Al Murray (They/Them) is an artist/maker, trainer, facilitator, organizational culture-nerd ALWAYS in pursuit of a good aha-moment. Imagine a Swiss Army knife–and then imagine it’s a person. That’s Al. They are the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of TQAMP, a nonprofit that trains, consults with and coaches camps and youth-serving organizations to create safer spaces of belonging for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and staff.  Al is in a committed long-term relationship with camps and training and facilitation, having started their career as a camp professional 21 years ago in rural Kentucky. They have since worked at multiple YMCA and Girl Scouts associations, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth-serving organizations and advocacy groups across the South. Al has served at senior levels in youth programming, LGBTQ advocacy and Organizational Development–and prior to launching TQAMP was a Director of Relationships and Special Projects at the Campaign for Southern Equality in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Al holds a BA in Studio Art and Women’s Studies from Transylvania University (2006) and a MA in Art History from the University of Connecticut (2010). Honestly, you could consider these the tweezers and toothpick parts of the whole pocket knife metaphor.

After graduate school, Al fell in love/got married, moved back to the South, opened a metalworking studio (Steeltoe Sunshine) and worked as a studio artist and blacksmith for the next 5 years. Their multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving, movement work and equity and justice led them back to non-profit service with a focus on undoing racism, mobilizing resources and amplifying marginalized voices. 

Al has presented at the ACA’s Virtual Staffing Summit (“Integrating Operations Staff in 2SLGBTQIA+ trainings, 2023), offered webinars on “Writing 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusive Camp Policy” (2023) and “Advocating Up” (with Pony Barnes Foundation and Camp Fire, 2023), hosted the Center for Craft’s PechaKucha v.29 (2021), presented for Creative Mornings (“Spectrum of Truth & Hope,” 2020) and been selected for commissions and exhibitions in a variety of media (Black Mountain College Museum, Revolve Gallery, RAMP Studios).

Al brings right-sized doses of Southern hospitality and humor to every training and precision and empathy to policy work (Remember: Swiss army knife). The only things they love more than pizza are their adorable wife Rebecca and twins Sam and Starr.

View/hear Interviews with Al and Al’s presentations:

Creative Mornings—Asheville (2020)

Center for Craft Craft Futures Fund Gathering (2021)

Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center: I AM A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD (2021)

Camp Code Podcast: Twenty Years of Staff Training (2024)