Staff - Discovery Green

Discovery Green Staff

Kathryn Lott

President & Park Director

Kathryn Lott brings to her role as Discovery Green Conservancy President two decades of unique experience in nonprofit administration and event production. Her experience makes her uniquely qualified to connect, nurture and cultivate communities through the arts, wellness and urban green space.

She has worked for prestigious organizations like Southern Smoke Foundation, Houston Grand Opera, Society for the Performing Arts (now known as Performing Arts Houston), and the Children’s Museum of Houston. In 2014 she co-created Lott Entertainment, where she managed and executed large-scale projects and events primarily for nonprofit organizations including Discovery Green, University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, Baylor College of Medicine, Legacy Community Health, East End Chamber District and more.

Jose Leal

Chief Operating Officer

Leal has over 20 years’ experience in nonprofit management including roles at renowned Houston institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Botanical Garden and the Memorial Park Conservancy. He holds degrees from Rice University and University of Houston-Downtown and certificates from Leadership Houston, Central Park Conservancy Institute for Urban Parks, the FMA institute and Rice’s Leadership Institute for Nonprofit Executives Program. Leal oversees the day-to-day operations of the park and works with Lott to maintain the fiscal health of the organization, implement new administrative strategies, and optimize the overall efficiency of the workplace.

Susanne Theis

Artistic Director

Susanne Theis is the Artistic Director for Discovery Green. From 1983 to 2007, she served as the first executive director of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, where she helped to develop the Orange Show as an important place in Houston’s cultural landscape, create the Art Car Parade, acquire the Beer Can House and list The Orange Show on the National Register of Historic Places. Theis has curated several exhibits including <i>Wind in My Hair</i> at the American Museum of Visionary Art in Baltimore. In 2007, she became the first programming director for Discovery Green, a singular park formed by a public private partnership that opened in April 2008 in downtown Houston. At Discovery Green, she and her team have created a nationally recognized dynamic program of 600 art, entertainment, healthy living and family events.

Clark Curry

Operations Director

Clark came to Discovery Green in November 2007 with 13 years of experience in the landscape industry and 14 years of experience in municipal park development and management. He started just as construction of the park was finishing up. He is one of many staff members that has his own paver near the Interactive Fountain stating, “He Was Here In The Beginning”. He earned a BS in Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University. Through the State of Texas he holds a license to practice Landscape Architecture. Over the years he has held certifications as a Certified Playground Safety Inspector, Certified Pool Operator, Licensed Landscape Irrigator and Certified Professional Turfgrass Manager. When not at work, Clark enjoys renovating homes and working in his yard.

Elaine Dillard

Programming Director

Elaine Dillard is a proud, fourth-generation Houstonian, who has skillfully woven a life defined by her dedication to art, advocacy, and community development. Before accepting the Programming Manager position at Discovery Green, Elaine was a guiding force behind the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art as its Strategic Partnership and Event manager since 2010. Her role extended beyond event coordination, encompassing the orchestration of impactful relationships that help fuel our thriving arts scene. She has done so through nurturing local artists, as well as forging key community and corporate partnerships. Elaine‘s devotion to community development radiates via her many diverse engagements. She has been instrumental in creating Houston spaces were art forges deep connections with audiences for transformative experiences.

Jenna Lindley

Development Director

Jenna Lindley is an accomplished development professional with extensive experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, and event management. Prior to joining Discovery Green as Development Director, she served as Manager of Individual Giving at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where she led initiatives that generated more than $2 million annually. Her career also includes development roles in Washington, D.C., at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Cato Institute, giving her a strong foundation across both the arts and nonprofit sectors. Jenna holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, an MA in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and a BA in History of Art from Vanderbilt University.

Frankie Ortega

Marketing Director

Frankie Ortega moved to Houston the same year Discovery Green opened in 2008 and cannot imagine the city without it. Discovery Green is where she learned about the Houston’s live music, arts and culture. As director of marketing, she loves telling the story of Discovery Green and shining a light on the diversity of arts and traditions that exist in Houston. Her favorite thing to do is talk with artistic people about what drives them to create. Originally from New Mexico, she did her undergraduate work at the University of New Mexico and earned master’s degrees in journalism and Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as a journalist before joining the Conservancy.

Louis Adame, Operations Crew Chief

Veronica Adame, Operations Crew Member

Carol Bolen, Finance Associate

Guadalupe Davila Jr., Site Supervisor

Ernesto Flores, Operations Crew Member

William Flowers, Park Manager & Facilities Maintenance

Ferdinand Garrett Jr., Operations Crew Member

Nathalie Hamaker, Internal Operations Manager & Executive Assistant

Courtney Hines, Production Coordinator

Adig Kasem, Security Liaison

Miguel Montes, Operations Crew Member

Nicolas Martinez, Marketing Coordinator

Jennifer Roberson, Data Administrator

Maria Roque, Operations Crew Member

Candace Sigust, Events Manager

Julien Trevino, Operations Crew Member

Floyd Willis III, Production Manager

Sheilla Wright, Programming Coordinator

Weddings

Festivals

Corporate Events

Fundraisers

Small Gatherings

Product Launch