Partner Tammy S. Wood is a featured supporter of Educational Opportunities, highlighted on the organization’s website. Educational Opportunities (EdOp) is a Dallas-based volunteer organization dedicated to assisting youth who have the academic ability but not the financial means to attend college.

An equity partner with Bell Nunnally, Wood was the beneficiary of the generosity of EdOp. As her bio on EdOp notes, Wood’s life story includes near homelessness, parental abandonment, financial struggles and – through it all – a strong desire to be the first in her family to attend college. Her parents, who were born in Puerto Rico and later moved to Texas, separated while she was in high school, leaving her reliant on various family members across the area for even the most basic necessities, such as housing.

In 1986, Tammy was interviewed by EdOp board members, including Carolyn Clark. Clark, one of the organization’s founders, eventually became her mentor, offering everything from “picking me up and taking me to organizational events when I had no transportation, to spending time on the phone with me to talk about my studies and help me navigate through personal issues.” She praises Clark for offering needed “parental” guidance. And, with the financial aid support of EdOp, Wood graduated with honors first from Texas Woman’s University and then from SMU’s Dedman School of Law.

Upon launching her career, Wood began to give back to EdOp, serving in a host of roles, including president, organizer of student functions and student mentor. This last role is the one she calls her “most cherished.” She adds, “I am honored to mentor students and provide them the same type of leadership and support that Educational Opportunities provided me to help me achieve my educational goals.” As the title of Wood’s bio says, “Tammy’s Role with EdOp Has Come Full Circle.”

To read Wood’s EdOp’s profile, please click here.