Board of Directors

Nicolas Rangel is a CPA with over 25 years experience leading multidisciplinary finance and accounting teams in various industries, including financial services, oil field services, hospitality, and high technology. Nick was an expatriate in Mexico City for two years and in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for six years. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. Nick also serves as a director of CentroMed, a network of nonprofit community healthcare clinics. One of his five children sings with the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio.

 Lydia Beasley is a freelance soprano and private voice and piano teacher in the San Antonio area. She holds a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, from Shenandoah Conservatory, a Master of Music from Peabody Conservatory, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Alabama. Lydia has performed extensively in recitals, oratorios, and operas throughout the southern and eastern United States. In addition to her performance career, she has over a decade of teaching experience, both in the private studio and on the college level. She is also a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and serves on the Opera Production Committee of the National Opera Association. Lydia sings with the San Antonio Chamber Choir and is a staff singer at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.  As an alum of Mobile’s Singing Children in Mobile, Alabama, Lydia recognizes the importance of high-quality choral music education and its positive impact on children’s lives.

Dr. Betty Harris is a Certified Public Accountant and an Audit Compliance Officer for the Department of the Army. She has a stellar reputation for improving business compliance and processes through detailed audits and initiating optimal corrective actions. She is an Adjunct Professor teaching Financial Accounting at Northwest Vista College. She also owns a small business providing tax and accounting services. Dr. Harris’ passion to serve mirrors God’s desire to bring a plentiful bounty of love, peace, happiness, and joy to children regardless of their economic status.

A native San Antonian who attended Alamo Heights Schools, Nancy Avellar received a B.A. in Latin American Studies in 1975 from Cal Western University, San Diego, CA., and an MA also in Latin American Studies in 1977 from the Universidad de las Americas, Mexico D.F, Mexico.

She has spent the past 31 years being actively involved in her community as a volunteer. Among the organizations she has served are: San Antonio Conservation Society, Military-Civilian Club, Battle of Flowers Association, KLRN Community Advisory Board, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Villa Finale: Museum and Gardens, and The Junior League of San Antonio.

Col. Daniel Badger is the chair person of the Board Resource Committee. He retired after 28+ years of active duty with the USAF. Following his military service, he continued to work with the USAF as a federal civilian, serving as a deputy director at the Air Force Personnel Center from 2009-2017. He led many large initiatives during his time with the Air Force including service-wide restructures and force shaping efforts. Badger received numerous military decorations including the Legion of Merit and civilian awards. He holds degrees from Oklahoma State University (B.S.), University of Oklahoma (M.A.), Air University (M.S.), and recently completed an executive MBA for strategic leadership at the University of Tennessee. Dan also served as the Board Vice President from 2014-2016 and 2019-21.

Liz Forster currently works as a Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist at Methodist Children’s Hospital. She is a proud Texas A&M University Aggie and University of Houston Cougar. As a volunteer with the Junior League of San Antonio, she was a founding member of the Funding Arts and Music Education (FAME) program, which awards grants to high school performing arts programs during its annual FAME Awards Competition. Music has been one of her passions since the ripe age of 3 and she enjoys participating in the Music Together program with her three young children.

William Gokelman is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, where he directs the Cardinal Chorale and Cardinal Singers, teaches vocal coaching, diction for singers, and collaborative piano. He has served as pianist with the San Antonio Symphony, New Jersey’s Pro Arte Chorale, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Texas Choral Directors’ Association, and the New Jersey Opera. William has been a frequent presenter for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), and at NPM’s 2019 national convention, the Cardinal Singers presented the concert “Sacred Choral Music in Spanish/Musica Sacra Coral en Español.” The UIW choirs have also performed in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Tobin Center. William’s compositions, published by Good For The Soul Music, GIA Publications, and OCP Publications, include works for piano, voice, choir, musical theater, and liturgy. His Mass of Renewal, co-composed with David Kauffman, won first place in the 2010 NPM national competition for new Mass settings. William also serves as director of the San Antonio Police Department’s “Blue Line Choir.” He holds degrees from Westminster Choir College and Incarnate Word College.

Melinda graduated from St. Mary’s University with a Master of Arts in International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts in Multinational Organization Studies in Spanish. She is currently attending University of Incarnate Word where she is working towards her Doctorates of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership. Melinda has worked in the financial industry for over seven years and is currently the office administrator for a local wealth management firm. Music and singing have always been present in her life. As a member of the Puerto Rican Youth Choir, she experienced first-hand the community that can be built around music. Currently, she sings in her local church choir and for various retreats.

Warren Halliday is Senior Manager of Data Analytics and Insights at Fidelity Investments.  Warren has a background in singing and is a member of the San Antonio Choral Society as well as United Way Emerging Leaders Council. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and volunteering in the San Antonio community. Warren graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in of business administration with a focus in MIS and a minor in music.

Lauren Phillips is a retired attorney and educator whose passion is helping children discover their talents and gifts and ensuring that all children have access to quality education. She has taught English and French in the Friendswood and Lubbock school districts and worked at two international law firms specializing in administrative law: Pillsbury in San Francisco and Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in San Antonio. Ms. Phillips graduated summa cum laude with a master’s degree in health care administration from Trinity University, San Antonio, and cum laude from University of Houston Bates College of Law. She has served on several non-profit boards in San Antonio including the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio, the Travis Park United Methodist Church Foundation, and ISA Amigos, the support organization for the International School of the Americas

A native of San Antonio, Marcie has over 15 years of experience in developing, implementing, and managing public relations, communications, and marketing initiatives for non-profit, government and public entities; building relationships with community partners, stakeholders, and the media to promote the mission, vision, and values of the organizations she represents. She is a graduate of Incarnate Word High School where she was heavily involved in music and theater programs and received her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications- Public Relations from Texas State University. A passionate animal advocate, avid reader, movie buff and patron of the arts, she enjoys spending her free time with her husband, three rescue dogs and rescue cat, and niece and nephews.

Rob Shaw-Meadow has lived in the San Antonio area since 1986. After a 20-year career with the U.S. Department of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney, Rob has pursued a second career as a play-by-play broadcaster, calling baseball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball for St. Mary’s University and the University of the Incarnate Word. He loves choral music and is a former member of the Madison Square Presbyterian Church choir. Rob and his wife Susan have four children and three grandchildren.