2025 Board of Directors

Mindy Marcks

PRESIDENT

Mindy is an HR leader with experience with companies like IBM, Samsung, and The Hershey Company. Currently taking a break, Mindy is focusing on volunteer work with Austin Pets Alive! And Art From The Streets. Mindy discovered AFTS when she moved to Austin in 2018 and has purchased art from the annual show every year since then. She began volunteering with AFTS in 2024 and loves working with the artists, volunteers and staff. Mindy hopes her passion for people will help AFTS continue to grow and thrive.

Sh'muel Avraham

TREASURER

Sh'muel Ben Avraham, an Austin native, serves as Managing Director of Avraham Holdings and is a licensed Texas attorney, bringing extensive financial and legal expertise to complex business challenges. With experience in financial management, fundraising, and law, he provides strategic financial leadership to organizations worldwide. Beyond his professional work, Sh'muel is an arts enthusiast who spends much of his free time in Austin's galleries, searching for local art to collect, and volunteering at Art From The Streets' open studio.

Brett Williams

SECRETARY

Brett Williams comes from a long history of service and leadership that informs how he shows up in his work and community. Before focusing his career in marketing, he spent ten years as an EMT, responding to people in moments of crisis and developing a deep respect for empathy, trust, and clear decision-making. He later worked at Facebook until founding UniqueAnd (U&), a digital marketing agency focused on helping brands grow with intention and integrity, where his experience spans strategy, creative, and performance marketing across consumer and growth-stage organizations.

Brett became involved with Art From the Streets because he believes creativity should open doors and create real opportunity for artists.

Jodie King

Jodie King is an artist, instructor, author & speaker whose mission is to help others excavate their own authentic power, freedom and joy through the use of art and creativity. She possesses a combination of playful irreverence and spirituality with over 20 years of art experience that resonates with her audience from around the world. Jodie’s “no one is the boss of you” attitude about painting, life, and creativity have garnered her collectors from around the world who resonate with the rebelliousness and passion in her art.

Hash Mham

Hash is a strategy professional with 8-10 years of experience at high-growth tech companies, holding roles in business development, strategy and operations, and as Chief of Staff. A native of Austin, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor's in Economics and a Master's in Finance. Despite his technical and analytical background, Hash is also an artist who dedicates much of his time to painting and writing. He is thrilled to be part of this program, which allows him to work closely with other artists and contribute to Austin's vibrant art community.

Allee Beatty

Allee Beatty is a seasoned art professional with a deep passion for contemporary art and collecting. Originally from Connecticut, she holds a BA in Art History from Wesleyan University and an MA in American Studies with a focus on Museums and Communities from Trinity College. Her experience spans prestigious institutions, including the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, and the Wadsworth Atheneum.

As the Gallery Director at West Chelsea Contemporary in Austin, Texas, Allee leads with a dynamic vision, curating exhibitions that celebrate both emerging and established contemporary artists. Founded in 2002 (formerly known as the Russell Collection), West Chelsea Contemporary is a world-class art gallery specializing in blue-chip, contemporary, and street art, alongside works by emerging artists. The gallery's program focuses on 20th-century and contemporary art, with a particular specialty in American and European post-World-War-II movements.

Allee has worked with Art From the Streets for the last several years, curating exhibitions at Canopy, providing artists with advice, and welcoming AFTS artists to West Chelsea Contemporary in an annual pop-up exhibition.

Kelley Worden

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kelley obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Tennessee State University. Kelley worked for 5 years as a graphic artist post graduation, and then shifted her focus to volunteer work while raising her children. From 1997 to 2010 she held leadership roles supporting Canyon Creek Elementary School as the PTA Fundraising Coordinator, Fun Run Coordinator, and Green Team leader. She also co-founded a local non-profit organization, Chicktime Austin (now Hope Austin), which works with children in need in the Austin community.  In 2010, Kelley began volunteering with AFTS, became a board member in 2013 and in 2016 she was selected to fill the Executive Director position.

Glen Fletcher

AFTS Artist

Marci Cook

AFTS Artist

Heloise Gold

CO-FOUNDER / BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE

Heloise is a performing artist, dancer, T’ai Chi instructor and co-founder of Art From The Streets.  In 1990, co-founders began offering open studio art sessions for folks who were homeless. In 1991 they created the first Annual Show & Sale. Heloise has been involved with the program ever since taking on a variety of roles. Her love of the artists, making art in the community and seeing that AFTS flourishes is at the heart of her commitment.

Bill Jeffers

CO-FOUNDER / BOARD MEMBER AT LARGE

Bill Jeffers is a poet and sculptor and one of the co-founders of Art From the Streets. He helped produce the first public show and the 25 Annual Shows that followed. He produced marketing materials and graphic design for the project for many years, and has written the City of Austin Cultural Contract application since the 2nd annual show in 1992. He served as the organization's first paid staff. He is motivated by the wonderful people who make their art in the open studio and by the efforts of AFTS to address the inexcusable hardships faced by people who are homeless in such a prosperous society.