About TAFF

Loretta’s interest in theater began in middle school in an effort to overcome extreme shyness. After graduating from Nederland High School, she worked in a song and dance revue at AstroWorld in Houston, Texas.

She started her studies in theater at Southern Methodist University and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater form Florida International University in Miami. Loretta dedicated her life to Christ in 1985 and started studying the Spanish language. She took several mission trips to Mexico where she sang, played guitar, and performed puppets for summer VBS.

She met her husband, Rick, on a Mexico City mission trip planning meeting. Having acquired an Elementary Texas Teacher Certificate, she went on to obtain a bi-lingual endorsement.

Loretta participated in the choir and worship team of Grace Covenant Church. She wrote and performed a monologue on Esther and has been in various drama venues at the church. Loretta loves people and sharing the Good News through friendship evangelism. She thanks God for the opportunity to be part of His plan in the Austin community through TAFF.

Laurinda became a TAFF board member in the summer of 2009. She earned a Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Texas in 1986 and has stayed in Austin ever since. She has been a member of Reel Women and is a current member in good standing of the Austin Film Society.

Laurinda has eagerly participated in the GAP acting workshops and the GAP Actor’s Alliance Group. She has written several scripts used in Grace’s Covenants Women’s ministries and retreats. And she was thrilled to appear in many Church related sketches and as the main character in a grief counseling music video for Christian counselor and artist Deb Sewell entitled A Picture of Hope. The film was a selected entry in 2009 at The ATTIC FILM FEST.

In addition to her drama work, Laurinda has led many women’s small groups, couples studies, and has worked in the children’s ministry teaching at Grace for the better part of 17 years. For the past several years she has been working with the Children’s Drama and Grace Covenant drama ministries.

She is married and has two wonderful kids. Laurinda feels blessed to be used by God to reach others through acting, drama, and plays.

Originally from southern Connecticut, Jamee graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Theatre. She has since gone on to complete a Masters Degree and a doctorate also in Drama. She feels blessed to have continually worked in the theatre world in Austin for over seventeen years. She has enjoyed directing such shows as Brighton Beach Memoirs, Wings, Shadow Box, Godspell, Grease, The Crucible as well as many other classics and original productions. She was a long time Theatre instructor for both AISD and Austin Community College and is the author of a text on beginning acting titled, The Process of Acting: The Beginning Steps.

Jamee is also an active participant in the Austin film industry producing and directing a documentary called Swimmer Girls, a short called The Story of Grace, and serving on the board of Reel Women, a local non-profit organization for women in the film and video industry. Jamee was excited to debut Swimmer Girls at the Reel Women showcase at SXSW.

In her off time, she tries to keep up with her active family in the pool, at the beach, on the slopes, and supporting the San Antonio Spurs. Jamee would like to thank God for the opportunity to serve on TAFF.