Fern Carty Dawkins is the owner of JM Carty Holdings, LLC, a franchise management and consulting firm in Houston, TX invested in Smoothie King franchises. Fern received her Bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, AR. Prior to going into business for herself, Fern was former in-house counsel for Walmart Stores, Inc.’s US Division where she practiced healthcare law supporting the company’s pharmacy, clinic and vision center businesses.

Fern is an alumnus of the exclusive Goldman-Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and a 2018 recipient of the prestigious Pinnacle “Rising Star” Award presented by the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce. Fern is also a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, the Greater Houston Black Chamber of Commerce, the Junior League of Houston and the illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In addition to being an attorney and entrepreneur, Fern’s most beloved role is that of loving wife and devoted mom to her two little boys.