Board of Trustees

2021-2022 Board of Trustees

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS Ms. S. Shawn Stephens*, Chairman Mrs. Leigh M. Smith, President Mrs. Margaret Alkek Williams, Secretary

Mrs. Elizabeth R. Zdeblick, Vice President – Academy Mr. Jesse H. Jones II*, Vice President – Development Mrs. Elizabeth Leykum, Vice President – Education & Community Engagement Mrs. Amy Pincu, Vice President – Finance Mr. Daniel M. McClure, Vice President – Investment Mr. Jerry Martin, Vice President – Marketing

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Mrs. F. T. Barr– Ms. Gillian Hobson – Mrs. Russell C. Joseph Ms. Jennifer Kushner – Chad Libertus – Ms. Leticia Loya – Mrs. Kelley S. Lubanko Mr. James J. Parr – Mrs. Carroll Robertson Ray– Mrs. Allison Thacker* – Stephanie Tsuru Mrs. Christine M. Underwood – Ms. Hallie Vanderhider – Mr. Marcus A. Watts – Mrs. Lynn Wyatt

Mr. W. Cameron Alguire Dr. Julia D. Andrieni Mrs. Diane Bazelides Ms. Ann C. Bean Mr. Gary V. Beauchamp Mrs. Gina Bhatia Mrs. Susan Binney Mrs. Leslie Blanton Mr. Tony Bradfield Mrs. Kristy J. Bradshaw Ms. Lindsey Brown Mrs. Lenni Burke Mrs. Anne S. Chao Mr. James Cowan Mr. and Mrs. James W. Crownover Mrs. Lilly Cullen Mrs. Rosanette S. Cullen Ms. Sasha Davis Mr. Bastiaan de Zeeuw Mrs. Pamela D. Earthman Sharon F. Erskine Mrs. Martha Finger Mrs. Allison L. Flikerski Richard W. Flowers Hon. Charles C. Foster Mrs. Kate Fowler Mrs. Jo Furr Mr. Mitchell George Mrs. Mignon Gill Sandra S. Godfrey Mrs. Donald M. Graubart Mr. Jeremy Griggs Mr. Joseph A. Hafner, Jr. Mr. Herschel Hamner Dr. Joshua D. Harris Mrs. Nancy Ferguson Haywood Mrs. Winell Herron Mr. Michael Heckman Ms. Michelle Iversen Jeffery Mr. James M. Jordan* Natasha Khan Dr. Dale G. Konicek Elizabeth Mata Kroger Ms. Melanie Lawson Dr. Bridgitte Shen Lee Mr. Mark Loveland Mr. Joseph A. Matula Mrs. Jean E. May Mrs. J. Luke McConn III Mrs. Kris McGee Richard K. McGee* Mrs. Martha Rocks McMurrey Mr. Shane A. Miller Mrs. Michael Mithoff

Marsha L. Montemayor Ms. Nancy Powell Moore Ms. Beth Muecke Dr. Duyen Huynh Nguyen Tammy Tran Nguyen Mrs. Cabrina Owsley Mr. Robert F. Parker* Mrs. Elisa S. Pye Mr. Ron Rand Macey Reasoner Laura M. Robertson Mrs. Akemi Saitoh Ms. Samira A. Salman Mrs. Louisa Stude Sarofim* (L) Ms. Elizabeth Schwarze Mrs. James Shaffer Dannika E. Simpson Mrs. Alicia Smith Mrs. Heidi Smith Dr. Liliana Soltero Mr. Karl S. Stern* Mr. Nicholas L. Swyka* Becca Cason Thrash Mrs. Ileana Treviño Mrs. Phoebe Tudor* Mrs. Kelli Weinzierl Mrs. Rini Ziegler

TRUSTEES

Étoile

Étoile honors the visionary leaders who make extraordinary annual commitments of $100,000 or more to Houston Ballet. Étoile, translated from French, means “star” and is most frequently used in the ballet world to designate the highest ranking of principal dancers within a company – a fitting tribute to those whose generosity substantially underwrites Houston Ballet’s world-class performances, renowned dance training, and extensive community programs.

MELZA AND TED BARR

Melza and Ted Barr, longtime Houston Ballet subscribers, are champions of Stanton Welch’s ambitious vision to bring Houston Ballet to the forefront of dance here in the U.S. and internationally. They were instrumental in making possible the 2015 world premiere of Romeo and Juliet and its milestone tour to Melbourne, Australia. Melza and Ted were also supporters of the campaign to build the Company’s Center for Dance and integral contributors to Houston Ballet’s Crisis Relief Fund. Additionally, the Barrs endowed a Principal Dancer position in Melza’s name, currently held by Melody Mennite.

GARY V. BEAUCHAMP AND MARIAN WILFERT BEAUCHAMP

As longtime members of the Ballet family, Marian and Gary’s extraordinary generosity has touched nearly every aspect of the Company, from production underwriting to support for the Ballet’s world-class dance facility. For the past two seasons, Marian and Gary have made important gifts toward one of Houston Ballet’s key education and community engagement initiatives – Student Matinees – which bring the joy of dance to thousands of schoolchildren each year, many of whom would not otherwise have such opportunity to experience performing arts.

THE BROWN FOUNDATION, INC.

For nearly four decades, The Brown Foundation has been one of Houston Ballet’s most generous philanthropic supporters. Established in 1951 and based in Houston, the Foundation distributes funds principally for education, community service, and the visual and performing arts. The Foundation was instrumental in contributing to Houston Ballet’s crisis relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19. The Foundation’s tremendous commitment to Houston Ballet’s endowment, general operating fund, and the Center for Dance has paved the way for Houston Ballet to grow into the world-renowned company it is today.

MYRA BROWN

Myra Brown is a longtime friend to Houston Ballet since moving to Houston from New Jersey over 20 years ago. Together with her late husband, Ira, Myra has been a devoted supporter and advocate for the arts in Houston and, in particular, aspiring young artists involved in the performing arts. She was instrumental in supporting a collaborative production featuring both Houston Ballet and University of Houston’s Moores School of Music. She established an endowed scholarship in the Houston Ballet Academy, which creates an enduring legacy to help develop the next generation of ballet dancers for Houston and the world of dance.

ALBERT AND ANNE CHAO

Albert and Anne Chao are inspiring community leaders and philanthropists who have supported the Ballet for more than a decade. The Chaos chaired the 2017 Houston Ballet Ball and provided critical support to the Ballet’s Crisis Relief Fund in 2020. Through the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation, the Chaos provided instrumental and early support of Houston Ballet’s new production of The Nutcracker. Albert and Anne also serve in a number of leadership roles in other arts and cultural organizations throughout Houston.

THE CULLEN TRUST FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

CONOCOPHILLIPS

ConocoPhillips has been a proud sponsor of Houston Ballet for more than three decades. As one of the world’s largest independent exploration and production companies, ConocoPhillips is proud to support Houston’s thriving cultural arts community. ConocoPhillips’s investment in Houston Ballet’s mission and goals can be recognized in their support of the construction of Houston Ballet’s Center for Dance and productions including Cinderella, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Giselle, and Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker. They were honored at the 2019 Houston Ballet Ball. Laura Robertson, Deputy General Counsel, serves on Houston Ballet’s Board of Trustees.

THE CULLEN FOUNDATION

One of the city’s oldest and most significant charitable institutions, The Cullen Foundation has supported Houston Ballet for nearly 50 years and is one of its most important benefactors. Established in 1947, the Foundation has more than 70 years of giving history generously supporting cultural arts, education, health care, and public service in the greater Houston area, granting nearly $500 million to Houston institutions. Notably, the Foundation was a lead supporter of Houston Ballet’s Center for Dance, Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, and the Ballet’s crisis relief efforts in recent years.

THE CULLEN TRUST FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts has been a generous underwriter of Houston Ballet’s presentation of new and premiere ballets for more than three decades. The Trust was established from assets of The Cullen Foundation to support Texas performing arts institutions, focusing on those within the greater Houston area. In addition to supporting new works, The Trust has been a generous sponsor of Houston Ballet’s endowment, the construction of the Center for Dance, and The Nutcracker. Additionally, The Trust has generously supported the Ballet’s Crisis Relief Fund and the Share the Joy campaign, providing both vital challenge grants.

THE JERRY C. DEARING FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Jerry C. Dearing Family Foundation passionately supports Houston-based nonprofits that provide health, education, and sustainability services for the at-risk men, women, and children of Houston and Harris County. As a family-run private foundation that distributes funds for public charitable purposes, the Foundation principally provides encouragement and assistance to Houston-based nonprofits. The Foundation’s Executive Director Kate Dearing Fowler is an integral member of Houston Ballet’s Board of Trustees, and the Foundation supports Houston Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement programming, which reaches more than 74,000 participants annually. The Foundation will be honored at the Raising the Barre event on April 24, 2022.

THE EVENTS COMPANY

Houston Ballet is proud to count The Events Company among its top supporters. For many years, The Events Company has provided incredibly generous support to Houston Ballet’s special events and, especially, the Houston Ballet Ball. Their support has been instrumental in the success of numerous events. Richard Flowers of The Events Company joined Houston Ballet’s Board of Trustees in the 2018-2019 season.

HOUSTON BALLET GUILD

Founded in 1973, Houston Ballet Guild has supported Houston Ballet, its Academy, and special programs for more than 40 years. The Guild hosts the phenomenal Nutcracker Market each year and, along with other projects, has contributed millions of dollars since its inception. The group has underwritten the Sugar Plum Fairy costume in Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker and Houston Ballet’s bi-annual publication Houston Ballet News. Each year, Houston Ballet Guild volunteers collectively provide more than 5,400 hours of their time to support Houston Ballet.

HOUSTON METHODIST

This season will mark the 14th year of Houston Ballet’s partnership with Houston Methodist and the Center for Performing Arts Medicine (CPAM). Houston Ballet is proud to have Houston Methodist as its Official Health Care Provider as well as receive the unique benefits provided to the dancers through CPAM—a specialized group of more than 100 elite physicians working collaboratively to address the specific demands placed on performing artists. Recently ranked as the No. 1 hospital in Texas by U.S. News and World Report, Houston Methodist supports Houston Ballet through its philanthropic giving in addition to providing high-quality health care to the dancers. Through the ongoing pandemic, Houston Methodist has been instrumental in creating guidelines to keep Houston Ballet dancers safe and healthy as they return to the studio.

KPRC

Official Television Partner of Houston Ballet, KPRC has been a leader in the Houston community for more than 65 years. Their unparalleled support in providing media coverage for artistic programming and the annual Nutcracker Market allows the organization to showcase the Company’s worldclass talent. In addition to providing exceptional media coverage, KPRC is a strong supporter of Houston Ballet’s special events. Houston Ballet is proud to partner with KPRC, Houston’s home for news. Houston Ballet is honored to have Vice President, General Manager Jerry Martin as a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees as Vice President of Marketing.

JESSE H. JONES II

Jesse H. “Jay” Jones II was first introduced to the ballet when his mother served on the Houston Ballet Board of Trustees. Now a Board Trustee himself since 1983, he currently serves on the Board’s Executive Committee as Vice President of Development. Jay was a member of the search committee for Stanton Welch and co-chaired the committees for Houston Ballet’s Dance With Us, Crisis Relief Fund, and Share the Joy campaigns. Jay was honored at the 2016 Ballet Ball and carries on a distinguished family legacy of civil leadership in Houston.

LETICIA LOYA

For more than a decade, Leticia Loya has been a gracious supporter of Houston Ballet. Letty has held many leadership roles since she joined the Board of Trustees in 2005. From 2009 to 2016, she was Vice President of Academy, while championing the development of the Center for Dance facility. Through Letty’s continued commitment to the Company, Houston Ballet has brought many new works to the stage, including Zodiac; Revisit, Rebirth, Revolt; and What the H Stands For. Letty was recently honored at the 2019 Ballet Ball, and graciously provided underwriting support for Stanton Welch’s series of dance films In Good Company.

DEBORAH AND ED KOEHLER

For nearly fifty years, Deborah and Ed Koehler have been Houston Ballet supporters and ticketholders. As the Executive Director of the Raymond N. Plank Philanthropy Fund, Deborah is instrumental in providing support to the Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement programs. The Koehlers have continued to give generously in honor of Lauren Anderson, Houston Ballet’s Associate Director of Education and Community Engagement; they feel deeply connected to the importance of Lauren’s work in introducing Houston’s youth to the joy of dance.

CARROLL AND HUGH RAY

For more than 20 years, Carroll Ray has championed the mission of Houston Ballet. Her leadership has been instrumental to the success of many Houston Ballet initiatives, including the campaign of Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker and recovery from Hurricane Harvey. Most recently, Carroll has underwritten a museum-quality installation for the Center for Dance to commemorate the Ballet’s history and achievements during its 50th anniversary season.

ISLA AND T.R. RECKLING III

Isla and T.R. Reckling III are both longtime supporters of the Ballet; as decades-long Opening Night season ticketholders, they have carried out a generational family legacy of support for Houston Ballet. Over the years, the Recklings have been active across many facets of the Ballet, including Nutcracker Market and special events such as the Ballet Ball. They were also important contributors to the Dance With Us campaign and the Crisis Relief Fund through leadership gifts.

YASUHIKO AND AKEMI SAITOH

As lead underwriters for Houston Ballet’s 2022 Japan Tour, longtime Guild member and Trustee Akemi Saitoh and her husband Yasuhiko are committed to investing in the Ballet’s visibility on the world stage. The Saitohs have provided a warm welcome to Japanese students and dancers over the years, and have been invaluable in creating cross-cultural inroads for the Ballet, both in Houston and around the world. Akemi has traveled with the Company to both Hamburg and New York City, and their keen support of the Ballet’s special events has helped grow the Ballet Family among their many table guests over the years.

ALLISON AND TROY THACKER

Loyal subscribers since 2012, Allison and Troy Thacker are deeply committed to seeing the Company prosper. Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Allison currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board. She and Troy made a generous challenge grant for the 2016 world premiere of Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, helping to garner community-wide support for the new production. The Thackers underwrote Trey McIntyre’s world premiere, Pretty Things, in honor of the Company’s 50th anniversary; after a year’s delay, Pretty Things will premiere this season on May 20, 2022.

ANN TRAMMELL

Ann Trammell has been one of Houston Ballet’s most steadfast advocates for over three decades. Ann has taken on numerous leadership roles, including Chairman of the Board and as a member of the capital campaign committee that raised $50 million for the Ballet’s state-of-the-art Center for Dance. She also is a member of the Arabesque Society, which recognizes friends who have included the Ballet in their estate plans, and was the honoree at the 2017 Ballet Ball. Recently, she was a generous contributor to Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker and was instrumental in the Ballet’s Hurricane Harvey recovery and Crisis Relief Fund.

STEPHANIE AND FRANK TSURU

Houston Ballet is honored to have Stephanie and Frank Tsuru as part of the Houston Ballet family. Stephanie serves on several boards across Houston and joined Houston Ballet as a Trustee in the 2018-2019 season, now serving on the Executive Committee. Stephanie and Frank generously underwrote Company dancer Oliver Halkowich’s world premiere in 2019 and are fundamental supporters of Houston Ballet special events. Stephanie and Frank are co-chairing the upcoming 2022 Ballet Ball and have generously underwritten Melody Mennite’s new work that will premiere this season.

PHOEBE AND BOBBY TUDOR

Phoebe and Bobby Tudor have been amazing friends of Houston Ballet for more than two decades. Phoebe was a key member of the strategic planning committee and has served as Board President and Board Chairman. In 2014, Phoebe and Bobby underwrote John Neumeier’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, bringing its American premiere to Houston Ballet, and underwrote the world premiere of Stanton Welch’s Sylvia in 2019. Their incredible generosity was also instrumental in the creation of Stanton Welch’s The Nutcracker, and they served as Honorary Chairs for the 2020 Ballet Ball.

UNITED AIRLINES

For over 15 years, United Airlines has been proud to be the Official Airline of Houston Ballet. United provides generous support to first-class arts organizations such as Houston Ballet and takes great pride in setting philanthropic standards in the community. United’s generous support has helped further Houston Ballet’s international recognition through its support of tours around the world, including tours to Melbourne, Australia; Ludwigshafen and Bonn, Germany; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. United Airlines was honored at the 2018 Ballet Ball.

HALLIE VANDERHIDER

Hallie Vanderhider has made a tremendous impact since becoming part of the Houston Ballet family. She joined the Houston Ballet Board of Trustees in the 2017-2018 season and recently extended her leadership by joining the Executive Committee. As an incredible supporter of Houston Ballet’s special events, her generosity shines through the organization. Hallie served as Chairman for the 2018 Ballet Ball. Most recently, she underwrote Edwaard Liang’s Murmuration and provided critical support to the Ballet’s Crisis Relief Fund. This season, Hallie has generously underwritten our performances of George Balanchine’s iconic Jewels.

MARGARET ALKEK WILLIAMS

A pillar of the arts community in Houston, Margaret Alkek Williams is one of Houston Ballet’s most devoted supporters. Margaret has championed the works of Artistic Director Stanton Welch, supporting his landmark staging of Swan Lake in 2006. Her transformational gift in 2008 helped to build the Center for Dance. In addition, she endowed a Principal Dancer position held by Yuriko Kajiya and Houston Ballet’s annual gala performance, the Margaret Alkek Williams Jubilee of Dance. She was most recently honored at the 2020 Houston Ballet Ball. Houston Ballet is fortunate to be one of many organizations impacted so greatly by her generosity.

THE WORTHAM FOUNDATION, INC.

THE WORTHAM FOUNDATION, INC

Founded in 1958, The Wortham Foundation is one of Houston’s most impactful art supporters contributing to the city’s performing and visual arts organizations as well as supporting community improvement projects throughout Houston. For nearly four decades, the Foundation has been instrumental in bringing many of Houston Ballet’s most loved and treasured story ballets to the Wortham Theater Center. The Foundation’s commitment to Houston’s arts and culture community can be seen and felt throughout the city—and it continues to uphold the values and incredible tradition of philanthropy established by founder Gus S. Wortham.

LYNN WYATT

For more than 30 years, Lynn has been a passionate leader of Houston Ballet. She served as a key member of the search committee that recruited Stanton Welch AM. Their friendship has flourished over the years, and she continues to be a staunch supporter of his creative vision and has long been a champion of new work. Lynn generously underwrote Stanton Welch’s world premiere of Giselle and underwrote a new dance floor for the Company following the destruction from Hurricane Harvey. She was most recently honored at the 50th Anniversary Onstage Dinner.