2019 Directors
Board President
Suzanne La Forte, MD, FAAP
Pediatrician, UTMB
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
President Elect (2020 President)
Dominic Etienne, QPA, QKA
Pension Sales Division, American National Insurance Company; 2019 President of United Way Galveston
Immediate Past President
Steve Mataro
Co-Owner, DSW Homes
Vice President and Co-Founder
Ginger Turner
Manager Tech Transformation, Group Finance, Swiss Reinsurance Co., Zurich, Switzerland
Secretary
Laura Hughes McDermott
Associate Legal Counsel, American National Insurance Co.
Treasurer
Heather Rivers
Environmental Engineer, Valero Energy
Director and Co-Founder
Mark Greenwalt
Professor of Art, College of the Mainland; Artist, Hooks-Epstein Gallery; President Texas Association of Schools of Art
Directors
Abe DeAnda Jr., MD, FACS, FAHA
Professor and Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vice-Chairman Faculty Development, UTMB
Christal G. Burnett- Sanchez, Ed.D.
Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown
Heidi Coggeshall, MBA, Harvard
Retired Investment Banker, BNP Paribas; Goldman, Sachs, & Co.; Board President for Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation
Veronica Hugger (served as President 2011 through 2015)
Accounting Assistant, Edward J. Walsh & Associates, CPA
Kathy Machol, LCDR, MSC, U.S. Navy (Ret)
Retired Social Worker, U.S. Navy and UTMB
Martha Montenegro Norris
Physicians’ Assistant, UTMB Teen Health Clinic at Ball High
2018 Directors and Key Personnel
Board President
Steve Mataro
Co-Owner, DSW Homes
President Elect (2019 President)
Suzanne La Forte, MD
Pediatrician, UTMB
Immediate Past President
Christal G. Burnett-Sánchez, Ed.D.
Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown
Vice President and Co-Founder
Ginger Turner
Chief of Staff, Group Strategy, Swiss Reinsurance Company, Zurich, Switzerland
Secretary
Laura Hughes McDermott
Assistance Compliance Attorney, American National Insurance Co.
Treasurer
Heather Rivers
Environmental Engineer, Valero Energy
Director and Co-Founder
Mark Greenwalt
Professor of Art, College of the Mainland; Artist, Hooks-Epstein Gallery; President Texas Association of Schools of Art
Directors
Abe DeAnda Jr., MD, FACS, FAHA
Professor and Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vice-Chairman Faculty Development, UTMB
Dominic Etienne, QPA, QKA
Pension Sales Division, American National Insurance Company
Veronica Hugger (served as President 2011 through 2015)
Accounting Assistant, Edward J. Walsh & Associates, CPA
Kathy Machol, LCDR, MSC, U.S. Navy (Ret)
Retired Social Worker, U.S. Navy and UTMB
Martha Montenegro Norris
Physicians’ Assistant, UTMB Teen Health Clinic at Ball High
2018 Youth Representative
Mindy Fu, Junior, Ball High School, Galveston
2018 Key Personnel
Elizabeth Turner, Executive Director and Founder
Amy McCarthy Musick, Assistant Director
Christine Ortiz-Gatlin, Project Leader
Linda Stevens, STEM Education Specialist
2018 Key Contributors
Cindy Roberts Gray, Ph.D., educational program evaluator, Third Coast Research, contributes scholarly research and program evaluation
Catherine Stroud, artist, “Capture Video Project” and community art projects
Jim Turner, carpenter, 1 Job at a Time, garden construction projects
Nick McIntyre, computer scientist, Tailwind Labs, virtual classroom and technology consultant for digital literacy and program evaluation app
2017 Directors and Key Personnel
Board President
Christal G. Burnett, Ed.D.
Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown
President Elect (2018 President)
Steve Mataro
Co-Owner, DSW Homes
Immediate Past President
Suzanne La Forte, MD
Pediatrician, UTMB
Vice President and Co-Founder
Mark Greenwalt
Associate Professor of Art, College of the Mainland and Artist, Hooks-Epstein Gallery
Secretary and Co-Founder
Ginger Turner
Chief of Staff, Group Strategy, Swiss Reinsurance Company, Zurich, Switzerland
Treasurer
Jason Welch
Formerly Senior Financial Analyst, UTMB (relocated to Dripping Springs, August 2017)
Directors
Abe DeAnda Jr., MD, FACS, FAHA
Professor and Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vice-Chairman Faculty Development, UTMB
Dominic Etienne, QPA, QKA
Pension Sales Division, American National Insurance Company
Tino Gonzalez
Executive Director, Sea Star Base Galveston
Veronica Hugger (served as President 2011 through 2015)
Administrative Assistant, Edward J. Walsh & Associates, CPA
Kathy Machol, LCDR, MSC, U.S. Navy (Ret)
Active Grandparent and Retired Social Worker, U.S. Navy and UTMB
Laura Hughes McDermott
Active Parent and Assistance Compliance Attorney, American National Insuran
ce Co.
Martha Montenegro Norris
Physicians’ Assistant, UTMB Teen Health Clinic at Ball High
Heather Rivers
Environmental Engineer, Valero Energy
2017 Youth Representatives
Vacancy
2017 Key Personnel
Elizabeth Turner, Executive Director and Founder
Christine Ortiz-Gatlin, Assistant Director and Teacher
Amy McCarthy Musick, Project Leader and Teacher
2017 STEM Education Interns: Martee Hathorn, Linda Stevens, Sarah Bordelon, Kirsten Smirl, Alejandra Jacquez
2017 Key Contributors
Cindy Roberts Gray, Ph.D., Educational Program Evaluator, Third Coast Research
Catherine Stroud, Artist, Videographer
Jim Turner, Volunteer, Construction of Garden Frames and General Events
Andrew Turner, Volunteer, General Events
Melody Van Kay, Volunteer, Financials and Human Resources
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2016 Board of Directors
President
Suzanne La Forte, M.D. - Pediatrician, UTMB
Vice President
Steve Mataro - Owner, DSW Homes
President Elect
Christal G. Burnett, Ed.D. - Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown
Immediate Past President
Veronica Hugger - Active Parent and Yoga Instructor, Total Fitness
Secretary and Co-Founder
Ginger Turner - Senior Economist, Vice President, Group Strategy, Swiss Reinsurance Company
Treasurer
Jason Welch - Senior Financial Analyst, UTMB
Co-Founder
Mark Greenwalt - Associate Professor of Art, College of the Mainland and Artist, Hooks-Epstein Gallery
Directors
Tino Gonzalez - Vice President for Business Development, Moody National Bank
Kathy Machol, LCDR, MSC, U.S. Navy (Ret) - Active Grandparent and Retired Social Worker, U.S. Navy and UTMB
Laura Hughes McDermott - Research & Staff Compliance Attorney, American National Insurance Company
Martha Norris - Physicians’ Assistant, UTMB Teen Health Clinic at Ball High
Youth Representatives
Cyrus Pacht, Senior - HISD, High School for Performing and Visual Arts, Literacy Club President
Rebekah Clark, Junior - Home School, Galveston County 4H Club
Executive Director
Elizabeth Turner, Founder and Executive Director
2015 Board of Directors
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Veronica Hugger, President – Active Parent and Yoga Instructor, Total Fitness
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Ginger Turner, Vice President and Co-Founder – Senior Economist, Vice President, Group Strategy, Swiss Reinsurance Company
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Mark Greenwalt, Treasurer and Co-Founder – Associate Professor of Art, College of the Mainland and Artist, Hooks-Epstein Gallery
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Christal G. Burnett, Ed.D., Secretary – Associate Professor and Assistant Chair, Department of Urban Education, University of Houston-Downtown
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Suzanne La Forte, M.D. – Pediatrician, UTMB
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Kathy Machol, LCDR, MSC, U.S. Navy (Ret) – Active Grandparent and Retired Social Worker, U.S. Navy and UTMB
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Steve Mataro – Owner, DSW Homes
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Laura Hughes McDermott – Research & Staff Compliance Attorney, American National Insurance Company
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Martha Norris – Physicians’ Assistant, UTMB Teen Health Clinic at Ball High
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Jason Welch – Senior Financial Analyst, UTMB