A B O U T U S
Our Board and Advisory Members
Catholic Literary Arts Board Members
Larry W. Massey, Jr., Chairman
Mrs. Sarah Cortez, President and Founder
Gabino Cortez, Treasurer
Maria King Illich, Secretary
Archbishop Emeritus J. Michael Miller, Chaplain
Elisabeth Belton
Matthew Boyleston, Ph.D.
Mrs. Lesley Clinton
Ms. Fran Fawcett Peterson
Gonzalo A. Ramos
Laura Rolo
National Advisory Board
Mrs. Cathy Garcia-Prats
Joshua Hren, Ph.D.
Mary Ann B. Miller, Ph.D.
Joseph Pearce
James Matthew Wilson, Ph.D.
Larry W. Massey, Jr.
Larry W. Massey, Jr. is president and trustee of The Scanlan Foundation and serves as Chairman of the Board of Catholic Literary Arts. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the San Jose Clinic and Cathedral High School, as well as serving as President of the Board for the Texas Sacred Arts Society. A long-time devout Catholic, Mr. Massey is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Serra Club of Houston. He has long been a leader in Catholic circles in Houston, Texas, where he previously served on the Board of Directors for the University of St. Thomas and as the Chairman for the Houston Philanthropy Circle and the Vocation Ministry Board. As a valued member of his community, Mr. Massey has received many awards, notably the Metyko Award as outstanding Serran of the Year in 2013 for his work with Serra Clubs of District 10. He also received the Champion for Vocation Award at the Vocation Ministry gala in 2019.
Catholic Literary Arts Board Members
Elisabeth Belton
Elisabeth Belton currently serves as an Accelerated Early Reading Outcomes Education Tutor with YES Prep Schools and previously worked with the Children’s Learning Institute at UTHealth Houston, where she worked directly with elementary students to strengthen reading and comprehension skills through evidence-based literacy programs. Mrs. Belton’s professional background includes experience in consulting with Andersen Consulting, as well as roles in human resources with Cellcor, GTE Directories, and Texas Commerce Bank. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. Mrs. Belton is a Sustainer of the Junior League of Houston and has been actively involved in her children’s schools and community organizations. Her volunteer leadership includes serving on the board of St. Thomas More School, co-leading the Care Team for the Strake Jesuit College Preparatory Mothers’ Club, participating on the St. Agnes Academy Annual Fund team and supporting various activities at Western Academy, and was one of the founding families. Her experience spans program support, grant writing, fundraising, and volunteer coordination, reflecting a longstanding commitment to service and leadership. Mrs. Belton is also a Dame in both the Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Matthew Boyleston
Matthew Boyleston holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Houston, an M.F.A. from the University of South Carolina, and an M.B.A. from Houston Baptist University, including foreign study in the UAE and India and induction into the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. He earned his B.A. in English and Philosophy Magna Cum Laude from Furman University, with membership in Phi Beta Kappa, and has pursued advanced study at Oxford University's Wycliffe Hall and Birkbeck College, University of London. His administrative career includes service as founding Dean of the School of Fine Arts, Associate Provost for Academic Technology, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, and Chair of the Department of English. He has chaired the university's QEP Implementation Committee and served on its Strategic Planning and Endowed Scholarship committees, bringing direct experience in budgetary stewardship and institutional governance. Dr. Boyleston has founded and directed public-facing literary programs, including the HBU Annual Writers Conference and HBU MFA Retreats, drawing nationally recognized writers such as Dana Gioia and Bret Lott, and has chaired university marketing and communications committees. His work sits at the intersection of faith and letters: he has taught for Catholic Literary Arts' youth writing programs, contributed a chapter on Christian literary ethics to an Institute for Christianity and Ethics volume, published numerous poems and essays in peer-reviewed journals and presented on faith and poetry at conferences including the Windhover Writers Festival. He has twice been nominated for the Piper Professor Award, Texas's highest teaching honor.
Lesley Clinton
Lesley Clinton is an Instructional Coach and English Department faculty at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory with twenty-five years of experience in education. She served as Chair of the English Department from 2023 to 2026, overseeing curriculum development, advancing instructional initiatives, managing the departmental budget, and mentoring faculty. She also served as Director of Catholic Literary Arts’ High School Writers Institute from 2022 to 2026 and continues to support the organization’s educational mission through strategic planning and program development. Mrs. Clinton holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of St. Thomas, as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching from Grand Canyon University. In 2025 she received Strake Jesuit’s MagisAward for Excellence in Teaching. In addition to her work in education, Mrs. Clinton has extensive experience in editorial and communications work, having served as Editor of The Chronicle of Strake Jesuit, as a freelance editor and writer for Catholic publishers, and as faculty editor of Strake Jesuit's student literary and visual arts publcation, InkwellMagazine. Her writing has received multiple awards from the National Federation of Press Women, as well as recognition from the St. Austin Review Poetry Prize and Houston Poetry Fest. Her poetry, essays, reviews, and criticism have appeared in publications including Dappled Things, Presence Journal, Modern Age, The Windhover, and Christianity & Literature.
Gabino Cortez
Gabino Cortez is a retired Deputy Chief with a distinguished career of almost forty years in public service with the Houston Fire Department. He served in the following Divisions: Fire Suppression, Emergency Medical Services, and Fire and Explosion Investigations. He was police chief of the Fire and Explosion Investigation Division with responsibilities under the Houston Fire Department. As Chief, he oversaw 70 investigative personnel and 8 administrative staff with almost $30 million annual budget. He received multiple Life-Saving Awards during his career as firefighter and was the top graduate of both his Fire Academy and Police Academy training. He is a graduate of the University of Houston Fire Science Degree Program, a program which he co-founded. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and Chancellor of his Council.
Sarah Cortez
Sarah Cortez, president and founder of Catholic Literary Arts, is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and Fellow of the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, and the Virgina Center for the Creative Arts. Her awards and honors are numerous, including the PEN Texas Award in Poetry, Southwest Book of the Year, Skipping Stones Honor Award in Children’s Literature, numerous first and second prizes awarded by the National Federation of Press Women in the categories of Specialty Articles, Verse, and Personal Essay. She won numerous awards from Press Women in Texas in categories of both creative writing and journalism. She also won the first prize in editing from the National Federation of Press Women. She has 17 published books, and her poems, essays, book reviews, interviews, and short stories are anthologized and published in journals, such as Southwestern American Literature, Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, Rattle, The Sun, New Verse Review, Literary Matters, and many others. Recently anthologized in The Saint Mary’s Book of Christian Verse, she was a contributing editor for Catholic Arts Today and is the international arts columnist for St. Austin Review. She writes for National Catholic Register and Texas Catholic Herald. She is a developmental editor for several publishers, and is founder and president of Catholic Literary Arts, a national community of faith-filled educators and writers dedicated to furthering creative writing skills. Her most recent books published are The Living Fire: Contemporary Catholic Writers for the Classroomwith co-editor Lesley Clinton (Wiseblood Books, 2025). She founded and curates the popular radio features “Poetry For Your Soul” broadcast through the Guadalupe Radio Network.
Archbishop Emeritus J. Michael Miller, CSB
Archbishop Emeritus J. Michael Miller, CSB, is a distinguished Catholic leader, educator, and theologian who has served the Church in Canada, the United States, and the Vatican. Born in Ottawa in 1946 and ordained to the priesthood by Pope Paul VI in 1975, he earned advanced theological degrees from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and became recognized internationally for his scholarship on the papacy, Catholic education, and modern papal teaching. Archbishop Miller shares deep ties with us here in Houston, where he joined the faculty of the University of St. Thomas in 1979. During nearly two decades of service, he served as professor of theology, chair of the Theology Department, dean of the School of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary, vice president for academic affairs, and, finally, president of the University of St. Thomas, helping shape generations of Catholic leaders and students in the region. In 2003, Pope John Paul II appointed him Secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education and elevated him to the episcopacy. He later served as Archbishop of Vancouver from 2009 until his retirement in 2025. During that time, he worked with many in the Archdiocese to expand ministries, strengthened Catholic education, and established new programs for clergy formation. Today, he continues to serve on numerous educational and charitable boards, including the Board of Directors of the University of St. Thomas and Chaplain to the Houston Serra Club.
Maria King Illich
Maria King Illich is an educator and author who has been teaching in Catholic schools for almost forty years. In addition to teaching middle school English and creative writing at St. Francis de Sales Catholic School, Mrs. Illich teaches for Catholic Literary Arts in the afterschool writing program. She also serves as the director of the Fearless Catholic Writing Camp each June. She has garnered a Principal’s Award, the Sally Landrum Excellence in Education Award, the You Make a Difference Christo Rey Teacher Award, and membership in Who’s Who Among Teachers. Finally, she is a fully certified catechist for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.
Fran Fawcett Peterson
Fran Fawcett Peterson is an early supporter of Catholic Literary Arts. Her love of communication, as seen in words, theater, music, and all the arts, led to a successful career as a broadcast journalist. Besides lending a hand to many charities, Ms. Peterson has served as president of the Houston Symphony League, Friends of The Mother and Child Foundation, Inc., and the Press Club of Houston. She is a member of the Charity Guild of Catholic Women and a Dame of Malta.
Gonzalo A. Ramos
Gonzalo A. Ramos is a Houston-based nonprofit and organizational leader with experience in marketing, project and program management, strategic planning, communications, data analysis, administration, and organizational development. He currently serves as Director of Marketing for Catholic Literary Arts, supporting marketing strategy, communications, outreach, and public engagement. Gonzalo has also served in the corporate sector as a Data Analyst and Program Manager, managing regional and national projects from planning through implementation and evaluation. His work included data analysis, process improvement, resource and financial management, risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, and developing strategies to improve organizational efficiency and outcomes.
He serves as Artistic Director of the Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. He developed and oversees the Joy of Singing Vocal Performance Scholarship, a Houston-based undergraduate scholarship supporting students. As Artistic Director of the Bravura Concert Series, Gonzalo leads all aspects to support the series’ continued growth and community outreach. A frequent presenter and workshop leader, he provides professional development and formation for musicians, ministry leaders, and parish communities throughout the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and nationally. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Galveston-Houston Chapter of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. Gonzalo holds a Master of Sacred Music from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Houston, with a minor in Marketing and Business from the C. T. Bauer College of Business.
Laura Rolo
Laura Rolo is the Director of Instruction and Professional Development for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education with a specialization in Early Childhood from Fort Hays State University, and a M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. After 12 years as a classroom teacher, Mrs. Rolo transitioned to curriculum development and instructional coaching at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD’s central office. After four years, she began the journey of school leadership, devoting the next 15 years to the role of assistant principal, also in Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. After 27 years in public education, Mrs. Rolo successfully integrated her love for education and her Catholic faith into her current role at the Catholic Schools Office. During this time, through committee work, she has had the privilege of assisting Catholic Literary Arts establish and grow the Archdiocesan Middle School Sacred Poetry Contest for Catholic school students. Throughout her career, she has been active in her home parish of Prince of Peace Catholic Community.
Catholic Literary Arts Advisory Board Members
Cathy Garcia-Prats
Cathy Garcia-Prats is the founder of Bosco Publishing and co-author of Good Sons Don't Just Happen (2009), Good Marriages Done Just Happen (2000), and Good Families Don't Just Happen (1997) along with her husband. The mother of ten sons, Cathy, has appeared on national television many times to talk about her and husband's intentional approach to raising a Catholic family. Her speaking career is both national and international.
Joshua Hren, Ph.D.
Joshua Hren, Ph.D. is co-founder and Assistant Director of the Honors College at Belmont Abbey. He served as long-time editor of Dappled Things: A Quarterly of Ideas, Art, and Faith, and is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Wiseblood Books. Joshua has published scholarly articles in such journals as Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, poems and essays in First Things, an academic book entitled Middle-earth and the Return of the Common Good: J.R.R. Tolkien and Philosophy, and a collection of short stories, This Our Exile, which received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Christianity and Literature Awards. He is co-director of the M.F.A. Graduate Program in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX.
Joseph Pearce
A native of England, Joseph Pearce is Director of Book Publishing at the Augustine Institute, editor of the St. Austin Review, series editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions, senior instructor with Homeschool Connections, and senior contributor at the Imaginative Conservative. He has hosted two 13-part television series about Shakespeare on EWTN, and has also written and presented documentaries on EWTN on the Catholicism of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Mary Ann (Buddenberg) Miller, Ph.D.
Mary Ann (Buddenberg) Miller, Ph.D. is a professor of English at Caldwell University in Caldwell, New Jersey, a small Catholic liberal arts and pre-professional university in the Dominican tradition. She is editor of St. Peter’s B-list: Contemporary Poems Inspired by the Saints (Ave Maria Press, 2014), a collection of over 100 poems, written by 70 poets from across the USA, and founding editor of Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, an international professional print publication, appearing annually. She received her Ph.D. in English literature from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, and her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas.
James Matthew Wilson, Ph.D. has published nine books, including The Hanging God (Angelico, 2018) and Some Permanent Things, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded (Wiseblood, 2018). He is the recipient of the 2017 Hiett Prize from the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture; his poem, “On a Palm” appeared in Best American Poetry 2018. and his work as a poet, critic, and scholar has been awarded various distinctions by the Conference on Christianity and Literature, the Catholic Press Association, America magazine, and Dappled Things magazine. Wilson serves as poetry editor of Modern Age magazine, the series editor of Colosseum Books, of the Franciscan University of Steubenville Press, and as the director of the Colosseum Summer Institute. He was associate professor of Humanities and Augustinian Traditions, at Villanova University. He is presently director of the M.F.A. Graduate Program in Creative Writing at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX.
James Matthew Wilson, Ph.D.