JANE WEINER (FOUNDER & PRESIDENT)
"You matter. We all matter. The magical power of the arts reinforces these words inside of us.”
Jane established Hope Stone, Inc. in 1997 with a dream to unlock the innate creativity of children and adults through the arts. After graduating from Bowling Green State University with a degree in deaf/elementary education and a minor in dance, Jane worked with the Doug Elkins Dance Company in New York City for a decade-plus of dancing and touring before her move to Houston in 1996. A year later, Jane founded Hope Stone, which consisted of two main projects – the modern dance company Hope Stone Dance and the creative arts outreach program The Hope Project. In 2023, Hope Stone Dance performed its final show, and the organization moved to its next phase of being solely an arts education organization.
In her free time, Jane enjoys gardening, meditating, fostering dogs, taking care of her dog Beatrix Grace and two cats Houston and Riley, and spending time with her awesome husband Eric.
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.
BETHANY LOGAN (PROGRAM COORDINATOR)
Bethany is a dancer, choreographer, teaching artist, adjudicator, 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher, and Certified Personal Trainer. She graduated from Ohio University (OU) with a BFA in Dance & Choreography and a Minor in Psychology. After graduating, Logan spent a year in Mumbai, India, where she danced with Navdhara India Dance Theatre and provided holistic dance classes for women and children living in the Red Light Area. Logan then moved to Brooklyn, NY where she performed professionally and founded contemporary dance company, Wild She Dances.
Bethany is the former Studio & Company Director of The Brooklyn Dance Centers, and former Company Manager & Teaching Artist with Dancewave, with whom she taught in public schools throughout NYC. During the pandemic, Bethany taught at multiple schools in Ohio, where she had the honor of serving as Associate Artistic Director for the Gary Geis Dance Company, her alma mater.
After relocating to Houston, TX in 2021, she continued to perform and choreograph professionally and began working as a Teaching Artist with Hope Stone, teaching creative arts dance education to underserved, intergenerational communities. In the summer of 2024, Logan moved to Austin, TX and transitioned into Teacher Mentorship and Program Coordinator positions with Hope Stone.
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.
