July 2021
by Ashley Withers

Mary is a dynamic, inclusive, volunteering powerhouse.

Mary serves as a Co-Chair to two incredibly active DAYL committees, the Law Student Assistance Committee and the Aid to the Homeless Committee. In her work for the Law Student Assistance Committee, she has helped organize and implement the Law Student Summer Program, which is designed to provide a substantive summer learning experience with a practical component for law students. She has mentored or supervised dozens of law students over the years both through DAYL and through her non-profit work.

In her work for the Aid to the Homeless Committee, she has organized the Committee’s “adoption” of a family during the holidays—first, with Human Rights Initiative’s Holiday Wish program and then with The Family Place’s Adopt-a-Family program. She has also helped serve breakfast to some of our homeless neighbors at the Cathedral of Hope, supported the Birthday Party Project for homeless kids, and participated in the annual Point in Time Homeless Count.

She is a regular volunteer with the Dallas Bar Association’s Legal Line, which provides pro bono legal advice to members of the Dallas community who call in with legal questions on a wide range of topics.

In her professional career, Mary is the Manager of Diversity & Inclusion at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She supports the diversity strategy of UT Southwestern by recommending, developing and implementing diversity and inclusion programs, initiatives, and trainings for UT Southwestern’s employees and staff. This summer, she is taking part in organizing the E.J. Conrad Leadership Program, through which college students of color gain hands-on paid professional experience while also learning about financial literacy, mental health and wellness, resume writing, and graduate school pathways.

Mary’s amazing resume is also packed with a decade of experience in immigration law dating back to before law school and more recently, as a compliance attorney at Trinity Industries, Inc. She remains a proud supporter of her beloved immigration-related non-profits, Human Rights Initiative of North Texas and the DFW Asylum Seeker Housing (“DASH”) network.

Mary married the love of her life, Stephen Bandoh, last summer. They are doting dog parents to an eight-pound fluff ball named Theodore Bear Bandoh a.k.a. “Teddy.” Always a crowd pleaser, Teddy makes frequent in-dog appearances via Zoom at his parents’ meetings. He is still bitter that he was robbed of his rightful title as D Magazine’s Cutest Pet in Dallas.

Mary’s dedication to issues and causes she cares about are evident by her actions, and it has been a privilege to have her be a part of DAYL.