Thea Foundation Staff
Nancy Martin, Executive Assistant
Before arriving at Thea Foundation, Nancy Martin had 25 years experience working with nonprofits, most recently 15 years with Argenta Community Development Corporation as an Executive Assistant and 10 years in Corporate Development at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center as a commercial artist. She holds a B.A. in Graphic Design and Illustration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with more than 20 years experience in graphic design, art production and art direction in the related advertising, public affairs and marketing fields. Nancy is an active artist and is a signature member and current Education/Exhibits Chair for the Arkansas Pastel Society..
Ginny Porter, Director of Communications
Ginny is a native of Batesville and graduate of the University of Arkansas. After spending a few years in Washington, D.C., she returned to Little Rock to begin a fifteen year career in marketing and communications in the world of environmental conservation with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and The Nature Conservancy. She shifted focus from nature to arts and joined Thea Foundation in 2021. A self proclaimed “nature nerd,” she spends much of her free time attempting to teach her son about birds, wildflowers, and reptiles.
Nick Leopoulos, Executive Director
After returning to Central Arkansas from the east coast, Nick Leopoulos worked in an administrative capacity at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre while freelancing with several area arts organizations generating new ideas for programing and crafting visual identities. Nick holds a B.F.A. in Photography and a M.A. in Arts Administration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Nick served as the Assistant Director of the Thea Foundation from 2011 to June 2019.
Paul Leopoulos, Co-Founder
Paul Leopoulos is the co-founder and former executive director of the Thea Foundation, named in honor of his daughter, Thea Kay Leopoulos. To date, the Thea Foundation has awarded close to $2 million in scholarships to Arkansas high school seniors gifted in the arts, distributed more than $1 million in art supplies to underfunded schools and implemented many programs that provide creative experiences for Arkansas's youth. Paul’s previous work experiences include personal counseling in the college and private sectors, speech therapy and many years of experience in computer technology.
Jennifer Owens, Director of Development
Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Arkansas Bowen School of Law and a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where she was a member of Chi Omega Women’s Fraternity. During her career, she has clerked at the Arkansas Supreme Court for two Chief Justices, been a director of education, and the Central Arkansas Marketing Coordinator and Manager for Metabolic Research Center. In Jennifer’s free time, she enjoys volunteering and giving back to the community where she was raised and lives. She has served on numerous boards and was a member of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce Greater Leadership of Little Rock Class XXV.