Lyn Berman, Executive Director/Founder

Lyn is doing what she loves. As executive director for Attitudes & Attire™ she’s changing the lives of hundreds of women, one at a time. By helping women rediscover their value and worth, Lyn and her staff plant the seeds for personal growth, offering hope and a new direction toward self-sufficiency.

Lyn began her professional career in retail fashion and has been an image consultant for more than 20 years. She began volunteering with various nonprofit agencies and discovered her true passion—helping disadvantaged women. Lyn worked for an agency that served women on welfare, where she observed that job training did not address less tangible skills. She knew they should be taught effective interview skills and professional work demeanor, as well as reminders of their own worth, and belief in themselves. In 1996 she founded Attitudes & Attire with $500 of her own money and one volunteer, advising 65 women that first year.

Reaching out to help other women experiencing adversity was a natural direction for Lyn. Growing up with an alcoholic father, she witnessed years of violence at a tender age. She began working at age 15, married at 20 and had two children. After a divorce, she raised her kids as a single mom. Lyn has been happily remarried since 1978 and has two grown children and four grandchildren. The same passion that helped Lyn found Attitudes & Attire in 1996, keeps it strong today. And because of it, the lives of many women have been changed forever.  Contact Lyn at 214.746.4212 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Mary Pollinzi Brown, Program Director

As program director, Mary is responsible for managing the development and delivery of the Attitudes & Attire Program. She facilitates workshops related to self-esteem and successful interview skills. In addition, Mary presents seminars and presentations to agencies, corporations, and civic groups.

Mary is a career educator with over thirty years of experience in public education on the secondary level. She coordinated teen pregnancy programs in both the Dallas and Garland Independent Schools Districts. Mary also served as coordinator of the Career Preparation Program at North Dallas High, placing high school students in jobs and teaching skills for successful employment. She received her Bachelor of Science in home economics education from the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, and earned her California teaching credential, as a graduate student at California Polytechnic University in Pomona, California. As a family & consumer science educator in school districts in Texas and California, Mary has taught a variety of subjects including: life skills, food & nutrition, parenting education, child development, consumer economics, and career education.

Mary grew up in Dallas, and is thrilled to be a part of the Attitudes & Attire staff, where she is combining her varied experiences in education to make a difference in the lives of many women. She and her husband have been happily married since 1979, and spend most vacations visiting their daughter, son-in-law, and grandson in England. Contact Mary at 214.746.4214 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Becca Haynes, Development Director 

As development director, Becca is responsible for fundraising through writing grants to private foundations, corporate foundations, and researching new avenues for funding. She is also responsible for the dental program by recruiting dentists, writing newsletters, keeping up with clients in the program, and managing billing. She has been involved with Attitudes & Attire for four years.

While in college Becca interned at a local nonprofit agency whose mission was to prevent suicide by providing mental health care to musicians suffering from depression. After graduating from The University of Georgia with a degree in psychology and women’s studies, she moved back to Dallas and was hired at Attitudes & Attire as an intern in 2006. She became program manager and shortly thereafter helped to launch the Hopeful Smiles dental program. Becca took on the role of development director in November 2010.

Becca grew up in the Dallas area where she attended Highland Park High School. She spends most of her free time surrounded by pups—she currently has four of her own and is a very active volunteer with the dog rescue group Metroplex Mutts. Additionally, she enjoys spending time working on her home and catching up with friends. Contact Becca at 214.746.4213 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Angelina Valencia, Marketing & PR

Angelina is responsible for recruiting and training new volunteers. She also plans and coordinates all of Attitudes & Attire's fundraising and volunteer appreciation events throughout the year, including the Annual Kim Dawson Attitude Award Luncheon and Fashion Show. In addition, Angelina reaches out to the community to build awareness about the agency.

She began volunteering for Attitudes & Attire in 1998 and continued until she became part of the staff in July 2008. Angelina began her professional career in the fashion industry over 18 years ago and now owns her own jewelry and gift company, which has recently celebrated three years of existence.

Angelina earned her Associates degree in fashion merchandising and marketing/advertising, and a Bachelors in business management. She is a self-proclaimed yoga addict and enjoys traveling, reading, and hanging out with her friends and parents. Contact Angelina at 214.746.4219 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Evelyn Earl, Boutique Manager

Evelyn oversees the Attitudes & Attire boutique and all of our client dressings, working directly with clients and managing volunteers. She is also responsible for all operations relating to the boutique as well as coordinating clothing donations, including sorting, sizing, and labeling. Evelyn also works with donors on clothing drives throughout the year.

Evelyn serves as role model for our clients, preparing them for workshops and dressings and taking an active role in ensuring clients have a positive experience and clothes that are just right for them. Evelyn has been with Attitudes & Attire for nine years. Prior to her position with Attitudes & Attire, she worked at the post office for 23 years.

Evelyn moved to Dallas to follow her dream. She has worked in the retail industry for 15 years and been a wardrobe stylist for 25 years. Evelyn earned her Associates degree in fashion merchandising. She has three children, three granddaughters, and one grandson. Outside of work, her hobbies include reading, writing, and dressing ladies everywhere. Contact Evelyn at 214.746.4215 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Cristal Ooi, Hopeful Smiles Program Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator

As an administrative assistant Cristal is responsible for developing and maintaining paper and electronic workshop filing systems, creating and maintaining agency/client databases, ordering office supplies and maintaining inventories, answering and handling telephone calls, creating spreadsheets and reports, and coordinating events.

Cristal, after leaving home from Malaysia at age 21, decided to get a college education in the U.S. She enrolled at Northwood University in Michigan. After having worked in school and studying English for a while during her first year here, she seriously considered the possibility of studying for a degree. She earned her Bachelors degree in business administration, specializing in finance and management information system from the University of Central Arkansas. Then, she continued on to attain an MBA from Webster University. Years after she graduated she moved to Dallas and began volunteering at Attitudes & Attire.

She spends most of her free time hanging out with friends and loves traveling. She learns a lot by traveling to new places and enjoys trying various kinds of foods. Contact Cristal at 214.746.4216 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .