Escape the Box

Born and raised in Greenwich Village, New York, Aris Roberts-Kelly is the Cofounder & CEO, Escape the Box, an outdoor experience in Austin, Texas.

Aris has always been drawn to creativity, craftsmanship, and human connection. She studied creative writing at Marymount Manhattan College before moving to Austin, Texas in 1997, where she graduated summa cum laude from St. Edward’s University. Her professional journey began as a fine furniture designer and woodworker, then evolving into a writer, editor, educator, and advocate for healthy relationships. Her lifelong fascination with how stories, design, and collaboration can shape the way people connect, culminated in her cofounding Escape the Box, the time-travel-themed outdoor escape experience based in Austin. 

As CEO, Aris brings storytelling and play together to create large scale immersive team-building adventures that inspire communication, humor, and trust. Her work promotes happier, healthier workplaces by providing an unusual opportunity to connect – as fellow time travelers with a goal in common: to get back to the present.

A proud Irish American, Aris blends artistry and entrepreneurship with a deep belief in the power of community, and continues to champion creativity as a force for connection and joy.