Elizabeth Barnhill is currently a manager for Pricing & Margins at Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). The OCC is the only clearing house for all U.S. equity option trades. It manages risk for those involved in options trading by being the buyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer.

Originally from Lubbock, she earned her degree in Graphic Design from the University of North Texas in Denton, not knowing that her professional career would pivot to finance shortly after graduation.

While her roots may lie in West Texas and her family is scattered across DFW, she cultivated a network that extends beyond geographical boundaries. She and her family moved to Coppell in 2020 to be closer to work, setting roots in a city with an excellent park system and a diverse culinary scene. On the weekends she enjoys exploring Coppell’s farmers’ market and visiting the Dallas Arboretum. The family has a tradition of taking bluebonnet photos with the kids every spring and pumpkin patch photos every fall.

Living in Coppell gives her the flexibility and balance of a perfect home base and easy commute to her job at OCC, located in Cypress Waters, just northwest of downtown Dallas. When it comes to its employees, OCC focuses on attracting and developing the right people with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) aren’t just buzzwords—they are embedded in their core values, and Elizabeth is privileged to be part of a group that champions diversity, particularly for women, within the organization.

For those unfamiliar with the Dallas Region, Elizabeth often describes it as a city of boundless opportunities and growth. But despite its rapid development, DFW remains relatively affordable compared to other major metros. Whether you’re starting your career or seeking new ventures, this city welcomes diversity and innovation with open arms.

To fellow newcomers embarking on their careers in DFW, she offers this advice:

• Find your passion, but do not hesitate to explore new horizons;
• Embrace discomfort, for it is often the catalyst for personal and professional growth
• Keep exploring and always stay curious.

Premenko’s influence can be seen across industries, including healthcare, hospitality, and municipalities in DFW. She leverages experience accumulated over a lifetime to help Turner deliver projects in the state. Her fingerprints are also on her kitchen table, and other furniture in a way you might not expect. She and her husband just built a lake house in Possum Kingdom …

“I was looking at all these pictures of rustic furniture in catalogues and I said, ‘I could do that.’”

So, she did. Tables. Beds. Chairs.

“I just put on my goggles and my earbuds and go out to the garage for a couple hours at a time,” said Premenko.

It’s a hobby that gets her closer to the always-elusive work-life balance, which is something that she counsels younger employees not to ignore.

“Find something that allows you to explore your interests outside of your regular responsibilities” she advises.

She also has some life advice for everyone, but especially young women as many traditional gender roles still exist. If you choose to have a life partner, pick that person knowing that mutual support is key to both of you living a full life.

“If, as a female, you’re still expected be the diaper changer and the caretaker and the taxi driver, plus the chef at home, it’s going to be very challenging to also build your career. That’s where it helps to have partnership – but you also need to be clear on what you want and where you can compromise. The one sure thing about life – things change. They’re not static, so it’s crucial each of you knows how to hang back and refocus as much as you press on the accelerator.”

Nowadays Brenda, her husband Dave, and their three boys love to visit Klyde Warren Park and the surrounding museums. And, as budding history buffs Luca, Sebastian, and Dylan, at 13, 11, and 8 – have been to the Sixth Floor museum at Dealey Plaza several times. Plus, with the aquarium, the zoo, and seasonal events like the Texas State Fair – there’s never a shortage of things to do.

That initial thought of moving back to California was replaced years ago, with the realization that they had found the right city for their passions and priorities — that saying yes to Dallas was the first step to building the life they imagined.

MUST SEE EXHIBITS 

Check out some of the region’s most visited museums and hidden gems.

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Tune in to performances from small artists to some of the biggest names touring in the Dallas Region.

Cantu came to Dallas for college with the intention of returning to California where she grew up, but life had other plans.

“I met my husband in college and decided to stay,” she said. After earning her undergraduate degree at UNT, she got her MBA at Dallas Baptist University. She then joined defense and CPG companies in the private sector, where she stayed for more than 20 years.

“Never in a million years would I have thought I would end up with a career in travel and transportation. The airlines were always interesting to me, but with the volatility of the industry, I ran hard the other way.”

But when she got the call about a role at DFW, she didn’t turn it down flat, thinking instead it was worthy of further investigation, at the very least. Sean Donohue, now CEO, sold her on the opportunity.

“Sean coming from private sector really helped me understand the journey of aviation and airport administration in particular… who wouldn’t want to work for him? He’s an incredible leader.”

Her team says the same of Cantu, calling her a servant-leader, someone who leads by example, and who truly listens.

She says when leading a group of people, you have to be sensitive to individuals’ needs and differences.

“You don’t give up on people – help bring everybody along. Those who are struggling the most are the ones you need to spend more time with. We cannot lead people as a collective – we lead them as individuals to get a collective experience.”

Her advice to people just starting out in their careers or those contemplating a pivot: “You have to explore everything – there are jobs today that didn’t exist before. And there will be jobs in five years with all this AI and gen-AI that don’t exist now. You can’t necessarily plan for these roles, but you can explore when they start to emerge.”

Exploring and innovating is key to the DFW mindset, which held its first Boost competition in August, 2023. It was two days of internal competition between 11 teams, with the mission of eliminating waste. (Think: plastic, glass, and cardboard)

There’s also consistent thought on how to clear passengers faster and get them from the land side to the secured side – something that will become more critical as the airport, which turned 50 this year, prepares for two big construction projects: reconstructing terminal C, and building a sixth terminal, Terminal F.

“We are a uniquely positioned airport to service the entire United States. You can fly anywhere in the U.S. in no more than a four-hour window. DFW International is the only major airport in the United States where you can do that.”

It’s that convenience that has led to consistent growth; 80 million passengers came through last year, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Projections show that the Dallas-Fort Worth Region is on track to surpass Chicago in terms of population by 2030.

In her non-working hours she and her husband enjoy traveling and exploring small Texas towns. The highlight of her week is the Friday date nights with her husband where they enjoy trying new area restaurants and catching up on their week. However, she and her husband find incredible joy spending time with family, especially their two adult boys.