Board of Directors

Alyson Gindler

Alyson comes from a musical family and background, having played multiple instruments throughout the years, including piano, violin and cello. However, flute and piccolo is where she finally found a home, and she played happily there all through college as a member of The Longhorn Band at The University of Texas. After moving to Georgetown, she discovered handbells at FUMC and has been ringing off and on there for over fifteen years. Alyson currently works as an RN for a consulting firm on a large project for the state of Texas. In between work and ringing, she is completing her Master’s degree in Healthcare Informatics, reading for pleasure, and hanging out at the ranch with her family.

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Colin Gilligan

Colin is Director of Digital Strategy & Development at Sherry Matthews Group, a marketing and advertising agency that works with government agencies, socially conscious businesses, and nonprofit organizations on issues that affect the well-being of individuals, communities, and the wider world. Colin studied marketing at The University of Texas at Austin's Red McCombs School of Business. Serving as AHE's Treasurer in 2011, he joined the ensemble as a ringer in 2012. Also in 2012, he joined the Avant family band and married the love of his life, Elizabeth. In 2016 and 2018, the band grew with the addition of daughter Carys and son Everett. Beyond his love of being a dad, husband, and all-around family supporter, Colin enjoys cooking and baking.

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Elizabeth Avant Gilligan

Elizabeth is Austin-born and a graduate of The University of Texas with a Bachelor of Music in Choral Studies. She taught elementary music for six years. In addition to teaching piano to school-aged children in a home studio, Elizabeth serves as the Children's Choir Coordinator and Handbell Director at Covenant Presbyterian Church. Elizabeth joined AHE in 2010 and yes, she is related to the director! She and Colin have two young children together – they’re future ringers, of course.

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Matt Arnold

Matt began ringing handbells in 2006, and it has been an important part of his life ever since. He attended Baylor University, where he studied computer science and was a member of the Baylor Bronze as well as the Baylor University Men’s Choir and the Golden Wave Band. Matt currently works as a software engineer for The Home Depot. In his free time, Matt enjoys cycling, spending time with friends, and playing or watching soccer.

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Lauren McBane

Lauren wanted to play handbells ever since she first heard them in a church service. However, she was not able to fulfill that dream until 2011, when she joined the beginning handbell choir at Lilburn FBC. That one choir multiplied and Lauren soon found herself recruited to ring with the Atlanta Concert Ringers in 2015. She moved to Austin in 2016 for her husband, Sean, to start a PhD program at UT and they both joined AHE in 2017. Lauren currently stays at home with their 4 daughters. When not ringing or chasing children, Lauren enjoys cooking, cross stitching, reading, and spending time with her family.

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Amy Whiteaker

After learning to play handbells with the Baron Ringers at Brewton-Parker College in Georgia, Amy fell in love with handbells and was thrilled to join AHE in 2013. She moved to Austin to attend graduate school at UT in 2006 and has lived here ever since. Amy loves to travel. She has backpacked around Europe and she lived in Prague for seven months while teaching English as a Second Language. Currently, she spends her days teaching middle school science and high school biology, and her nights and weekends with her family.

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