Board of Directors

Ezequiel is a Senior Delivery Lead at Potato, helping values-driven companies use innovation expertise to launch purposeful digital products. From music performance to product management and software development, Ezequiel’s experiences have enabled him to contribute to work for a diverse set of brands and organizations such as HP, Microsoft, New Relic and The Trevor Project.

Born and raised in Houston, Ezequiel attended the University of Texas at Austin and began working in fundraising and other development efforts while interning for ZACH Theatre. When living in San Francisco after undergrad, he built a team of volunteers that continued development efforts for The Trevor Project, cultivating relationships with local technology companies Salesforce, Twitter, and Google.

If Ezequiel’s not organizing an event, he’s either playing the piano, rock climbing, and/or planning his next cycling road trip.

Alejandra (Ale) Hamlet was born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised in Mexico. She has a B.A. in Business Administration with a Minor in International Marketing and upon graduating, pursued a graduate degree in the US. She received her MBA from Illinois State University with a focus on International Business. After graduation Ale moved to Austin, TX, where she worked for Dell Computers in the areas of Marketing and Global Programs. Ale left Corporate America to raise her 3 children with her husband John. For the last 16 years, Ale has been involved in her children’s school as a Pre-K teacher. She is also as an active member of the school’s PTA, with roles ranging from Committee Chair of various committees to PTA President. One of Ale’s passions is the education of adult immigrants. Ale created an ESL program for her church, and has replicated this program at over a dozen churches around Austin. Ale loves spending time feeding her family and friends around the kitchen table. She loves to travel, sail and serve her community.

Ashley is an AICP-certified environmental planner and expert in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance for infrastructure. Her experience stems from assessing impacts of private and public projects with Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting, Inc., a company she co-founded and led as CEO for 15 years. After expanding to multi-state offices (Texas, Oklahoma, DC Metro) and 100 environmental specialists, CMEC joined Stantec in 2021. Stantec is a global professional services firm with 28k people in 400+ locations. Ashley steered integration then in 2023, she served as the Regional Business Leader for the U.S. Environmental Services 9-state Gulf Coast Region. With her governance team, she led 400+ specialists in coastal resilience, ecosystem restoration, cultural resources, energy transition, nature-based solutions, assessment and permitting.

In November 2023, after 30 years in the environmental field and with legacy Cox|McLain staff firmly planted in key regional and national positions at Stantec, Ashley retired from consulting. She is exploring non-fiction/memoir writing, pursuing personal projects, and designing her next chapter. Ashley is a proud alumna of Stanford University and the University of Texas at Austin Community and Regional Planning program. She serves on the University of Texas Environmental Science Institute Advisory Council and volunteers for Forklift Danceworks. Ashley is a co-coordinator for the Austin rings of the professional organization HiPower.org – taking executive women from success to significance. Son Beckett is at Elon University and son Corbin is working in New York after completing undergraduate and graduate degrees at Stanford. Ashley’s husband, J.C. Schmeil, AIA LEED AP attended Stanford University and UT Architecture School and is in private practice. Traveling with family is Ashley’s favorite hobby, followed closely by hosting dinner parties for friends. She loves music, skiing, yoga, and founded a book club in 1997 that’s thriving.

Gaurav is a Senior Manager (IT Program Management) at Charles Schwab, where he leads projects panning Investor Services, Advisor Services, Retirement Services, Regulatory, Digital, and Technology segments. Gaurav is a hands-on, customer focused international business and technology professional, experienced in leading large multi-million-dollar software development, infrastructure, network, systems implementation, and business process re-engineering programs and projects. Gaurav’s ability to communicate well across all levels of organizations has contributed to his success.

Born and raised in India, Gaurav holds an MBA and MS in Information Systems from Bryant University, a BS in Computer Science from Providence College, and several technology certifications. He is committed to charitable causes focused on underrepresented and diverse communities and has strong interests in fine arts and creative work, especially music.

In his free time, you will find Gaurav hiking, attending band, orchestra, or choir concerts of local high school, and helping judge the Speech, Debate, or Geography Bee events.

Lizette is a sixth-generation Texan with 20 years of experience in marketing. A native to South Texas, Lizette lived in both San Francisco and New York City working for startup and Fortune 500 clients including Williams-Sonoma, Harley-Davidson, Comcast, The Ritz-Carlton and more. She proudly graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Journalism, and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and son. When she’s not planning marketing content and campaigns, she’s daydreaming about her family’s next great camping adventure or trip to the ballpark.

Kate is a storyteller who champions those she believes in, whether strategizing for her advertising clients, rallying for progressive political causes in Texas, or supporting vital civic and arts organizations in her beloved hometown of Austin.

Kate is a co-founder of The Honor Roll, a boutique marketing agency with clients that span community development, technology, homebuilding, trucking and logistics, consumer goods, and nonprofits. Trained as a journalist (despite a long-term detour in advertising), Kate’s curiosity and vision drive her award-winning work. She has served as a creative director and strategist for brands big and small including JCPenney, Estee Lauder Companies, Brookfield Residential, UPS, All State, Community First, Girls Empowerment Network, and Girl Scout Troop 1510.

Kate loves Austin and the world. She wants everyone to keep working the “six degrees” theory: keep talking long enough and we’ll figure out we know (or have known or should know or can know) each other. She’s honored to support Forklift’s incredible work of dance making, storytelling, and connection building.

Sarah Finley is the co-founder of SASI (Social Arts and Science Institute), a consulting firm focused on social media training and employee advocacy. Sarah brings more than two decades of experience in marketing and professional services to her role as member of the Forklift Danceworks board. She also volunteers as a social venture partner at Greenlights, where she works with some of Austin’s most innovative non-profits to scale their organizations and solve our community’s biggest problems. Prior to SASI, Sarah led Dell efforts across multiple digital marketing disciplines and pioneered Dell’s Global Social CRM strategy for the Consumer business. Sarah has a law degree from GWU and a bachelor’s degree from UT-Austin. In her free time, she enjoys dancing wherever music is or isn’t playing, teaching yoga, and traveling the globe. Her twitter handle is @sarahfinley.

Sam has been working with the City of Austin for 20 years. He currently manages Brush, Bulk, Street Cleaning, Dead Animal Collection and Special Events for Austin Resource Recovery. Sam collaborated with Forklift Danceworks on the production of The Trash Project. 

Adriana Graf attended Austin College in Sherman, TX and earned a B.A. in Business Administration. She went on to the University of Texas and received her Master of Professional Accounting degree. She obtained her CPA license and worked for public accounting firms and in industry for a total of 15 years. She has spent the bulk of the last 20 years raising her two children, who are now both in college. During their school years, she served as treasurer for the elementary and middle school PTAs as well as the treasurer for the high school band boosters. Adriana’s hobbies include exercising, traveling, cooking, spending times outdoors, and binge-watching a good Netflix series. Her favorite times are spent with family and friends.

Cybil is the VP of Donor Relations at the Austin Community Foundation where she develops strategies and systems to ensure clients have an exemplary experience. She works with the foundation team to connect donors with the causes they care about and to make a difference in the lives of Central Texans.

Cybil’s background is in Arts Education and Public Art. Most of her career has been spent developing experiences for Museum-goers.  The work of Forklift resonates with her own creative endeavors, which have included public art projects in partnership with Capital Metro, a pedicab driver, and dancers on Segway scooters. She has been following Forklift since she moved to Austin in 2004, and remembers a mom and baby stroller project catching her eye early on. The intro sequence of Trash Dance brought her to tears, and she still can’t identify why. Her favorite Forklift memories include taking her kids to Trees of Govalle and Bartholomew Swims.

She lives in East Austin with her two elementary-age children, architect husband, and dog. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, running, and biking.

Laura is a public affairs strategist and has served as a campaign manager for Central Texas candidates and causes. She’s a native Texan who grew up in El Paso but moved to Austin for college and like many, built a life in Austin after graduation. Laura’s experience represents seventeen years in the campaign, government and philanthropic sectors. She works with candidates, elected officials and organizations to build and execute their strategy on finance, community engagement, policy initiatives, winning electoral campaigns and more. 

Laura served as the campaign manager for Greg Casar’s successful run for Congress.

In 2019 Laura served as the Texas Finance Director for the Beto O’Rourke presidential campaign. She served as the deputy campaign manager for both of Mayor Steve Adler’s campaigns and worked in his first administration on community engagement and policy initiatives such as ending veteran homelessness in Austin. In 2020 Laura served as a Senior Advisor to the Texas House Democratic Campaign Committee where she is worked to defend Democratic seats across the state for House Democrats.

Whether serving as a Legislative Director for State Representatives in the Texas House or running large-scale finance operations for both local and statewide races, Laura has a passion for organizing and engaging the community for leaders and causes she cares about. 

Laura graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in political communication studies. 

Patrick Landrum is the Owner and Principal Interior Designer at PL&D/Patrick Landrum Design, specializing in luxury residential interiors. He attended The University of Texas at Austin studying interior design, and after 10 years at Interior Design Consultants, opened his own firm PL&D in 1992. His work has been featured in numerous spaces at the “Women’s Symphony League of Austin Designer Showhouses,” and  “The Zach Scott Theater Showhouse.” as well as published in  Architectural  Digest’s Feature “Beautiful Interiors of Texas,” Austin Home and Living, Austin Monthly, Tribeza Magazine, and various others. He was named “Austin’s Sultan of Style” by Lance Avery Morgan, Founder and publisher of Brilliant Magazine and The Society Diaries. 

Patrick is well know in philanthropic circles for his work volunteering, and as chairman of  many Galas and fundraisers including Forklift’s “Botany of Desire” and “Lift a Fork 2024 Speakeasy.” He has designed the concept and decor over 13 Galas including those for Forklift, Austin Opera, Ballet Austin, The Human Rights Campaign, and Austin Musical Theater. His company also supports these organizations and others with Interior Design Consultations Offerings as Auction Donations for fundraisers. He has been a Board Member of the Austin Opera Guild 8 years, and is currently the Social Chair for the Austin Opera Operatti Ambassadors. 

When not designing beautiful homes, or chairing/volunteering for events, Patrick enjoys writing poetry, relaxing while listening to a wide range of music styles, walking on Austin’s extensive trails, and crochet as a meditative practice.

Cari Marshall was born in Dallas and grew up in the former farmlands (now suburbs) of north Texas before making her way to Austin in the early ’90s. She has more than 20 years experience as an arts writer and communications professional for several art museums in Texas and California. Cari is now a writer and activist living in South Austin with her husband, Eric de Valpine, teen daughter, Chloe, and ever-present Chi-Pin, Pickle Daisy.

Hema Ramaswamy is an award-winning technology leader with decades of experience scaling global product and engineering teams. She has led innovation at companies like Oracle, Hewlett Packard, and Teradata, and now advises startups and nonprofits on how to grow with innovation and purpose. She’s launched products across healthcare, finance, and marketing, and is known for building high-performing global teams.

Hema is the Founder and CEO of Sunlit Live, a platform helping care managers navigate the complex senior care landscape. She holds a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Florida and has called Austin home for over 30 years. When she’s not mentoring tech leaders or serving on boards, you’ll likely find her performing Bharatanatyam, an ancient Indian classical dance, which she debuted in a solo 3-hour performance in 2024.