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78 NEURO NIGHTS BY CHRISTINA GEYER. PHOTOGRAPHY KRISTINA BOWMAN, GRANT MILLER. I n the years since our first meeting with Dr. Sandi Chapman, founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth, she has dropped hints that the new Brain Performance Institute would revolutionize her industry — as well as our city's prominence on the global brain-research map. She was right. When the magnificent new facility opened this fall with its slick, cerebrally shaped glass design, the celebration dinner was the talk of the town — and not for the usual gala-dinner reasons. There was no live auction, no theme. Instead, Chapman and chairmen Patty Huffines and Shelle Sills invited dozens of the world's most prominent brain researchers and experts. Prior to the evening, guests were cou- riered a note, telling them which bright mind would be seated at their table. Guests therefore arrived prepped with questions relating to brain health — the kind that only a respected scholar could answer. This made for a thought-provoking dinner chat — and proved to be a masterful way to reveal a building that puts the Center for BrainHealth's research to work via public programming and services. The Center for BrainHealth and its top patrons gathered again to honor Margaret McDermott with the BrainHealth Legacy Award for her dedication to UT Dallas, the university founded by her late husband, Eugene McDermott. Held at Brook Hollow Golf Club, the intimate dinner boasted a trio of heavyweight speakers: UTD president Dr. Richard Benson, executive VP Hobson Wildenthal, and Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings. Community pillars in attendance included former first lady Laura Bush, Margot and Ross Perot, Peggy and Carl Sewell, Gene Jones, Stacey and Dan Branch, Lottye and Bobby Lyle, and co-chairs Caren Prothro and Deedie Rose. A PAIR OF PARTIES FOR THE TRAILBLAZING CENTER FOR BRAINHEALTH PROVES FEW THINGS ARE SEXIER THAN SCIENCE. Caren Prothro, Nancy Halbreich, Kate Juett Debbie Francis at Legacy Award Dinner Suzanne Charriere, Laura Leppert, Shelle & Michael Sills at Brain Performance Institute Dan Patterson, Mary McDermott Cook Dan Branch, Margaret McDermott, Stacey Branch at Legacy Award Dinner Agustín Arteaga, Deedie Rose, Patsy Donosky, Gene Jones Carlos Gonzales-Jamie at Legacy Award Dinner Aimee & Clint Bruce, Patty Huffines at Brain Performance Institute Allie Beth & Pierce Allman at Brain Performance Institute Rita & Henry Hortenstine at Brain Performance Institute Shelby & Travis Goff at Brain Performance Institute Susan Watkins, Shelly Slater at Brain Performance Institute Ed Boyden, Xiaosi Gu at Brain Performance Institute Lisa Cooley at Legacy Award Dinner