WBTT Professional Selected for Gulf Coast Board Institute

October 18, 2021 – Sarasota

Travis Ray, associate managing director of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, was named to Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Fall 2021 Gulf Coast Board Institute. Through this program, he is receiving high-level governance training during four training experiences over a four-week period in October.

Participants for each session are selected through a competitive process with the intent of creating a group of individuals with a variety of experiences. Regardless of prior board experience, all participants should possess a personal commitment to use what they learn through the Gulf Coast Board Institute to strengthen the governance capacity of a nonprofit organization in the Gulf Coast region.  

Ray is the owner of handcrafted bow tie and accessory brand, Dapper Bowtique. He was named to the “40 under 40” Class of 2020 by the Business Observer, awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Manasota Honors, and earned a “Business Cohort” entrepreneurship with the “Build Bradenton, Build Basics” program in Bradenton, Fla.

Ray has worked with the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts, the King Tut Exhibit, the Atlanta Falcons, Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, and Tyler Perry Studios. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre management/arts administration from the University of Alabama; a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre performance from Alabama State University; and obtained professional actor training at the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film/Nebraska Repertory Theatre. Travis recently completed the Arts in Health Summer Intensive at the University of Florida.