ESD Welcomes Honored Alumni Panelists for Fall Dedman Lecture Series
October 7, 2026
The Episcopal School of Dallas welcomed three distinguished alumni back to campus for the fall installment of the Robert H. Dedman Lecture Series, offering upperclassmen an inspiring look into leadership, legacy, and life after graduation.
The panel featured Lauren Chapman Bellemare ’05 P'39, Taylor Frank ’07, and Ross Mulford ’08 P'38,'39,'41, all recently named to People Newspapers 2026 “20 Under 40” list. The annual honor celebrates young professionals across the Dallas-Fort Worth area who are making a lasting impact in their industries and communities.
Endowed in 2002 by the Dedman Foundation through the Communities Foundation of Texas, the Dedman Lecture Series reflects ESD’s commitment to developing thoughtful, purpose-driven leaders. Named in honor of inaugural speaker Robert H. Dedman, grandfather of alumni Jonathan Dietz ’03 P'34,'36,'39, Christina Dietz ’09, and Jeffrey Dietz ’14, the program brings changemakers to campus twice each year. Through candid discussions on courage, vision, and purpose, the series offers students direct insight into how personal values and formative experiences shape professional paths.
For this installment, those lessons returned home through three Eagles who have each built their work around carrying something forward, whether a family legacy, a community, or the people they serve.
Lauren Chapman Bellemare ’05 P'39 left a 15-year corporate career after becoming a mother changed her sense of what she wanted to build. Her Dallas-based brand, L’Heritage Fine Jewelry, creates heirloom-inspired pieces meant to be passed through generations, and she hopes to pass the business itself to her daughter one day. Following the example her own mother set, Bellemare has served for 15 years on the Cattle Baron’s Ball committee, donates pieces to support local nonprofits, and designed a necklace honoring Camp Mystic to benefit those affected by the Kerr County floods.
Taylor Frank ’07 admits he left ESD without a clear roadmap, but a senior-year job at Cole Haan in Highland Park Village revealed his gift for connecting with people. That gift carried him through Tiffany & Co. to his role today as president of Eiseman Jewels, where he leads with a service-first philosophy. Guided by a deep sense of responsibility to stand up for those who need support or a voice, Frank volunteers with Community Partners of Dallas, which serves children and families in crisis, and with Vision for Tomorrow, a cause made personal by his son’s journey with a rare eye condition. Today, he describes his work as a calling, one that aligns with his values and allows him to serve others.
Ross Mulford ’08 P'38,'39,'41 is the founder of Blue Thunder Management, a company with five divisions spanning e-commerce, industrial real estate, and commercial services. For Ross, success means creating opportunity for others, a belief that began in the classroom as a Teach For America corps member teaching ninth grade in Houston. As CFO, he helped grow a local e-commerce company into Classic Whimsy, now one of the country’s most successful online children’s clothing stores. In 2023, he co-founded Jaguar Waste Management, which started with one truck and two new drivers and has since completed more than 3,000 hauls across North Texas, all while giving its team members a place to build their careers. Whether through the companies he builds or the boards he serves, including Teach For America Dallas-Fort Worth, St. Philip’s School and Community Center, and St. Michael Episcopal School, he measures his success by the opportunities it creates for others.
Throughout the hour, the panelists reflected on how their years at ESD shaped the people they have become. Their stories gave students a living picture of our mission to ignite lives of purpose and reminded them that the true measure of a career is the good it does for others.
To read the complete 2026 20 Under 40 feature and view additional honoree profiles, visit People Newspapers.
