The Faces Behind the Foundation

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 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.

Annie Lindsey serves as Director of Development for Thea Foundation where she leads fundraising strategy and donor relations. As a daughter of a public school art teacher and mom of a current LRSD student, the importance of Thea Foundation's mission is close to her heart. With a deep passion for visual and performing arts, working to promote creative exploration for young artists through Thea Foundation programming is a dream. Annie has spent the past two decades working in the non-profit sector both professionally and as a volunteer. She holds a BA in English from Sewanee: The University of the South.

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, serves on the Argenta Community Development Corporation Board of Directors and is a signature member and current President of the Arkansas Pastel Society.

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.