People

Jeff Alsup, board treasurer

As a partner and CFO for Fusion Advertising in Dallas , Jeff Alsup is our go-to numbers man for Art Conspiracy. He brings to the board a wealth of knowledge and experience, having spent years in the world of finance. He also served for five years on the staff of a nonprofit organization in Waco , working with people on the margins of society, and worked in the fields of counseling and church ministry.

Jeff hails from Midland and he has a BA from the University of Texas at Austin , where he participated in an inter-college degree program, majoring in accounting. He also earned a master of science in marital and family therapy from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena , Calif. , and additional masters-level studies at Regent College at the campus of The University of British Columbia in Vancouver .

Jeff is married to Lynn and lives in Oak Cliff. The couple has three daughters, Clare, Anna and Lucy. Jeff's interests include spending time with family, aviation, and ranching.

Bill Holston, board member at large

Hailing from Mobile, Ala., Bill's dulcet voice can be heard in local, federal, and state courts. He is a partner in a Dallas law firm and provides a wide range of consultation on general business matters for both for profit and nonprofit entities in a variety of industries. Bill has also provided pro-bono legal representation for political and religious asylum applicants and has represented applicants from over 18 different countries through a local nonprofit, Human Rights Initiative. He earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law.

He and his wife Jill, live in East Dallas and have two sons, Will, a sophomore at St. Louis University, and Fred, who is attending Richland Collegiate High School as a junior. Bill's interest in the arts is best illustrated by the fact that he is primarily known locally as "Fred's dad." Fred is a musician with local band the Felons, as well as a photographer.

Bill is an elder at Fellowship Bible Church in Richardson.

Jason Roberts, board member at large

Jason Roberts is a songwriter, activist, and entrepreneur hailing from the Oak Cliff neighborhood. In 2005, he co-founded Art Conspiracy with Sarah Jane Semrad and is music co-coordinator for the event in addition to serving on the board. This means he regularly performs small-to-medium-sized miracles in the month leading up to our December event.

He co-founded the Happy Bullets, a nationally touring band Entertainment Weekly dubbed a "literary-minded indie group that hits its target," and which D Magazine featured as "Best Live Act in Dallas."

Jason passionately leads grassroots efforts to support arts and urban renewal community programs. He recently spearheaded the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, a nonprofit that seeks to restore urban streetcar lines in South Dallas.

He attended University of North Texas and is currently president of PC Paramedics, a computer consulting firm. As a homeowner, husband, and the father of two, he has a personal stake in the future of Dallas.

Sarah Jane Semrad, board president

Sarah Jane Semrad is a social entrepreneur and community organizer commited to cultivating creativity in Dallas. After producing art shows independently around Dallas for some time, Semrad founded Exposition Parks IR Gallery in 2004, exclusively representing emerging Dallas artists in all media. She went on to co-create Pigeon Stone Project in 2005, connecting local artists with new collectors in businesses public spaces. PSP earned Semrad recognition in the Dallas Observer's 2005 “Best Of” issue as Best Art Invasion. In 2006, Semrad co-founded La Reunion TX, a nonprofit organization committed to creating an artist in residency program on 35 acres in Oak Cliff.

She is the co-founder and now serves as the trusted consigliore for all things Art Conspiracy. Sarah Jane and her husband musician Paul Semrad live in Oak Cliff with their two children. Semrad holds a BA in chemistry from the University of Dallas.

Serena Wills, secretary of the board

Native New Yorker Serena Wills made her move to Dallas after 8-1/2 years in Washington, D.C., working with an arts education program and earning her Masters in Public Administration from Virginia Tech.

Serena now is an arts in communities manager for Big Thought. She helps provide arts programming for organizations in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas

Serena is a writer at heart and wants to become published one day. In her free time, she writes creative stories, poetry, short essays, children's books, and is in the middle of writing two novels.

Erica Felicella, art coordinator

Courtney Miles, stage designer

Dallas native Courtney Miles, a former high school art teacher, has ditched her day job to eagerly pursue grad school and poverty. This means she is pursuing a master's degree in painting and living on Ramen noodles.

She has been involved with Art Conspiracy since year one, having heard about the event over a boisterous game of kickball with Jason and Andrea Roberts. In years one and two, she did stage design with Shea Wood.

Andrea Roberts, site coordinator

Andrea Roberts is a project manager for Fusion Advertising in Oak Cliff, where she lives with her husband and their two children. Andrea has been involved with Art Conspiracy since the event was founded, and has now served on the executive committee for three years. She serves on the board of the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, and plays in the band Happy Bullets, who have been showcased at Austin's International South by Southwest festival and written about in Entertainment Weekly. Andrea also enjoys photography, traveling and writing. She is enthusiastic about her community and assists with ideas on bringing a better quality of life to everyone in it.

Leah Shafer, volunteer coordinator

Dallas native Leah Shafer has been actively involved in the arts for years and somehow, this resulted in her becoming a writer. She theorizes that this is because she has absolutely no talent with oil paints or drawing. When she is not bemoaning her inability to center a pot on the wheel, she freelances for newspapers and magazines, including weekly columns and a podcast for Quick .

Last year, Leah became involved with Art Conspiracy as a general pack mule and coffee runner. This year, she thought she'd try her hand at herding the volunteers.

Leah is on the board of directors for LifeNet, a nonprofit providing employment, housing, and mental health services to the homeless in North Texas. She was volunteer coordinator for Zac Crain's Dallas mayoral campaign in 2007 and in her free time, she is a devoted reader, political junkie, amateur gourmet, and oenophile.

Cari Weinberg, event coordinator

Cari has been with Art Conspiracy since year one, when she could be found beating the dust out of seats at the Texas Theater and figuring out how to unclog the toilets upstairs. Her involvement stems from a passion for bringing the arts and music communities together for the good of the local cultural scene.

Cari has a storied background in television reporting and public relations, including five years on TV in Lubbock and extensive work in consumer and high tech PR. She currently handles public relations for Authentix, an Addison company that provides nanoscale-based anti-counterfeiting solutions for Fortune 500 companies and governments.

When she's not kickin' it nanotech style, this Texas Tech graduate plays keyboards in local band Lovie and recently helped stage UltraViolet, a rock show benefiting The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cari lives in East Dallas with the Pets Weinberg, which include two dogs and a cat.