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Executive Director
Ware leads all phases of Texas Watch. He first began working for the organization in 2003 and has been privileged to serve the organization in multiple capacities through the years.
As Texas Watch’s spokesperson, he is dedicated to giving voice to the need for public safety and full accountability through our civil justice system. In the face of a sustained assault on our life and liberty by corporate lobbyists, he stands for the preservation of individual constitutional rights, specifically the right to trial by jury enshrined in the Seventh Amendment to our Constitution. He has been quoted in leading media outlets on issues important to consumers and working families. Ware monitors legal developments that impact Texans and helps craft policy proposals that focus on fulfilling the promise of “liberty and justice for all.”
Ware has served as the Legislative Aide to a senior member of the Texas House and Chief of Staff in the Texas Senate, enabling him to work on legislation of statewide importance and giving him insights into the workings of the Texas Capitol. He has testified before legislative committees and state agencies more times than he can count.
He holds a degree in Political Science with departmental honors from Stanford University, where he was the recipient of the Thomas Barclay Endowed Scholarship. He is also a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, where he was the recipient of the Albert P. Jones Endowed Scholarship, and has taught as an adjunct professor at the law school for eight years. He has twice been named a Texas Super Lawyer Rising Star and is listed among the Best Attorneys of America. He served as a voice for policyholders at the national level as a consumer liaison to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and fought for the rights of Texas homeowners on a statewide task force on residential arbitration.
Ware and his wife have one daughter. When he finds free time, he makes music.
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Development and Operations Coordinator
Kelly joined Texas Watch as the Development and Operations Coordinator in July 2019. As the Development and Operations Coordinator, she ensures staff are well-equipped to fight for justice for Texans by managing the day-to-day operations of Texas Watch and overseeing fundraising campaigns and events. Kelly extends the fight for justice to donors by inviting them to support Texas Watch.
Her interest in state politics developed early as a Senate page for the Washington State legislature during high school. She holds a B.A. in History and Political Science (summa cum laude) from Carroll College in Helena, Montana, where she was fortunate to intern with lobbyists during the 2017 legislative session. During her time with the legislature, Kelly learned how powerful insurance lobbyists can be and how important it is to give a voice to people affected by harsh policies. Kelly recently finished a year volunteering with Mercy Volunteer Corps in a community center located in a low-income neighborhood in Savannah, Georgia. There, she witnessed injustices committed by large corporations against uninformed and vulnerable citizens. She believes that advocacy at the state level is the most effective way to enact change and that the cornerstone of democracy is communicating with people in political offices about adverse policies affecting citizens.
Kelly became passionate about fundraising for non-profit organizations in college, where she raised money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Families with Heart. Kelly enjoys planning events and connecting everyday philanthropists to important and worthy causes. Her favorite events involve advocacy, especially through contacting members of Congress or state legislators about crucial issues. She received the Newman Fellowship through Montana Campus Compact in 2017 for her dedication to finding solutions for long-term problems facing communities.
She is from Seattle, Washington, and she likes experiencing new places and learning about local issues. In her free time, Kelly enjoys a good book, running, and getting out on the water.
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Digital Content Director
As the Digital Content Director, Christian Benavides oversees the creation of videos, photos, graphics, as well as maintaining all social media channels for Texas Watch. He focuses on helping Texans tell their stories in order to protect their rights and families.
During his time as a student in the Radio-Television-Film Department at the University of Texas at Austin, Christian began to venture into films that grappled with the issues of the time. His most recent project, "States & Avenues," a documentary about a recent UT graduate going back home to run for city council, was awarded a grant from KLRU in the inaugural digital maker's lab. In his spare time, Christian held different leadership positions in student organizations, including the University Filmmakers Alliance, Students of the World, and Women in Cinema.
In his professional career, he's held different internships in places such as Sparksight & UT Austin's College of Natural Science. During that time, he learned the fundamental skill of condensing information so it could be easily understood by people on the other side of the screen. Projects ranged from corporate to non-profit testimonials, cancer research, and video assets that helped raise money for a new endowment at the College of Natural Sciences.
Hailing from Houston, he has has a great sense of pride being from a city rich with culture and diversity. His time spent in the city allowed him to find ways to connect with people from all walks of life, and he uses that as a base to inform the stories he wishes to pursue. He also enjoys a great taco truck, sitting down at a coffee shop to write up his latest film idea, and listening to the newest album that attracts his attention. Christian is deeply committed to finding new ways to communicate about issues that are important to him and the people of the great State of Texas.
