2021-2022 New Board Members - ZACH Theatre
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2021-2022 New Board Members
Walter Kalmans is President of Lontra Ventures and has over 20
years of experience working in commercial operations for life
science companies. For the past 13 years, he has consulted to
global pharmaceutical and medical device companies focusing
on growth. The other part of Lontra Ventures, run by his spouse
Andrea, is an Angel Investment portfolio with over 25 seed-stage
investments.
Prior to founding Lontra Ventures in 2008, Walter held leadership
positions with McKesson Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb and
Becton Dickinson & Company. He began his career as healthcare
management consultant for Booz & Co. and Accenture.
Walter earned a B.S. in Economics from The Wharton School, and
B.A. in Biology from The College of Arts & Sciences, both at the University of Pennsylvania.
He holds an MBA from Duke University where he graduated as a JB Fuqua Scholar.
Walter and his wife, Andrea, have been regular attendees of ZACH performances since
moving to Austin in 2000. They have two children, Sabrina (17) and Hudson (16) who have
participated in ZACH camps. Walter is currently a member of Finance Committee at the
ZACH and at Congregation Agudas Achim. He currently serves as the Chair of the Donor
Relations and Marketing Committee of the Jewish Foundation, a branch of Shalom Austin.
Previously, Walter served 3 terms on the Shalom Austin Board, including one term as Vice
Chair of Wellness.
Greta Mantooth is a design-driven Creative Director who loves
to bring brand narratives to life. She honed her visual
storytelling skills at Savannah College of Art and Design, earning
a BFA in illustration and an MFA in advertising design before
beginning an advertising career.
She went on to work for several top shops including Crispin,
Porter & Bogusky, Ogilvy & Mather and Deutsch, crafting award-
winning ad campaigns for clients including Microsoft, GAP and
Target. Currently, Greta is the Director of Design for Global
Brand Marketing at Indeed, using her creative chops to help
people get jobs.
Greta is passionate about arts education as well as equitable opportunities for work. She
has volunteered her time and creativity to benefit organizations engaged in these areas,
including Dress for Success, the LA Children's Institute and (currently) the Austin Young
Women's Alliance.
Home is here in Austin with her family, a very spoiled shelter mutt, and a lot of breakfast
tacos. A theater kid from way back when, she's incredibly excited to work with Zach to bring
more arts awareness and opportunities to the Austin community.
Jillian Pariseau is originally from San Diego and moved to Austin
about 8 years ago from the Bay Area, with her husband, to take a
job at Apple. It was a big change but they absolutely love Austin -
the food, people, and outdoor activities. She recently became a
new mom in April to a beautiful baby girl. So while her days
currently look a lot different than they used to, some of her
favorite things to do in her free time include taking her two dogs
out to hike the many trails in Austin and trying out the amazing
restaurants this city has to offer.
Growing up, she was lucky to have a family that introduced her to
theatre and fostered her continued interest, so she is very excited
for the opportunity to join the board at ZACH. Not only does it
enable her to immerse myself in something she loves, but allows
her to spend time working with fellow arts enthusiasts and the opportunity to bring theatre
into the lives of others.
Nico Ramsey is a progressive activist, public speaker and
creative producer from Austin, Texas. At the municipal, state
and federal level, Nico works with Central Texas nonprofits
whose missions are to break the cycle of poverty, provide
access to safe and affordable healthcare and for queer and
racial justice, equity and equality.
He serves on the Board of Governors for the nation's largest
LGBTQ civil rights organization, The Human Rights Campaign
and the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.
Nico is also affiliated through committee work with the City of Austin's Corporate
Engagement Council, United Way for Greater Austin, ZACH Theatre and Leadership Austin.
Shauntavia Ward is a Nurse Practitioner entrepreneur who
enjoys work at the intersection of culture and wellbeing.
She is the founder of eleMINT Skin, a modern facial studio in
East Austin. Prior to eleMINT, Shauntavia worked with some of
the nation’s leading hospitals systems including Cleveland Clinic
and Johns Hopkins in the emergency nursing specialty. A native
of Ohio, Shauntavia currently calls Austin, TX home. She studied
at Nursing at Ohio University, and earned a master's degree in
Nursing from University of Cincinnati. As an entrepreneur,
Shauntavia seeks to cultivate community and inspire overall
wellbeing. She was most recently selected as American Express
100 for 100 Founders of Change Program. She is a member of
The Female Founder Collective and Beam Collective.
Jamund Washington is a film and television producer with
work on both narrative and documentary stories. He is an
Executive Producer, Writer, and Director on HBO's Peabody
award-winning television series Random Acts of Flyness.
Washington produced Adam Leon's Gimme The Loot, the
story of two determined Bronx teens who need
$500 to pull off their latest and greatest graffiti scheme. It
was the winner of an Independent Spirit Award as well as
Best Narrative Feature at South by Southwest Film Festival.
The film was an Official Selection of Un Certain Regard and a
finalist for the Camera d'Or Award at Cannes Film Festival. It
screened theatrically in the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany
and was internationally critically acclaimed.
Other producing credits include Silenced, James Spione's Emmy nominated documentary
on U.S. whistleblowers, as well as the Netflix Original film, Tramps. Additional film awards
include the Grand Jury Prize at Slamdance Film Festival, the Jury Award at the Hollywood
Feel Good Film Festival, Best Short at Pan African Film Festival, and two Black Film Critics
Circle Awards.
Washington holds an MFA (Film) from Columbia University School of the Arts and a BBA from The University ofTexas at Austin. He was nominated for a Producing Independent Spirit Award in 2013 and was the recipient of the HBO Films Young Producers Development Award in 2008. His most recent work includes the Showtime series Ziwe, for which he is Head Writer and Executive Producer, and Queen of Glory, a Ghanaian-American immigrant story by first time director Nana Mensah which will premiere at Tribeca Film Festival later this year.
2021-2022 Board of Trustees
2021-2022 Executive Committee:
Harriet O’Neill, President, retired as a Justice from the
Supreme Court of Texas on June 20, 2010, having served on
the state’s highest appellate court for civil matters since her
election in November 1998. She served on the trial court and
intermediate court of appeals in Houston from 1992 to 1998,
after over 10 years of legal experience in complex business
and commercial litigation.
During her nearly 18 years on the bench, Justice O’Neill
distinguished herself as a legal scholar, a frequent author and
lecturer, and a jurist highly rated by members of the legal
profession. She also applied her strategic-planning and
management skills to tackle complex public issues and spur
fundamental judicial systems improvement. Twice named Appellate Justice of the Year,
Justice O’Neill was recently inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Upon her
retirement from the judiciary, Justice O’Neill founded the Law Office of Harriet O’Neill, PC,
where she advocates before courts throughout Texas and the U.S.
Tom Terkel, Immediate Past President, founded FourT
Realty with his daughter Taylor, in 2010 to develop retail
centers and urban in-fill residential communities. Prior to
FourT, Tom began his development career in 1989, when
along with Herb Weitzman and seven others, they formed
the Weitzman Group and Cencor Realty Services. For 20
years, he ran the Austin office for the companies, where he
developed 15 different projects totaling more than three
million square feet, including the Triangle, a 1.3 million
square foot mixed-use project.
Tom joined the ZACH Board in 2001 and served as one of several chairmen of Zach’s $22
million capital campaign to build the Topfer Theatre, also serving as the Chair of the
Building Committee during the pre-construction phase of that project. He was named an
honorary Life Member of the ZACH Board in 2007.
Tom has also served on the Boards of the YMCA of Austin, the Austin Family House, the
Austin ULI Advisory Council, ECHO, and two City of Austin Task Forces. He was one of five
founders of the Real Estate Council of Austin in 1991 and served on the RECA Board for
many years, as its President in 2008 and received the Gary Farmer Commendation of
Excellence Award in 2007.
Adam Schramek, Vice President, is a litigation partner with
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP. His practice focuses on
commercial litigation, including copyright disputes, class actions,
and various insurance related matters. He is a member of the
Austin Bar Association board of directors, a past president of the
Austin Young Lawyers Association, and former member of the
AYLA Foundation and Austin Bar Executive Committee. Adam is
also a fellow of the Texas Bar and Austin Bar foundations. He
has been named a “Texas Rising Star” by Super Lawyers
Magazine multiple times.
Adam attended college at American University in Washington, D.C., where he received a
B.A. in political science. He participated in several internships during college, including with
the White House and Democratic National Committee. He attended law school at the
University of Texas, where he graduated with honors.
Adam is a lifelong supporter of the performing arts. He enjoys singing and was a member
of his high school’s acappella and show choirs. During college, he was a member of the
American University Singers, which performed an annual politically-themed madrigal
dinner, and the AU show choir. In 1998, he received the Evelyn Swarthout-Hayes Student
Achievement Award for contributing to the university through the arts while maintaining a
high academic average. During law school, Adam was the vocal director of Assault &
Flattery, the annual law student musical. He continues his passion for music in his legal
career where, for the past five years, he has produced the Austin Bar’s annual “Bar & Grill”
all-lawyer musical fundraiser.
Adam is married to Chari Kelly, a state prosecutor and former Judge Advocate General in
the U.S. Army. Adam and Chari were previously members of Zach’s Stage Hands
committee (now revamped to ACT ONE) and reside in Southwest Austin.
Nelda Treviño, Vice President, is a fourth generation Texan and
was born and raised in Laredo. Her late parents, former
educators and civic leaders, encouraged participation in the arts
and Nelda’s love of ballet, theatrical and visual arts is a life-long
passion. She is an active supporter of the arts community and
numerous charitable causes. In addition to serving on the Board
of Trustees for ZACH Theatre since 2013, she is a member of
Texas Women for the Arts, served on the 2017 and 2019
Selection Committee for the Texas Cultural Trust Texas Medal of
Arts Awards, serves as a member of the Harry Ransom Center
Advisory Council and the Baylor Scott & White Health Advisory
Board of Directors. Nelda has lived in Austin for forty years, is devoted to her family and is
an active member at her church.
Professionally, Nelda began her state government career while attending the University of
Texas. She worked at the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Comptroller of Public
Accounts at a time when new innovative programs were being implemented. While working
at the Comptroller of Public Accounts as part of the agency’s legislative staff she was
appointed to serve as a member of the Lottery Implementation Task Force. She played a
key role in the startup of the Texas Lottery and has now worked under various
administrations at the Texas Lottery Commission for over twenty-five years. She has held a
variety of managerial positions during her state government career, with the primary focus
being legislative and governmental relations. Nelda is currently the Director of
Governmental Affairs at the Texas Lottery Commission where she manages a division of
employees and is a member of the executive management team.
Jan Davis Pickle, Treasurer, is a Managing Director for UBS
Financial Services. She has been a financial advisor in
Austin for over 40 years, counseling high net worth
individuals, families and small businesses, and
implementing strategies to help them reach their
investment and financial goals. She has been recognized by
Financial Times as one of the "Top 400" advisors in the
nation, and by Barron's as one of the Top 1000 advisors in
the country.
Jan is a graduate of SMU, and attended graduate school at
the University of Texas. Over the years, she has served on the Boards of, and held
leadership positions in a number of civic and arts organizations, including Paramount
Theatre (former President), Ballet Austin, Leadership Austin, Westlake Hills Presbyterian
Church, Mo Ranch Presbyterian Assembly, Headliners Club, and the Texas Presbyterian
Foundation. She and her husband Gary have two grown children, and feel fortunate that
they and their families all live in Austin.
Cindy Greenwood, Secretary, is a native Houstonian and
moved to Austin in 1986. She pursued her interest in
residential real estate in 1991 and currently owns and operates
Greenwood Residential Properties.
Cindy is known throughout the community for her integrity,
high energy and positive attitude. She has a strong referral
base and is identified as an expert in luxury home and
condominium sales.
Aside from real estate, Cindy is passionate about the arts and
education for the youth of Texas. She believes every student
should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and attend
a college or university. One of her greatest accomplishments
was relocating Rodeo Austin’s Youth Auction to downtown
Austin’s Bob Bullock State History Museum, in turn quadrupling the funds raised for the
youth of Texas. She is the only female to ever chair this event. In addition to her rodeo
expertise, Cindy provides her clients and friends with theatre critiques, guidance on buying
the best cowboy boots, as well as tips to becoming a Fundraiser Extraordinaire.
AUSTIN COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIPS:
Zach Theatre Board Trustee, current
Austin Smiles Board Trustee, current
Lone Star Cattlemen Foundation, past board member
March of Dimes, past board member
Junior League of Austin, Sustainer
Rodeo Austin Executive Committee & Board Member, past
Ronald McDonald House Advisory Board, past board member
Elizabeth Ann Seton, past board member
Lisa Kaufman, General Counsel, brings more than 25 years of
legislative experience to the legal and lobby practice of Davis
Kaufman PLLC, which she co-founded with her law partner in
2012. Lisa represents a variety of clients before the Texas
legislature, in addition to serving as the General Counsel to the
Texas Civil Justice League.
Prior to opening Davis Kaufman PLLC, Lisa excelled in her roles
as the Director of Budget and Policy and Special Counsel to
Texas Speaker Joe R. Straus as she distinguished herself as a
consensus builder on the state budget and other major policy
issues during the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions. Her
experience also includes serving as the Executive Director and General Counsel of the
Texas Civil Justice League for one year, the General Counsel to Texas Senator Robert
Duncan for 11 years, and Committee Director for the Senate Jurisprudence and State
Affairs committees.
Her legal career includes service as Senior Investigative Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary
Committee and as Special Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Government
Reform and Oversight Committee. Lisa worked as an Associate in the Washington D.C.
office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where she specialized in both civil and criminal
litigation and practiced before federal regulatory agencies.
Lisa is actively engaged in the Austin community. She is a founding Board Member and
Secretary of Dress for Success Austin and serves on the boards of the Anti-Defamation
League and Greene Family Camp. Lisa and her husband, Bob, have two children, Ned and
Danielle. Lisa enjoys spending time with family and friends in Montana, participating in an
active lifestyle and traveling to parts unknown. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History
and Political Science, cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis and her law
degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Joah Spearman, Membership Committee Chair, is founder
and CEO of Localeur, a leading travel startup that shares
local recommendations in more than 80 cities around the
world. Localeur has been called one of the best travel apps
by The Today Show, Forbes, and others, and has raised
more than $5 million from strategic investors in more than
20 cities. Joah has been called one of the top voices in tech
by LinkedIn, and has been a frequent speaker at
conferences and classrooms from the Wharton School of
Business to South by Southwest. Joah was named one of
the Top 10 Black Innovators of 2014 by MVMT 50
("Movement 50"), Emerging Business Leader of the Year by
the Greater Austin Black Chamber in 2013, and is a four-time finalist for Austin’s Under 40
Awards. He is also the co-author of Real Role Models: Successful African Americans Beyond
Pop Culture (Univ. of Texas Press). Before Localeur, Spearman was the director of
operations and strategic initiatives at Bazaarvoice in the leadup to their 2012 IPO, co-
founded an experiential marketing agency which worked closely with SXSW and ESPN X
Games, and earlier served as a social media and communications adviser to companies
ranging from FedEx to Volkswagen. Joah is chair of the board of directors for AIDS Services
of Austin and a board member of KLRU-TV (Austin's PBS affiliate).
Amy Barbee, Development Committee Chair, serves as
Vice President of the Austin Housing Conservancy, a
private equity impact fund focused on preserving
workforce affordable housing. Amy also provides
strategic counsel for non-profits and the business
sector through her consulting practice. Amy has over 27
years of executive director experience serving various
non-profits including founding executive director of the
Real Estate Council of Austin, executive director of the
Texas Cultural Trust and executive director of the LBJ
Foundation. She has extensive experience in donor
relations, fund development, political and community outreach and strategic marketing.
After graduating from Northwestern University, Amy worked in the film industry in Los
Angeles as a production coordinator on hit films including “The Blue Brothers” and
“National Lampoon’s Vacation”. Returning to her hometown of Austin in the late 80’s, Amy
launched her career in executive management and fundraising while raising twins.Dan Jackson, Education Committee Chair, has twenty years’
experience as a Social Sciences Teacher at the high school
level in Spring ISD. He has also had residential real estate
sales experience for John Daugherty Realtors Houston. Dan is
a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, and the
University of St. Thomas, with a BA history and a Master’s in
Education. Dan has had Board experience at the St, Stephens
Episcopal School Houston, has served 4 years with the
Directors Council UT Performing Arts, and is a current Board
Member of the UT Forum Excellence Fund. Dan’s Social and
Community Affiliations in Austin include: Westwood Country
Club, Headliners Club, UT Forum, Human Rights Campaign,
Federal Club Council, Tuesday Club, UT Performing Arts
Benefactor's Circle, ZACH’s Great Scott & Executive Producer’s
Plus Circle and Standing Ovation Society, UT EX Students
Association, Life Member UT, Littlefield Society, UT Chancellor's Council and Dan also
serves on the Board of the Texas Cultural Trust.
Marnie Near, Marketing Committee Chair, has served as a Board
Member and longtime volunteer for The Juvenile Diabetes Research
Foundation, in several leadership/PA Board roles at St. Stephen’s
Episcopal School, and as the Board Chair for Creative Action. Marnie
earned a BS at Northwestern University in Theatre, went on to
pursue a career in acting and then transitioned into a marketing
career after earning her MBA at Duke University’s Fuqua School of
Business. Marnie has recently returned to her work in the theatre as
a producer.Jay Fox, At Large, is CEO and president of Baylor Scott & White
Health - Austin/Round Rock Region. Baylor Scott & White Health is
the largest not-for-profit health care system in the state of Texas
with 49 hospitals and more than 800 access points. Mr. Fox is
committed to helping Baylor Scott & White achieve its mission to
serve all people by providing personalized health care and
wellness through exemplary care, education and research as a
Christian ministry of healing.
Mr. Fox has received degrees and certifications from the
following: Baylor University, The University of Oklahoma,
Southern Methodist University and The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Fox was also selected as one of a few in the U.S. to participate in the Malcolm Baldrige
National Executive Fellowship Program.
Mr. Fox has served on the boards of many professional and non-profit organizations. Most
notably, he was a nominee for the Young Healthcare Executive of the Year Award, and was
included on the Dallas Business Journal's prestigious “40-under-40” list. Mr. Fox also served
on the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council Board as chairman, Dallas Summer Musicals
Board and Executive Council, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Citizens Advisory Board,
past-chair of the Leadership Dallas Alumni Board of Directors, the national Malcolm
Baldrige Board of Examiners, Board the Health Industry Council, LaunchAbility and
numerous other boards.
Donn Gauger, At Large, is currently the Vice President of Falcon
Insurance Agency Inc. Mr. Gauger has over 20 years combined
experience in Aviation Insurance, over 18 years as an Aviation
Broker and four years as an Aviation Underwriter. Mr. Gauger’s
field of expertise includes Aviation Insurance & Underwriting,
Market Trends & Strategy, Alternative Risk Approach, Marketing &
Coverage Placement, Exposure & Coverage Analysis, Policy Review
and Claims Analysis.
Mr. Gauger holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Embry Riddle
Aeronautical University in Aeronautical Studies with an area of concentration in
Management. Mr. Gauger is also a private pilot with a multi-engine ratingCarmen Luevanos, At Large, is a community relations
manager for Texas Gas Service, a natural gas distributor. She
assists with Austin area regulatory affairs and oversees local
community investments in the company’s east region, which
spans north to Weatherford and south to Gonzales. Carmen
also facilitates applications by nonprofit groups to the ONE
Gas Foundation, associated with parent corporation, ONE Gas
based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Texas Gas Service (TGS) is the third
largest natural gas distribution company in Texas with more
than 644,000 customers in 100 communities. TGS serves the
Austin and Central Texas area.
Carmen is an active alum of the Greater Austin Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce’s Austin Leadership and Leadership Austin’s Essentials programs.
She supports the groups’ efforts to cultivate future community leaders. Carmen also
serves on the Hispanic Chamber’s board, and the Community Advancement Network’s
Community Council.
Carmen’s interest in community service began in her previous position with the Austin
Independent School District (AISD) as a bilingual English/Spanish media relations
coordinator. Her responsibilities included outreach to media regarding campus activities
hosted by education related nonprofit agencies for students.
Carmen’s professional experiences also include public sector work at the state level as a
media relations coordinator for a statewide elected official and two state senators, who
represent Texas communities that border Mexico. Prior to her public-sector career,
Carmen was a broadcast journalist. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast
Journalism from Trinity University in San Antonio and a Masters of Public Affairs from the
LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas Austin.Marion McMillian, At Large, was born in DC and raised in the
Carolinas, Marion first moved to Austin in 2010 after graduating
from Duke University with degrees in Psychology &
Neuroscience and Markets & Management Studies. He is a Team
Lead on Facebook's Global Business Group working primarily to
help eCommerce companies grow their digital brands. Marion is
a natural problem solver and change maker with a passion for
learning, self-improvement, and community impact. He currently
lives in a house off of South Congress near the new St. Elmo
district with his wife (Laura), daughter (Hazel), and two dogs
(Jackson and Lucy). In his free time, he likes to cook meats, debate about life, and build
things.
Marc Seriff, At Large, was born and raised in Austin, earned a BA
from UT Austin in 1971 and an MS in Computer Science from MIT
in 1974.
He was one of the first dozen people at Telenet Communications,
a pioneering company in the data communications industry and
then, in 1985, became the founding CTO of America Online (AOL).
In 1996, he retired from AOL and, with his wife Carolyn, returned
to Central Texas. Since returning to Texas, Mr. Seriff has been
actively involved in the non-profit community. He was involved in
the creation of the Dell Jewish Community Center and the Boys &
Girls Club of the Highland Lakes, where he served as a board
member. Mr. Seriff was a co-founder and trustee of The Seriff Foundation, a management
service organization that assisted and incubated non-profits in the Highland Lakes from
2001 until 2008. He is a past trustee of Austin Community Foundation and the Long Center
for the Performing Arts where he also served, briefly, as Interim CEO. He has been active
with the University of Texas at Austin, serving on the Commission of 125 and as a member
and chair of the Director’s Council of the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Mr. and Mrs. Seriff have been involved in commercial theater since 2011. They were
Associate Producers of Intergalactic Nemesis that toured internationally for several years.
They have been co-producers of the Broadway musical, Anastasia as well as involved as
investors in Tony-winning Broadway revivals of Once on This Island and Angels in America
and off-Broadway productions of Fire and Air and Beast in the Jungle. They are also co-
producers of 2019 Best Musical Winner Hadestown, 2021 Tony Winning Best Play The
Inheritance, and the 2021 revival Stephen Sondheim’s Company.Kathy Taylor, At Large, is an active community volunteer and
has been involved in multiple nonprofits and organizations since
moving to Austin. Kathy currently serves as a Board Trustee and
a member of the Executive Committee for the Long Center for
Performing Arts, having been involved with the Long Center
since its opening in 2008. In addition, she has been active in
Ballet Austin as a patron and volunteer, serving as President of
the Ballet Austin Guild in 2007-’08 during the Ballet’s transition
to their present home, the Butler Dance Education Center.
Kathy is a strong advocate for education and believes that
motivation paired with opportunity can change lives on many levels. Toward this
endeavor, Kathy has been active with St. David’s Foundation for the past 15 years, helping
raise money for the Neal Kocurek Scholarship Fund for Austin area students entering a
health-related field.
Kathy is also actively involved as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels for 16 years running, a
supporter of Hospice Austin, serving on the committee for its major fundraiser, Beauty of
Life, for several years. She is also a member of the Helping Hand Home for Children, the
oldest non-profit charity in Austin. Kathy is a member of the Dell Children’s Women’s Trust
& she and husband, Randy, have been supporters of Dell Children’s Hospital since its
opening in 2007.
Kathy and Randy are both life members of Texas Exes, Longhorn Foundation and are avid
Longhorn fans. Their community involvement together also includes being active
members of Tarrytown United Methodist Church, Headliner’s Club, and Austin Country
Club. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.2021-2022 Trustees:
Robert J. Buchanan, K.M., M.D. was born and raised
in Chicago IL. Educated at the University of Chicago
(undergraduate) and St. Louis University (medical
School). Trained in both Neurosurgery and Psychiatry
at the University of California, San Diego, and Yale.
Was a NIH postdoctoral research Fellow at the Salk
Institute for Biological Sciences. Was nationally ranked
junior and college tennis player. Brief period playing
professional tennis prior to medical school. Currently
is the Chief of Neurosurgery at Ascension Seton and
the Seton Brain and Spine Institute. Associate
Professor of Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, and Neurology
at the UT Dell Medical School. Conducts both invasive
and noninvasive human electrophysiological and neurochemical research exploring
learning, memory, and disease processes. Currently heading (local PI) a trial of Deep Brain
Stimulation for Alzheimer’s disease. His subspecialty is Functional Neurosurgery which
diagnoses and surgically treats patients with epilepsy, movement disorders (like
Parkinson’s disease), Pain, and Psychiatric diseases. He serves on multiple scientific as well
as humanitarian committees and boards. Is a Bioethicist and member of the Pontifical
Academy for Life (PAV), which is the bioethics academy for the world-wide Catholic Church.
He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI and was reappointed by Pope Francis. He also is
the Chairman of the Working group on Neuroscience, Ethics, and Consciousness within the
PAV. He has a son named Luke.
Larry Connelly is a native of Minnesota and a graduate of the
University of Minnesota, Texas State University and The
University of Texas at Austin. As an educator for over 20
years, beginning as a first, third and fifth grade teacher in
Houston and Austin, then an Assistant Principal and Principal
in Round Rock ISD where he opened Union Hill Elementary.
Larry was married to James C. Armstrong until his passing in
August 2017. James and Larry had been long-time supporters
of Ballet Austin, Austin Symphony, Austin Opera and other
local arts and education-based and community organizations. They helped ZACH Theatre
reach a milestone by making the largest pledge in the organization’s history to support its
capital campaign for the Armstrong Family Auditorium in the Topfer Theatre.Will Coombes is an accomplished Sr. Manager/Director of
client experience with an emphasis on user interface design,
development and implementation, specifically for complex,
rich web applications focusing on the payments and mobile
industries. He is currently the Head of User Experience for
VISA, Inc.
Experience managing large, geographically dispersed teams
comprised of designers, engineers, developers and usability
analysts. Focus on leading designers in the creation of next-
generation interfaces, collaborating with engineers on technology implementation, and
ensuring development delivers to exacting standards. Recent projects include the
development of Visa's first direct to consumer eCommerce application, Rightcliq. Past
projects include development of a web-based billing system featuring a highly
customizable front-end allowing for the manipulation of complex business relationships,
an AJAX based call center application, the UI re-architecture of B2B business offerings and
the successful re-implementation of consumer focused applications with the world’s first
ever Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 compliant front-end.
Will has been on the board of trustees at ZACH since 2009, and chaired ZACH’s Corporate
Council from 2012-2014, during which corporate fundraising experienced a 50% increase.
Will was also Development Chair for the 2017-18 season and was instrumental in ZACH
securing it’s largest gift to-date to the annual campaign. Will has also studied Scenic Design
at Trinity University in San Antonio and Musical Theater performance at AMDA in New York.
Caroline Craven is a proud member of the AT&T
Texas External and Legislative Affairs team. In her role,
she coordinates daily operations for the legislative
team, including building legislative relationships,
community outreach, and corporate charitable giving.
Additionally, Caroline oversees entertainment and
ticket activities at all event venues in Texas and events
involving the Dallas Cowboys, The University of Texas
at Austin, and Texas Tech University. Prior to joining
AT&T in 2016, Caroline worked in public affairs
consulting and for The Railroad Commission of Texas.
A native Austinite, Caroline loves living in her
hometown and being involved in the Austin
community. She is a proud supporter of ZACH Theatrethrough their marketing committee and young professionals group ACT ONE. She currently
serves as a Director for the Texas Lyceum and is a member of Northwest Community
Church. Caroline is a TCU Alum and an enthusiastic college football fan.
Trey Duck is a partner at Nix Patterson, LLP, a
commercial litigation law firm based in Austin. His
work takes him all over the country and primarily
involves seeking justice for those harmed by the
unlawful practices of large corporations. Notably, Trey
served on the lead trial team for the State of
Oklahoma’s historic litigation against the
manufacturers of addictive opioid painkillers. The
litigation resulted in hundreds of millions in
settlements and judgments used to fight the opioid
epidemic and led to the establishment of the National
Center for Wellness & Recovery at Oklahoma State
University.
Trey is a lifetime lover of the musical arts. Prior to law school, he was a full time musician.
In addition to recording and playing his own music at venues around Texas, Trey also
performed on stage and in the studio for other musical acts. During high school in Lufkin,
Texas, he performed the much-loved role of Snoopy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Trey and his wife Lillyan are longtime supporters of the arts in Austin. They are members of
the Texas Inner Circle at the Texas Performing Arts Center of the University of Texas. In
addition, both Lillyan and Trey are founding board members of the Texas Jazz Society,
which aims to keep jazz music alive and thriving in Texas. Lillyan, who first introduced Trey
to ZACH Theatre, grew up regularly attending ZACH performances and has volunteered at
the theatre since moving back to Austin in 2014. She is also a member of the Ballet Austin
Guild.
Trey received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Baylor University and
his law degree from Baylor University School of Law.Mindy Ellmer provides strategic counsel and effective
representation before state policy-makers to a solid core of long-
term clientele. With over 20 years of practical experience in
Texas government, Mindy understands Texas politics and the
legislative and regulatory processes from every angle. With an
extraordinary network of government contacts, and familiarity
with the nuances of the issues and industries she represents,
Mindy helps many diverse clients, of size, structure and industry;
successfully navigate Texas’ sometimes-rocky political landscape.
Mindy also has extensive campaign experience. Her work in the
districts of state legislators has helped them deliver relevant and
consistent messaging and target key constituencies and turn out
that vote. She is deft at identifying and prioritizing
communications strategies as well as recruiting and organizing staff and volunteers to
provide a balance between the grassroots team and the candidate.
Prior to opening her own practice, Mindy was a legislative consultant with Bracewell &
Giuliani, L.L.P., where she effectively represented a broad spectrum of corporate and trade
association clients for almost ten years. Mindy began her career in politics in the Office of
Governor Bill Clements and has experience working in both the Texas House and Senate
and for a prominent trade association.
Mindy is from Austin and committed to the community where she lives. Mindy divides her
time between Austin and Fort Worth where her husband, Charlie Geren, lives full time.
They enjoy traveling, fishing, running, college sports and spending time with their fabulous
nieces and grandkids. Mindy is a member of Austin Baptist Church. Mindy also holds a
Texas real estate license and is a member of the Texas Association of Realtors and the
Austin Board of Realtors. She earned her Bachelor of Arts at The University of Texas at
Austin. Mindy is a Past President of ZACH’s Board of Trustees.Maria Groten is a Health Coach in Austin, Texas and a
previous Co-Owner of LOVE Cycle Studio. She has four
children, Ruel, Emma and Grayson and Lily. Maria is
married to Eric Groten, a Partner at Vinson & Elkins, who
served on the ZACH Board for 10 years, the last two as its
Chairman. Maria has spent a few years co-chairing "Red,
Hot, and Soul" and also served on the Membership and
Great Scott Committees. She also Co-Chaired “Unplugged”
for two years. Maria and Eric both fell in love with ZACH
about 20 years ago and consider the actors, staff,
volunteers, and patrons part of their family. The
relationships that they have built continue to be a blessing
to them and their children. They are passionate about sharing ZACH with the community
and giving their time and resources to ZACH Theatre.
John Guaragna is the Managing Partner of the Austin Office of
DLA Piper, an international law firm with over 3,000 lawyers
practicing in more than 40 countries around the globe. John’s
practice focuses on intellectual property counseling and litigation
with an emphasis on patent disputes. Before he began practicing
law, John spent seven years on active duty as a surface line officer
in the United States Navy. His Navy assignments included a tour
as Operations Officer aboard USS Chancellorsville, a guided-
missile cruiser deployed to the Arabian Gulf in support of
Operation Southern Watch.
John grew up near Boston and attended Villanova University and the University of San
Diego School of Law. John has lived in Austin since 2003 with his wife Ashley and their two
kids, Lilah and Nicholas.
John was drawn to ZACH by the many incredible performances he has witnessed and by
the amazing opportunities ZACH provides children and young adults to explore and
practice their craft in a supportive, professional setting.Michael Heidler while in high school in Denton, Texas, took a
theater class that required him to see a play and to write a
report on it. Mike bought two tickets to Forever Plaid at Casa
Mañana in Fort Worth and invited a classmate, Sarah, to join
him. Mike and Sarah went to Forever Plaid, thus beginning
their love of theater as well as their affection for one another.
(Mike and Sarah have now been married for 16 years and have
two children together.)
Following high school, Mike and Sarah moved to Austin, where Mike attended college at the
University of Texas at Austin, graduating first in his class from the McCombs School of
Business. Mike then worked in consulting for three years before enrolling at Yale Law
School.
At Yale, Mike took time off to work for the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington, D.C.,
where he assisted with the hearings on the confirmation of John Roberts to be Chief Justice
of the U.S. Supreme Court. Following the confirmation of Chief Justice Roberts, Mike
returned to Yale, where he served as an editor of The Yale Law Journal, graduating in 2007.
After law school, Mike moved back to Austin and accepted a one-year judicial clerkship with
Judge Priscilla Owen on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mike then went to
work for Vinson & Elkins LLP in Austin.
As an attorney at Vinson & Elkins, Mike works in civil appellate law, with a docket of cases in
the U.S. Fifth Circuit, the Texas Supreme Court, and other courts of appeals in Texas. Many
of Mike’s cases concern the energy industry (especially oil and gas production in Texas and
elsewhere). Mike is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a council member for the
Austin Bar Association civil appellate section, a member of the Texas Supreme Court
Historical Society, and a regular speaker on appellate law issues.
Mike and Sarah have two sons—Asher and Noah. When Mike is not at work, he enjoys
riding bikes with his family, helping his older son with schoolwork, and seeing ZACH shows.John Hernandez is a Commercial Real Estate Broker,
with both a BBA degree in Accounting and an MBA
degree from St Edward’s University. Mr. Hernandez
currently serves as Board of Commissioners on the
Travis County Housing Authority. He served as
Chairman from 2016-2018. Mr. Hernandez previously
served as Chairman of Board of Trustees for Austin
Community College. Additionally, he has served on the
Board of Directors for Austin Partners in Education,
Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Travis County
Central Appraisal District, Zachary Scott Theatre,
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and YMCA of Austin. Mr. Hernandez is a
Leadership Austin graduate. Mr. Hernandez served in the United States Air Force 1968 –
1972, Republic of Vietnam 1970.
Marisela Herrera interest in ZACH Theatre is borne out of her
upbringing. While growing up in the small ranching community of
Rocksprings, Texas, Marisela’s school district did not enjoy the
resources to sufficiently fund education in the Arts. Knowing
personally what a disadvantage it is for a child to grow up without an
education in the Arts, Marisela is very passionate about the
importance of exposing children to the Arts from an early age.
Married for 40 years to Alfred R. Herrera, an Austin Attorney at The
Herrera Law Group, they have a son, Sergio, who completed the
JD/MBA program at Texas Tech University.
With over twenty-three years of service to the State of Texas, Marisela
retired from work in state government in 1999. Among her accomplishments during her
23-year tenure, Marisela worked for Jim Hightower at the Texas Agricultural Commission;
the Governor's Office under the Ann Richards’ Administration where she was also part of
the Governor's transition team; and the Texas Lottery Commission as part of the Lottery's
start-up team.
During her time with all of these agencies Marisela served as an Executive Assistant of
Operations in which her primary duties involved matters dealing with Budget and Planning,
Accounting, Human Services, IT, and Purchasing. After retiring from State employment in
1999, Marisela worked as a Home Mortgage Consultant with Royal Bank of Canada and
with Wells Fargo. As a mortgage consultant, Marisela found responsible solutions to help
low-income families enjoy home-ownership.She is a member of the St. Louis King of France Catholic Church where she is very active in
several faith groups and volunteers in the Church's food pantry, including working with
Randall's grocery store in their donations to the food pantry.
Belinda Huerta is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Austin,
Texas. Prior to becoming a realtor, her passion was to
provide health care for the elderly. She went back to school
and became a licensed nursing administrator and a
certified assisted living manager in 1995. Then, founded
Barton Hills Assisted Living in 1996, which was one of the
first assisted living facilities in Austin. She eventually
founded and operated two more assisted living facilities
until she sold the businesses in 2014 and began a career as
a Realtor for Keller Williams and eventually with Coldwell
Banker. She was named Businesswoman of the Year by the
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2000 and during her tenure as owner
and operator of the Barton Hills Assisted Living facilities, she served on numerous boards:
the Texas Assisted Living Association; the DHS Assisted Living board; the Texas
Organization of Residential Care Homes; and as President of the Texas Organization of
Residential Care Homes. Belinda has been active with school organizations. She has served
on the boards of the James Bowie High School football booster club and as Treasurer of the
school’s basketball booster club. She also served on the board of the Bowie PTSA. Belinda
has been a mentor at Covington Middle School. She was a member of the Greater Austin
Chamber of Commerce from 1997-2013 and member of the Greater Austin Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce from 1997-present.
Belinda attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a Bachelor degree in
Economics and Minor in Business. Belinda lives in Central Austin with her husband Alberto
Huerta. They have three boys, Mateo, Nick, and Daniel, who are all graduates of the
University of Texas at Austin.Ashley M. Hunter is the Managing Director of HM
Risk Group, an international insurance, reinsurance
and risk management firm.
Prior to founding HM Risk Group, Ashley worked in
various claims and underwriting management
positions for State Farm Insurance Companies and
AIG Insurance Company (MENA). In her role as
Managing Director of HM Risk Group and HM Risk
Group (Europe), Ashley has assisted many startups
and corporations with alternative risk transfer
schemes and reinsurance placement globally. Under
Ashley’s leadership, HM Risk Group has become a
leader in the development of niche insurance products for the sharing and assistive
reproductive technology industry. In addition to working with industry leaders, HM Risk
Group has been instrumental in the creation and development of policy forms for several
multinational insurance companies. Ashley frequently contributes on risk and the
implications on emerging markets to many global publications.
Ashley is an active member of Professional Liability Underwriting Society, Women in Private
Equity and The Waters Street Club. Ashley currently serves as a Director for Affordable
Central Texas and a gubernatorial appointee for Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority.
Ashley has a BM in Music Theory and Composition from Centenary College of Louisiana
and a MBA in Finance from Texas A&M University. Ashley is also an accomplished concert
violinist.
Kathy Hutto stood out at the Texas Capitol as an Austin
lobbyist for decades until her retirement two years ago and
was recognized for her expertise in health care and human
services delivery system. That coupled with her knowledge of
the legislative process and how state agencies work ensured
her clients’ needs are met.
Whether working with clients on their message or strategy to
influence a legislative or agency decision involving their
business, analyzing proposed regulations or legislation to
determine client impact, or implementing a grassroots
campaign, Kathy has always been a focused professional. With
over 30 years of experience, her relationships with the people who get things done in Texas
guaranteed Kathy’s clients will have a seat at the table when decisions are made that affecttheir profession or business. She was recognized with the Profiles in Power Award by the
Austin Business Journal in 2005 and has been repeatedly recognized by Capitol Insider as a
“Top Hired Gun Lobbyist”.
Kathy is proud to be the longest serving trustee on the ZACH Board. She served as
President in 1993-1994 and 1999-2000, as well as in many other leadership roles. Kathy
currently sits on the Executive Committee of the Professional Advocacy Association of
Texas. Past community activities include the Safe Place Board, Governor’s Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Board, Seton Forum, Leadership Texas, Ronald
McDonald House Community Advisory Board, John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership
Forum, ARC/Texas Development Fund Board, Greater Austin Chamber State/Federal
Legislative Committee, and Baylor Women’s Athletic Council.
Kathy is happily married to Allen Beinke and they are the proud owners of 2 adorable
Bichons, Molly & Leon.
Lori Knowlton is an advisor, consultant and Board
member with a focus on talent and mentorship for
women in technology. Most recently, Lori served as
senior vice president and chief people officer at Silicon
Labs. She was responsible for the company’s overall
talent strategy, leadership development, total rewards,
employee communications, community relations, talent
acquisition, engagement and culture. Through her
career, Lori has worked closely with leadership teams and
Boards, supported both organic and acquisitive growth, led talent programs aligned with
business strategy and developed expertise in creating high trust cultures.
Prior to Silicon Labs, Lori served as chief people officer for HomeAway.com. She led the
company’s people agenda from early stage growth through a highly successful IPO and,
ultimately, through acquisition by Expedia. During her ten years at HomeAway, Lori grew
the global team exponentially, created scale and process across 13 countries and achieved
measurable employee engagement directly linked to feedback and culture. At
HomeAway, Lori was a key member of the senior executive team and worked closely with
compensation committee of the Board. She has led the people aspects of acquiring and
integrating over 55 companies. Lori has been a mentor at TechStars Austin and enjoys
helping early stage companies solve their unique problems.
Her insight and sense of humor are on display in her public speaking engagements
including National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Spring Forum panel on“Translating Corporate Culture Across Continents”, NACD Summit on panel on “Global
Talent Management”, The Texas Conference for Women on “The Skills You Need” , a
keynote titled “Your Seat at the Table” for Connected Women in Technology and a pecha
kucha on the same topic for DisruptHR.
Lori earned her Bachelors’ degree in English literature from Bowdoin College in Brunswick
ME magna cum laude and was named a James Bowdoin Scholar. Lori enjoys yoga and
spending time with her daughter, border collies and horses.
Debbie Lowe was born an entertainer. She took modeling
and acting lessons from a young age and as a result moved
to New York where she began modeling and acting
professionally during her first year of high school. She left
New York to work on her first movie in Texas at the age of 17.
A couple years later she made her second movie and was
encouraged by the director to move to Hollywood. She was
there for six and a half years and was fortunate enough to
work with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including
Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks,
Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, and Sally Field.
While in Los Angeles, Debbie met her husband, Chris, who was in a band recording an
album on Capitol Records. Shortly after they married, they were ready to move back to
Texas where they both grew up. Debbie is a sixth generation native Texan who grew up in
San Antonio, and Chris grew up in Austin. They now have four boys who attend Regents
School of Austin. The boys all seem to have inherited their mom and dad’s entertaining
gene, since they all love to sing, dance, and act. The Lowe family is active in their church,
Austin Ridge Bible Church, and they support many Austin charities, including Habitat for
Humanity, Austin Area Food Bank, and Boys and Girls Clubs.
Debbie discovered her passion for real estate while touring an open house and helping her
good friends find their dream home. Debbie has now been involved in real estate for over
18 years and is a Top 10 Producer with Kuper Sothebys. She is also honored to be a current
member of Elite 25 Austin.Tom Mays received a BBA in Accounting from Lamar University
in Beaumont and an MBA from the University of Texas at
Austin. Most of his career was spent in Houston, working in
both the corporate and higher education sectors before moving
to Denver in 2007, and to then to Austin in 2011. He has held
accounting and financial management positions with KPMG,
Rice University, AIG, and the University of Denver.
Tom currently serves on the Advisory Council of the Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center (Finance Committee Chair) and the
MBA Alumni Advisory Board of the UT Austin McCombs School
of Business (Chair Emeritus), and formerly the Board of AIDS
Services of Austin, . He is also a member of the Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee
of the UT System, the Board of Governors of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, the Longhorn
Foundation, the UT Austin Leadership Society, the UT Austin President’s Associates, the UT
System Ashbel Smith Circle, and is a life member of the Texas Exes. Tom and his partner of
more than 30 years, Orlando Zayas, are devoted Longhorn football fans and avid theatre
goers.
Bruce McCann received his BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees in
Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin,
and then took a job developing software with Schlumberger
in Houston. During his 25 years with Schlumberger he and
his family lived in Houston, Paris (France, not Texas),
Houston, Ann Arbor, Houston and finally Austin. He held
many engineering management positions, was General
Manager of several engineering/manufacturing centers that
provide the specialized equipment Schlumberger uses in
their oil field service businesses and was President of two
global business units. He retired from Schlumberger in 1999
and joined the ZACH Board shortly after that. Currently, he teaches electrical engineering
at the University of Texas during the academic year. In addition to serving on the Board at
ZACH, Bruce has indulged his lifelong love of theater by serving on the Board of the Austin
Circle of Theaters and the Pollyanna Theater Company, and as a member of the
nominating committee for the B. Iden Payne Awards for nine years. Bruce has lived in
Austin since 1998. Both of his adult daughters (Katherine and Betsy) and their families also
live in Austin. Bruce is a Past President of ZACH’s Board of Trustees.Laura Merritt grew up in Conroe, Texas. She moved to
Austin to attend the University of Texas, attending both the
undergraduate college and the Law School. She has
claimed Austin as her home ever since. Laura is a partner in
the law office of Boulette Golden & Marin, LLP, with a
specialty in advising and representing companies in
employment law matters.
In addition to her work with ZACH, Laura has a long history
of community service in Austin. She was a Director on the
Board of the Austin Bar Association, and is a member of the 2012 Leadership Austin
Essentials class, and currently serves on the Board of the Austin Bar Foundation. Laura also
has previous Board history at AIDS Services of Austin, having served in many roles,
including Board Chair.
Laura is a longtime supporter of ZACH, and became a member of the Board of Trustees in
2011. Laura’s two daughters enjoy attending shows and camps at ZACH, and look forward
to many more years of engagement with the ZACH family.
Eric Natinksy is the Chief Executive Officer of Quick
Technologies, Inc., a company he founded in 1992. Quick’s
SAGE division is the leading provider of business services for
the promotional products industry. In addition, from 2000 to
2010, Mr. Natinsky was a technology licensing attorney at
Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich, and Rosati, P.C. where he worked
with technology companies of all sizes with respect to
technology licensing deals, intellectual property strategy and
counseling, and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Natinsky holds
a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration majoring in Management and Marketing
from Washington University in St. Louis and a JD from The University of Texas at Austin. Mr.
Natinsky is also a licensed patent attorney. Eric and his wife, Michelle, have two children,
Joshua and Alexa.Bettye Nowlin is a proud graduate of the University of Texas,
with a degree in education. Passionate about the arts in all
forms and dedicated to ZACH, Bettye also takes an active role
on behalf of the university, while having served as well on the
boards of the Austin Museum of Art, Austin Community
Foundation and Austin Parks Foundation.
Amber Pearce is currently the Director of US Public Affairs and
State Government Relations for Pfizer Inc. covering Texas and
Oklahoma. She began her career serving at the Texas State
Capitol as a legislative staff member, despite working a brief
stint as a children’s ski instructor in Winter Park, Colorado.
Amber worked for a trade association as their VP of Policy prior
to joining Pfizer Inc. in 2010.
Amber currently serves on multiple work-related boards
holding several officer positions at both the Texas Association
of Manufacturers and the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers Association Task Force in Texas. She is also a
Board Member of the Wine and Food Foundation of Texas.
An active enthusiast involved in skiing, running, water sports and sand volleyball, she
spends much of her spare time traveling to new spots around the world and US in search
of the best sunset photo, glass of wine, and grilled octopus. Ms. Pearce graduated from
Texas A&M University, is an animal lover and dog mom to a rescue Boxer mix, and
originally hales from Georgetown, Texas, just a few miles north of Austin.You can also read
