More Than a Race: Anthanette “Toni” Wilson’s Servant Leadership
Anthanette “Toni” Wilson was born into movement. With a grandfather recognized in her hometown’s Hall of Fame for running in Stockton, California, and a father who ran before her, athletics was not something she discovered; it was inherited. She earned a college scholarship through running, secured sponsorships throughout law school to help cover tuition, found her place on the slopes as a competitive slalom snowboard racer, and has participated in a marathon on all seven continents. Her resume reflects grit, discipline, and undeniable talent.
But for Toni, success is not measured by medals, sponsorships, or finish lines. As she puts it, “Success is more about what you can do to make someone’s life better who couldn’t otherwise do it on their own.” It is this belief, not her athletic achievements, that defines who she is and the servant leader she has become.
Journey to the Slopes
After passing the bar, stepping into her role as a lawyer felt like it required shedding her former self. She hung up her laces and committed fully to her legal career. But, after several years of practicing law, although very successful on paper, Toni was struggling to find her purpose again.
Growing up two hours away from Lake Tahoe, Toni had always admired snowboarding from afar, but it never felt accessible to her. Her parents did not snowboard, nor did she know anyone who did, and the people she saw in magazines or on posters did not look like her. The cost of gear and lift tickets placed it even further out of reach.
Everything began to shift in her late twenties when a friend invited her to the National Brotherhood of Snowsports (NBS) annual summit. Toni had heard stories about this summit and the energy, camaraderie, and even occasional celebrity sightings, but she had no idea how transformational the experience would be. Through NBS, Toni and thousands of other Black Snowsport enthusiasts gained access to clothing, equipment, discounted lift tickets, and free lessons. For the first time, the mountain felt like the place where she belonged.
Toni “took to the gates” easily, participating in various trainings to improve her snowboarding techniques. A spark in her was once again ignited, and this passion led her to take a sabbatical from her law firm to pursue competitive slalom snowboard racing full time. “I was in my late 20s and early 30s competing with 15- and 16-year-olds who were headed to the Olympics,” she laughed. But age never discouraged her; if anything, it fueled her. Her discovery of snowboarding was only the beginning, as Toni quickly became passionate about opening doors for more riders of color and expanding who gets to claim space on the mountain.
From Passion to Purpose
In 2005, Toni, along with Pamela Pickens, founded Soulboaders, a Black snowboarding club that creates more belonging on the mountains by fostering connection among members. Today Toni serves as Soulboarders’ President.
Additionally, Toni has remained involved with NBS and eventually met her husband, Chad Wilson, at one of their annual Summits. Founded in 1973 to address challenges faced by Black skiers, the organization now supports a wide range of snow sports and helps develop athletes of color for international and Olympic competitions.
Smiling, Toni recalled one volunteer trip with NBS, “We rented a bus in Brooklyn and then drove a bus full of kids up to Vermont. We removed every barrier we could so that these kids could have access to the mountain—all they had to do was get on the bus.” Just like her first NBS Summit, the children received the gear, instruction, and tickets they needed to experience the slopes fully.
NBS trains athletes year-round, and Toni has helped several prepare through “dry training,” which introduces them to other athletic avenues, such as marathon running, to build endurance. At the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, NBS has supported two Alpine Skiing Slalom athletes, Tallula Proulx and Henri Rivers IV, both U.S.-based, though they did not compete for Team U.S.A. Mentoring these athletes fuels Toni’s determination to see an African American skier or snowboarder stand on an Olympic podium for Team U.S.A., which is long overdue.
Toni is a voting member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, which honors athletes and visionaries in skiing and snowboarding. Securing a seat at this table was no small feat. Until Toni and four other leaders from underrepresented communities joined, the voting body had been almost exclusively white and male, many of whom owned resorts. Their arrival marked a long‑overdue shift, finally bringing meaningful representation to the Hall of Fame’s voting membership.
After years of advocating for NBS founders, Ben Finley and Art Clay, they were finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. “They [other voting members] needed to put a face with the names and meet the NBS athletes. We shared with them the data around the work NBS does and how many kids are touched. The year Ben and Art got inducted was one of my proudest moments.” Toni’s commitment to increasing representation in snow sports has led her to adopt a more intentional and strategic approach to philanthropy.
Shaping Houston with the Community Foundation
Toni was introduced to the Community Foundation in 2021 by a professional advisor after discussing what was most important for her family. Toni shared, “The Community Foundation made us feel confident that the communities we care about would not be denied funding from us because of their ideologies.” After learning more about the Community Foundation’s programming, in 2024, she enrolled in the Next Gen Donor Institute, a year-long program for donors who wish to deepen their understanding of their philanthropic journey and learn from their peers and community leaders about philanthropic trends and possibilities. Toni shared her decision to enroll in the Institute, saying, “I felt it was time to become a more sophisticated and informed philanthropist. I gained the tools my family needed to put focus and meaning behind our philanthropy and our transition plans.”
Toni’s advice to anyone considering joining the Institute is, “Don’t approach it like a professional development opportunity. The Institute is an opportunity to really deep dive into issue areas, learn how to be effective with information and data, and have hard conversations on how to grant money.” Toni continued, “The diversity of opinions I got exposure to when working with my cohort was eye-opening. I am still in touch with a lot of them.”
Also, in 2024, she was elected to serve on the Community Foundation’s Governing Board. Since joining the Community Foundation’s Governing Board, she is particularly proud of the progress made with the Community Foundation’s Community Impact work. Our Community Impact work aims to be a catalytic force for philanthropic impact, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Houstonians through three pillars: Understanding Houston, Greater Houston Disaster Alliance, and our High-Impact Grantmaking initiative.
Toni is currently on the Community Impact Committee as part of her Board service and has been a consistent supporter of advancing the Community Impact work. Toni and Chad are considered ‘Community Impact Champions,’ as they are part of the Founders’ Circle, a group of passionate donors who were the initial supporters of our Community Impact fund. Diana Zarzuelo, Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation, expressed, “Having Toni’s consistent, thoughtful, and engaged support has propelled us forward. She’s shown up to every meeting, she’s gone above and beyond to join us on site visits, and she’s asked critical questions grounded in community that shift perspective. She’s been instrumental. Together, we are aiming higher, staying focused, and ultimately achieving more than we thought possible through our Community Impact work.”
When talking about the High-Impact Grantmaking initiative, an opportunity for our donors and partners to invest together in innovative solutions to help with upward mobility in Houston, Toni shared, “With economic mobility, the needs of each community or each individual look different because every path out of poverty is shaped by distinct local conditions. That’s why place matters.” The neighborhood and local conditions in which a person grows up or lives are powerful predictors of their economic trajectory. Philanthropy’s role is to meet people or communities where they are, respond to their realities, and design solutions that actually reflect the lived experience of those who need support.
Meaningful mobility isn’t achieved through a single intervention; it requires many factors coming together—education, housing stability, workforce opportunities, social networks, and access to resources—all aligned within the specific context of a community. Houston needs bold, scalable solutions that recognize these unique conditions and invest in strategies that move people and communities forward in a meaningful way—this type of work is what the High-Impact Grantmaking initiative aims to support.
Raising Servant Leaders
In 2026, Toni was elected Chair of the Center for Family Philanthropy’s Advisory Committee. The Center helps families amplify their generosity through next-generation engagement, family programming, consulting, and guidance on best practices in strategic philanthropy and legacy planning. In this role, Toni will help shape how the Community Foundation will continue to be a national leader in advising families in the stewardship of philanthropy and community impact across generations.
For Toni and her husband, Chad, these values begin at home. They have been intentional about teaching their daughters, Sierra and Michaela, the importance of giving back. Toni shared, “We are passionate about equipping them with the knowledge of how to change our community for the better.” From a young age, both of her daughters have taken on age-appropriate ways to serve, such as joining Toni in 5Ks across Houston.
Rather than steer her daughters toward specific causes, Toni exposes them to a variety of things to see what organically resonates with each of them. Sierra, for example, connected deeply with Nora’s Home, which supports individuals undergoing transplantation and their families. For Sierra’s ninth birthday, she invited friends to assemble Sunflower Sacks—snack bags for patients—instead of hosting a party. The following year, she chose to raise money for the organization.
As they grow, Toni is excited to watch both girls find new ways to get involved with the Community Foundation. They already enjoy volunteering together at the Community Foundation’s Quarterly Family Volunteer Days, gaining hands-on experience that connects them with their neighbors and the spirit of giving back. Toni looks forward to the day they join programs like the Family Giving Circle, which helps middle‑ and high‑school students explore Houston’s nonprofit landscape and learn how to make thoughtful, strategic giving decisions.
Through these experiences, Toni hopes Sierra and Michaela will shape their own values, develop confidence in their voices, and grow into leaders who understand the power of community—and the impact generosity can have on others.
Leading Change Through Service
Beyond her involvement with the Community Foundation and her work to increase representation in snow sports, Toni serves on various boards and committees across diverse organizations. She is a board member of the National Black Marathoners Association and an inductee of its Hall of Fame, having run a marathon on every continent. Toni is on the board of the Houston Chapter of Jack and Jill of America and the Conrad O. Johnson Music & Fine Arts Foundation.
Throughout her life, Toni has evolved into a servant leader for a multitude of communities—serving others to fuel her greater purpose, changing minds and hearts along the way. Toni closed by saying, “Any woman in Houston who is trying to advocate for issues they care about, especially marginalized communities, must do the work that inspires them the most. Whether it is someone in an organization you really feel will push work forward, a great organization, or your passion, once you start seeing the work being done that opens a whole new world for someone else, you will be energized.”
Redefining What It Means to Win
Reflecting on Toni’s extraordinary journey, we see a legacy built on purpose, service, and resilience—one that boldly redefines what it means to win. Her commitment to representation and servant leadership isn’t just a guiding principle; it’s a powerful force that uplifts communities and sparks inspiration across generations. Toni’s story reminds us that each of us has the power to step forward, lead with intention, and make a lasting difference wherever we are.
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No matter what giving vehicle you use to make an impact in our community, whether it’s a donor advised fund or a family foundation, our multidisciplinary team at the Community Foundation is here to help you create customized solutions that maximize charitable impact while accommodating unique dynamics and goals. We address the full spectrum of any philanthropic needs through specialized services, deep community knowledge, acceptance of noncash assets, legacy planning, and so much more. Ready to get started? Call us at 713-333-2210 or reach out directly to schedule a conversation.
More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation
- The Houston We Hope For: 2026 Community Impact Showcase
- Building Bridges for Deeper Impact: Inaugural Houston Economic Mobility Summit
- Driving Changes with Data: Key Drivers to Increase Economic Mobility in Houston
- Advancing Impact Donor Breakfast: Building Thriving Neighborhoods
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