Board of Directors and Founders
Hallet Oak Foundation Incorporated Supporters
Officers – All Volunteer
2016 -2018 Founders and Board of Directors
Mieko Mahi, Founder/Executive Director/Community Development. Mieko has a BA in Visual Arts from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a freelance photographer for the past 27 years in the energy industry and she is owner of EnergyImages.Com, LLC., an oil and gas stock photo agency. Mieko’s passion is bringing the art education workshops in Downtown Hallettsville and is determined to bring in more variety for youths and senior citizens, as well as, work on revitalization projects through art and culture.
Linda Cejka, Founder, Chairman and Director. Linda Cejka is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University with a Master of Business Administration degree focusing on Marketing. Linda’s BA is in English Literature and Psychology Minor from the University of Texas at Austin. Her skills also include advanced computer technology and is currently working as Tour Coordinator for schools. Linda with her zest to promote art advocacy is determined to make a difference to a large rural area by achieving grants and developing new programs that will touch the lives of children and senior citizens.
Claire Scoggin, Founder/Treasurer/Curriculum. Claire Scoggin, retired in 2014 from the Houston Museum of Natural Science as Director of the Wiess Energy Hall. Claire taught 7th grade Texas history for 27 years. Claire’s passion is Ecology & Energy Science Education and continuing education in schools using art and tools to make learning about history, sciences, and art and she’ll use her skills to bring art curriculum to the community. Graduate of University of Texas at Austin, Secondary Education specializing in English and Social Studies. She is a curriculum specialist.
Betty J. Edwards, M. D., Founder/Board Secretary/Philanthropist. Dr. Edwards graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology in Houston, TX. She speaks English and Spanish. Dr. Edwards is benefactor to the Hallet Oak Gallery and owner of the historic Kahn & Stanzel Building in addition to other buildings downtown. Her passion is to continue supporting cultural arts in downtown Hallettsville, sponsoring Christkindlmarkt Downtown Hallettsville, and preservation of historic buildings.
2015 - 2017 Past Board Member: Alice Vickers, Founder/Past Chairman/Administration/Present Docent. Alice attended Sam Houston State College with an emphasis on Business and Art. Retired in 1999 from ExxonMobil as an Executive Administrative Assistant, Alice is an active member of many Texas art institutions. Alice is focused on making a difference to the community and doing what’s necessary to support art education. She continues to support the Gallery as a docent and patron.
Advisory Board
Harley Fisk, Event Advisor, Operations Manager. Harley Fisk. Harley is retired with experience in the hospitality industry where he was honored as the Texas Chef of the year and wrote for several regional and national publications. He has extensive experience in chemical management having rewritten most of the company’s quality assurance manuals. He holds a BS degree in Biology from the State University of New York at New Paltz and is a veteran of the US Army Special Forces. His goal is to focus on improving the lives of those living in or visiting the community.
Sue Pritchett, S.T.E.A.M Advisor. Sue Pritchett, works for Ikon Science Americas in Business Development. Pritchett received her BS, Petroleum Engineering degree from The University of Texas at Austin. She's dedicated to support arts in Hallettsville among her many science technology, engineer, art, and math interests (STEAM). Her passion is in supporting and promoting artists, songwriters, live music performers as well as young scientists. Her other charity is the regional Science and Engineering Fair of Houston for junior and senior high students. She adores the historical architectural community that supports neighborly and safe places.
2015 - 2018 Past Operations: Aaron Riske, Present Volunteer. Born with Spinabifida, Aaron Riske never let the difficulties of his paraplegic lifestyle get in the way of driving and volunteering. His daily affirmation is to not look at his disability as "dramatic", but to go on with his life having a positive attitude. "In my youth, I was fascinated with art because it emphasized the importance to be different. Art has given me an outlet for my imagination to both create art and to become the man I wanted to be". He attended Blinn College in Schulenburg to study teaching and attended Victoria College annex in Gonzales, receiving his medical assistant degree. He finds time to volunteer at the Gaslight Theatre in Shiner and the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts in Victoria. Aaron Riske has been with the Gallery since it opened in July 2015. In 2017, Governor Greg Abbot anointed Aaron Riske as an honorary Admiral in the Texas Navy for assisting in the preservation of the history, boundaries, water resources, and defense of State for his volunteer work.
Principal Attorney
Shakeatha Davis, Business Attorney. The S. Davis Law Group, PLLC. Shakeatha Davis’s practice areas include business law, intellectual property and entertainment law. She currently partners with Houston Galveston Women’s Business Center and Women Business Enterprise Alliance as a legal advisor and is a volunteer attorney for the Texas Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts. Davis earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and her Bachelor of Art degrees in Music and English from Xavier University of Louisiana.
Officers – All Volunteer
2016 -2018 Founders and Board of Directors
Mieko Mahi, Founder/Executive Director/Community Development. Mieko has a BA in Visual Arts from the University of Texas at Dallas and is a freelance photographer for the past 27 years in the energy industry and she is owner of EnergyImages.Com, LLC., an oil and gas stock photo agency. Mieko’s passion is bringing the art education workshops in Downtown Hallettsville and is determined to bring in more variety for youths and senior citizens, as well as, work on revitalization projects through art and culture.
Linda Cejka, Founder, Chairman and Director. Linda Cejka is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University with a Master of Business Administration degree focusing on Marketing. Linda’s BA is in English Literature and Psychology Minor from the University of Texas at Austin. Her skills also include advanced computer technology and is currently working as Tour Coordinator for schools. Linda with her zest to promote art advocacy is determined to make a difference to a large rural area by achieving grants and developing new programs that will touch the lives of children and senior citizens.
Claire Scoggin, Founder/Treasurer/Curriculum. Claire Scoggin, retired in 2014 from the Houston Museum of Natural Science as Director of the Wiess Energy Hall. Claire taught 7th grade Texas history for 27 years. Claire’s passion is Ecology & Energy Science Education and continuing education in schools using art and tools to make learning about history, sciences, and art and she’ll use her skills to bring art curriculum to the community. Graduate of University of Texas at Austin, Secondary Education specializing in English and Social Studies. She is a curriculum specialist.
Betty J. Edwards, M. D., Founder/Board Secretary/Philanthropist. Dr. Edwards graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology in Houston, TX. She speaks English and Spanish. Dr. Edwards is benefactor to the Hallet Oak Gallery and owner of the historic Kahn & Stanzel Building in addition to other buildings downtown. Her passion is to continue supporting cultural arts in downtown Hallettsville, sponsoring Christkindlmarkt Downtown Hallettsville, and preservation of historic buildings.
2015 - 2017 Past Board Member: Alice Vickers, Founder/Past Chairman/Administration/Present Docent. Alice attended Sam Houston State College with an emphasis on Business and Art. Retired in 1999 from ExxonMobil as an Executive Administrative Assistant, Alice is an active member of many Texas art institutions. Alice is focused on making a difference to the community and doing what’s necessary to support art education. She continues to support the Gallery as a docent and patron.
Advisory Board
Harley Fisk, Event Advisor, Operations Manager. Harley Fisk. Harley is retired with experience in the hospitality industry where he was honored as the Texas Chef of the year and wrote for several regional and national publications. He has extensive experience in chemical management having rewritten most of the company’s quality assurance manuals. He holds a BS degree in Biology from the State University of New York at New Paltz and is a veteran of the US Army Special Forces. His goal is to focus on improving the lives of those living in or visiting the community.
Sue Pritchett, S.T.E.A.M Advisor. Sue Pritchett, works for Ikon Science Americas in Business Development. Pritchett received her BS, Petroleum Engineering degree from The University of Texas at Austin. She's dedicated to support arts in Hallettsville among her many science technology, engineer, art, and math interests (STEAM). Her passion is in supporting and promoting artists, songwriters, live music performers as well as young scientists. Her other charity is the regional Science and Engineering Fair of Houston for junior and senior high students. She adores the historical architectural community that supports neighborly and safe places.
2015 - 2018 Past Operations: Aaron Riske, Present Volunteer. Born with Spinabifida, Aaron Riske never let the difficulties of his paraplegic lifestyle get in the way of driving and volunteering. His daily affirmation is to not look at his disability as "dramatic", but to go on with his life having a positive attitude. "In my youth, I was fascinated with art because it emphasized the importance to be different. Art has given me an outlet for my imagination to both create art and to become the man I wanted to be". He attended Blinn College in Schulenburg to study teaching and attended Victoria College annex in Gonzales, receiving his medical assistant degree. He finds time to volunteer at the Gaslight Theatre in Shiner and the Leo J. Welder Center for the Performing Arts in Victoria. Aaron Riske has been with the Gallery since it opened in July 2015. In 2017, Governor Greg Abbot anointed Aaron Riske as an honorary Admiral in the Texas Navy for assisting in the preservation of the history, boundaries, water resources, and defense of State for his volunteer work.
Principal Attorney
Shakeatha Davis, Business Attorney. The S. Davis Law Group, PLLC. Shakeatha Davis’s practice areas include business law, intellectual property and entertainment law. She currently partners with Houston Galveston Women’s Business Center and Women Business Enterprise Alliance as a legal advisor and is a volunteer attorney for the Texas Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts. Davis earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and her Bachelor of Art degrees in Music and English from Xavier University of Louisiana.