As Director of New Ventures, Austin operates at the intersection of education, entrepreneurship, and design. He’s responsible for identifying and pursuing growth opportunities for the studio, starting with the development of an innovative learning platform aimed at equipping changemakers to tell beautiful, compelling stories.
For Austin, design is the process of connecting creativity to complex challenges. For much of his career, he’s been doing just that in education by creating compelling lessons for his 3rd grade class, founding a literacy non-profit, and advising education companies and non-profits on strategy and creative marketing. His experience spans policy and advocacy, business development, curriculum design, and fundraising. This diverse background—coupled with a broad, insatiable curiosity—enables Austin to approach his work from multiple points of view and contribute creative solutions to the studio’s work.
Outside of Free Range, Austin serves on the Advisory Board at PelotonU and teaches college prep English at San Quentin State Prison. He and his wife Maggie like to find time to get outside with their dog Tim Riggins and explore northern California. Austin’s currently learning to fly fish, but spends most of his time on the water untangling knots.
