Meet the Staff

Jane Lewis, Executive Director

Lewis assumed her new role on June 11, 2012. She brings a wealth of valuable experience to the position. She has been a volunteer at Villa Finale since September 2010; currently serves as the president of the board of directors of the Monte Vista Historical Association, the largest historic district in Texas; and is a member of the San Antonio Conservation Society. Additionally, Jane serves on the Historic District Design Guidelines Advisory Committee and the Historic Districts Council of the San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation.

Prior to joining the National Trust, Lewis served as Vice President of Outsourcing and National Director of Sales for IKON Legal Document Services, where she worked for 15 years.  At IKON her responsibilities included profit and loss ownership, business planning, revenue generation, staffing and management.  As a consultant, she has developed productive sales and operating structures for diverse organizations, including legal services outsourcing providers.  Among her interests, Jane enjoys world travel, collecting rare books and on the culture and history of the Southwest, art and architecture.


Education: Bachelor of Science in Art, Master of Arts in English; Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, Texas.  Graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin in Literature, Spanish and Comparative World Religions.
Click here to email Jane Lewis

Orlando is a native of San Antonio.  From 1999 to 2007, Orlando bravely served our country in the United States Marine Corps in Iraq.  His work background and experience includes residential construction and commercial landscaping.  When not tending to Villa Finale’s buildings and grounds, Orlando enjoys outdoor activities such as gardening, running and biking, as well as learning about history, photography and cooking.  Orlando has been with Villa Finale since April, 2009.

Education: Horticulture, Palo Alto College, San Antonio, Texas
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Lisa Fragoso, Office Coordinator

Lisa is a native of San Antonio.  She is an interior design graduate from the University of the Incarnate Word.   After receiving her B.A., she resided in Washington, D.C. where she gained experience in facility and project management.  However, she couldn’t forget her love for design and the decorative arts; upon her return to Texas, she began volunteering at Villa Finale where she was hired to the National Trust staff in 2010. On her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Lisa also volunteers at Animal Care Services.

Education: Interior Design, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas
Click here to email Lisa Fragoso

Sylvia Gonzalez, Manager of Public Programs

Originally from Los Angeles, California, Sylvia moved to San Antonio in April, 2008 to work at Villa Finale.  In addition to her work at Villa Finale, Sylvia is also active in the National Trust's diversity initiatives and is moderator of the Trust's Latino Preservation Listserv.  Prior to Villa Finale, Sylvia was Assistant Collections Manager at the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum in City of Industry, California.  Her interest in museums began during a grammar school field trip to the George C. Page Museum; while all her classmates enjoyed the shop, Sylvia was hooked watching volunteers cleaning prehistoric fossils.  Sylvia has over 20 years of experience in the museum field, a career she began as a volunteer.  Among her many eclectic endeavors, Sylvia enjoys reading non-fiction, writing, visiting historic locations and cheering for her hometown Dodgers.

Education: American and Modern European History, minor in English Literature, California State University, Long Beach
Click here to email Sylvia Gonzalez

Meg Nowack, Curator, is responsible for the 12,000 objects that reside in Villa Finale’s main residence.  She graduated from the George Washington University with a Masters Degree in Museum Studies and obtained a position at the Woodrow Wilson House in Washington, DC, another National Trust Historic Site.  She, and her husband, moved to San Antonio in 2006 to assist in the opening of Villa Finale.  2012 marks her fifteenth year with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Education: MA Museum Studies, George Washington University
Click here to email Meg Nowack

Sharon Wallace, Lead Guide

Sharon joined the staff of Villa Finale as Lead Guide in September 2011. She is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in American History and a Master of Arts in American Studies with a concentration in architectural history and historic preservation. She spent her professional career as a social worker, trainer and administrative manager with the Texas Department of Human Services. While pursuing a career as a professional social worker, she also followed her passion for historic preservation for the last 30 years. While serving as  Executive Director and President of the Red River County Historical Society she was responsible for the downtown restoration of twelve 19^th century commercial buildings in Clarksville, Tx., the 1874 Glossnop House , and the renovation of the 1885 Red River County Jail. Her favorite thing about Villa Finale is working on a daily basis with the volunteer staff.  In her spare time, Sharon likes to read, play golf and watch old movies.

Education: American History, Master of Arts, University of Texas, Austin
Click here to email Sharon Wallace