The Women’s Board - The Dallas Opera

Inspired by the work taking place throughout the internationally acclaimed Dallas Arts District, from exceptional museum exhibits to extraordinary public performances, The Women’s Board of The Dallas Opera is the guardian of a great, long-standing legacy for excellence in the arts.

Our membership is composed of outstanding and innovative North Texas women who have made a difference to The Dallas Opera through their selfless service and fundraising activities.

You, too, are invited—and encouraged—to join this influential group of women who offer their enthusiasm and support to extend the more than sixty-year heritage of The Dallas Opera and to make this art form available to all.

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Women’s Board Calendar of Events

For more information about the Women’s Board, call 214-443-1052 or e-mail womensboard@dallasopera.org.

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Our Mission

The Women’s Board of The Dallas Opera was founded 61 years ago as a volunteer organization, with the primary purpose of providing financial support for The Dallas Opera; a mission that continues today. The organization has contributed more than five million dollars to TDO since first being called to order in 1957, with Vera Hartt Martin as the Board’s founding Chairman.

Juanita and Henry S. Miller Jr. Founders Award

Named for the co-Founders of The Dallas Opera, The Juanita and Henry S. Miller, Jr. Founders’ Award was created in 1991 as a way for The Women’s Board to recognize individuals who have made exceptional volunteer and philanthropic contributions for the benefit of the Opera.

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A member of the Miller family presents the Award at the much-anticipated annual Founders’ Award Luncheon, attended by approximately 200 people and featuring vocal artists from a current production. Proceeds from the event are earmarked to support the Hart Institute of Women Conductors within the Opera’s annual operating budget.

Past Recipients

1991 Elsa von Seggern
1992 Sis and Plack Carr
1993 Martha and Frank Pitts
1994 Mrs. Bessylee Penland
1995 Margot and Bill Winspear
1996 Mrs. Somers von Behren
1997 Arlene and John Dayton
1998 Mrs. Betty Upton Hudson
2000 Dorothy and Plato Karayanis
2001 Joyce and Harvey Mitchell
2003 Patty and Marty Weiland
2004 Joyce and C.H. Moore
2005 Linda and Bill Custard
2006 Diane and Harold Brierley

2007 Nancy Hamon
2008 Patti and John Cody
2009 Ruben Esquivel
2010 Marnie and Kern Wildenthal
2011 Sara and David Martineau
2013 Joy and Ronald Mankoff
2014 Carol and Don Glendenning
2015 Holly and Tom Mayer
2016 Joanna and Peter Townsend
2017 Betty and Steve Suellentrop
2018 Ellen and Don Winspear
2019 Enika and Richard Schulze

2019-2020 Officers, Chairmen and Members-at-Large

President
Liz Bremond

Board Officers
1st Vice President Sarah Jo Hardin
2nd Vice President Ashley Smith
3rd Vice President Catherine Chiao

Advisory Board Chairman
Therese Rourk

Board of Directors
Michelle Allums
Carolyn Bradley
Cindy Feld
Patti Flowers
Mary Joy Hinton
Lisa Laughlin
Rhonda Marcus
Charlotte Matthews
Courtney Mokarow
Tamara Payne
Jennifer Sanders
Anne Stodgill
Jane Stringer
Carla Swenson
Ellen Winspear
Kristina Wrenn

Members at Large

Lisa Cooley
Mollie Crow
Adrianne Culwell
Susan Fisk
Sara Lee Gardner
Jolie Humphrey
Dianne LaRoe
Stacey McCord
Carol Seay
Shirley Sloan

Advisory Board

Martha Ashby
Nancy Bierman
Dee Cass
Catherine Chiao
Janie Condon
Monica Cooley
Patricia Cowlishaw
Linda Custard
Lissie Donosky
Patsy Donosky
Harriett Gibbs
Carol Hall
Beverly Holmes
Kaki Hopkins

Alison Hunsicker
Jolie Humphrey
Connie Klemow
Barbara Lake
Sara Martineau
Dolly Marting
Stacey McCord
Cynthia Melnick
Tincy Miller
Billie Leigh Rippey
Carmen Sabates
Margaret Sloman
Anne Stodgill
Jane Stringer
Tamareh Tuma
Stacie Whitley

Past Presidents

*Mrs. Vera Hartt Martin 1958 – 1959
*Mrs. L. Storey Stemmons 1960 – 1961
*Mrs. Ralph Howell, Jr. 1962 – 1963
*Mrs. Earl F. Hayes 1964
*Mrs. Henry S. Miller, Jr. 1965 – 1966
*Mrs. W. W. Lynch 1967
Mrs. Jack G. Lawrence 1968
*Mrs. Betty U. Hudson 1969
*Mrs. James J. Ling 1970
Mrs. Daniel W. Varel 1971
*Mrs. Roscoe DeWitt 1972
Mrs. William A. McKenzie 1973
*Mrs. Lloyd Birdwell 1974
*Mrs. James B. Francis 1975
*Mrs. Warner H. Lewis 1976
Mrs. William A. Custard 1977
Mrs. Marvin S. Sloman 1978
Mrs. Reuben H. Adams 1979
Mrs. Willis R. Cowlishaw 1980
*Mrs. Martin S. Buehler 1981
Mrs. David Donosky 1982
Mrs. Lester Melnick 1983
*Mrs. Charles S. McKamy 1984
Mrs. William Plack Carr 1985
Mrs. Frank Cass 1986
Mrs. David F. Martineau 1987
*Mrs. Lawrence R. Herkimer 1988
*Mrs. G. Weldon Tillery 1989
Mrs. John P. Hall 1990
Mrs. Vance C. Miller 1992-1993
Mrs. Neil Marting 1993-1994
Mrs. Jim S. Lake 1994-1995

Mrs. C. H. Moore 1995-1996
Mrs. Shelton G. Hopkins 1996-1997
Mrs. Robert H. (Bob) Holmes 1997-1998
Mrs. John E. Ashby 1998-1999
Mrs. William M. Rippey 1999-2000
Mrs. Neil W. Marting 2000-2001
Mrs. William D. Cox, Jr. 2001-2002
Mrs. Carol Anderson 2002-2003
Mrs. Jerry R. Klemow 2003-2004
Mrs. Christopher J. Rourk 2004-2005
Mrs. Michael Bierman 2005-2006
Mrs. David N. Condon 2006-2007
Mrs. Charles R. Gibbs 2007-2008
Mrs. Carmen Glenn 2008-2009
Mrs. John E. Tuma 2009-2010
Mrs. D. Stephen Donosky 2010-2011
Mrs. Charles Humphrey 2010-2011
Mrs. Paul Robinson 2011-2012
Mrs. Harry Hunsicker 2012-2013
Mrs. Michael Cooley 2013-2014
Mrs. Bryan Stringer 2014-2015
Mrs. Catherine Chaio 2014-2015
Mrs. Mark Whitley 2015-2016
Mrs. Nicholas McCord 2016-2017
Mrs. Steven Stodghill 2017-2019

Entitled “Chairmen” through 2007-2008
*Deceased