Board of Directors
JENNIE LYN HAMILTON, Executive Director, Marfa, TX
Marfa Live Arts’ director, Jennie Lyn Hamilton has produced documentaries, commercials, and film. Most recently she produced the feature FAR MARFA and the short film MAID. She worked in nonprofit production and communications for health and education causes in Oregon where she was awarded a “Tellie” in 2002 and was “Advocate of the Year” in 2008. She created “Street Teams” a social marketing program that became a national model for reaching low-income parents and children. She has been a professional actor (SAG/AFTRA) appearing in numerous productions for over fifteen years. While serving as Director Jennie Lyn has taken the education programs of the organization to new heights. She has created inventive and impactful annual programs such as the One-Act Playwriting initiative, MISD’s Fall Theater production and Summer Theater Camp. Jennie Lyn joined the Marfa Live Arts board and has served as its leader since 2010.
NINA MARTIN, President, Marfa & Ft. Worth, TX
Nina Martin’s choreography and master teaching have been presented in New York City, the US and abroad including Russia, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Lithuania, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Venezuela, Mexico, and Japan. Performance credits include Lower Left Performance Collective, David Gordon Pick-Up Company, Mary Overlie, Deborah Hay, Martha Clarke, Simone Forti, PBS Dance in America Beyond the Mainstream program dancing with Steve Paxton, Nancy Stark Smith, Lisa Nelson, Danny Lepkoff, and Randy Warshaw. Martin has received funding for her choreography from the National Endowment for the Arts through six choreography fellowships in addition to the New York State Council on the Arts, New York Foundation for the Arts, Joyce-Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Meet the Composer/ Choreographer Grant, Irvine Foundation (CA), Texas Commission on the Arts, and others. She is a founding member of Channel Z (NYC), New York Dance Intensive, and Lower Left Performance Collective. She has served on the faculties of UCLA's Department of World Art and Cultures and New York University’s Experimental Theatre Wing. Presently she is a board member of Marfa Live Arts and associate professor at TCU School for Classical & Contemporary Dance. She completed her MFA (08) and PhD (13) at Texas Woman’s University. Nina joined the Marfa Live Arts Board in 2003.
ROB CROWLEY, Marfa, TX
Rob Crowley is a lighting designer and natural builder living in Marfa, Texas. He has been active in lighting and video production for ten years in music, theater, dance, film festivals and lectures. He is the lighting director for Ballroom Marfa and technical director for Marfa Film Festival as well as robotics mentor for Marfa High School. He received his bachelor and master of science degrees from Texas A&M University. He serves on the board of the Crowley Foundation. Rob joined the Marfa Live Arts Board in 2015.
CORINA FAVELA, El Paso, TX
Cori Vasquez Favela is a Marfa native who graduated from Marfa High School in 1991. Upon graduating, she moved to El Paso to pursue a degree in Communication from UTEP. After graduating from UTEP, she worked in sales and marketing for two minor league baseball teams, El Paso Diablos and San Bernadino Stampede. While in California, she longed to move back to Texas and decided to become an educator. She moved back to Marfa and received her teaching certification and eventually her Masters in Education from Sul Ross. While in Marfa, she became involved with Marfa Live Arts (then Marfa Theatre) and was an English and Theater teacher at Marfa High School. Cori moved back to El Paso in 2004 and is currently an assistant principal at Franklin Ninth Grade Center. Although she no longer lives in Marfa, she visits her parents often and is proud of still being a part of Marfa Live Arts. She is especially fond of Marfa Live Arts' commitment towards the youth of Marfa. Cori is married to Oscar Favela and they have a six year old daughter named Isabel. Cori joined the Marfa Live Arts Board in 2002 and formerly served as its President.
MELISSA KEANE, San Francisco, CA
Melissa Keane brings her talent as a communicator—on stage on off—to her service as a member of the board. From her sixth-grade debut as the Queen of Hearts to her current position as regional manager in an environmental consulting firm, Melissa has managed projects, coordinated office staff, facilitated client relationships, written newsletters, led meetings, raised money and emceed talent shows. Professionally, she has applied her skills as a historian and archaeologist in university teaching, in public speaking, designing museum exhibits and conducting oral history projects. She has authored more than 50 publications. While in Marfa, she participated in five plays at the Crowley Theater in addition to producing the beloved 24 Hour Plays for six years (2006-2011). Melissa joined the Marfa Live Arts Board in 2006.
Margaret Paek is a collaborative dance artist living in New York. A Lower Left artist since 2000, her cooperative and individual work has been presented in Mexico, Europe, and across the United States at venues including Tanzfabrik in Berlin, Joyce SoHo, the Judson Memorial Church, Danspace at St. Mark's Church, and the 2012 Whitney Museum Biennial in NYC. Margaret received her MFA from Hollins University/American Dance Festival, teaches at Movement Research and Manhattanville College, has authored articles for Contact Quarterly and learning to loveDANCEmore, and also serves on Movement Research’s Artist Advisory Council. Margaret joined the Marfa Live Arts Board in 2007.
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