NELDA YAW BUCKMAN

Nelda’s delight is her family and friends, 4 very large dogs, her art studio, and a life motto that “successful people make other people successful.”
Likes: Fireplaces on a cold night, friends and family eating around the table, birds and their songs, doing nothing, the aroma of molten encaustic wax, picking blackberries
Dislikes: Tail gaiters (don’t push), trash next to (but not in) the trash can, the phrase “We’ve never done it that way before.”

Nelda is the founder and CEO of NELDA Studios, and with her guidance, it has become a prominent player in the education, art, and technology worlds. Her commitment to promoting creativity and education in the arts is evident in NELDA Studios; various projects, including “Muraling Austin”, to premiere on PBS Austin; the creation of the Buckman Center at the University of Texas at Austin; various documentaries and the productions on and off Broadway, such as Tony-nominated The Prom, for which
Nelda was a co-producer. Before founding NELDA Studios, Nelda was a speech pathologist and special education teacher. She has taught in public and private schools and is a seasoned home educator. Nelda and her husband Karl are also adoptive parents who have experienced the joys and challenges of a blended family. These experiences led Nelda and her husband Karl to become involved in philanthropic work focusing on ending human trafficking and supporting its victims, as well as the support of foster children. Towards that goal, NELDA Studios has collaborated with foster care nonprofit Austin Angels and BandAid School of Music to launch "A Chance to Rock," a new nonprofit program that provides music lessons and instruments to children in foster care.

Nelda's dedication to promoting creativity, diversity, and access to the arts has established her as a visionary leader. Her ability to bring diverse groups of people together and her commitment to positive change has created a legacy that will inspire artists and audiences for years to come.