Melissa and Michael married in June 2000 and spent their first two-plus years in New York where Michael worked as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy. Melissa and Michael returned to Houston in late 2002 so Michael could join Dewey Ballantine’s Houston practice.
Michael currently serves as President of Teton Strategic Investments, Inc., which he founded in 2006 to manage his family’s investment office as well as advise a number of other families in connection with portfolio allocation and management, with a particular emphasis on alternative investment strategies. He serves on the Board of Directors of Houston Museum of Natural Science (including the Executive Committee and Investment Committee), Children’s Museum of Houston (currently serving as a Vice President), Men of Distinction and Houston Symphony (including Houston Symphony’s Endowment).
Melissa spends the balance of her time supporting certain children’s, medical and arts organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Houston Ballet and the Board of Directors of Legacy Community Health Services and Hermann Park Conservancy. She also dedicates much time to Children’s Museum of Houston and River Oaks Baptist School. She served on the Steering Committee of Legacy’s $15 million Capital Campaign which provided for the dramatic expansion of Legacy’s health care services to Houston’s uninsured and under-insured families. She also chaired, alongside Michael and in-laws Ginni and Richard, the landmark $35 million “Take Another Giant Step” Capital Campaign benefiting the Children’s Museum of Houston.
Melissa has chaired or co-chaired numerous events, including for the Orange Show, Children’s Museum, M.D. Anderson, Museum of Natural Science, United Cerebral Palsy, Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation, Houston Symphony, Family Services, Houston Community College, Hermann Park Conservancy, and Society for Performing Arts.
Michael and Melissa have been jointly recognized with awards from Texas Children’s Hospital, Legacy Community Health Services, and Family Services of Greater Houston. Melissa has been honored by Houston Chronicle/March of Dimes Best Dressed Hall of Fame, United Cerebral Palsy, Crisis Intervention, and Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
When not in Houston, they enjoy spending time in South Texas, Deer Valley, Galveston and La Jolla with their children Mia, Matthew and Maxwell.