David Nethery

President

David has lived and/or worked in Richardson since 1974. He has been a financial advisor since 1991. Previously, over a span of 20 years, David served as a teacher, school counselor, psychologist and counselor in private practice. A graduate of Henderson State University majoring in English and history, he subsequently obtained a master’s degree in counseling and psychology from the University of North Texas.

The arts have always played an integral role in his life, even as a small child. Playing the piano, acting in plays, and reading numerous books gave wings to David’s spirit and ignited his imagination. Other artistic endeavors have included choirs, band and stage band.

David began singing with The Contemporary Chorale in 2009. His support of the arts included serving as Treasurer of the Chorale; Treasurer of AIR; and President and Chairman of the Board of the Richardson Arts Alliance. David is an alumnus of the Leadership Richardson program, which helped to deepen his understanding and appreciation of how the community operates and intersects with the arts and business.

David believes, “While creativity must sometimes occur in isolation, it really is a community experience that is most impactful when shared. It is the symbiosis between the community supporting the creative and the creative enriching the community.”

Laura Davis

Laura Davis

Secretary
Chair, Marketing Committee

Laura Davis is an experienced residential architect and interior designer. She is the co-founder and vice president of hpd architecture + interiors. Her love of art and of making creative things began at a young age and continues to give new opportunities for inspiration in her career. Laura shares her interests in home design with listeners on her podcast, The Architecture Happy Hour.

Laura is an active board member with The Dallas Woman’s Forum. She has served on and led committees in design industry organizations and has spoken at a number of local and state conferences. Laura has been recognized professionally by D Magazine, The Dallas Business Journal, and the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Previously from Richardson, Texas, Laura, her husband, Bob, and their two sons now live near Denver, Colorado. When she is not meeting with her clients or driving kids to soccer practice, Laura nurtures her inner artist with quilting, painting, and writing in her studio.

David Schneider

Treasurer

David R. Schneider touts a seasoned career in finance, software development and information technology (IT) management. Among various organizations, he served as CPA for Ernst & Young; founder and president of CertiFLEX Systems and director of IT for Hallmark Financial Services and Innovative Risk Management.

In addition to his professional life, David is an avid lover of contemporary music and the arts industry. He has played with a variety of rock bands and has written some of their music. Along with his songwriting expertise, he plays drums and guitar. David has also produced several CD’s, most currently, “Olympus.”

Tony Hurtado

Director

Tony Hurtado serves as Chief Revenue Officer for Secured Communications, a leading global technology company that provides safeguarding solutions. He has 35 years of experience in helping energy and telecommunications companies identify and pursue strategic marketing opportunities through an array of sales and marketing resources. Prior to Secured Communications, Tony worked in Ericsson’s strategic marketing group where he supported the North America region’s Systems, Cloud and IoT initiatives. Tony was one of the original employees at Masergy Communications and served on the management team with responsibilities for Marketing and Public Relations.

Tony holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah and is a Truman Scholar. Tony has served on the board of numerous non-profits in southern California, including the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts.

Timmy Newsome

Chair, Fundraising Committee

A member of four collegiate football hall of fames, Timmy Newsome, a former Dallas Cowboys football player, finished his career as the 9th-leading receiver in program history. He was named to the Dallas Cowboys Weekly Newspaper all-decade team.

Football off-seasons were spent working as a computer programmer/analyst in banking, voter registration, and elections systems. In 1991, Newsome founded Newtec Business Solutions (NBS), developing software for wholesale and distribution businesses. Today, NBS is a managed services technology company and provider of unified communications and collaboration products and services to the private and education sector.

Newsome currently serves on the Computer Science Industry Advisory Board for Winston-Salem State University’s Department of Computer Science; on the Board of Directors for Children at Risk and National Alliance on Mental Illness; and is chairman of North Texas Advisory Board. He earned a degree in business administration from Winston-Salem State University.

Angela Mia De la Vega

Director

Angela Mia De la Vega is an award-winning bronze sculptor. She is renowned for creating elegant bronze figurative sculptures for international collectors, institutions, and corporations across the globe. She says her work is inspired by the ever-changing individuality of her children.

A Summa Cum Laude graduate of Clarion University of Pennsylvania and completing post-graduate studies at the University of Madrid, Spain, Angela is an elected member of the National Sculpture Society, a Master Signature member of American Women Artists, and was named a Living Master by the internationally prestigious ARC (Art Renewal Center).

Her public bronze installations are featured around the globe. Locally, you can visit Stonecreek Business Park in Frisco, Main Marketplace in Little Elm, CityLine in Dallas, or Hackberry Creek Park in Highland Park to view her extraordinary work.

Toni Portmann

Chair, Technology Committee

With more than 35 years of leadership experience in board and executive management, Toni has spent her career in corporate leadership at technology centric companies. She brings a wealth of management skills with expertise in board leadership, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, process improvement and innovative sales solutions. Toni has served on public, private and non-profit boards in roles of chairman of the board as well as chair of nom/gov; compensation and strategic planning committees.

Toni speaks at industry conferences and executive MBA programs about her passion for women in business and her secrets of success surrounding leadership. She loves skiing, biking, enjoying her 6 grandchildren and her cat, Frank.

Julie Pham

Director

Julie Pham’s creativity and her love for music, education, and community-building have been her driving forces throughout her life. Upon graduation from the University of Central Oklahoma with a B.S. in Accounting, she began her investment banking career with JPMorgan Chase in Manhattan, NY until the division moved headquarters to Dallas, TX. In the Dallas headquarters, Julie was selected by management to be the committee chairperson for the Asian American networking group, working side by side with JPMorgan’s Corporate Diversity Task Force to help promote programs to expand diversity inclusion and education among employees throughout the DFW Metroplex.

Since leaving the corporate world in 2012 to homeschool and raise her three sons, Julie has served her community in several capacities. Julie is a graduate of the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (GDACC) Leadership Tomorrow program, Alpha class.

Julie is known to Texas music fans both as a singer/songwriter and as an a cappella vocal stylist, and she has been playing and singing music all her life. Julie is classically trained, boasting a 3-octave vocal range, and is equally at home in rock venues and concert halls. Julie’s solo career can only be described as “eclectic.” Formerly the lead vocalist for various pop bands, this versatile singer and keyboardist has performed in venues and at festivals all over the United States. In addition to playing and singing her own compositions, Julie is skilled in both the western vocal style and in the style of traditional Vietnamese music. She is also noted for her a cappella performance of the National Anthem at many military and community functions.

Glen Silver

Director

Dr. Glen Silver, a chiropractor for 30 years, created with his wife, Dr. Ana Cobian-Silver, Silver Health Center in Richardson, Texas. It is a holistic healthcare center for all people with the goal of improving one’s health, well-being, and life through natural methods. In addition, Glen is a faculty member at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, training senior chiropractic interns at his office.

Outside his chiropractic practice, through observing how stress may affect people on many levels, Glen created a company providing stress intervention programs for the corporate workplace.

For most of his life, Glen’s passion has been music. Following formal music education, he played sax in many Dallas-based bands for years. Currently, one of his sons is a professional sax player in New York.

Adam Sinkus

Director

Adam Sinkus is a podcast host, entrepreneur, marketer, speaker and creative thought leader based out of Southwest Florida.

For over ten years, Adam provided training leadership, operations management and quality within the call center environment. In late 2019 Adam joined Elevare, a digital marketing agency, assuming the operations side of the business.

Towards the end of 2020, Adam used his creativity to partner with Walkabout Workplace and build a truly virtual Co-working space call Co-Work Hub Virtual. Co-work Hub Virtual is designed to bring together consultants, freelancers, virtual business owners, and solopreneurs together to create a community around the work they love.

In early 2021, Adam took over Elevare’s sister company, My Roofer SEO. Maximizing his knowledge of team building, customer experience, marketing and brand management, Adam is strategically building the company around the trades industry.

Edgar Sotelo

Chair, Education Committee

Business professional and entrepreneur. Noted artist and community advocate. Devoted family man. This is Edgar Sotelo.

Born in Durango, Mexico, Edgar came to the United States, studied English for two years and then attended Texas Tech University where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Food Technology. His business career has spanned multiple experiences in the food and beverages industry. Currently, Edgar is president of Southwest Packaging Solutions, LLC in Dallas. In the business community, he serves as board treasurer of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

As an artist, Edgar creates vibrant images that allow one to experience American Heritage past and present. His accurate depictions in his paintings show what life was like for the pioneers, Native Americans, and present-day cowboys. Edgar strives to preserve history and to share his love for the west.

Most recently, Edgar has been awarded the 2015 distinguished alumni award from Texas Tech University – College of Animal and Food Science. He is being honored with his first one-man show at the National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University. His paintings have garnered national attention through his award-winning placements at the Phippen Western art show and sale at Prescott, Az; Cowboy Artists of America Joe Beeler memorial scholarship award; Red River Valley Museum, Vernon, Texas; Western States Horse Expo, Pomona, California; and the Bosque Art Classic, Clifton, TX.

He has been the featured artist at premiere events such as “America’s Horse in Art” at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, the National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech, ” Trappings of Texas” at The Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross University, 2015 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association at their national convention,

He lives in Sulphur Springs, Texas. He and his wife, Michelle, have La Joya Quarter Horses, where they raise a few reining/cutting prospects. They have three artistic daughters who hope to follow in their father’s footsteps.

Letty Lopez Spicer

Director

Creative. Connected. Charismatic. Letty Spicer combines her passion to engage and give back to the community with an unbounded spirit in every activity she undertakes.

Currently, Letty is serving as a board member of Friends of the Katy Trail in Dallas. She is chair of the Annual Support Campaign; participated in the Katy 5K Run Committee, the Board Development Committee and is liaison with the National Charity League volunteer. Letty’s other community activities include being a founding member of the National Charity League Silver Star Chapter; Precinct Chair (Park Cities), Dallas County Democratic Party; founding member of Highland Park Kids Read and a member of the Junior League of Dallas.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Letty received her BBA Finance from Texas A&M University and her MBA Marketing & Management from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Letty and her family reside in South Padre Island while maintaining a residence in Dallas. Her pastimes revolve around running, reading historical fiction and gardening.

Paul Adelson

Director

Paul Adelson lives his life continually recreating creativity that makes the world unique and individuals who are never forgotten. Paul’s creativity has spanned diverse initiatives throughout his life.

Paul moved to Dallas from Minnesota in the mid-1980’s and launched Select Art, a very contemporary art gallery featuring hand blown glass, abstract paintings, 3-D wall pieces, photography and specialized in large, free standing outdoor sculptures. He marketed his art works to large corporations and hospitals successfully for 34 years. Paul became known as “The Art Guy” as he was always contacted when clients opened a new facility or did an expansion.

For Paul, helping his artists make a living and creating wonderful public spaces was and has always been a joy. He believes that this comes naturally and is inherent in his DNA. Working with AIR, Paul has a keen interest in education and helping young artists succeed.

Staff

Susan Morrow

Executive Director

Susan Morrow brings 25+ years of experience in reputation management and strategic communication activities. She has owned her own firm, Morrow & Associates Reputation Management in Richardson, where she currently resides. Susan holds a degree in English and communications from Georgia State University and a master’s degree in developmental psychology from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.

As a strong advocate for diversified community participation, Susan has focused her volunteer efforts on business, education, health care and arts initiatives. For five years, she served on the marketing committee for the Tech Titans Awards, sponsored by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce’s Metroplex Technology Business Council (MTBC). Susan served on the board of directors for Richardson’s North Texas office of Junior Achievement; was a member of its executive committee as chair of the Awareness Committee and was a volunteer teacher for the organization. In addition, Susan was a member of the Women and Heart Health committee for the American Heart Association, Dallas and chaired its annual luncheon. With a love for music and singing, Susan joined The Contemporary Chorale in 2019.

Susan is an advocate for missing children, and wrote a book, published in 2014, Unbreak My Heart: Meeting My Children as Strangers. For ten years, she was a consultant for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children where she managed multiple teams of twenty-plus volunteers on each team.