Alex Ates is the inaugural Director of Arts at Kent Denver School, where he serves on the senior leadership team. Previously, he was Director of PreK–12 Visual and Performing Arts at Westtown School and Education and Engagement Director at The NOLA Project. Since 2017, he has led the Arts and Leadership Workshop at Columbia University’s Teachers College.
An award-winning scholar and theater director, Alex has developed 11 new plays and musicals and has published widely on theater pedagogy. His writing appears in Backstage, American Theatre, HowlRound, and Scalawag. He serves on the editorial board of Arts Praxis (NYU) and previously sat on the board of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.
Alex holds degrees from Emerson College, The University of Alabama (SETC Young Scholar Award), and NYU (Dean’s Scholar, highest honors). He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Originally from New Orleans, he now resides in Denver.