State of the Arts Summit

Álvaro Márquez

Álvaro D. Márquez (they/theirs) is an artist, educator, and arts advocate originally from the working-class immigrant community of East Salinas, CA. Having spent the last 16 years in LA County, they have worked at several small to large arts organizations, including Self Help Graphics and Art, LACMA, and the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Álvaro is currently employed as a Program Officer for Arts at the California Community Foundation, where they oversee grantmaking in the nonprofit arts sector, as well as running the Getty-funded Fellowship for Visual Artists. Aside from their work in philanthropy, Álvaro is also a part-time Adjunct Professor in Printmaking, at the Roski School of Art and Design at the University of Southern California. Their artwork can be found in the permanent collections at LACMA, The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, and the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.

Ben Dabiri

Ben Dabiri (he/him) is a dynamic jazz pianist, producer, composer, and arranger
celebrated for his distinctive fusion of traditional and modern jazz styles. Born in Tehran, Iran, Ben began his musical journey with classical piano training before relocating to the United States at age 9. It was in high school that he discovered his deep passion for jazz, setting him on a path to a flourishing career.

An alum of the Herb Alpert School of Music at UCLA, Ben is a
vibrant presence in the Los Angeles jazz scene, performing regularly and
sharing his expertise as a piano instructor. His creative prowess extends
beyond performance; Ben is renowned for producing and arranging music
that challenges genre conventions and captivates listeners. His
collaborations with various artists in LA have resulted in innovative and
influential albums.

Dedicated to advancing the cultural impact of jazz, Ben uses his music to bridge diverse cultures and communities. With a blend of
technical skill and artistic insight, Ben Dabiri is a compelling force in the
jazz world, continually pushing boundaries and enriching the genre.

Christine Meinders

Christine Meinders (she/her) is a design strategist and emerging technologies designer, specializing in collaborative and inclusive design approaches for AI tools and community-driven social AI projects. As the founder of Feminist.AI, a non-profit focused on AI art and design research, and the founder and CEO of POIETO, a company dedicated to responsible AI education and software, Christine has been at the forefront of ethical AI development for eight years.

Christine holds an MFA in Media Design Practices from ArtCenter College of Design and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Her interdisciplinary expertise informs her research, which focuses on the design and user experience of artificial intelligence (UX of AI). Christine’s work aims to reshape how AI technologies are developed and used, ensuring they are inclusive, human-centered, and socially responsible.

Through her efforts, she seeks to empower communities and foster a more equitable future in technology.

Daniel Tarica

Daniel Tarica (he/him) is the General Manager of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, leading the Department’s work to strengthen the quality of life in Los Angeles by stimulating and supporting arts and cultural activities and ensuring public access to the arts for residents and visitors.

Managing a full-time staff of 92 and a part-time staff of more than 200, Daniel oversees the Department’s portfolio of facilities, capital improvement projects, grants, educational initiatives, and programming.

Daniel previously served as DCA’s Assistant General Manager and has served in several leadership positions for the City of Los Angeles for the Los Angeles City Council, City Controller, and City Administrative Officer.

David Valdez

David Valdez (he/him) is the Executive Engagement Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion supporting NBCUniversal’s Chief Diversity Officer, Craig Robinson, and the company’s DEI efforts across the enterprise. David has spent 13 years at NBCU, previously with the world-famous Studio Tour on the Universal lot before joining the Corporate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team in December of 2020.

David was born and raised in Los Angeles and is passionate about supporting community-based organizations that provide direct services to families and individuals facing critical challenges to success. He serves on the Board of Directors with Jovenes, Inc. a non-profit that serves youth ages 18-25 that are experiencing homelessness. David is a graduate of Yale University and has a Masters in Fine Arts from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, CA.

Gloria Sanchez

Working and residing in the Harbor Area of Tovaangar (Los Angeles), Gloria “Gem” Sanchez (she/her) is a Xicana-Filipina American interdisciplinary artist, arts facilitator,and emerging curator that works in fibers, installation, drawing, and painting. Sanchez earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting with a minor in Art Education from Cal State Puvungna (Long Beach) in 2014. She works at Angels Gate Cultural Center as a coordinator for the San Pedro Arts and Cultural District Coalition – Arts United San Pedro. Gloria is on the organizing committee of the Many Winters Gathering of Elders that takes place on Xaraashnga (Angels Gate Cultural Center). She is an alumni artist of Slanguage Studio and is studying to be an occupational therapy practitioner.

Gloria has exhibited work at Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Tin Flats, Luna Anais Gallery, Angels Gate Cultural Center, Cerritos College, Downtown Art Center Gallery, Pasadena City College, Orange Coast College, Biola University, LA><ART, Museum of Latin American Art, Los Angeles Water School, Consulado Mexicano de Los Ángeles, MOCA Geffen Plaza, El Comalito Collective, Pintados Philippine Art Gallery, Flux Art Space, LeiMin Space, and Art Share LA.

Gustavo Herrera

Gustavo (he/him) was appointed as Arts for LA’s Executive Director in December 2018. Prior to working with us, he was the Western Regional Director for Young Invincibles (YI), where he was responsible for leading YI’s California offices, including its West Coast expansion. As director, he set strategic direction and advanced YI’s policy priorities on health care, higher education, jobs, and civic engagement for the region.

Before starting at Young Invincibles, Gustavo was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of L.A. Plaza de Cultura y Artes (LAPCA), overseeing the day-to-day operation of a county museum, including the oversight of a master plan committee responsible for strategically developing three acres of additional museum campus. From 2010-2012, Gustavo led the Maestro Foundation, a classical music and performance arts foundation, as the Director of Organizational Development. Between 2007-2010, he assessed and recommended business growth strategies in the US marketplace for the global Fortune 500 Company, American Honda Motors, Co. Gustavo holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from American Jewish University and a dual Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies with an emphasis in socio-politics and economics and Art History from the University of California Santa Barbara.

Gustavo served on the Board of Directors of the Create: Fixate Arts Organization (2006-2010). He is a current Strong Workforce Implementation Advisory Board Member for the California Community Colleges, Advisory Board Member for the California Physician’s Alliance and founding Board Member of Silverlake Forward.

Havilah Malone

Havilah Malone (she/her) is an executive producer, actress, and 3x best-selling author on a mission to be a catalyst for positive change in over two billion people’s lives.

Havilah graduated from the University of New Orleans at the age of 19 with two degrees, and has been featured on FOX, NBC, ABC, CBS, and the Huffington Post. Havilah’s known for her roles in HBO’S Barry, Insecure, NCIS: New Orleans, and numerous national TV campaigns, including four Super Bowl Commercials.

Ms. Malone is a recipient of the NOW (Network of Outstanding Women) 2023 “Artist of the Year” Award (for Acting and Producing), and Volunteer Service Award Gold Medal from the President of the United States. Havilah holds several professional accreditations including: Master Certified Practitioner of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), Silva Method, and Certified Instructor for the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

Havilah also serves on the BIPOC Taskforce for the non-profit PAVE (Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment). This multi-talented manifester shares her pillars of success with audiences around the world to help female creatives and entrepreneurs multiply their impact and #BeProofOfWhatsPossible. Havilah’s latest book: “Rewriting A New History: A Spiritual Path to Audacious Authenticity and Healing,” is available now!

Joel Arquillos

Joel Arquillos (he/him) is Executive Director of the Snap Foundation. Prior to this, he led multiple nonprofits including 826LA, The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, and was Founding Director of National Programs for 826 National.

Joel also spent over a decade as a history teacher and Director of Arts and Media at Galileo High School in San Francisco, as well as a Director of Day Programs for neurodiverse adults in Sonoma County. Joel holds a doctorate degree from the University of California in Los Angeles.

Joel Ferree

Since Joel Ferree (he/him) became program director of LACMA’s Art + Technology Lab in 2015, the year after its launch, the Lab has cemented its reputation as one of the world’s leading initiatives that connects artists with innovators in technology; previous and current projects have involved artists working on projects with both NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and SpaceX, and with companies working across machine-learning, robotics and 3D-printing and more.

With the aim of fostering artistic experimentation, and furthering the relationship between technology and culture, recent grants from the Art + Technology Lab have been awarded to projects that explore deep sea mining; examine the intersection of high-tech imaging, neutrino astronomy, and glaciology; revive the Sojourner Mars rover, and respond to institutional cataloging systems.

Hope Tschopik Schneider

A management consultant with 40 years of experience in private practice, Hope Tschopik Schneider (she/her) has worked with organizations in the nonprofit sector in strategic planning. She’s worked with a wide array of clients including arts organizations, individual departments within the university setting, human service agencies, environmental organizations, government agencies and foundations.

During her career many fellow executives in the field sought her out to serve as an executive coach. Hope maintains an advisory relationship with many of these clients. Prior to becoming a management consultant, Ms. Schneider was Associate Director of the Olympic Arts Festival during the Games of the 23rd Olympiad, Los Angeles, in 1984.

Ms. Schneider has served in many positions of voluntary leadership including Chairman of the Board of the Descanso Gardens Guild; Chairman of the Board for Arts, Inc.; Vice Chair of the Board for Aids Project Los Angeles; the President of the Board of Westridge School; and, as a Member of the Board of The Tricycle Foundation (publishers of Tricycle Magazine).

Ms. Schneider is currently on the Board of Directors of the Ojai Music Festival serving as the Festivals Treasurer and as a Chair of the Future Forward Campaign. In addition, she has returned to serve on the Board of Directors of Descanso Gardens as the Chair of the Campaign for Descanso Committee.

And on a lark and hurrah, Ms. Schneider is a proud Co-Producer of the critically acclaimed musical now running on Broadway, Water for Elephants.

Kristin Sakoda

Kristin Sakoda (she/her) is Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the local arts agency with a mission to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout the most populous county in the U.S. 

Ms. Sakoda is an arts executive, attorney, and performing artist with over 25 years in the field. As an artist she appeared on stages around the world including with dance and social justice company Urban Bush Women, in Rent, and Mamma Mia! on Broadway. Prior to her work at LA County, she served at New York City Department of Cultural Affairs overseeing a $200M portfolio of strategic, programmatic, policy, and legislative projects on diversity and inclusion; public art; creative aging; cultural facilities; grants; and affordable workspace for artists. She holds a J.D. NYU School of Law with honors in Entertainment Law, and B.A. Stanford University with a specialization in Race and Ethnicity and secondary major in Feminist Studies.

Larry Laboe

Larry Laboe (he/him) is Co-Founder and Executive Director of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA), an organization championing filmmakers and storytellers worldwide. Larry is a member of the Producers Guild of America and previously served as a Faculty Member at the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI). He is a Board Member of the BRIC Foundation and Film Festival Alliance (FFA) and is a Committee Member of SAGindie. He has served as a Peer Group Leader for the LA County Department of Arts and Culture Arts Internship Program, and participated multiple times as a grants panelist for the California Arts Council and LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

Larry has produced content directed by talent including James Franco and Joseph Gordon Levitt for some of the world’s leading brands, networks and studios, including Disney, NBC, VEVO, Dailymotion, MTV, DEFY Media, Comedy Central, Verizon, Amazon, Complex Media, Mountain Dew, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Verizon and Smuckers. Many of these productions have been official selections at top festivals such as South by Southwest (SXSW) and have won major awards including a BANFF World Media Festival Rockie Award.

Lindsey P. Horvath

Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (she/her) is the youngest-ever Chair of the Board of Supervisors and is focused on bringing young and marginalized voices into the work of the County. She is the first millennial, and currently the only renter to serve on the Board, bringing a much-needed perspective to Los Angeles County leadership.

Upon taking office in December 2022, she authored LA County’s homelessness emergency declaration, bringing added urgency and transparency to the region’s homelessness response. Supervisor Horvath also appointed herself to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commission, where she now serves as Chair, to focus accountability and transparency on the use of resources to address the emergency.

A member of the Metro Board of Directors and Vice Chair of Clean Power Alliance, she is also a longtime champion for transportation, environmental sustainability and justice, and women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. She previously served as Councilmember and the longest consecutively serving Mayor of West Hollywood.

Lindsey Tomiko Kunisaki

Lindsey Tomiko Kunisaki (she/her) is a researcher, evaluator, and curriculum designer exploring the intersection of cultural sustainability, educational equity, and creativity development.

Lindsey is Arts for LA’s 2024 Laura Zucker Fellow for Policy & Research. She also works as Research & Evaluation Specialist with the UCLA Visual and Performing Arts Education (VAPAE) program and an independent evaluator and curriculum designer. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University, Lindsey previously earned a Master’s degree (Ed.M.) in arts education at Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) at UCLA.

Since 2010, Lindsey has been working in arts education with local and international organizations (including UNESCO, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Sustainable Little Tokyo, and local governments, among others). For her work she has also been awarded Gates Millennium Scholarship, Gilman International Scholarship, Gluck Fellowship, and others.

Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith (she/her) is the Program Officer and Alchemy Lead at the Annenberg Foundation, where she leads major initiatives like the Alchemy program and the LA2050 partnership. In her role, Nicole leads grant portfolios within the Annenberg Foundation’s Community Grantmaking Program, a responsive giving fund, with a strategic focus on workforce development, foster youth, and mental health.

She also plays a pivotal role in the Foundation’s AI working group, co-designing AI pilots to drive innovation in philanthropy. With a strong background in nonprofit consulting, Nicole applies her expertise to advance capacity building and social innovation. She is currently completing her MBA at the University of Southern California, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy.

Nicole is dedicated to creating impactful programs that empower communities and organizations to thrive.

Nora Halpern

Nora Halpern (she/her) is a curator, lecturer, and writer on the arts and arts policy with over 30 years of experience advising artists, collectors, institutions, corporations, and foundations. She has spent her public and private life advocating for art, artists, and social justice. Halpern began her career in Los Angeles, where she was the Frederick R. Weisman Collections Curator, Founding Director of the Museum at Pepperdine University, and Director of Fine Arts for Sotheby’s, West Coast.

She served as a Vice President at Americans for the Arts for more than two decades, focusing on policy issues related to social justice, arts and health, freedom of expression, the environment, education, technology, and the arts as a door to dialogue and change, among many others. In 2023, she was appointed by President Biden to the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. 

Halpern has served on the boards of the Los Angeles Institute of Contemporary Art, the Santa Monica Museum of Art (now the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles), ArtTable, PS Arts, and Scholastic’s Alliance for Young Artists and Writers. Halpern received her BA and MA from the University of California, Los Angeles.

QUITAPENAS

QUITAPENAS, one word – all caps, four syllables – all claps, gives you a taste of their rhythmic contagion. This tropical Afro-Latin combo was born under the warm California sun. They borrow aesthetics from the radical 60s, 70s and 80s. Each song echoes a remix of history and invites one to engage in the liberating evenings of Angola, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and beyond.

The name means “to remove worries.” Everybody has a “pena” and the mission of QUITAPENAS is simple: to make you dance and leave you without a worry.

QUITAPENAS was founded in 2011. The band was formed around their shared love of dance rhythms from the Tropical Afro Latin diaspora. They assembled a group of like minded friends to share the vision that went on to be QUITAPENAS. The group is made up of first generation son’s of immigrant parents from Guatemala and Mexico.

Rose Chan Loui

Rose Chan Loui (she/her) is the founding Executive Director of the Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits at the UCLA School of Law. Prior to joining UCLA Law, Rose was Of Counsel at Rodriguez Horii Choi & Cafferata, where she counseled foundations, charitable organizations of various sizes and missions, founders, and for-profit corporations doing business with nonprofits. Rose has specific expertise in working with nonprofit organizations to structure and implement their advocacy and lobbying programs, including working on ballot measure campaigns with charitable organizations and foundations. 

Rose has been active on the boards of numerous nonprofits throughout her career. Notably, she serves as board chair of East West Players, the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater. Rose’s current board commitments also include The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Board of Governors of Stanford Associates, and Stanford Club of Pasadena. Rose is a graduate of Stanford University and NYU School of Law.

Samantha Theisen

Samantha Theisen (she/her) has been in public education for over 30 years, and has served as an administrator in the San Gabriel Unified School District since 2015, currently as the Sr. Program Administrator – Arts, CTE, and Dual Enrollment. Previously, she taught music at Moorpark High, Mesa Verde Middle, and La Canada Elementary Schools, and was the Director of Education for the New West Symphony. Samantha holds degrees or certificates from Cal State Northridge, Southern Oregon University, and the UCLA Principal Leadership Institute, and holds a Masters degree in Conducting. She is a professional saxophonist and jazz musician who performed and recorded extensively in a past life, and periodically in this one. She is a mother of three and wife of a high school music teacher.

Sarah Lyding

Sarah Lyding (she/her) serves as Executive Director of The Music Man Foundation. An established leader in arts philanthropy, Sarah has forged relationships with some of the country’s major music, health, and academic institutions including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, UCSF and the Sound Health initiative, and the NeuroArts Blueprint.

Under Sarah’s leadership, the Foundation has developed numerous grant programs: the Meredith Willson Awards offering support to organizations using music to achieve systemic change; a music therapy grant program for Southern California-based organizations; relief grants for music education programs after COVID-19-related shutdowns, and the Strengthening the Sector advocacy grant.

Before joining The Music Man Foundation in 2017, Ms. Lyding was the first staff member for The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, where she worked for nearly 10 years. Prior to her work with foundations, she led fundraising efforts at the Pasadena Playhouse and Center Theatre Group.

Stacy Brightman

The first Executive Director ever for The Ebell of LA, Dr. Stacy Brightman (she/her) is responsible for creating and implementing a vision for dynamically increasing The Ebell’s engagement with and impact on the broader community. Together with The Ebell’s Board of Directors and corps of 500 member volunteers, she leads the strategic planning to advance organizational capacity, governance, member and community engagement, and the preservation and utilization of The Ebell’s historic 83,000 square foot arts-focused campus. She establishes initiatives and partnerships that center The Ebell of LA as a treasure both because of its history and beauty, but also as a vibrant and accessible hub for the performing and visual arts, public scholarship, community impact, and civic leadership. 

Prior to joining The Ebell, Stacy served as Vice President for LA Opera’s renowned community, education, and learning department from 2000-2021. She developed and produced the company’s acclaimed education, community, and festival programs serving more than 220,000 students and family members annually through in-person and online programs; developed, promoted, and supervised arts equity and access initiatives; and led cultural practice and inquiry projects.

Previously, Stacy held senior leadership positions at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Shakespeare Center LA, and LA Stage Alliance, as well as teaching positions at USC, LMU, and FIDM. She holds a Ph.D. in Dramatic Arts from UC Davis, BA in Theatre and Religious Studies from Pomona College, and is in the process of completing her MA in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University.

She is a trustee for the Friends of the Michael White Adobe, one of LA County’s few remaining early 19th-century adobe structures.

Versa-Style

Founded in 2005 by Los Angeles natives and co-artistic directors Jackie Lopez aka Miss Funk and Leigh Foaad aka Breeze-lee, Versa-Style Street Dance Company was created to promote, empower and celebrate the artistry of Hip Hop and street dance culture.

Named “Los Angeles’ Best Dance Troupe for Hip Hop Empowerment” by LA Weekly, Versa-Style is recognized for its electrifying performances and inspiring engagement activities for schools and local communities. Consisting of committed, highly skilled street dance artists and educators representative of the diversity and beautiful complexity of Los Angeles, Versa-Style Street Dance Company harnesses the exhilarating energy of street dance onto the concert stage for an unforgettable evening of dance.