Asia Society Texas Center Welcomes First-Ever Education Director and New Head of Marketing and Communications
Staff Additions of Michael Buening and Joy Partain Point to Asia Society’s Growing Reputation as Regional Leader
HOUSTON, February 28, 2018 — Asia Society Texas Center announces the appointment of Michael Buening as Asia Society’s first-ever Director of Education and Outreach and Joy Partain as ASTC’s new Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing and Communications.
“Michael and Joy are both extremely accomplished and we’re excited to leverage their experiences and achievements,” says Bonna Kol, Asia Society Texas Center President. “We also know the Houston community is hungry for high-caliber cultural education programs and with the addition of a full-time education director, we can meet that need and develop top-tier educational initiatives.”
Michael Buening
About Michael Buening
Michael joins Asia Society from the China Institute in America (in New York), where he managed the global We All Live in the Forbidden City initiative. He also oversaw professional development for educators, workshops for children, and large-scale events for families and the general public. As the Institute’s Director of Public Programs, he developed a diverse array of forward-thinking programs showcasing leaders in Chinese arts, business, education, and culture. Michael holds a B.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and he is currently a candidate in the Executive Master of Public Administration program at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Joy Partain
About Joy Partain
Joy Partain is a recognized leader in the Greater Houston community’s civic and philanthropic scene, with nearly two decades of experience in public relations, crisis management, corporate philanthropy, brand management, and government affairs. She is known for creating targeted philanthropic initiatives from scratch and vastly increasing media coverage for non-profit and for-profit companies. She has led teams at Houston Grand Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Amegy Bank, and the Kroger Co. She is a frequent guest lecturer on corporate philanthropy and cause marketing, and she is a Leadership Houston Class XXXIII fellow.
About Asia Society Texas Center
With 12 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.