrant energy and adaptability to his instruction, working with everyone from absolute beginners to competitive dancers. Tristan tailors his approach to each student’s individual goals, whether helping a couple prepare for a memorable first dance or guiding a student to their full potential in dancing.  

Over the years, Tristan has traveled extensively with his students, competing across the U.S. and internationally in destinations like Italy, Prague, and Mexico. 

Tommy is a native Texan born and raised in San Antonio. His “never met a stranger” energy and vibrant personality shine in everything he does, especially his teaching! His dance journey started in 2002 when he tried Swing dance to impress a girl, and he’s been dancing ever since.  

Tommy joined Go Dance in 2006, and though he will say he began dancing with two left feet, his hard work, persistence, and practice make him the marvelous instructor and dancer that he is today. He knows firsthand how challenging learning dance can be, which makes him a very patient teacher who believes that with the right instruction, anyone can experience the beauty of dance. For Tommy, dancing is not just about the steps but more about connecting to the music and your partner. He firmly believes that dance can brighten any mood, improve a person’s health, and strengthen anyone’s social skills. 

From a young age, Angeline has been immersed in the world of dance. Beginning with ballet and jazz, she discovered partner dancing at age 12. Her early training in waltz and salsa quickly sparked a love for country dancing, leading her to compete in the country circuit as a junior. She was even invited to join the UT Ballroom Club‘s competitive dance team, where she proudly earned 2nd place at the World Championships as a freshman in high school.  

Angeline’s creative flair extends beyond the dance floor; she is a key part of Go Dance’s showcase, both as a dancer and by brainstorming theme, crafting decorations, and designing costumes.  

Today, she specializes in West Coast Swing, Two Step, Country, Swing, Bachata, and Salsa and loves teaching beginners. Her teaching centers around making students feel good by blending encouragement with a focus on technique. For her, the most fulfilling aspect of teaching is witnessing the moment when everything clicks for her students.