The Austin School for the Performing and Visual Arts is a place for students to pursue artistic excellence while celebrating creativity, community and service.
We believe that creative self-expression has a profound effect on the intellectual growth of children, developing a standard of excellence and self-confidence that will affect all aspects of their lives.
We believe in the unique ability of the arts to capture imaginations, motivate excellence, and illuminate the world from a new perspective.
We believe that all talented children in the Austin area should be supported in following their performing and visual arts dreams regardless of their socio-economic status.
We believe that motivating our children to participate in performing and visual arts will grow support for the arts in Austin and improve our community as a whole.
We believe that ASPVA is a place that affirms the worth of all students.
Our Board of Directors
Carol de Cárdenas
Executive Director
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With a passion for education and giving back, Carol de Cárdenas founded ASPVA, where she works as executive director, and has served thousands of students from all socio-economic backgrounds in the greater Austin community. Carol is the recipient of the 2017 Austin Woman’s Way Award presented by Austin Woman magazine for Business of the Year.
She has been an educator since 1986 and has teaching and administrative experience in elementary and secondary education, undergraduate and graduate studies. From 1999–2001, Carol served as board director and public relations chair for the Lake Travis Education Foundation. She continues to be involved in planning fundraising events for student scholarships and other charitable organizations. Carol earned a B.S. in elementary education with a specialization in reading from Texas A&M University and received an M.Ed. and Certification in mid-management from the University of Houston. She has also received ESL (English As A Second Language) and GT (Gifted and Talented) certifications.
Juanita Budd
President
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Combine tenacity and loquaciousness, and you have Juanita Budd. Serving as the Project Director for Equus Workforce Solutions, Juanita takes on challenging responsibilities providing overall leadership, management, and strategic direction. She manages 11 workforce systems in 14 counties with 220+ employees. An analytical thinker and consensus builder she manages multiple departments and budgets upwards to $18.3 million.
Juanita is a master fundraiser, professional, and skillful negotiator. Her impressive background as the Executive Director for Austin Free- Net (AFN) is evident as she raised over $3. She also has served as Human Resources Director, Vice President of Programs, and the Chief Operations Officer for the Girls Scouts. In addition, Juanita has received awards & recognitions including presenting at SXSW -March 2014 on Digital Inclusion and Gigabit speed in Austin. She served as a panelist at the Digital Inclusion Conference in Texas hosted by Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune. In 2014,Juanita was recognized by the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce as one of the Hidden Figures of Austin. In 2017, she was featured in the Inaugural Edition of “Achievements in Black Austin” and earlier in Austin Woman magazine. Juanita earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Bucknell University- Lewisburg, PA and an MBA from Huston Tillotson University. After more than 30 years of service, Juanita has retired to serve as a Realtor in the DFW area showing luxury homes.
Laura Mack
Treasurer
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Laura Mack is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Accounting and Finance for Crestline Hotels and Resorts. Prior to Crestline, she has worked for over 25 years in various finance and accounting roles, for organizations including American Campus Communities, Trammel Crow Residential, Sunrise Senior Living and the Public Interest Registry (PIR), where she served as controller. Laura graduated from Austin College in 1998 with a B.A. in Business, and a minor in Spanish. In addition to her garden plot in the local community garden, Laura enjoys volunteering for various organizations.
Betsy Hudson
Secretary
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Betsy Hudson is a former member of the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company’s “Met Too,” award-winning member and captain of the Houston Texans Cheerleaders, choreographer for NFL dancers, music video and live performance choreographer for ZAYRA, and former dance instructor and learning coach at ASPVA. She has studied under choreographers such as Liz Imperio, Steven Boyd, and Dorrell Martin, and danced for Jazz Dance World Congress. Betsy graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Public Relations from Sam Houston State University, where she served as captain of the dance team. During this time, the SHSU dance team was presented with the College Dance Team National Championship in 2005. In 2008, she also established a successful dance program for the Catholic Charities After-School Program for Refugee Children. Betsy continues to dance and serves numerous charitable organizations including ASPVA, The Center for Child Protection, and CC4C. She lives and loves the arts in Austin with her husband and children.
Jason Rios
Director
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Jason Rios serves as Corporate Counsel for Procurement in Global Financial Services for Indeed. Previously, Jason served as Director of Legal Services at American Campus Communities. Jason supported ACC as an internal legal counsel, advising on strategic initiatives, contract drafting and negotiation, legal issue resolution, corporate policy review, and other legal support as needed. Prior to joining ACC, Jason worked for an Austin law firm with a focus on national product liability litigation. During law school, he worked at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, serving as a legal intern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio and the Federal Public Defender. Jason graduated with a B.A. in Government from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and received his law degree from The University of Texas School of Law.
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board provides ASPVA valuable insight and best-practices advice to ensure the continual provision of a high-quality program for all our students.
Scott Rice
Scott Rice is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and commercial director whose clients include Mastercard, Subway, Vegas Tourism, Shell, Sears and the American Heart Association. He’ s worked with talent like Glenn Close, Brett Favre and Matthew McConaughey with whom he co-teaches a film course at the University of Texas. He is the owner and executive producer of Two Shot West Productions.
Jordan de Cárdenas
Jordan de Cárdenas is a producer and editor for award-winning brand films, television, and commercials. He leads the creative direction for branded content with over one billion ad impressions annually. Jordan is the founder and executive producer of Ritual Cinema Studios.
Dr. Christopher Adejumo
Associate Professor of Visual Art Studies/Art Education at the University of Texas at Austin. Adejumo is the founder and Director of the Greater Tomorrow Youth Art Program in Austin, and the Youth Summer Art Program at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the recipient of the 2004 J. Eugene Grigsby Jr. National Award for outstanding and continuous contributions to multiethnic art education, given by the National Art Education Association.
Dr. Matthew Hinsley
Founder of the Austin Classical Guitar Society and award-winning tenor and classical guitarist. Dr. Hinsley attended the Interlochen Arts Academy, and received a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin Conservatory of Music at the age of 20. Two years later he received a Master of Music from the University of Texas at Austin, where he also completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in 2003.
Sally Jacques
Artistic Director, Blue Lapis Lights, Choreographer and Performer
Nancy Hoover
Artist, Teacher and Artistic Director for local charities. Collections appearing in galleries nationwide and featured in the Smithsonian Institute’s catalog.
Trey Gillespie
Senior Workers Compensation Director for Property Casualty Insurers. Trey Gillespie received a B.A. from Rice University in 1974 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas in 1977.
Laura Keith
Former Superintendent, Moody ISD and Clear Lake High School Principal, Clear Creek ISD
Mindy Sitton
Former Coordinator of Administrator Development and Support for Region XIII Education Service Center and Director of School Improvement Initiatives for Texas Education Agency
Kim Cousins
Founding ASPVA Board member, former Director of School Operations and Principal of Dripping Springs High School
Francesca Lockhart
Former ASPVA board member and board Vice President; cybersecurity and website management
Our Faculty
CLIFF MILLER
THEATRE
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Cliff Miller is an actor and educator based in Austin, TX. He works in theatre, film, and voiceover. Some of his most rewarding acting work has been with Only Make Believe, Inc. in New York City where he performed interactive theatre for children in hospitals. As a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), he has published research on speech and performance of dramatic text. He received his B.A. in Theatre from Southwestern University and his M.F.A. in Acting from the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University. Additional training includes the People’s Improv Theatre, Competitive Edge Voice Training, and Knight-Thompson Speech Work. Cliff is a part-time Assistant Professor at Southwestern University and faculty member of The Actor’s School. His weekends are spent playing music in the Hill Country.
ANN CICCOLELLA
SHAKESPEAREAN THEATRE
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As Artistic Director of Austin Shakespeare, Ann Ciccolella has led the company to stage free Shakespeare in Zilker Park annually, as well as a Young Shakespeare teen company that performs at Richard Garriott Replica of Shakespeare’s Curtain theater. At the Long Center’s intimate Rollins Theatre, Ciccolella has directed more Shakespeare, plus Tennessee Williams, Oscar Wilde, Tom Stoppard, and Jane Austen. As an acting coach, she has taught online for teen students all over the U.S. She also has led Theater classes at UT Austin and St Edward’s University.
Ciccolella returned to New York in 2013 to direct and produce a half-million dollar production of a new adaptation of Ayn Rand’s Anthem off-Broadway at the Baryshnikov Arts Center. She is often found in Central Texas classrooms, bringing professional actors to work with students in 5th grade and up.
With an interdepartmental degree in Dramatic Literature, History of Theater and Cinema from New York University, Ciccolella also has served as Managing Director for Zach Theatre where she directed: Cabaret, The Vagina Monologues, Closer, Master Class, and Misery.
NICOLAS LEON
MUSIC
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Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Nick Leon began playing music at the age of six, and began composing in his teenage years. Leon received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music for bass, and proceeded to receive his degree in performance and songwriting. During his time at Berklee, he studied under renowned musicians such as Victor Wooten, James Genus, Livingston Taylor, Steve Bailey, Kenwood Dennard, Danny Morris, David Buda, and many more. Leon also formed his own project during his time in college called Lick Neon, a group of musicians from all over the world that released a full length LP, with all of the songs written by Leon, which now has a total of 1.7 million streams. The band toured in 2019 to play SXSW. Upon graduating from Berklee, he toured the country with popular Texas rock combo Acid Carousel, nominated for multiple Dallas-area music awards. Leon enjoys teaching music and is proficient in guitar, piano, bass, drums/percussion, saxophone, and vocals. He also is well-versed in jazz music theory, ear training, tonal harmony, counterpoint, arranging, and conducting.
CHARLIE MAGNONE
MUSIC
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Dr. Charlie Magnone is a musician based in Austin, TX. Primarily a keyboardist, he performs often in solo, collaborative, and interdisciplinary capacities. He also works as a songwriter, producer, engineer, arranger, and teacher. Charlie studied piano performance at Syracuse University, where he received his B.A., and The Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where he received his M.M. and D.M.A. degrees. In addition to his work at ASPVA, Charlie maintains a small private teaching studio, co-directs Fast Forward Austin, a non-profit dedicated to the presentation of contemporary music, and tours regularly with Parker McCollum.
Arnold Yzaguirre
GUITAR
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Arnold Yzaguirre is a classical guitarist performer and teacher. He is an active solo and ensemble performer from small to large concerts with audiences of 1,000+. Arnold is the founder of classical guitar duo, Duo Cantabile. He has performed in several master classes with Philip Hii, Douglas Rubio, Adam Holzman, and Pasquale Rucco. One of the highlights of his career thus far is being a part of Austin Classical Guitar as the current event manager, where he works with 30,000 classical guitar patrons annually. He is also an artist for Austin Lullaby Project, a professional collaboration with Austin Classical Guitar and Carnegie Hall Weill Institute. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, biking, building furniture with reclaimed wood, watching movies and lots of live music. He currently teaches classical and flamenco guitar styles and techniques in Austin at ArnoldYzaguirre.com.
Gustavo Manzur Jr.
MUSIC PRODUCTION
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Gustavo Manzur Jr. is a multi-talented artist known for his exceptional skills as a virtuoso pianist, guitarist, songwriter, and award-winning musician. His innovative contributions to various artistic projects have solidified his reputation in the industry. Having collaborated with legendary figures like Morrissey, Alain Whyte, and Ira Antelis, Gustavo’s name is synonymous with musical excellence and versatility.
Born and raised in a musically rich environment, Gustavo inherited a deep passion for music from his South American family. From a young age, he showed remarkable aptitude for music, mastering multiple instruments and displaying an innate gift for composition. His eclectic style draws inspiration from diverse genres, blending elements of rock, Latino, classical, and world music to create a unique and captivating sound.
Gustavo’s journey in the music industry has been marked by collaboration and experimentation. He has lent his talents to numerous bands and projects, showcasing his versatility as a musician. Whether performing on stage or in the studio, Gustavo brings a dynamic energy and creativity to his craft, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music. With his boundless creativity and unwavering dedication to his art, Gustavo Manzur Jr. continues to inspire audiences around the globe, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry and beyond.
WILLIAM F. REED
CINEMATIC ARTS
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William F. Reed is an independent filmmaker living in Austin. He began his career in Los Angeles, working on studio film projects including Star Trek and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, and with live network TV presentations including the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Academy Awards.
In 2010, Reed helped establish the Hill Country Film Festival in Fredericksburg, Texas, where he serves as Technical Director and Film Programmer. He has also programmed the Lone Star Film Festival in Fort Worth, and the international Victoria Film Festival in British Columbia, Canada. He teaches high school summer film camps at Hill Country Film Festival’s Film Society and at the Lone Star Film Society, and is a faculty member at the Austin School of Film. He maintains an award-winning boutique production company, producing short films, music videos, and commercials, and recently wrapped his first feature film.
Shelly Tharp
VISUAL ARTS
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Shelly Tharp is an art educator and Austin-based ceramicist. Originally from Colorado, she has spent most of her life in Central and South Texas. Tharp graduated from Baylor University, and is a potter and self-taught multi-media artist who has worked with students of all ages. The majority of her education career has been spent in high school art. She was a leader within her school district and helped to implement their choice-based curriculum to serve students with a wide variety of backgrounds. Additionally, Tharp introduced the AP College Board Studio Art program to the district, and successfully worked with students in Drawing, 2D design, 3D design and Art History to achieve college-ready scores on their portfolios and tests. Tharp has been an active regional director and juror with the TAEA Visual Art Scholastic Event for over 10 years. Her personal art practice involves her own pottery business, where she incorporates her love of nature and her interest in encaustic painting, watercolor and mixed media-collage with her first love, clay.
Kate Bass
MUSIC PROGRAM DIRECTOR
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Kate Bass is an internationally recognized singer, songwriter, and creative leader who has performed on stages from Carnegie Hall to Broadway, as soloist with the New York Philharmonic, and in Emmy-, Grammy-, and Tony Award–winning productions. She was featured on the Grammy-nominated SONY release Untold, appeared in the Broadway and PBS-aired revival of Carousel with Kelli O’Hara and Jessie Mueller, and her voice and compositions have been heard in award-winning works at major international film festivals from SXSW in Austin to Milan and Venice. Kate serves as a teaching artist in addition to her role as the music program director.
Kelley Glover
WORLD MUSIC DRUMMING
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Dr. Kelley Glover earned a bachelor’s degree in music education from Howard University, a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music, and her doctorate in School Improvement from Texas State University. She has over 25 years of teaching experience and was teacher of the year at Round Rock ISD’s Ridgeview Middle School in 2006. Her children’s choirs have performed for the Kennedy Center Honors television awards show and have recorded with the group Sweet Honey In the Rock. She is the creator of a children’s music literacy cartoon and sight singing game app called “U BETTER Sing!” which were rated as the #1 Best Selling New Release for DVDs/Games on Amazon from their premiere date of December 2015 to February 2016. She has appeared as a featured speaker on the PBS show “Blackademics.” As a vocalist, dancer, and actress, Kelley has performed onstage with Denzel Washington, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Bonnie Rait, Kris Kristofferson, and has opened for Pat Benatar with the Omar Lopez Band. Kelley also does voiceover work and can be heard on local and regional radio commercials. Her original reggae music is played regularly on KAZI 88.7 FM.
Born and raised in a musically rich environment, Gustavo inherited a deep passion for music from his South American family. From a young age, he showed remarkable aptitude for music, mastering multiple instruments and displaying an innate gift for composition. His eclectic style draws inspiration from diverse genres, blending elements of rock, Latino, classical, and world music to create a unique and captivating sound.
Gustavo’s journey in the music industry has been marked by collaboration and experimentation. He has lent his talents to numerous bands and projects, showcasing his versatility as a musician. Whether performing on stage or in the studio, Gustavo brings a dynamic energy and creativity to his craft, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music. With his boundless creativity and unwavering dedication to his art, Gustavo Manzur Jr. continues to inspire audiences around the globe, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry and beyond.
Kimberly Pollini
CHOIR
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Kimberly Pollini started singing and playing Gospel music at the age of 5. She has toured as a classical soloist in Europe and performed at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas, TX with legendary jazz vocalist and lyricist, Jon Hendricks, and the University of North Texas One O’ Clock Jazz Band. Her recording & stage experience ranges from: the country styling of Bruce Robison at the Austin City Limits Festival; South by Southwest (SXSW) with Alejandro Escovedo; the unique folk singing of Sara Hickman; to the classic soul of The Memphis Train Revue; and the choral sound of The Women's Chorus of Dallas. With the latter group, she was featured as a soloist at the Meyerson Symphony Center with Maya Angelou & Mary Wilson (of The Supremes) benefiting The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Kimberly Pollini is certified as both a choir director and music teacher for all grades and levels and has taught multi-level music classes both privately and publicly for several school districts in Texas. In addition, she performs locally and abroad with Caboose, a multi-faceted variety band and the jazz duo, 18 Karat Plum, both based in Austin. With over 20+ years of teaching experience, she is thrilled to have the privilege of teaching students to cultivate their own passion and creative flow through music education and performance!
Our History
2006
School founded. Community Outreach program began and included Music, Dance, Theatre and Visual Arts
2010-2022
Full-time accredited academic program with emphasis on the arts offered. Genres included Singer-songwriting, Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Cinematic Arts. During this time, ASPVA had 8 National YoungArts winners, the highest honor a high school student can earn in this exceptionally competitive contest. Additionally, graduates were accepted in the top colleges and conservatories in the nation and most on scholarship such as Savannah College of Art and Design, The Juilliard School, Berkeley College of Music, The Royal Ballet, and University of Texas in Austin
2024- ongoing
First Annual Texas Youth Music Festival held in collaboration with Bee Cave Arts Foundation
Coming fall 2025
One Nation Youth Choir begins with the top singers in grades 6-12 from the greater Austin community
Community Outreach
One Nation Youth Choir