LEADERSHIP
Clinton Williams
Executive Artistic Director
Clinton Williams (he/him) is an accomplished arts leader and theatre artist with over 15 years of experience spanning performance, direction, design, and arts administration. He has collaborated with organizations across the country, including CMT San Jose, San Jose Stage, New Conservatory Theatre, Berkley Playhouse, ZACH Theatre, and more. He holds a BFA in Performance & Production from Texas State University.
In addition to his artistic work, Williams brings extensive experience in marketing, development, and arts administration—skills that have helped strengthen audience engagement, elevate brand identity, and drive organizational growth. His ability to merge creative storytelling with strategic insight allows him to bridge the worlds of artistry and audience with clarity and purpose.
As Executive Artistic Director of Austin Rainbow Theatre, Williams unites artistic vision with strategic leadership to expand the company’s reach, deepen community connections, and champion inclusive, transformative theatre. Under his guidance, ART continues to produce bold, innovative programming that inspires, challenges, and unites audiences and artists alike.
Board of directors
Amanda Kates
Board Chair
Legal compliance & governance
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Amanda Kates (she/her/hers) is a Texas attorney that specializes in civil litigation. She received her B.A. in English from Texas A&M University, and her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Amanda currently serves as the Secretary for Austin Rainbow Theatre. Amanda strives to promote female empowerment and the feminine voice in the legal field as well as in society.
Amanda previously served on the Board of Directors for Waterloo Counseling Center.
Jennifer Basten
Board Vice Chair
Arts advancement & fundraising
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Jennifer Basten (she/her) is an arts administration professional with eighteen years of experience working in opera. As Chief Advancement Officer at Austin Opera, she leads an integrated marketing, communications, and development team focused on building audiences and philanthropy.
Jennifer earned an M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a B.M. in Voice Performance and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Florida. Jennifer is an alumnus of OPERA America’s Leadership Intensive Program and the American Express Leadership Academy for Women in Music and served as a Bloomberg Tech Fellow as part of the Bloomberg Digital Accelerator Program.
Jennifer serves as Austin Rainbow Theatre’s Fundraising Chair, putting to work her passion for building relationships, creating environments where everyone feels welcome, and connecting people to each other through the arts.
Javier Lemus
Board Treasurer
Finance & nonprofit compliance
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Javier (he/him/his) is a certified public accountant (CPA) and is licensed in the State of Texas.
He received a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree in Accounting at Texas State University.
Following college, he spent 11 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the assurance practice where he provided audit services to clients in various industries such as banking, asset management, broker dealers, employee benefit plans, and healthcare. Javier is currently serving as the Financial Controller at Capital Farm Credit. In this role he oversees financial reporting, internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR), and other areas of technical accounting.
Andrew Sherman
Board Secretary
Development & community advocacy
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Andrew Sherman brings years of dedicated experience in the non-profit sector, specializing in development and community activism. With a strong background in marketing and grant writing, Andrew has successfully driven impactful initiatives that secure vital funding and amplify the voices of marginalized communities. A graduate of the University of California-Los Angeles with a Master’s Degree in Architecture, Andrew combines creative problem-solving with strategic thinking to elevate the presence of the LGBTQIA+ community, striving to foster safe spaces for all individuals to express themselves freely.
In his personal life, Andrew enjoys spending time with his partner and two cherished dogs, Sir Henry and Yuna. As a passionate houseplant enthusiast and devoted student of botany, Andrew is particularly interested in exploring the medicinal properties of plants. His dedication and unique expertise make him a valued member of the Austin Rainbow Theatre.
Keller Davis
Member at Large
Marketing & community engagement
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Keller Davis is a creative producer, community builder, and proud board member of Austin Rainbow Theatre. As the owner of Createscape Coworking, they’ve supported Austin’s creative and queer communities for over a decade. With a background in film, events, and storytelling, Keller brings experience in marketing, media, and fundraising to the board. Passionate about representation and inclusion, they’re dedicated to helping the theatre thrive and amplify LGBTQIA+ voices through powerful, accessible performances.
Kenny Phillips
Member at Large
Business leadership & arts advocacy
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Kenny Phillips (he/him/his) earned his Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America and has been proudly serving the jewelry needs of the LGBTQ community for more than four decades.
His lifelong passion for theater began in childhood, and upon learning of the mission of Austin Rainbow Theatre, he eagerly joined the Board of Directors to support its commitment to sharing authentic queer stories. He believes there are important stories that need to be told and brought to the community—stories that were not widely available during his youth. Being part of Austin Rainbow Theatre and helping create a space for these stories to be told is, to him, both fundamental and necessary to fostering greater understanding and cohesion between the LGBTQIA community and the broader public.
Maggie Thompson
Member at Large
Events & fundraising strategy
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Maggie Thompson is the Marketing and Events Director at the Texas Chiropractic Association. She brings over nine years of experience in non-profit fundraising and a passion for creating impactful events and building strong communities. Maggie served as the Vice President of Advancement at Austin Symphony Orchestra where she managed all development activities. Prior to moving to Austin, she served as the Director of Special Events at Pacific Symphony, where her events were consistently ranked in the top 3 non-profit events in Orange County, CA. She is an expert in managing event logistics, cultivating relationships with corporate sponsors, and developing strategies that drive significant growth.
Beyond her professional work, Maggie is deeply committed to supporting the arts. She volunteers on the Board of Directors for Lyric Opera of Orange County and as well as Austin Rainbow Theatre where she uses her expertise to build strategic fundraising plans and advocate for underserved communities. A talented opera singer herself, Maggie holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Beyond work and volunteering, Maggie prioritizes movie nights with her partner (Alyvia) and rescue pets Cairo (dog) and Blue (cat).
Emeritus Members
Christopher Preslar
ART's Founder
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Christopher (he/him/his) has devoted his life to the performing arts as a theatre director, performer, and teacher in Texas, New York City, and abroad. He holds a BFA in Theatre with a directing focus from Sam Houston State University.
Besides founding and growing Austin Rainbow Theatre, Christopher is most proud of his two years spent as a resident director for the Performing Arts Centre of Penang, Malaysia, where he focused on cultivating theatre experiences from the Western canon that would appeal to an Eastern audience. His work abroad helped him develop a more universal approach to the human condition that he applies to his work both as an executive director and in the rehearsal studio.
Christopher has also worked as a volunteer fundraiser and event organizer for other non-profit causes that are dear to him, such as LGBTQIA+ mental health.
Jeremy Saenz
Former Chair
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Dr. Saenz (he/him/his) was the Chair of Austin Rainbow Theatre (ART) and holds a PhD in Psychology.
Throughout his career, Dr. Saenz has helped to promote diversity, initiate outreach, develop groups, and help train staff to promote culturally informed and responsive care. Dr. Saenz continues to work to develop and present CEUs on diversity topics and has worked on an executive board with a previous non-profit.
Johnny Devora
Former Vice Chair
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Johnny Devora (he/him) ignites the real estate scene with his limitless energy and unwavering commitment to excellence at Devora Realty. As the driving force behind this boutique brokerage, Johnny isn’t just redefining industry standards; he’s setting them ablaze. With over a decade of experience under his belt, Johnny is a master in the art of marketing, acquisition, and adaptive re-positioning across residential, multi-family, and commercial properties.