Board

Executive Committee

Laura Griebel, President

Laura currently serves as the Senior Director of Employment and Community Services, Easterseals Central Texas, and has worked in the not-for-profit industry in the Austin area for over 25 years. She has an extensive background in employment and training services working with and on behalf of youth and adults with disabilities. She has a master’s degree in Education from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from St. Edward’s University. Laura has served as a volunteer board member for several Austin area not-for-profit organizations including Goodwill of Central Texas and Open Door Preschool and is now thrilled to return to the Art Spark Board of Directors.

Susan Loughran, Secretary

A couple of years ago I made a donation of some art supplies to Mobile Arts. I am grateful that that small act led to a connection with Art Spark Texas - or VSA as it was known then - and eventually to an invitation to serve on the Board. It was an invitation that I happily accepted. I spent many years working in the performing arts, as an actress, director, and costume designer. In addition, I spent 40 years teaching the arts at St. Edward's University. Some of those years were spent teaching theater and film in the SEU General Education curriculum. That meant teaching the arts to people who were not necessarily interested and, in some cases, openly hostile to the idea of "having to take a d*** arts class to fulfill a d*** General Education requirement." Working with that population and almost always winning them over, I was continuously struck with the intense power of the arts - the power to help people grow and develop in exciting and unexpected ways and the power to help people communicate and come together in wonderful and enriching ways. Art Spark Texas opens these kinds of "arts doors" for a population who, sadly, might otherwise be shut out. I'm proud to be a small part of that process.

Members

Susy Graves

M.Ed., Product Consultant for Watermark Insights

Susy has been interested and involved in the arts, education, and the disability community for more than 20 years. She previously served on the VSA Arts of Texas Board for nine years, from 2005-2014. As a former choir teacher, she always knew the profound power that the arts has on everyone. For Susy, it's the diversity of the arts programs that Art Spark Texas offers our community-veterans and seniors with disabilities - to providing audio description for a variety of live performances and films for those visually impaired, which is truly inspiring. An avid supporter of the visual and creative arts, she is excited to bring her enthusiasm and experience back to Art Spark Texas.

Randi Turner

Ms. Randi Turner is the Accessibility and Disability Rights Coordinator of the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities. Turner is a graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in Applied Arts and Sciences. She received the Outstanding Service and Excellence in Academics” award when she graduated. She holds Advanced level sign language interpreter certification from HHSC-ODHHS, and a Certificate of Interpretation and Certificate of Transliteration from the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

Judith Estrada Garcia

Bio pending

Laurie Nguyen