Jane Weiner (Founder & Education Director)
"You matter. We all matter. The magical power of the arts reinforces these words inside of us.”
Jane founded Hope Stone, Inc. in 1997 with a vision to unlock the innate creativity of children and adults through the arts. With a degree in deaf/elementary education and a minor in dance from Bowling Green State University, Jane spent over a decade in New York City dancing and touring with the Doug Elkins Dance Company before relocating to Houston in 1996. A year later, she founded Hope Stone, which initially included two main projects: the modern dance company Hope Stone Dance and the creative arts education outreach program, The Hope Project.
In 2023, after more than two decades of performances, Hope Stone Dance held its final show, and the organization shifted its focus to become a dedicated arts education nonprofit. Now as Education Director, Jane leads The Hope Project, ensuring students are empowered through an education in the arts and creative emotional intelligence.
In her free time, Jane enjoys gardening, meditating, fostering dogs, and spending time with her husband, Eric, and their pets.
Amy Pearl (Executive Director)
Amy joined Hope Stone in 2009 and has over twenty years of nonprofit leadership experience with a focus on arts education, fundraising, and strategic development. With a degree in Modern Dance Performance from the University of the Arts and a certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of Pennsylvania, she has worked at the prestigious performing arts center New York City Center, where she led the Young People’s Dance Series, impacting over 5,000 students across NYC. She transitioned into fundraising as Director of Events, managing the organization’s first million-dollar Annual Gala, before continuing in a similar role at City Parks Foundation as Special Events Director, overseeing diverse fundraising benefits across all five boroughs of New York City.
At Hope Stone, Amy combines her passion for the arts with her leadership experience, guiding the organization’s growth and strategic direction. Outside of Hope Stone, she is a published writer whose work has appeared in print and online.
Gayla Miller (Education Consultant–SEL)
Gayla Miller, M.Ed., joined Hope Stone in 1997 as a theater teacher and stage manager. She now consults on the organization’s creative emotional intelligence curriculum, shaping how social emotional learning (SEL) is integrated into The Hope Project and training teaching artists in SEL techniques.
With a Master’s degree in counseling education, Gayla developed a curriculum based in foundations of neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness that builds emotional intelligence skills. She is a keynote speaker and educator, working with colleges, arts organizations, schools, businesses, and private clients.
Her creative approach is informed by over 20 years of working in professional theater, producing, performing, and educating.
Elizabeth Drake (Social Media/Creative Content Coordinator)
Elizabeth combines her background in dance, marketing, and communications to help amplify the mission of Hope Stone through meaningful outreach and digital engagement. Originally joining Hope Stone as an intern in 2019, she has worked closely with the organization’s leadership to create engaging social media content, and promote programming that empowers others through the arts.
Elizabeth earned her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications and Journalism with a minor in Dance Choreography from Texas A&M University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Marketing at Texas A&M University. Her professional experience spans nonprofit arts organizations, higher education, athletics, entertainment, and media.