Mary Martha Lappe, Executive Director

Mary Martha Lappe has her Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts Degrees from Texas Woman's University. She has over four decades experience in public education and the arts. She chaired Dance Programs at James Madison University, Louisiana State University and the University of Houston. In 1971, she left the faculty at University of Houston to help start Houston's School for the Performing and Visual Arts where she authored and implemented the State of Texas' first dance curriculum. She remained at HSPVA where she chaired the Department of Dance for 25 years. In 1997, she became the first Director of Development for the school. In 2005, she became the first Executive Director of HSPVA Friends, a private, non-profit organization that serves young artists from the Greater Houston Area and special projects at HSPVA.

Her accolades in the arts and education include: The National Distinguished Teacher of the Arts, The Coca-Cola Foundation Outstanding Teacher, The Presidential Distinguished Teacher Award, Outstanding High School Teacher in Texas, HSPVA's Distinguished Artist, and The Texas Woman's University Distinguished Alumna.

Since 1997, under Mrs. Lappe's direction, HSPVA Friends has raised almost $6 million in private support for young artists in the Greater Houston Area and special art projects at HSPVA. She has served on the following boards: St. Luke's United Methodist Church Board of Stewards, Musicfest Inc., the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts Advisory Board, the Houston Community College Advisory Board, the Texas Woman's University Foundation, the International Network of  Schools of the Arts, the Society for Performing Arts Advisory Board, the Houston Tennis Association, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Travesty Dance Company. She has also served on the Speaker's Bureaus at the University of Texas, the University of Houston, and Texas Woman's University. She is a member of the Houston Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals and serves on the Board of Texas Woman's University Leadership Institute.

Sandra Goodwin, Development Office Staff

Sandra holds a BBA in Marketing from the University of Texas at Austin and has completed additional post-graduate work in computer software, hotel and restaurant management, and foreign languages. She was the Marketing Research Analyst for the Houston Post and helped create the initial data base for a major real estate brokerage firm in Houston. She is a licensed Texas real estate Broker. Mrs. Goodwin was a private computer software instructor for First Step Company working with clients who were novice computer users. She has taught Microsoft programs, digital camera usage and photo programs.

Joan Murrin, Event Planning & Board Relations

Joan Murrin is a 1975 magna cum laude graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and graduated with Honors from the The University of Texas School of Law.  Following 12 years of law practice in Dallas, Texas, including 8 years in the corporate legal department of American Airlines, she moved to Houston with her family and became a community volunteer.  She has served on the Board of Directors of Main Street Theater, and currently serves on the boards of The River Performing and Visual Arts Center and The Back Porch Players.  She has co-chaired the annual River Gala three times, and has also co-chaired fund raising events for Main Street Theater and the HSPVA Theatre Guild.

Mrs. Murrin is the wife of Craig Murrin, who is the general counsel of Global Geophysical Services.  They have two daughters who graduated from HSPVA, and now attend The New School University and Northwestern University.

Mary Jane Sinclair, Development Office Staff

Mary Jane Sinclair is a member of the first graduating class of HSPVA, 1974. While she continued her vocal music studies at HSPVA, she began to study harp.  She has enjoyed a thirty-seven year career as a professional harpist. She is the author of "The Films of Leslie Howard". She and her husband Jim are long time supporters of HSVPA.

Volunteer Staff: Rosie Chow, Betty Alice Key, Mary Jane Orsburn, Kathryn Priest, and Bob Singleton