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Celebrating David Holland’s Legacy
David joined Creative West in 2019, bringing vision, expertise, and leadership to our work in arts advocacy, public policy, and government affairs. Over the past six years, David has made an indelible impact, shaping programs and initiatives that have driven real change across the communities we serve.
Some of David’s notable accomplishments include:
- Co-developing the Creative West Pacific Initiative
- Co-designing the Arts and the Rural West gathering
- Launching the Creative Vitality™ Summit
- Founding the Western Arts Advocacy Network (WAAN)
- Leading the development of Washington state’s Creative Economy Strategic Plan
- Serving as a faculty member of the National Leader of Color Fellowship
David has also represented Creative West on numerous committees, panels, and conferences, while leading consulting projects with state arts agencies, advocacy organizations, and national arts service groups. His leadership has been instrumental in initiatives like the Three-Year Adaptive Bridge Plan and the diversification of our fundraising strategy.
David’s last day with Creative West will be October 31, but we are thrilled that he will continue to work with us as a consultant on the Greater Bay Area Arts Advocacy Coalition project. We thank David for his incredible contributions and wish him the very best in his next chapter.
Welcoming Cynthia Chen to a New Leadership Role
While we say goodbye to David, we are excited to announce that Cynthia Chen, a longtime colleague in the Alliances and Advocacy (AAP) department, will step into a new leadership role as Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs in early November.
Since joining Creative West in January 2022, Cynthia has strengthened our core advocacy and policy programs, including WAAN, the Arts Leadership & Advocacy Seminar (ALAS), and the Arts Action Alert Center. She has also led federal fly-in efforts, analyzed legislative changes, and built strategic coalitions with key partners.
Cynthia brings a wealth of experience in arts administration, government affairs, and international cultural projects, having worked in the United States, France, China, and Taiwan. Raised in Utah, she began her career with the Utah Cultural Alliance and Spy Hop Productions. A trilingual leader fluent in English, French, and Mandarin, Cynthia is also an alumna of Creative West’s Emerging Leaders of Color program and a 2025 Fellow with the Foundation of Public Affairs.
In this new role, Cynthia will lead a high-impact portfolio of programs focused on advancing state and federal arts advocacy, cultural policy, and legislation related to the creative economy. She will be joined by her talented AAP colleagues and collaborators across Creative West.
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