Preserving Austin as the City Evolves

Adam Powell is the Executive Director of the Austin History Center Association, the nonprofit public-private partner of Austin’s municipal archives. He has years of experience working in mission-focused organizations as a union organizer, school district administrator, state employee, and candidate for local office, in addition to spending time as a tech executive at a local startup.

This career path began at Texas Christian University (TCU), where as a student organizer he co-founded the university’s African American and Africana Studies Minor as well as the Department of Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies before graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. During his undergraduate years, he gained hands-on experience in archival preservation through his work with TCU Special Collections and the National Archives at Fort Worth.

Raised by educators in the suburbs of north Austin, Adam is passionate about giving back to his home community through volunteer work. To this end he has served as a City of Austin Planning Commissioner, Board Member of Austin’s SAFE Alliance, Committee Member with CapMetro, and as Vice President of the North Shoal Creek Neighborhood Association.