DALLAS, April 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Melville Family Foundation (MFF), a nonprofit based in Dallas dedicated to helping families achieve food security, academic excellence, and economic stability, today announced the appointment of three senior leaders from the Texas business community to its board of directors. Since its inception, the foundation has helped provide more than one million meals, reflecting its commitment to creating measurable and lasting impact for families across North Texas.
The three executives are Fern Johnson, a dynamic technology and business executive with deep experience in the fast-paced Fortune 50 environment; Candace Uduebor, an attorney whose career spans government, private practice, and corporate roles; and Antonio (Tony) Caesar, a former corporate CIO and COO who advises private and public companies on IT and technology strategy.
Fern Johnson is Founder and CEO of Fenderson Management Group, LLC, a consulting firm that helps corporations, nonprofits, and organizations develop, promote, and empower the next generation of leadership in and around the field of technology. Johnson is a nationally recognized leader in advancing inclusive leadership and organizational culture and has created and led impactful programs that have advanced hundreds of careers and strengthened organizations. Her leadership at PepsiCo also earned three Harvey C. Russell Chairman’s Awards for Diversity. She most recently served as CTO/VP at PepsiCo, where she led global IT infrastructure and end-user experience across business divisions.
Johnson said, “The foundation puts boots on the ground to help lift up and improve the lives of students who need the most help, and I am thrilled to work with them to continue improving the lives of our young people.”
Candace Uduebor, Senior Legal Director, Environmental Health & Safety, PepsiCo, leads global and North American environmental, health, and safety (EHS) legal strategy. She oversees compliance for major PepsiCo Foods brands, including Doritos, Lay’s, Quaker, Sabra, and Siete, ensuring alignment with complex regulatory requirements and corporate responsibility standards.
“Serving on the Melville Family Foundation Board allows me to support a mission that aligns deeply with my values,” Uduebor added. “The foundation’s commitment to education, food security, and economic mobility reflects the kind of impact-driven leadership required to create meaningful, lasting change for families in our community, and I’m honored to be a part of furthering that mission.”
Antonio (Tony) Caesar, Founder and CEO of CZAR Technology Group, has more than 30 years of experience as a global CIO and IT transformation leader, with a track record of driving technology strategy, ERP/WMS optimization, cybersecurity governance, and digital transformation across telecom, manufacturing, CPG, financial services, and nonprofit sectors. He spent seven years leading the U.S. IT practice for Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson.
“The foundation’s mission to connect resources to communities where opportunity has been limited, particularly within underserved areas of Dallas, resonates with me on a very personal level,” added Caesar. “Every time we go out to serve, whether it’s supporting a local food pantry, feeding families across South Dallas, or spending time with students at Uplift charter schools, I walk away with a profound sense of both accomplishment and gratitude.”
“At The Melville Family Foundation, we are intentional about who we invite into this work because our mission requires both heart and discipline,” said Rev. Dr. Lael C. Melville, who, along with her husband, Randolph (Randy) Melville, are founders of the Melville Family Foundation. “Fern, Candace, and Tony each embody the kind of leadership that strengthens not only our strategy but also our ability to serve with integrity and impact. Their collective experience, wisdom, and commitment to community will help us continue to connect resources to communities where opportunity has been limited while doing so in a way that is thoughtful, measurable, and sustainable. We are honored to welcome them to the board and look forward to the work ahead.”
For more information about The Melville Family Foundation, please visit: melvillefamilyfoundation.com
About The Melville Family Foundation
The Melville Family Foundation connects resources to communities where opportunity has been limited, focusing on food security, academic success, and economic mobility. Since its inception, the foundation has helped provide more than one million meals through strategic partnerships and community-driven initiatives designed to create measurable and lasting impact for families across North Texas.
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SOURCE The Melville Family Foundation
