VICE PRESIDENT FOR PROGRAMMING (3 YEAR TERM):
April Keith: April is currently the costume shop supervisor at Sam Houston State
University where she has been for six years. She has been a member of USITTSW for nine years,
three of which she has served as VP for programming. She has enjoyed her time as Vice President
for Programming and would love the opportunity to continue to serve.
TREASURER (3 YEAR TERM):
George Curry: George Curry currently serves as the Treasurer for USITT-SW. George has
been a member of USITT-SW for 6 years. He is a trained costumer, having worked regionally and
nationally on productions ranging from The Boy from Oz, Disney’s Lion King and The Flower
Drum Song, to CBS’ Hostages. George also runs his own couture business, George Curry
COUTURE. If elected it is George’s goal to continue to work diligently to ensure that USITT-SW
complies with all federal, state, and local laws governing the organization, while aiding the board
in creating sound financial policy that will ensure the stability and security of USITT-SW for its
members now and in the future.
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (2 YEAR TERM) POSITIONS 2 AND 4:
Justin Miller: Justin A. Miller (Technical Director/ Instructional Assistant Professor) is a
faculty member in the Department of Performance Studies at Texas A&M, where he teaches
technical theatre, scenic design and stage management. He earned his MFA in Production Design
from Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI and his BFA in Theatre from Tarleton State
University in Stephenville, TX. Justin first joined USITT-Southwest as a student in 2003 and aside
from a short break for grad school, has been an active member ever since. Justin currently serves
on the national level as the Vice-Commissioner for Heath & Safety in the Scene Design
& Technology Commission.
The time I have spent with USITT-SW has been very helpful to me, especially when I first
joined. As a student I had found a group of people who knew so much about the work that I
wanted to do, and they were willing to talk to me and answer my many questions. Now that I have
students of my own, it is very important to me that they experience the community that exists in
our region. Not only at the symposium, but also through the connections and relationships that
develop throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to watch the Section grow, especially in the
past few years. As a Director-at-Large I will do my best to see that that growth continues. I am
currently part of the team at Texas A&M that is putting together the 2015 symposium, and we are
already working to make it the best symposium it can be.
LeLonnie Lehmann: I am a Professor at Texas Christian University and a 33 year member
of both the National and Regional USITT. I am a regular attendee of the regional symposiums and
the National conferences. I have been a member of the Costume Cosmission at National. My
mission is to promote USITT and to mentor students through the process of becoming full fledged
members of the theatrical community.
Kevin Patrick: (BA-Southwestern University, Georgetown, TX; MFAUNCG,Greensboro) serves as Technical Director and Professor of Theatre for Blinn College. He
previously taught design and production at Columbus State University (Georgia) and Kingwood
College (Texas). Professional and academic design credits in Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
Georgia, and New Hampshire. Kevin has been bringing students to USITT-SW since 2007, and
they have submitted design entries since 2009. He is an active member of the Texas Community
College Speech and Theatre Association, and he will be the TD for the annual Play Festival this
year, hosting thirteen participating community college productions. He recently served as the
Secretary for the College/University Section of the Texas Educational Theatre Association.
Two-year and community college programs are more and more becoming a necessary and
preferred choice for students and those that are paying the college bills. Many of those students
will transfer after two years to a senior institution and continue on to pursue a BA or BFA. I think
that USITT-SW should always have a representative from a two-year college in a leadership or
board position, just as there should always be a high school, university, and professional
representative.
DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE STUDENT (1 YEAR TERM) POSITIONS 5 AND 6:
Marcos Giovanni Salinas: Marcos Giovanni Salinas, is a student at The University of
Texas - Pan American, working towards a BA in Theatre/TV/Film with an emphasis in Design. He
is the Production Manager for a local theatre company, Thirteen O'Clock Theatre. His experiences
with USITT have been nothing but pleasurable and cannot wait to attend the National Conference
in March. He believes that USITT has granted him so many opportunities and is ready to give back
to it in any way he can.
Jared Zamut: I am a Junior Performance Studies major at Texas A&M and I’m in my
second year of working in technical theater. I have been working in our department scene shop for
the past year and a half, currently acting as Student Shop Foreman, along with taking part in the
production teams for our main stage shows. I have acted as Run Crew for No Exit, Assistant Stage
Manager for Bus Stop, Assistant Lighting Designer for a disco-era Tartuffe, and currently I am
Stage Manager for our production of Lysistrata. My experience in the production teams of these
shows was also padded by my participation in the paint, carpentry, and electric crews for all of
these shows, giving me a very well rounded background. I am currently the head of the beginnings
of a new student USITT chapter at A&M, and want to contribute much of what we do at our
university out to the rest of the region. I would like to be a part of the Regional Board to also aid in
our upcoming symposium at A&M, which would be a major starting point in getting A&M more
involved in the region and USITT as a whole.
Victoria Zapata: I am from New Orleans, Louisiana studying Forensic Science and
Theatre Management at St. Edward's University where I am the Chair of the Student Chapter. I
have recently assisted and volunteered for the Southwest Symposium at the University of Texas.
Being involved has opened many doors for me and If I were voted onto the board I could help give
all students the same opportunity. Being on the board would also allow more input from a student
perspective and achieve a sense of community within our region's universities and high schools.