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TTAO Board of Directors
The following people are currently serving on the TTAO Board of Directors. Click here to contact the Board directly.
Jerry Ivins
TTAO Chair
Jerry Ivins is in his 19th year as an instructor at San Jacinto College Central and 18th year as the Artistic Director of Theatre and Film. He has also served four years as the Chair of the Art/Speech/Journalism departments, and one and a half years as Interim Associate Dean of Fine Arts and Language Arts. Dr. Ivins received his A.S degree from Paris Junior College, B.A. and M.A. degrees from U. of H., and his doctorate from Texas Tech. He has directed and/or cast over 400 films, commercials, and plays. He served 8 years on TETAAO Committee on Academic and Production Standards, 6 years on the TETAAO Administrative Committee, State Theatre Curriculum Committee, 2 years on UIL’s Advisory Committee, and was the Convention Director for TETA’s TheatreFest in 2007, 2009 and again as Co-Convention Director in 2015. In addition to serving as a U.I.L. OAP adjudicator and contest manager for 21 years, he has also been asked by the State League office to train contest managers at TETA. Dr. Ivins is currently TTAO Adjudicator Administrative Committee Chair Elect, Chair of the Adjudicator’s Standards and Practices Committee and was the Texas Chair of the Kennedy Centre American College Theatre Festival for three years. Dr. Ivins was recently honored as SJCC’s Outstanding Faculty, Minnie Piper nominee and awarded Distinguished Faculty in 2014. You may contact him at: jerry.ivins@sjcd.edu
Kathy Harvey
TTAO Treasurer-
Kathy has been a part of the one-act play process as a student, director, clinician, contest manager, and adjudicator for nearly 25 years. She holds an M.A. in Counseling and English, and a B.A. in Theatre/Radio-TV-Film. Her directing experience includes junior and high school theatre, OAP, and community theatre. She has also served as a coach and judge for UIL Prose & Poetry, CX-Debate, and Extemporaneous Speaking. She is a CEDFA trainer; a member of TETA; and currently serves as Treasurer-Elect of TTAO. Kathy is an Education Specialist for Region 9 Education Service Center in Wichita Falls where she is responsible for training for teachers and students in the areas of Fine Arts, GT, College Readiness, and ELAR. You may contact her at kathy.harvey@ttao.org
Ezekiel Morgan
TTAO Director-at-Large
Ezekiel Morgan has worked with UIL for more than 25 years, judging on all levels including State. Ezekiel graduated from the HSPVA in Houston and received his BA from Prairie View A & M University with an emphasis on acting/directing and a MA in Counseling and Education Leadership.He studied abroad at Williams University with The Williamstown Theatre Festival.Ezekiel received several accolades in theatre from acting to directing to producing. Among the honors; Ezekiel was the Winner of the Prestigious Irene Ryan award (ACTF) National Winner; winning 3 out of 4 awards at the Kennedy for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. He has been a guest director for several productions in and out of the state of Texas. Ezekiel is the Founder and Artistic Director of UTAKE -1 Productions. As founder and Artistic Director of Utake -1 he continues to strive and “Create Worlds that No one knew existed .He has performed off- Broadway and has worked with/coached such people like Billy Dee Williams, Darius McCreary, Tracy Ellis Ross, Tyler Perry, Dion Graham, Roger Reese, Countess Vaughn, Thelma Hopkins, Vivica Fox, Dana Reed, Nicholas Martin and the list goes on. Ezekiel served as a Committee member on the Standards and Practice of Adjudication and currently on the Board of Directors of TTAO. Mr. Morgan's Motto is "Taking Talents to the next level of Perfection". You may contact him at: ezekielm@yahoo.com
Rachel Mattox
TTAO Treasurer-Elect/Historian
Rachel's background includes: MFA, Directing, University of Houston; BFA, Theatre Education, Acting/Dance concentration, University of Texas, Austin. Actress/Dancer w/ International Theatre Ensemble, Berlin Germany, and with Ashland,Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Theatre teacher/director for over 30 years: Taylor H.S. in Katy I.S.D.; Spring Branch H.S.;St. Agnes Academy; Hempstead H. S.; University of Houston. 11 plays taken to state meet 3 champions, 2 others placed. Conducted many acting/directing workshops for TETA; former UIL OAP Advisory Committee member and chair. 2005 High School Educator of the Year for TETA. Recipient of Sponsor Excellence Award (Denius) from UIL. Director for High School Theatre Workshop at University of Texas; Professional and Community Theatre actress and director in the Houston area for many years, including currently. Rachel is the current Treasurer of Texas Educational Theatre Association. Term ends January, 2017. You may contact Rachel at: rachelmattox@comcast.net
Mark Pickell
TTAO Chair-Elect
Mark Pickell has participated in the OAP process as a student, director, and judge at every level of the competition. As a director he appeared at the state meet twice, placing 2nd in 2004. He also appeared twice at the state meet as a student. He was honored to serve as a critic judge at the State One-Act Play Competition in 2010.He holds a BFA with honors from Southwestern University in Georgetown.He is a member of the TETA Adjudicators Organization's Standards and Practices Committee as well as the UIL Advisory Committee. He has acted and directed professionally in Houston and Austin.He has received both a B Iden Payne Award and an Austin Critics' Table Award for his directing in Austin.He currently serves as Artistic Director for Capital T Theatre in Austin, Texas. You may contact him at: markpickell@gmail.com
Alison Frost
TTAO Communications Director
Alison currently serves as Associate Professor of Theatre for the Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi. She’s an advisor and dramaturg for the Harbor Playhouse in Corpus Christi and graphic designer for the Mad Dog Theatre Company in New York City. She currently serves as Communications Coordinator for the Association of Theatre for Higher Education (ATHE) TLA Interest Group. She’s directed over 200 plays and musicals at the professional, collegiate, and high school level--including 4 one-acts that competed at the UIL State 5A Division. She holds an an MFA in Directing from Florida State University, an M.Ed from Sam Houston State University and a BFA in Directing/Design from Baylor University. She was also certified in the inaugural Contemporary Theatre program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 2016, she was awarded Outstanding University Educator from the Texas Educational Theatre Association. You may contact her at: secretary@ttao.org
Robin Robinson
TTAO Director-at-Large
Robin Robinson is the Theatre Director at Grayson College and has had the privilege to work in both educational and regional theatre. Professionally, Robin directed for a decade in Houston at Main Street Theatre, Stages Repertory, and Theatre LaB Houston. She has also directed in Austin at Capital City Playhouse and Hyde Park Theatre. Robin worked as an assistant stage manager at the Alley Theatre in Houston and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, CA. Although Robin has enjoyed working in the regional world, her first love has always been teaching. She has taught college since 1996 and taught high school for 10 years. She has served on the One Act Play UIL Advisory Committee, AO Standards and Practices Committee, and as Secretary of the Adjudicator's Organization in TETA. She has been a UIL adjudicator since 1989 and has judged at all levels including both State and Region. She is a member of Who's Who for Outstanding Educators and was the 2014 TETA Educator of the Year for Community Colleges. You may contact her at: robin.robinson@ttao.org
Travis Springfield
TTAO Past-Chair
Travis Springfield graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Acting from Texas State University in 1991. He has been involved with educational theatre for the last 22 years as a classroom teacher, director, clinician, contest manager and judge. Mr. Springfield has adjudicated at all levels of competition including multiple state contests. He worked with the UIL OAP each of the nine years he taught theatre and has advanced to every stage of the contest including three trips to the State competition with a State Championship in 1997. He currently works as the lead counselor at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, is an adjunct professor for the University of Houston summer Master's program for theatre educators and recently served on the Board of Directors for the Art Schools Network. You may contact him at: tspringf@houstonisd.org
Cathy Huvar
TTAO Communications
Director-Elect
Taught speech and drama at Wharton County Junior College for fifteen years and was theatre director for ten years. She holds a BS in Theatre from Southwest Texas State University and a MA in Theatre from Stephen F. Austin State University. Cathy has taught and directed theatre on the high school, junior high school and college levels for 40 years she has been a critic judge for nearly 30 years having judged at all levels. Cathy is currently working in Katy ISD. You may contact Cathy at: Cfhswt@yahoo.com