The State Fair of Texas is teaming up with Metrocare, the largest provider of mental health services in Dallas County, to host a Day of Mindfulness at the State Fair in celebration of World Mental Health Day – October 10. Continuing to live through a global pandemic has strained the mental health of our communities. With anxiety and depression rates up four-fold, the State Fair of Texas and Metrocare recognized the importance of making mental wellbeing both accessible and top-of-mind for fairgoers.

Mindfulness with Metrocare at the State Fair of Texas will feature a series of mental health experts covering tips that can improve your mental wellness today as well as family-friendly mindfulness activities like meditation, music therapy, trap yoga, and more. Licensed therapist, author, dynamic talk-show host, and sought-after speaker, Dr. Stacia’ Alexander will serve as the emcee for the day’s event. Visit us at the Fair for a chance to win a Peloton Bike! No purchase necessary.

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Schedule of Events

Featured Speakers

Dr. Stacia’ Alexander

Founder, Positive Influences & Director of Paul Quinn Mental Health Clinic
Mindfulness with Metrocare Event Emcee

Dr. Stacia’ Alexander is an experienced life coach, therapist, trainer, author, talk show host, consultant, and sought-after speaker. A success strategist, she focuses on mental health, human development, and corporate wellness. For nearly a quarter of a century, Dr. Stacia’ has been the director of Positive Influences, a privately held counseling agency with offices in Dallas and Ft. Worth. She is also the Mental Health Director of the on-campus counseling center providing services to the Paul Quinn College student body.

A licensed professional counselor, certified by the Texas Board of Professional Counselors, she received a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from Amberton University and a Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical Psychology from Walden University.

A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Dr. Stacia teaches anger management, parenting, and more, gaining a 5-star rating. A wife, mother, and a Dallas native, Dr. Stacia’ exudes a spirit of self-actualization and authenticity and spreads her love, joy, wit, and healthy living wherever she goes.

Ebony N. Smith

Founder, Yoga N Da Hood

A certified Trauma Informed Yoga Therapist, Neuro Language Practitioner and Wellness Coach Ebony Smith, a.k.a ‘The Ghetto Guru,’ is the founder of Yoga N Da Hood, a fast-growing nonprofit dedicated to making wellness accessible to EVERYONE. Specializing in translating what wellness and mindfulness looks like across cultures and socio-economic barriers, Ebony has taught yoga and mindfulness at festivals, conferences and events all around the world from Wanderlust, Wellspring, Bali Spirit Festival, SXSW, Essence Festival, Adidas, American Airlines, to Walmart. She has shared her transformational story on platforms such as TEDX Oak Cliff, at Harvard University, Austin ISD, Dallas ISD, The Family Place, Girls Inc, United Way Dallas, and on major networks like FOX, Telemundo, CBS, and ABC. She has been featured in publications such as Yoga Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Focus Daily News, Dallas Observer, Black and Well magazine and countless other print and online platforms.

Originally from Dallas, Ebony overcame a rocky and turbulent childhood and young adult life until she found yoga in her late twenties during her pregnancy. Wanting to have a natural birth, Ebony started yoga and it was her “saving grace” and wake up call to begin a healing process her heart had been longing for. Discovering who she is and her potential to help those around her in under-resourced communities, she founded her non-profit ‘Yoga N Da Hood’ where she offers free yoga and meditation classes as well as training to teachers, parents, and administrators on how to implement mindfulness in their own personal lives and in the lives of our youth. Ebony teaches people in underserved communities the art of self-healing and self-love through the practice of yoga and mindfulness with a mission to equip individuals with the tools to empower their own life.

Tameka Y. Cass

Chief Development Officer, Metrocare

Tameka Y. Cass is currently the Chief Development Officer at Dallas nonprofit, Metrocare Services, the largest provider of mental health services in Dallas County. In her role, Tameka is responsible for the fund development strategies to create and enact the framework for growing Metrocare’s philanthropic footprint through major gift fundraising, corporate and foundation support, and events. As an experienced fundraising professional with a demonstrated history (20+ years) of working in the nonprofit industry, Tameka is skilled in strategic planning, fund development, relationship management, capital campaigns, event management, grants management & compliance, volunteer engagement, board/advisory committee oversight, team building, and communications, both internal and external. Tameka has a strong knowledge of Dallas’ nonprofit community and its key challenges. In her spare time, Tameka enjoys spending time with her 11-year old son, Jaxon. Additionally, she proudly serves as the President of the Parent Student Association (PSA) Board at St. Philip’s School & Community Center, Tameka is also the Vice President of External Affairs of the Dallas Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), a founding member of HERitage Giving Circle, and is actively engaged with Power in Action – Dallas, a collective unit of community leaders focused on removing systematic disparities impacting Dallas’ African American communities. Tameka holds a Master’s of Science in Human Relations & Business from Amberton University.

Tate Ringer

Chief Strategy Officer, Metrocare

Tate Ringer has 20 years of executive experience in nonprofit management, healthcare services and technology. As Chief Strategy Officer for Metrocare, she oversees marketing, philanthropy, events, volunteers, community outreach, public affairs, business development and innovation,  agency optimization, and any external or internal cross-departmental initiatives. Her diverse background includes serving as CEO of LaunchAbility, the fourth largest pediatric home care and Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) agency in Texas and a 30-year-old diversity hiring program that is still revolutionary to this day. There she implemented and expanded a diversity consulting practice for large companies to help them better integrate adults with disabilities into their workforce. She also led the organization through post-acquisition integration and through a transition due to legislative policy changes that significantly impacted the agency’s home health delivery model.  After working with the state to successfully transition the ECI program to multiple agencies to continue the mission in a more sustainable way, Tate launched the Texas branch of Honor, a $42M Series B funded Silicon Valley start-up in home care services for the elderly. At Honor, she oversaw all Texas operations including business development and the hiring and training of staff as well as led an educational, customer experience pilot with Walmart. Most recently, she served as COO of a boot-strapped start-up bringing customized technology and consulting solutions to nonprofits. The common thread among Tate’s diverse experience is her commitment to operationalize visionary strategy in complex environments backed by sound analytics to manage risk. Tate has a servant leadership philosophy combined with an uncompromising determination to both meet bottom-line goals and support the people who are the backbone of the agency.

Jim Newton

Founder, Therapeutic Music Entertainer, KidLinks

Jim brings to KidLinks a wealth of musical experience and has worked with others to create a new discipline, Therapeutic Music Entertainment, while bringing the transforming and healing power of music into children’s hospitals and other special care settings. Jim holds a BA in Philosophy and a Master’s in Theology, and has trained and served as a hospital chaplain. Jim, along with Paul G. Hill, has been perfecting this craft for over thirty-five years through songwriting and recording, direct services, TME training and community outreach.

Paul G. Hill

Senior Producer, Therapeutic Music Entertainer, KidLinks

Paul G. Hill is the Senior Producer for KidLinks and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory and Composition. Prior to serving in this leadership role, Paul was the Senior Producer for Hugworks. A Grammy-nominated, award-winning songwriter and arranger, Paul has been active in the music industry for more than 40 years. His extraordinary musical and songwriting skills and his caring heart, provide much of the creative talent for the songs featured on KidLinks.

Maria Beltran

Therapeutic Music Entertainer, KidLinks

Maria graduated from Texas Women’s University with a Bachelor of Science in Music Therapy and is in the process of becoming a board-certified music therapist. She completed her music therapy internship in Richardson ISD where she worked with students in the special education program. Maria is fluent in both Spanish and English and would like to use her skills to help reach Spanish-speaking communities that are interested in learning more about the positive power of music.

Tanya Mac

Director of Outreach & Mental Health Trainer, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Metrocare

Tanya Mac is the outreach director at the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic, Marine spouse, and dedicated mother, pursuing a Masters Degree from University of Oklahoma in Strategic Communications.  Prior to joining the clinic, Tanya gained extensive experience and expertise in therapeutic art for adults, children and families through her company, TMAC Arts. Tanya is a passionate mental health advocate, who is trained in ASSIST, Talk Saves Lives, SAVE and AS+K, as well as facilitates Mental Health First Aid, and other suicide prevention workshops. Tanya also provides access to groups available to active military, Veterans and Veteran spouses throughout the DFW area.

Domingo Rodriguez

Military Veteran Peer Network (MPVN) Lead & Mental Health Trainer, Metrocare

Domingo Rodriguez is the Military Veteran Peer Network (MVPN) Peer Service Coordinator for Metrocare Services of Dallas County. He is a 20-year retired Navy OIF/OEF Veteran. He has a passion to serve and it is that passion for those in need, that led him from uniformed service to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from the University of North Texas. While at UNT he became actively involved with the Student Veterans Association and this was the impetus for his familiarization with local area Veterans organizations. It was these relationships that allowed him to give advice to fellow Veterans and family members that set him on a course toward working exclusively with the Service Member, Veteran and Family (SMVF) community of North Texas. As a Board member of the Veterans Coalition of Tarrant County and of the Poetry Society of Texas he has allowed his passion for service to help grow and inspire others in their passions. As a PHSS Instructor with the American Red Cross, Past Fellow at The Mission Continues, and current active member of Team Rubicon, he has served on many disaster and humanitarian relief efforts and continues to give to his community whenever possible. Through MVPN and StopOne.Info he is a dedicated instructor who has taught hundreds and constantly reaches out to the community to teach about Military Culture, Suicide Prevention, Moral Injury, Trauma Affected Veterans interacting with  Law Enforcement and Counseling on Access to Lethal Means.

Taylor Jackson

Qualified Mental Health Professional, Metrocare

Taylor Jackson has been apart of the Metrocare family since October 2020 & has been in the mental health profession for five years. Prior to joining Metrocare, Taylor worked as a Transcrainial Magnetic Stimulation technician at a psychiatric clinic for two years. Additionally, she has provided ‘Community Living Support’ as a mentor for juveniles and children that undergo mental illnesses. In her free time, she volunteers at a non-profit hospice company and an Equine Haven to promote autism awareness. Aspiring to combine her passion for wellness and helping her clients become the best versions of themselves, Taylor decided to become a certified yoga instructor in January 2020 with the RYT 200 hour licensure through YogaSport. Taylor began practicing yoga in 2016 and is now a privately hired instructor.

Buy Tickets to the State Fair

FREE ADMISSION to the event with a State Fair Ticket!
Purchase your State Fair Ticket here.

Interested in Volunteering?

Please contact Tameka Y. Cass at 214-743-1220 or tameka.cass@metrocareservices.org.

Event Location

The State Fair of Texas
Briscoe Livestock Center
2nd Floor
1403 Washington St, Dallas, TX 75210