Austin Film Society Announces Two New Members to its Board of Directors
Beverly Dale, PhD, activist and philanthropist best known for her work in the field of commercial HIV diagnostic tests; and Noah Hawley, the award-winning writer, novelist and showrunner behind series like Legion and Fargo. Joining the AFS Advisory Board is film and television executive Michael Garcia known for his work with 26 Keys, Lucasfilm Ltd., Televiso USA and HBO.
Each will contribute their breadth of knowledge and experience to the existing board’s expertise. Together, they will help lead AFS through its long-term, institutional goals for supporting film and filmmakers in Texas. They began their tenures in the fall of 2024.
“Our new board members bring exceptional experience and leadership to an already formidable Board of Directors,” said AFS CEO Rebecca Campbell. “Beverly Dale is a seasoned philanthropist and board member, while Noah Hawley and Advisory Board member Michael Garcia contribute decades of film and television industry expertise. We’re thrilled to welcome these luminaries to help advance the mission.”
The Board of Directors is an integral part of the Austin Film Society, serving in a governance role and supporting AFS’s mission to create life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyze Austin and Texas as a creative hub and bring the community together around great film. Their leadership includes forging connections in the community and providing valuable resources and knowledge to further advance the organization. Board member terms last three years.
Bios for the new AFS Board members are below, and photos can be found here.
About Beverly Dale
Beverly Dale is a retired healthcare professional residing in Los Altos, CA. After receiving her PhD in microbiology from the University of Texas Health Science in Dallas, she joined the biotechnology industry in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her last company was Roche Molecular Systems, a subsidiary of Hoffmann-La Roche, where she was involved in the development and commercialization of HIV diagnostic tests during the turn-around in the HIV/AIDS epidemic, her most satisfying professional experience. She also was on the founding board of Salix Pharmaceuticals, a successful start-up drug company specializing in gastroenterology products.
Since her retirement, Beverly has focused on philanthropy, social activism and national and local politics. Her primary philanthropic interests are in education, human rights, and the visual and performing arts. She formerly has served on the Boards of the Ann Richards School Foundation in Austin and ODC Dance in San Francisco. She is currently on the Boards of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation (her undergraduate alma mater), the Science Mill Museum — a STEM museum for children in Johnson City, Texas — and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, LA. She is also an active supporter of the Clinton Foundation nationally and Ballet Austin locally.
About Noah Hawley
Award-winning Noah Hawley is one of the most accomplished auteurs and versatile storytellers working in television, film and literature today. Hawley balances the art of telling cinematic, unforgettable character-driven stories that linger long after you’ve been immersed in them. Over the course of his more than 20-year career, Hawley’s work as a novelist, screenwriter, series creator, showrunner and director has garnered acclaim – winning an Emmy®, Writers Guild, PEN, Critics’ Choice and Peabody Awards – and passionate response from audiences.
Most recently from Hawley and his 26 Keys production banner was the fifth chapter of his quintessential FX anthology series Fargo, for which he serves as executive producer, writer, showrunner and director. The five installments of the hit series have been nominated for 70 Primetime Emmy Awards and won seven. Since the series debuted in 2014, the casts have included Jon Hamm, Juno Temple, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jean Smart, Kirsten Dunst, Billy Bob Thornton, Chris Rock, Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Patrick Wilson and Martin Freeman. Hawley is also the visionary behind FX’s groundbreaking series Legion.
Upcoming from Hawley is Alien Earth, the highly anticipated original FX television series based on the iconic film franchise expected in Summer 2025. The expansive series will be set on Earth thirty years from the current day, before the events of the Alien films. The series stars Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Essie Davis, David Ryshdahl, Samuel Blenkin and Adarsh Gourav.
As a best-selling author, Hawley has published six novels: A Conspiracy of Tall Men, Other People’s Weddings, The Punch, The Good Father, Before the Fall and Anthem, which garnered acclaim as one of the most ambitious novels of 2022. In addition, Fargo: This Is A True Story, a companion book to the first three seasons of the series and authored by Hawley, was released by Grand Central Publishing.
Additional recent projects from Hawley include his feature film directorial debut, Lucy in the Sky, which starred Natalie Portman, Jon Hamm, Dan Stevens, Zazie Beetz, Pearl Amanda Dickson, Tig Notaro and Ellen Burstyn. In Lucy in the Sky, Portman plays Lucy Cola, a strong woman whose determination and drive as an astronaut take her to space, where she’s deeply moved by the transcendent experience of seeing her life from afar. Back home as Lucy’s world suddenly feels too small, her connection with reality slowly unravels. It was released by Fox Searchlight.
Legion, Fargo, and Alien Earth are produced under Hawley’s Austin-based 26 Keys Productions banner, which opened their HQ offices in downtown Austin in 2024.
Hawley began his television career as a writer and producer on the hit series Bones in 2005, going on to create, executive produce and serve as showrunner for ABC’s My Generation (2009) and The Unusuals (2010).
About Michael Garcia
Over the past 25 years, Michael Garcia has been a producer and executive involved in a number of highly acclaimed, award-winning television series. He has held roles as an executive producer, network executive and studio executive with both domestic and international experience.
Prior to joining 26 Keys, Michael was the vice president of live-action series at Lucasfilm Ltd. (starting in 2019) where he was in charge of developing and producing Star Wars content for Disney+ as well as documentary films and series. While at Lucasfilm, he was co-producer on the series Star Wars: Andor (the prequel series to Star Wars: Rogue One) and co-executive producer on the documentary series Light & Magic (which chronicled the history of visual effects and ILM).
Prior to joining Lucasfilm, he was the chief creative officer for Televisa USA (the US studio arm of Mexico’s Grupo Televisa, S.A.) and vice president of drama series at HBO Network. In his position as chief creative officer of Televisa USA, Michael was in charge of building and overseeing all creative operations for the studio which produced, financed and distributed English-language television series. In addition, Michael oversaw the joint venture between Televisa and Lionsgate TV to develop and produce programs for the US market.
Prior to Televisa, Michael spent seven years as a development and current programming executive at HBO. He joined HBO as director of drama series and was later promoted to vice president of HBO Entertainment. While at the network, he was involved as an executive on numerous drama series including The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, The Wire, Deadwood, Carnivale, Big Love and True Blood. Michael is a graduate of Yale University with a BA in economics.
About Austin Film Society
Founded in 1985 by filmmaker Richard Linklater, AFS creates life-changing opportunities for filmmakers, catalyzes Austin and Texas as a creative hub, and brings the community together around great film. AFS is committed to racial equity and inclusion, with an objective to deliver programs that actively dismantle the structural racism, sexism and other bias in the screen industries. AFS supports filmmakers from all backgrounds towards career leaps, encouraging exceptional artistic projects with grants and support services. AFS operates Austin Studios, a 20-acre production facility, to attract and grow the creative media ecosystem. Austin Public, a space for our city’s diverse mediamakers to train and collaborate, provides many points of access to filmmaking and film careers. The AFS Cinema is an ambitiously programmed repertory and first run arthouse with broad community engagement. By hosting premieres, local and international industry events, and the Texas Film Awards, AFS shines the national spotlight on Texas filmmakers while connecting Austin and Texas to the wider film community. AFS is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
