The Austin-based arts advocacy organization Texans for the Arts and the Houston-based multidisciplinary art space DiverseWorks have announced new additions to their respective boards of directors.
Texans for the Arts’ new board members, 2023.
This year Texas for the Arts (TFA) has welcomed eight new board members, including Ann Arnold-Ogden, the Executive Director for the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture; Michelle Bonton, Executive Director for the Harris County Cultural Arts Council; Dr. Stevie Dawn Carter, Chief Executive Officer of Empathix in Mansfield; Wesley Copeland, Executive Director of The Center for the Arts & Sciences in Clute; Alex Freeman, President and CEO of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts; Dietrich Johnson, Community Services Director for the city of Longview; Gabriela Kane Guardia, Interim Executive Director of Latinitas in Austin; and Luis Purón, Executive Director of the Rockport Center for the Arts.
In a press release, Ann S. Graham, Executive Director of TFA, stated, “One of the most critical roles in organizational health and strength is that of Board service. This year’s slate of Directors joining our current Board possess a collective passion for the arts matched with a determination to ensure our field has the vital resources we need to continue to thrive. We are thrilled that they have chosen to invest their time and energy with us.”
Additionally, DiverseWorks has added three new board members and one person to its Artist Advisory Committee. The DiverseWorks board is comprised of artists, business professionals, and community leaders who serve a maximum of three consecutive two-year terms. The Artist Advisory Committee is made up of the artists serving on the board and artists from the local community.
DiverseWorks board members Ryan Hawk, Mahenou Ilahi, and Frederick Rhodes.
DiverseWorks’ new board members include Ryan Hawk, a visual artist and scholar working in video, sculpture, and site-specific installation; Mahenou Ilahi, an artist who previously served on the board from 2016 to 2022; and Frederick Rhodes, a Client Success Manager at Norton Rose Fulbright, a global law firm, who is involved in supporting and empowering artists. Jadd Tank, who has joined the Artist Advisory Committee, is a choreographer and dancer who works both locally and internationally.
Jadd Tank
Click these links to see the full board member lists for Texans for the Arts and DiverseWorks.
