Jaala Dickens
Jaala Dickens is a passionate human resources and behavioral health leader, currently serving as the Director of People & Possibilities at PediaPlex in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. With a background in psychology and over six years of experience in behavioral health, Jaala combines operational strategy with a genuine commitment to empowering people. Her professional focus centers on aligning talent strategies with organizational goals, building strong employee development programs, and fostering workplaces where individuals thrive. Known for her relational and compassionate approach, she leverages her personal experiences to advocate for employees and create meaningful, people-centered organizational cultures.
Jaala’s journey into behavioral health is deeply personal. As a single mother in college, she faced significant challenges that shaped her leadership style and life philosophy. Her desire to raise her son to be well-rounded and empathetic inspired her to pursue a career helping others. Jaala has dedicated herself to being a “light” in high-stress environments, using her ability to relate to individuals from diverse backgrounds—including single parents, economically disadvantaged individuals, and caregivers—to lead with empathy and understanding. Rising to an executive role at a young age, she has built a reputation for conflict resolution, relationship building, and bridging the gap between clinical and operations teams—skills that have earned her respect across the behavioral health community.
In addition to her work at PediaPlex, Jaala is the Chief Executive Officer of Reins and Roots Behavioral Therapy, a clinic she co-founded with BCBA clinician Courtney Williams, with the first brick-and-mortar location set to open in Weatherford, Texas in spring 2027. Driven by the memory of a childhood friend lost to mental health challenges, she is committed to supporting those who support others in the behavioral health field. Outside of her professional life, Jaala treasures her family, lives on a scenic lake, and enjoys homesteading, embracing a lifestyle that blends family, nature, and self-sufficiency. Through her leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, she continues to make a lasting impact on both the organizations she serves and the individuals she guides, demonstrating an unwavering dedication to people, community, and mental health.
• Navigating Employee Relations as an HR Professional
• Applied AI for Human Resources
• Strategic Human Resources
• Hiring, Managing, and Separating from Employees
• MinistrySafe Child Sexual Abuse Awareness
• CPR/AED/First Aid
• Texas Tech University - BGS in Psych
• President's Honor List
• Gateway Church
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to God, because I just, you know, I wasn't supposed to make it statistically. I wasn't, and if it weren't for my faith, I don't think I would have believed in myself to be in the certain rooms that I was in. It was a lot of prayers and people who prayed for me, the reason why I am even in the position that I'm in today. I shouldn't have made it. And then, definitely my father and my mother, you know, they pushed excellence with me at a very young age, and taught me selflessness at a very young age, so I would say them. And then I had a mentor who was a partner for Ernest Young. She took me in at a young age, and she changed my life. And then there's one other person, his name is Tyler Moore, he was an executive for an ABA company. He brought me on as a young executive. And he said, you're gonna be a CEO one day. And I just thought, you're crazy, I'm never gonna be a CEO, that's not gonna happen. But he spoke life into me as well. He believed in me, and now I see it all, but I didn't at that time, so Tyler Moore was amazing, an amazing mentor.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was, if you are making people more successful than you are, you're winning. I've been in so many places where I've gotten someone else to the CEO role or the executive positions. If you're promoting others around you, then you're winning.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't underestimate the power of connection and relationships. I was nice to the janitor, and I treated the janitor no different than I treated the director. That paid for me later on in life. So, no matter who you run into, don't underestimate that power of the small or the big connection. That is your superpower. If you can connect with people, you will make it to where you want to be in life. Every job I ever had was referral-based. It had nothing to do with my capabilities at that time. I interviewed and all my interviews were, so-and-so recommended you, so-and-so said how awesome you are, so-and-so said they had a great experience with you. And here you are. So I would say, yeah, it's the power of connection and relationship building.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge is inflation. I think it's taking care of employees is the hardest part. There's so many things going on in the world right now. And I think trying to help executives and businesses become more employee friendly again is what's happening right now. Women's benefits, especially, I would love to highlight that, of being a mom in this workforce is beyond challenging, because not only are you afraid to lose your job every other day, but if you do want to start a family, you know, we don't have maternal benefits. I never had a maternity leave, it just didn't happen. I've had 3 kids, and I'm about to have another one. I'll be off for about 4 weeks. My last one was only 5 weeks, and I'm doing well for myself, you know, and my husband does well for himself, but the expenses and inflation and sports and all the cost structure of things. I think that's where our industry is struggling, is people need more assistance being family members and wives and brothers and sisters and taking care of their families. Organizations do not do that anymore. And so it's leading more people like myself into entrepreneurship. Because if I'm gonna work myself to death, why don't I just go do it myself?
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My faith is a big aspect of everything I do. My integrity is huge. And I would say transparency, for sure. I feel like if you have those three things, you can win over any hard conversation. I'm really big on the ability to just be fully transparent, without fear of consequences, because I feel like everyone deserves transparency, no matter what, so they can make the best decisions for themselves.