Who we are

About

Story Keepers fosters artists who tell authentic stories in new ways — stories grounded in community, curiosity, and care.

Mission

We began with a simple belief: stories have the power to bring people together.

Rooted in queer creativity and community imagination, we create experiences that move beyond the stage, page, or screen and into the spaces where people live, work, and gather.

Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, we work in partnership with the artists, venues, and organizations that make the Tampa Bay arts scene one of the most vital in the country.

Story Keepers artists gathered for a salon reading in a St. Petersburg living room

Keep the
stories coming

Story Keepers is a nonprofit. Every reading, living-room performance, and new play we develop is funded by people who believe this city deserves new work.

Support Story Keepers See what's on

Meet the team

The people
in the room

The artists, producers, and community members leading Story Keepers.

David DiGioacchino

Board Chair · he/him

David guides the board's strategic vision, fosters collaboration, and helps ensure the organization continues to grow its impact in meaningful and sustainable ways. Professionally a director in marketing at a Fortune 500 company, he brings extensive experience in digital engagement, creative operations, and audience strategy. A resident of St. Petersburg, he is passionate about building models that ensure Story Keepers not only thrives in the present but endures for the future.

José Avilés

Co-Programming Chair · he/him

José hails from Philadelphia and has been an actor, director, producer, arts administrator, and theatre arts educator for over 30 years. Most recently he directed the world premiere of All My Mothers Dream In Spanish, an Azuka Theatre and Teatro del Sol co-production.

Julia Rifino

Co-Programming Chair · she/her

Julia's visual art has been featured in exhibitions at Your Arts Desire Gallery and Woodfield Fine Art Gallery, and she has performed on stages throughout the Tampa Bay area including freeFall Theatre, Stageworks, American Stage, and the Straz Center. A proud resident of St. Petersburg, she is committed to fostering a thriving arts community where creators are celebrated and new stories can find their audience.

Avery Anderson

Co-Programming Chair · they/them

Avery is a marketer, storyteller, and community strategist whose work sits at the intersection of art, access, and local culture. Founder of Tampa Bay Arts Passport, they previously served as Director of Marketing & Communications at Long Wharf Theatre and American Stage, and earned a Suncoast Emmy Award for digital storytelling as an Associate Producer at 10 Tampa Bay. As a founding board member, Avery brings a deep commitment to queer storytelling, site-specific experiences, and arts ecosystems that center people over institutions.

Lisa Thornsberry

Board Member

Bio coming soon.

Jenna Felder