Get to know the amazing Austin Bat Cave team!
Syed Ali Haider
Executive Director
Ali received his MFA in fiction from Texas State University. He taught English at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School before joining Austin Bat Cave as the Program Director. In 2017, he took over as the Executive Director.
Heather Jones
Program Director
Heather holds a master’s in social work from UT Austin and is passionate about developing programs that teach writing as a tool for healing and social change. Prior to joining ABC, she worked in the areas of publishing, youth mental health, and restorative practices.
Leticia Urieta
Regional Program Manager
Leticia is a proud Tejana writer from Austin, TX. She is a graduate of Agnes Scott College and holds an MFA in Fiction writing from Texas State University. She has been a teacher and teaching artist in the greater Austin area for ten years and loves working with folks to help them tell their stories.
Tammy Beard
Grants Manager
Tammy earned a BBA from Texas A&M University and MS in Psychology from Texas Tech University. She is passionate about the ways that nonprofit development can make real changes in a community by helping organizations grow stronger and fulfill their missions. Before joining Austin Bat Cave, Tammy served as the Director of Development at 826CHI.
Emily Chammah
Development Associate
Emily has worked as a ghostwriter, editor, bookseller, and immigration paralegal. In 2019, as a Fulbright Fellow in creative writing, she conducted research for a novel in Amman, Jordan. She is an assistant editor at American Short Fiction, where she co-organizes The Insider Prize, a contest for incarcerated writers in Texas.
Xochitl Gonzalez
Executive Assistant
Xochitl is an Austin native and lives with her two dogs. Her first experience with a nonprofit was Austin Bat Cave, and it was so impactful she decided to major in business and pursue a career in the industry of giving back. Working as an intern for the people who started it all for her is a dream come true.
Volunteer with Austin Bat Cave
Every year, Austin Bat Cave is fortunate to work with an amazing team of volunteers who provide one-on-one and small-group writing support. They inspire students to undertake and complete writing projects which they proudly share. Students emerge from our programs with edited and polished written projects, greater confidence in their voices, sharpened writing skills, and a lifelong appreciation for writing.
If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering, please contact our Program Director or join our volunteer list.
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