Administrative Staff Bios
Liz Salinas | Associate Director of Programs + Performing Arts & Residency Programs
Liz Salinas has been a MECA employee, volunteer and parent for over 30 years. She has over 15 years of acting and directing experience, including performances at Houston’s diverse and respected theater sites, such as Jones Hall, Stages Repertory Theater, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, Alley Theater, Miller Outdoor Theater, and MECA. As MECA’s programs director, she has overseen the expansion of MECA’s In-School, After-School and Summer Arts Programs. Salinas has helped MECA students perform at such noteworthy events as the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2004 Houston Mayoral Inauguration and has organized international MECA performances in Mexico, Northern Ireland, Norway and most recently Vietnam.
Julio López | Ballet Folklorico Director
Julio Lopez was appointed as the Director of the MECA Ballet Folklórico Department in 2005. Born in Ciudad Madero Tamaulipas, he began his artistic studies at the Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes where he studied classical dance with Michael Reznikov in Tampico Tamaulipas. Lopez also attended other state and city institutes like the ITCA in Tamaulipas, ACADEA in Jalisco, and Escuela de Ballet de Amalia Hernandez, INBA in Mexico City where he acquired intensive training in foot work, classical dance, choreography, contemporary dance, and set design. López is an award-winning performer and choreographer with decades of experience. He was formerly the Artistic Director of Ballet Folklórico Umalayapem of the Casa de Cultura in Tampico, Tamaulipas and is a graduate of the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. He continued his artistic studies at Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes de Tampico with Professor Manuel Vargas. His commitment to excellence resulted in his receiving first place awards in various competitions, as well as invitations to participate as a special guest artist in numerous ensembles throughout Mexico. López’s extensive experience and education has provided him with expertise in traditional dances, history, and costumes from the different regions of Mexico, and he is a skilled and enthusiastic teacher.
Ana Medellin | Finance Director
Lizeth Gonzalez | Out of School Time Coordinator & Registrar
Terena Morin | Development Coordinator
Sendy Turcios | Education Coordinator
Sebastian Gomez de la Torre | Graphic Designer
Eddie Garcia | Facilities Manager
Rosa Avalos | Maintenance Supervisor
Jose Alvarado | Dow School Restoration and Maintenance
Liz Salinas has been a MECA employee, volunteer and parent for over 30 years. She has over 15 years of acting and directing experience, including performances at Houston’s diverse and respected theater sites, such as Jones Hall, Stages Repertory Theater, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, Alley Theater, Miller Outdoor Theater, and MECA. As MECA’s programs director, she has overseen the expansion of MECA’s In-School, After-School and Summer Arts Programs. Salinas has helped MECA students perform at such noteworthy events as the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2004 Houston Mayoral Inauguration and has organized international MECA performances in Mexico, Northern Ireland, Norway and most recently Vietnam.
Julio López | Ballet Folklorico Director
Julio Lopez was appointed as the Director of the MECA Ballet Folklórico Department in 2005. Born in Ciudad Madero Tamaulipas, he began his artistic studies at the Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes where he studied classical dance with Michael Reznikov in Tampico Tamaulipas. Lopez also attended other state and city institutes like the ITCA in Tamaulipas, ACADEA in Jalisco, and Escuela de Ballet de Amalia Hernandez, INBA in Mexico City where he acquired intensive training in foot work, classical dance, choreography, contemporary dance, and set design. López is an award-winning performer and choreographer with decades of experience. He was formerly the Artistic Director of Ballet Folklórico Umalayapem of the Casa de Cultura in Tampico, Tamaulipas and is a graduate of the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. He continued his artistic studies at Instituto Regional de Bellas Artes de Tampico with Professor Manuel Vargas. His commitment to excellence resulted in his receiving first place awards in various competitions, as well as invitations to participate as a special guest artist in numerous ensembles throughout Mexico. López’s extensive experience and education has provided him with expertise in traditional dances, history, and costumes from the different regions of Mexico, and he is a skilled and enthusiastic teacher.
Ana Medellin | Finance Director
Lizeth Gonzalez | Out of School Time Coordinator & Registrar
Terena Morin | Development Coordinator
Sendy Turcios | Education Coordinator
Sebastian Gomez de la Torre | Graphic Designer
Eddie Garcia | Facilities Manager
Rosa Avalos | Maintenance Supervisor
Jose Alvarado | Dow School Restoration and Maintenance
Arts Faculty Bios
Keisha Cassel | Suzuki Violin
Keisha Cassel was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She has been performing for more than fifteen years and has the opportunity to study alongside the Cleveland Orchestra, as a part of the Cleveland State University Orchestra, and at the Steinhardt School of Music. She received her BA in Music from Smith College in 2013. While at Smith, she received the Susan Rose Internship for Excellence in Music and used the funds to start a summer community outreach program in her hometown. During that time she was also awarded an International Excellence scholarship from Royal Holloway University of London to study abroad in the fall of 2012. Keisha has studied chamber music (her preferred performance style) with Peter Soloff(Julliard Quartet/Cleveland Institute of Music) and Annie Fullard (Cavani Quartet). Currently, Keisha resides in Houston, Texas and is teaching classical violin at MECA.
Craig Ryan | Voice
Craig Ryan, vocal coach, is a native of Pasadena. He has starred in several of Broadway's finest musicals: Oklahoma, Kismet, The King and I, The Sound of Music, and Man of La Mancha. Mr. Ryan has performed as The Baritone Soloist in Ralph Vaughan-Williams' A Sea Symphony, Bass Soloist in Handel's Messiah, and as Baritone Soloist in Brahms' Requiem. Returning to Houston in 1991, Mr. Ryan performed nightly at The Great Caruso Restaurant until its closure. His vocal philosophy is to encourage students to play with their spoken voice and build a strong foundation with elasticity. Se dice "claro y fuerte" es nunca mal. Craig has been on the MECA staff since 2012.
Jose Camacho | Suzuki Violin
Simeon Beltran |Trumpet
Beatriz Valencia | Mariachi, Armonia
Edgar Cazares | Mariachi, Armonia
Joaquin R.Rodriquez | Mariachi, Violin & Mariachi Infantil
Deanna Simpson-Santiago | Visual Art • In School
Jose Pecina | Inschool
Xavier Tamez | Ballet Folklorico
Mercy Renteria | Flamenco
Paulette Williams | Piano
Michael Martin | Visual Art Instructor
Keisha Cassel was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She has been performing for more than fifteen years and has the opportunity to study alongside the Cleveland Orchestra, as a part of the Cleveland State University Orchestra, and at the Steinhardt School of Music. She received her BA in Music from Smith College in 2013. While at Smith, she received the Susan Rose Internship for Excellence in Music and used the funds to start a summer community outreach program in her hometown. During that time she was also awarded an International Excellence scholarship from Royal Holloway University of London to study abroad in the fall of 2012. Keisha has studied chamber music (her preferred performance style) with Peter Soloff(Julliard Quartet/Cleveland Institute of Music) and Annie Fullard (Cavani Quartet). Currently, Keisha resides in Houston, Texas and is teaching classical violin at MECA.
Craig Ryan | Voice
Craig Ryan, vocal coach, is a native of Pasadena. He has starred in several of Broadway's finest musicals: Oklahoma, Kismet, The King and I, The Sound of Music, and Man of La Mancha. Mr. Ryan has performed as The Baritone Soloist in Ralph Vaughan-Williams' A Sea Symphony, Bass Soloist in Handel's Messiah, and as Baritone Soloist in Brahms' Requiem. Returning to Houston in 1991, Mr. Ryan performed nightly at The Great Caruso Restaurant until its closure. His vocal philosophy is to encourage students to play with their spoken voice and build a strong foundation with elasticity. Se dice "claro y fuerte" es nunca mal. Craig has been on the MECA staff since 2012.
Jose Camacho | Suzuki Violin
Simeon Beltran |Trumpet
Beatriz Valencia | Mariachi, Armonia
Edgar Cazares | Mariachi, Armonia
Joaquin R.Rodriquez | Mariachi, Violin & Mariachi Infantil
Deanna Simpson-Santiago | Visual Art • In School
Jose Pecina | Inschool
Xavier Tamez | Ballet Folklorico
Mercy Renteria | Flamenco
Paulette Williams | Piano
Michael Martin | Visual Art Instructor
