2019 EAL MENTORS & MENTEES
Jeannelle Ramirez (EAL mentee)
works to create platforms that push the boundaries of Latinx arts in Austin and beyond. In 2019 she launched the Future Traditions Festival, focusing on interactions between technology, experimental multimedia, and traditional Latin American music and dance. She is also a current Ph.D. student in ethnomusicology at UT Austin and is committed to bridging research and praxis through public-facing projects.
Graham Reynolds (EAL mentor)
creates, performs, and records music for film, theater, dance, rock clubs, and concert halls with collaborators across a multitude of disciplines. As Artistic Director of the non-profit Golden Hornet, he leads efforts which draw on the collaborative spirit of rock bands and the composer-led nature of classical music, with a focus on commissioning new music, fostering young and emerging composers, and presenting adventurous works in non-traditional settings.
Casie Lomeli (EAL mentee)
Coka Treviño (EAL mentor)
studied Art History and Business at Trinity University in San Antonio. During her senior year at Trinity, Lomeli earned an internship at Ruiz-Healy Art gallery where she went on to become the Senior Gallery Assistant and worked with local and international artists for over 50 exhibitions and national print fairs. Currently, Lomeli is a studio assistant to local artist Jesse Amado and is collaborating with Ethel Shipton Studios to manage community projects, social media, project logistics and assist in curation.
was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, and currently resides in Austin, Texas. While studying for her BFA, Treviño started working at the Museum of Contemporary Arts of Monterrey supporting the Exhibitions department, where she fell in love with the art world. She has worked for art galleries, museums, and universities, and has held every position imaginable in the industry, curating being her favorite. In 2009 she founded The Projecto in Monterrey, looking to facilitate cultural exchange with different cities and artistic expressions. In 2010 they made their move to Austin, Texas where The Projecto has been hosting Mexican artists and collaborating with different local institutions to enable dialog and community enrichment.
Simone Alexander (EAL mentee)
is a producer, director, and arts non-profit administrator. She is the Producing Artistic Director of New Manifest Theatre Company and the Development Assistant at The Contemporary Austin museum. Her creative practice is dedicated to diverse and inclusive storytelling within contemporary theatre as well as mental and physical health awareness.
Nefertitti Jackmon (EAL mentor)
is a Cultural Strategist, writer, historian and creative. Her passion focuses on telling stories and creating intentional programming that elevate a greater cultural consciousness and appreciation for African and African Diaspora culture.
ZATERO Dance (EAL mentee)
was founded in the Fall of 2017 by Natasha Small and Liliana Zapatero. The two began their collaboration with a mutual desire to create a meaningful experience for both the performer and the viewer. Drawing inspiration from their everyday lives, they generate movement from ideas that coincide with familiar processes. ZATERO Dance had their debut in September of 2018 as an opening act for the The Madres, produced by Shrewd Productions in Austin, TX, and they have since performed with Articulate Austin, Annette Christopher, and Raw Pear.
Kathy Dunn Hamrick (EAL mentor)
is the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, one of Austin’s longest-standing modern dance companies, and the founder and Executive Director of Austin Dance Festival. Kathy’s original evening-length dances, described as “strikingly athletic and wonderfully expressive,” “heavenly,” “smart” and “masterly,” have garnered her numerous recognitions, including Austin Critics Table awards for Best Choreographer and Best Dance Concert. Kathy is also a member of the Austin Arts Hall of Fame, having been recognized as “a model for the artist who approaches each project in a spirit of experimentation and reinvention.” She teaches at Café Dance and Austin Community College, provides professional development for educators, and directs artist residencies for high schools and universities.
Thanh Bui (EAL mentee)
is a writer and actor based in Austin, Texas. Her published poetry can be found in various journals and magazines online, and her recent film works include Inbetween Girl, directed by Mei Makino. Thanh studied Sociology, Psychology, English, & Asian American Studies. She is one of the founding members of Sad Girls Productions, an emerging theatre organization in Austin comprised of people of color, womxn, queer, and nonbinary folks. Currently, she is directing "So Lucky," an original Asian American play set to make its stage debut in March of 2020.
Laurie Filipelli (EAL mentor)
is a poet, educator, and entrepreneur who has taught high school English and trained writers to teach in public schools. She has authored two collections of poetry: Elseplace (Brooklyn Arts Press, 2013) and the 2019 Writers’ League of Texas Discovery Prize winner, Girl Paper Stone (Black Lawrence Press, 2018). As founder of Mighty Writing, LLC, she coaches clients of all ages to to tell their own stories, and to become stronger writers and more creative thinkers