Texas Cultural Trust Announces New Members for 2020-2021 Board of Directors

by Texas Cultural Trust

Lauren Anderson of Houston, Pat Frost of San Antonio, and  Nancy Murray of Longview to Join the Nonprofit’s Board Leadership

AUSTIN, TX (September 29, 2020) – The Texas Cultural Trust (TXCT), a non-profit organization whose mission is to be the leading voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, has announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors: Lauren Anderson, Pat Frost, and Nancy Murray.

The Texas Cultural Trust’s Board of Directors is a statewide governing board composed of a diverse group of industry and business leaders, arts patrons, and artists who are passionate about the benefits of the arts to the state of Texas. They are charged with guiding the organization’s long-term financial stability and strategic direction to advance programs and initiatives. “I am delighted to welcome these three additions to our leadership,” said Leslie Ward, board chair. “Their voices—representing perspectives from the arts sector, the private sector, and community—add valuable insight to our board and reaffirm our commitment to representing all Texans.”

Lauren Anderson, a native Houstonian, enrolled in the Houston Ballet Academy at age seven. In 1990 she became the first African-American to be promoted to principal dancer at the Houston Ballet, one of the few African-American ballerinas at the head of a major ballet company anywhere in the world. In January 2007, Anderson assumed her current role in Houston Ballet’s Education and Community Engagement program where she teaches and lectures on dance and her historic career. She has received countless accolades for her contributions to the world of dance, among them the Texas Medal of Arts Award in 2017. “Receiving the Texas Medal of Arts Award was such an immense honor and I am excited to join this prestigious board,” said Anderson. “I am especially eager to promote the value of the arts in children’s lives.”

Pat Frost is president of San Antonio-based Frost Bank, and also serves as a director of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. Frost serves on a broad array of civic, non-profit, and professional organization boards. Frost Bank has, for decades, supported the Texas Cultural Trust and the arts in Texas. “I am honored to represent Frost Bank and Texas’ private sector on the board, as well as provide a unique point of view on emphasizing the economic importance of the arts,” said Frost. “I understand the value of creativity in enhancing Texas’ quality of life, and look forward to championing the Trust.”

Nancy Murray, Longview resident for the past 35 years, has served as a financial advisor for the past 25 years and is First Vice President at RBC Wealth Management. She has served as president of many organizations in Longview, and currently as the founding President of Arts!Longview Cultural District, which received its designation from the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2019. “I believe that the arts are essential to a thriving community and economy,” said Murray. “That belief is one which I aim to promote during my time on this board while contributing to the organization’s work to increase awareness about the role of the arts in each of our lives.”

The 2020-2021 TXCT Board of Directors is as follows:

Leslie Ward, Chair – Austin
Tania Schwartz, Vice-Chair – El Paso
Marvin Blum, Treasurer – Fort Worth
Ray Benson, Secretary – Austin
Linda LaMantia, Immediate Past Chair – Laredo
Charles Matthews, At-Large – Dallas
Guillermo Nicolas, At-Large – San Antonio
Judy Robison, At-Large – El Paso
Lauren Anderson – Houston
John Beckworth – Austin
Leslie Blanton – Houston
Bruce Bugg, Jr. – San Antonio
Ernest Butler – Austin
Ito Deutsch – McAllen
Mindy Ellmer – Austin
Pat Frost – San Antonio
Gay Gaddis – Austin
Winell Herron – Houston
Alexis Hunter – Corpus Christi
Dan W. Jackson, III – Austin
Renard Johnson – El Paso
Gene Jones – Dallas
Kathleen Keating – Victoria
Kathleen R. Kennedy – San Antonio
Sharon McCullough – Dallas
Nancy Murray – Longview
Sharon Oeschger – Amarillo
Jay Propes – Austin
Kay Sanford – Lubbock
Nancy Seliger – Amarillo
Mark Watson – San Antonio
Andrea White – Houston
Pamela Willeford – Austin
Trisha Wilson – Dallas
Darrell Windham – Austin
Jocelyn Straus, San Antonio – Chair Emeritus, Texas Medal of Arts Awards

Recent initiatives led by the board include the identification and nomination of 2021 Texas Medal of Arts Awards (TMAA) honorees for the biennial event taking place October 18–19, 2021. Nominations for the award remain open through Friday, October 16.

For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, or to make a TMAA nomination, visit www.txculturaltrust.org.

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ABOUT TEXAS CULTURAL TRUST
Texas Cultural Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the Texas Cultural Trust include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, Partners in the Arts, and Arts Access. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by its partners who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy, and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of our state. For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, visit www.txculturaltrust.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Giant Noise PR
tct@giantnoise.com
(512) 382-9017

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