Richard Bates is a native New Orleanian (Franklin High School) who spent most of the 90’s homesick in grunge-less New York, Paris, and London. With Young Audiences since November of 1999, he is currently putting NYU English and French degrees to good use as Associate Director, shuffling budgets, project outlines, and special requests for maximum impact in compliance with Intergalactic Arkestral auditing requirements. His favorite part of the job is holding the paper trail at bay long enough to actually see or speak with any of our phenomenal teaching artists, all of whom have made great personal sacrifices to develop and share their inclusive, transformative gifts with children and with the community at large. Richard is also a thankful son, mischievous brother, fortunate friend, lucky husband, bewitched father, aspiring rock star (hear him with the hons), and vehement enthusiast of the serial comma.