2025 EAL MENTORS & MENTEES
Maya Williams-Britton
(EAL mentee)
Maya Williams-Britton is a dynamic professional with a B.A. in Urban Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. With over six years of experience in arts administration, she is a Cultural Funding Specialist at The City of Austin. Maya manages grants and supports nonprofits and creatives, bridging her passion for the arts with urban development. Committed to fostering vibrant communities, Maya aspires to shape a culturally enriched future through her work with Austin’s diverse creative ecosystem.
Lynn Osgood (EAL mentor)
Lynn Osgood is an urban planner and researcher whose work explores the intersection of the arts, planning, and civic capacity building. In 2003, Lynn became Adjunct Faculty at the University of Texas. In 2011 she started Civic Arts (previously GO collaborative). She led the development of such projects as the NEA Exploring Our Town website, the ArtPlace America-funded Drawing Lines project, and technical assistance services for the LISC/Kresge. Today she serves as Executive Director of Civic Arts.
Jonah Dillon (EAL mentee)
Bode Robinson (EAL mentor)
Jonah Dillon is an artist who pushes boundaries and has made a significant mark within the art community. Born with muscular dystrophy, he consistently discovers avenues to express himself through his artistic endeavors. The advancement of his condition eventually deprived Jonah of the ability to employ his hands. However, as time passed, he found a fresh approach to creating art by applying paint to the wheels of his wheelchair. This innovative method has led to frequent invitations to live events and exhibitions, driven by the unique methodology he employs.
Bode Robinson is a multi-medium creative entrepreneur, fine artist, designer, and curator, currently running Bode Creative House and her bespoke artistic apparel brand, Saint Bode in Austin, TX. She is a Rizzoli-published author and founder of Goodtype, which has amassed over 1.1 million followers on Instagram. Some of her clients have included the producers of the Kanye West documentary Jeenn-Yuhs, Chike Ozah and Coodie Simmons, Odell Beckham Jr. X Promix, F1 Academy Women’s Racing, and Billie Jean King, to name a few. Bode is recognized for her innovative approach to art across various mediums.
Ric.Indigo (EAL mentee)
Ric.Indigo is a hip-hop artist and skilled producer currently making waves from his base in Austin. Known for his exceptional talent not only as a rapper but also as a producer, Ric.Indigo has established himself as a dynamic force in the music scene. As he continues to carve out his place in the music industry, Ric.Indigo stands as a testament to the power of introspective artistry, offering a fresh and authentic voice in the ever-evolving landscape of hip-hop.
Chaka (EAL mentor)
DAWA Founder/Director, Mentor Jonathan 'Chaka' Mahone, is a visionary storyteller who believes in the power of art, and the importance of the artist as a community catalyst for social and cultural change, economic development, healing, planning, and collective conversation.
Swathi Konduri (EAL mentee)
Swathi Konduri is a visual artist with a love of bold colors and a variety of mediums. She is inspired by themes of surrealism, nature and humanity. You can find her painting a mural, selling prints of her art or buying an overpriced oat milk latte around town.
Sadé Lawson (EAL mentor)
As a versatile freelance creative, Sadé specializes in video and content production, artist management consulting, along with creative project management. With over a decade of experience in the music and entertainment industry, she excels in project coordination, content creation, and artist representation, establishing herself as a force in the creative realm.
Aubrey Felty (EAL mentee)
Aubrey (she/her) is an arts educator and administrator. She is a member of the Education & Engagement Team at Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin where she works to develop and coordinate educational programming for K-12 and university students. Aubrey is passionate about creating accessible and equitable opportunities for people to engage with the arts, research-based devised theatre work, and using the arts as a vehicle for social change.
Pei-San (EAL mentor)
Pei-San Brown has over 35 years of experience in dance education and 25 years of experience in curriculum and instruction. She has served as Ballet Austin’s Director of Education since 2004. Pei-San holds a Master of Arts degree in Education from UT Austin, and has completed her doctoral coursework in the same field. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance Pedagogy and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Irvine. She holds the title of Kumu Hula, which is equivalent to a graduate degree in the study of hula, among many other accomplishments and performance experiences. San is on the faculty as a dance instructor at Ballet Austin’s Butler Center for Dance & Fitness.
Rewon Shimray (EAL mentee)
Rewon (she/her) is an autobiographical painter raised and based in Austin, Texas. Her work often relates to being a queer woman of color, a daughter of immigrants, and an evolving human. She earned a bachelor's degree from Baylor University, studying journalism, religion, and studio art. Rewon has exhibited work across Austin galleries. She is passionate about building communities through art, investing in the Austin art scene as the Director of Artistic Programs for The Gallery ATX and editor of Mujer Manifesto Zine.
Monica Ceniceros (EAL mentor)
Monica Ceniceros is the Founder of atxGALS & The Cathedral. She is a natural-born artist who has been creating art since she can remember. She grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, where she absorbed the colorful culture that is reflected in her work today. She is known for her unique technique of rich color combinations, along the natural grains of wood. With it, Monica reminds us that there is beauty in even the simplest of things.