Trina Tait Martin
TEDx Speaker helping educators, administrators, and business leaders understand why the arts build the human skills no AI can replace.
About Trina (TRINN-a) Martin
Trina Martin is a TEDx speaker, nonprofit founder, and arts advocate with roots spanning over 4 decades working for music and fine arts education as a music industry employee, community volunteer, board member, and for 20 years as a dance, theater, and art parent.
After co-chairing the RRISD Council for the Arts and watching COVID unravel years of progress, she founded Parents for Arts Education in 2021 with a simple premise: parent advocacy for fine arts needs to live outside any one arts discipline, school, district, or state to actually work. She spent the next five years presenting at state and national education conferences, engaged in ongoing Texas legislative advocacy in three legislative sessions, and building relationships with statewide organizations including the Texas Cultural Trust, Texans for the Arts, University of Texas “UTeach”, and the Texas Arts Education Campaign. She also developed community outreach programs in Round Rock ISD, the Austin Symphony and with the City of Round Rock Arts and Culture Division, including a bucket drumming activity and instrument petting zoo, to engage younger students and parents in the benefits of making music early.
In November 2025, she delivered a TEDx talk, “AI Can’t Replace This: Why Arts Education Matters”, making the workforce development case for fine arts education. That talk became the foundation for her keynote work and for the Human Skills Advantage Data Project, a community advocacy tool she built through Parents for Arts Education to help music and arts educators activate the “missing voices”: the parents, alumni, and employers who already believe in fine arts but have never said so publicly. Trina now speaks to teachers, administrators, community leaders, parent organizations, and corporate audiences about how to bring all those voices together before the scheduling conversation, or the budget conversation, happens.
“Someone is going to sell schools an expensive program to fix the human skills gap. The Fine Arts Builds Human Skills movement exists to make sure they don’t cut the arts to pay for it.”
– Trina Tait Martin
Services
Keynote Speaking: The Human Skills Advantage
Engaging keynote presentations building on ‘AI Can’t Replace This: The Human Skills Advantage’. These keynotes explore why innovation and the future of work depends on strong human skills (Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Empathy, Grit) and how experience in fine arts education (music, dance, theatre and visual arts) develops them. Designed to encourage communities to support and seek arts education opportunities for their students and employees, look for this experience when hiring, and share their own experience to help build the community will to protect access for all to high quality fine arts education. Perfect for education, community, and corporate audiences.
Interactive Rhythm Experience
An engaging, minimal equipment rhythm workshop add-on that transforms any keynote into a participatory experience. Drawing on the Rhythmic Minds methodology, Trina guides audiences through collaborative rhythm-building that reinforces the human skills message in a visceral, memorable way. No drums required — just people, presence, and pulse.
Ideal for: conferences, corporate team events, educator professional development days
Workshops & Training Programs
Interactive workshops and training sessions for parents, educators, administrators, and business leaders on how to intentionally cultivate human skills through fine arts education and creative learning experiences. And how to find the missing voices to help build the community will to protect access to quality fine arts education for all.
Specific speaker training available on The Human Skills Advantage™ and The Human Skills Advantage™ Data Project, a program through Parents for Arts Education, for arts advocates, teachers, parent and student ambassadors.
Advocacy Consultations
Strategic advocacy consultations helping school districts, arts organizations, community leaders, parents and students find their voice as advocates for arts education, connecting education research with real-world application and systemic change.
Trina works with education conferences, school districts, and corporate organizations of all sizes. Fees are customized to your event, audience, and goals. Schedule a consultation to discuss availability and investment.
Where Trina Has Spoken
Keynotes
UPAF Visionaries Luncheon, Milwaukee — May 2026
TEDx Round Rock Women — November 2025
Art of Education University (virtual) — April 2026
Education Conferences
Texas Art Education Association (TAEA)
Texas Drama Educators Association (TDEA)
Texas Thespians — 2021, 2022, 2023
Texas Fine Arts Association (TFAA)
Texas PTA — 2021, 2022, 2023
CEDFA — 2024 (virtual)
Legislative and Civic
NAMM DC Fly-In, Washington D.C.
Texas Legislature —engaged in ongoing Texas legislative advocacy in three legislative sessions
School Districts and Community
Round Rock ISD and Pflugerville ISD — choir concert presentations
Region 26 — orchestra concert presentation
University of Texas UTeach Program — presentation to recent graduates
Testimonials
What audiences are saying
From educators, industry professionals, and parents
“’This generation is going to have to invent their pathways. They’re going to have to prove how they’re better than a computer. That’s going to take human skills: collaboration, creativity, communication, grit. And where’s the best place to build those skills? The visual and performing arts.’- So powerful, and so true.”
Sarah Martinez
Director of Fine Arts, Pflugerville ISD
“The most powerful transformation I have seen in children and teens is the result of their experiences in the arts. That transformation persists into adulthood — enriching communities, workplaces, and lives in a real and tangible way.”
Carol Watson
Director of Fine Arts, Georgetown ISD
“Focusing on ‘the family’ is essential and hearing from other parents is the next level to reach in growing programs. BRAVO!”
Charles Aguillon
Director of Athletic Bands, SMU | Former Fine Arts Director, Lake Travis ISD
“I worked in tech for most of my career, and I heavily leaned on the skills I learned in band to succeed. There are no shortcuts in the arts. There’s no getting around putting in the work and going on display for everyone to see.”
Mike Langhans
Original Member, Disney’s Trashcan Trio | Technology Professional
“This was perfectly outlined with a great flow between personal stories, data, and calls to action.”
UPAF board member, Milwaukee  
“Loved your message! This helped me realize my daughter who thrives in the arts will be just fine.”
UPAF Visionaries Luncheon attendee, Milwaukee  
“My choir experience at age 8 built the leadership skills I speak about today. Adding that to my bio.”
Candyce Hunt
TEDx speaker  
“Bought my 5-year-old daughter a drum set after your talk.”
Krizel Rodriguez
TEDx speaker  
“Where have you been my whole life?”
Brent Bingham
CEO, Art of Education University  
Trina Martin speaks professionally under Tait Martin LLC.
Learn more about Parents for Arts Education, the nonprofit she founded in 2021, and the “Fine Arts Builds Human Skills” movement at parentsforartseducation.org