Boards and Leadership

BOARD AND LEADERSHIP MEMBERS OF HMH

Gary Weisserman, Chief Executive Officer

Gary Weisserman joins Holocaust Museum Houston with more than 32 years of professional experience in K-12 and higher education and administration, having worked in Jewish day schools, public schools and universities. From 2018 to 2025, he served as Head of School at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Chicago, one of the largest and most established K-8 community Jewish Day Schools in the United States.

A Michigan native, Weisserman’s extensive experience includes serving as Head of School at Milken Community Schools in Los Angeles from 2013 to 2018, the Chief Academics Officer at Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach, Florida from 2011 to 2013 and the Head of School at Oakland Early College in Oakland County, Michigan from 2007 to 2011. Previous administrative positions include Director of Early College and K-16 initiatives at the University of Michigan-Flint and Program Director of the Interactive Communications and Simulations Group at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Previously, Weisserman taught at the University of Michigan, West Bloomfield Public Schools and Southfield Public Schools. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature and a Master of Arts in Educational Studies, Educational Administration from the University of Michigan.

Weisserman and his wife, Dr. Dolly Kerin Weisserman, have two adult children.

Elyse Spector Kalmans, Board Chair

Elyse Spector Kalmans is the 20th board chair and the first third generation Holocaust Survivor to hold this position since the Museum opened its doors in 1996. Spector Kalmans is the granddaughter of Holocaust Survivor Naomi Warren. She has been a longtime member of HMH, served on the Museum’s Board as a Trustee and chaired HMH’s Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Moral Courage Award Dinner.

Spector Kalmans earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. She began her career at Chase Manhattan Bank, later working in brand management for The Pillsbury Company and The Coca-Cola Company. Spector Kalmans held the position as a director at Enron before founding Kalmans & Loebl, LP, a public relations and marketing firm. She later worked for Jewish Family Service as an employment services manager.

Spector Kalmans is a board member of Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the Anti-Defamation League. She has held numerous community and chair positions with Congregation Emanu El, Goldberg Montessori School, The Kinkaid School, Syracuse University, the Junior Leagues of Houston, Minneapolis and Evanston-North Shore and the National Charity League, Bayou Villages Chapter.

A distinguished volunteer, Elyse Spector Kalmans was named Congregant of the Year 2020 by Congregation Emanu El. She was also a recipient of the 2017 Faith and Humanity Award from National Council of Jewish Women, the 2010 Barbara Falik Young Leadership Award from Jewish Federation of Greater Houston and the 2003 Young Leadership Award from TORCH.

Elyse Spector Kalmans resides in Bellaire with her husband Lewis Kalmans. They have three adult daughters.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

VICE CHAIRS

TRUSTEES

BOARD OF ADVISORS

EX-OFFICIO

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM FOUNDATION

Board of Directors

Members of the Holocaust Museum Houston Board of Advisors can be reached by calling 713-942-8000, ext. 100, or by e-mailing info@hmh.org.

PAST CHAIRS CIRCLE

^ 3rd Generation Survivor