David Starr (He/ Him) is a native Atlantan who has spent much of his life dedicated to supporting the performing and visual arts with an underlying heart for service. David’s journey into the charitable arts space through Qreative Voices  begins with a simple belief that Atlanta deserves additional space for the GLBTQ community dedicated to  supporting, amplifying and preserving queer narratives through the power of the performing arts.  He strongly believes that artists and storytellers should carry our collective history forward - boldly, beautifully, and unapologetically.

David’s professional life as a physician in Atlanta recently ended with a planned retirement to pursue other interests.  His  medical career spanned roles from practicing as a clinical urologist with department leadership and management as well as previously serving on the Board of Directors for The Southeast Permanente Medical Group in Atlanta.

His  passion for the performing arts started at an early age and continued into college with involvement with the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity while at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.  Through his personal and professional experiences he understands firsthand the impact that dedicated nonprofits can have and is committed to ensuring that Qreative Voices serves its mission that every story matters and that queer voices must not only be heard but should be celebrated, protected and uplifted. 
In his unstructured time, David and his canine companion Coco navigate adventures and  travels both locally and afar as well as pursuing piano studies and entertaining friends at his home. 

David welcomes conversations about how we can better serve our community through the performing arts. 

Amanda Hackett (She/Her) arrived in Atlanta due to her spouse's job in 2023 and immediately fell in love.

Raised backstage, she was first in the limelight at 3 years old as a street urchin in Scrooge. She's been hooked ever since. Onstage and backstage were her happy places and a wonderful avenue for learning that stories can transport us and equip us for the lives we are building. On top of theatre, like all midwesterners, she did show choir for four years. 

At Smith College, she built sets in the scene shop for her work study and performed with the jazz band as a singer and trumpet player. Then Amanda pursued a law degree at Howard University where she was a member of the law school's gospel choir.

During her distinguished career as an immigration attorney for the LGBTQIA+ community in Washington, DC, Amanda had to step back from performing, but enjoyed the 100+ theatres in the DMV and occasionally snuck up to NYC. 

Upon retiring from the law, Amanda returned to her traditional storytelling roots and opened a business as a voiceover actor. She is a versatile voice actor and uses her love of language learning and poetry to transform texts. Additionally, Amanda studies accordion with Matthew Kaminski and improv at Whole World Improv Theatre. She enjoys the vibrancy of the Queer Arts and Theatre communities in Atlanta and the South. 

We are so lucky to be telling our stories our ways.

Katherine Riddick (she/her) is a Southern gal who knows the power of a good story. Originally from Mississippi, Katherine’s professional life in Marketing brought her to Atlanta in 2014 where she fell in love with the city. Over the past 11+ years she has been committed to service around the Atlanta area through volunteering with various charities and teaching yoga. 

Her passion for the arts started at an early age with a love of the performing arts, particularly musical theatre. Through her personal and professional experiences she understands firsthand the impact that having a space to share your voice and forge connections can contribute to growth as a person and as a community. Through her work with Qreative Voices, she is committed to ensuring that Atlanta will be a place to amplify queer southern stories.

In her free time, Katherine enjoys reading, biking on the Silver Comet Trail, trying new restaurants, supporting the performing arts and traveling.

Casey Gardner Ford (She/Her) is a photographer, actor, and educator whose entire life revolves around storytelling. She has a degree in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After a super fulfilling first act as an actor on stages and sets all of the country, she returned home to Atlanta to give Georgia artists the photos they deserve of their work. 

Her company, Breathe Images, caters to the entertainment space by offering photography services for productions, headshots for actors and professionals alike, and event coverage for all. Her work has been featured in the AJC, Showguide, ArtsATL, The New York Times, Playbill, Broadway World, and many more. Some of her local clients include the Alliance Theatre, the HIGH museum, Theatrical Outfit, Actor’s Express, Aurora Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, Georgia Theatre Conference, The Breman Museum, Kennesaw State University, Emory University, and Dad’s Garage. 

She has been using her camera in a new way recently as an instructor at the Atlanta School of Photography. She helps everyone ages 9 to 99 learn everything from turning the darn things on to launching your own photography business. 

When not chained to a computer or camera, Casey loves to travel and is an avid reader. She lives with her husband Dan and baby boy Emmett. 

We are so lucky to have such a vibrant arts community here in Atlanta to support the mission of Qreative Voices. We all deserve to be heard and Casey is excited to start sculpting the safe spaces in addition to documenting them.