Austin International Drag Foundation
Board Members
Gabryella "gabz" Desporte
President
they/them/theirs
Born and raised in Austin, gabz is the President for the AustinInternational Drag Foundation, and has served on the Board of Directors since2019 as Director of Development. They received their Master’s degree in Women’sand Gender Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2022, andwrote their thesis on surveillance technologies, digital identity formation,queer digital communities, and art as a form of protest.
Previous to their graduate studies, they served in a variety ofculturally-minded local nonprofits in Austin, where they began their journey inthe world of nonprofit development, large-scale event and fundraising planning,program management and coordination, and grant writing.
Liss Keller
Vice President
she/her/hers
Longtime supporters of local drag, Liss and her partnerfirst had the opportunity to help out with AIDF in 2018. Jointly, the two ofthem managed the evening showcases at Elysium and if you’ve been backstage forAIDF any year since then, it’s likely you’ll have run into her and her signature white Mohawk. In 2019 and 2022, the duoagain managed the shows at Elysium with Liss branching off in 2022 to alsostage manage the showcases at The Creek and The Cave. In 2022, she was alsoinvited to join the AIDF board as the Sergeant at Arms, and in 2024 waspromoted to Vice President.
Alexandria Van Cartier
Treasurer and Director Of Entertainment
they/them
Alexandria Van Cartier (Manuel Alejandro Lopez) is a drag entertainer born in Brownsville Texas and has lived in Austin for over 15 years, they have been a drag entertainer for over 8 years and showcase their Mexican heritage in all of their performances, providing visibility on latinx culture.
Throughout their career, they have the mission on making people feel welcomed and like they belong, as well as highlighting and providing work opportunities for drag artists to showcase their talent and get compensated fairly.
As the Austin International Drag Festivals Director of Entertainment and Treasurer it is Alexandria's mission to showcase under represented Drag entertainers and making sure that all forms of drag is showcased on the festival and supported by the foundation.
Jake Wells aka Jenna Raider
Volunteer Coordinator
Jake (he/they), Jenna (she/they)
Jake serves the Austin International Drag Foundation as Volunteer Coordinator, bringing years of experience as a leader in various non-profit organizations. From Haunted Houses to Regional Burning Man festivals, Jake brings a diversified background in volunteer leadership with an eye for safety, organization, and volunteer appreciation.
As Jenna Raider, they have used their Drag as a force for the betterment of their community, and have hosted several charity Drag shows including Sherwood UnCourtly at the Sherwood Renaissance Festival. Wherever you see Jake showing up as a volunteer, you are just as likely to see Jenna!