He alakaʻi kiʻiʻoniʻoni, hana noʻeau, a me ka ʻenehana me ka ʻike ma ka ʻāpana ʻoihana ʻole a me ka loaʻa kālā, ua paʻa ʻo Gaines i nā kūlana alakaʻi ma ka Sundance Film Festival, ka Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, a me ka American Film Institute. No ʻelima mau makahiki, holo ʻo ia i ka hoʻomohala ʻoihana ma Withoutabox, kahi kahua hoʻouna hoʻolaha kiʻi ʻoniʻoni i loaʻa e IMDb, kahi mahele o Amazon. Ma 2013, ua lilo ʻo Gaines i luna hoʻokele o ArtPrize, kahi hoʻokūkū hoʻokūkū hoʻokūkū honua i mālama ʻia i kēlā me kēia makahiki ma Grand Rapids, Michigan, kahi i lawelawe ai ʻo ia ma ka Michigan Arts and Culture Council a ma ka papa o DisArt. I Ianuali o 2019, ua hui ʻo Gaines iā Creative West a ua mālama ʻo ia i ka hui ma o ka ulu nui ʻana a i kāna mokuna aʻe ʻo Creative West. Ke lawelawe nei ʻo ia ma ka papa alakaʻi o ka National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), a ua hoʻomaka koke ʻo ia i kāna lawelawe ma ke ʻano he poʻo o ka US Regional Arts Organizations collective. Makemake nui ʻo Gaines i ka hana ʻana i nā manawa kūpono no nā mea hana kiʻi a me nā mea lawe moʻomeheu, hana i nā wahi hauʻoli, a me nā hui hoʻoikaika e hana i kā lākou hana maikaʻi loa.

Kākoʻo ʻo Kaela Buffum Hogan i ka luna hoʻokō o Creative West, nā hope alakaʻi, a me ka papa o nā kahu a he mea kōkua nui ʻo ia i ka holomua o ka hui alakaʻi a me ka papa i ko lākou alakaʻi ʻana i ka hui i ka wā e hiki mai ana. Loaʻa ʻo Buffum Hogan i kahi BFA i ka hana ʻoihana a ʻoi aku ma mua o hoʻokahi mau makahiki o ka ʻike e hana ana i ka hoʻokipa hoʻokipa a me ka ʻai. ʻO ka ʻike hoʻokele noʻeau mua e pili ana i ka hana ʻana ma ke ʻano he kōkua lumi papa ma ka Emerging Leaders Institute Classroom ma ka ʻaha kūkā makahiki o ka Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) a ma ke ʻano he Administrative Assistant and Guest Relations Coordinator no ka Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Region VII). I kona manawa kūʻokoʻa, hauʻoli ʻo ia i ka mahiʻai ʻana, nā mea ʻai meaʻai, ke hele ʻana i nā hale hōʻikeʻike, a me nā mele ola.

Christina Villa guides all operational and strategic business initiatives to support the execution of Creative West’s strategic plan and the short, medium, and long-term objectives of CaFE, GO Smart, Public Art Archive, and ZAPP. Serving as part of Creative West’s leadership resource team, Villa ensures the business department initiatives and projects complement the overall work of the organization and its guiding principles. Prior to joining Creative West, she worked with the city of Aurora, Colorado’s Art in Public Places program, and Colorado’s state arts agency, Colorado Creative Industries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a leadership development certificate from the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation.

Kōkua ʻo Ashley Arias i ka hāʻawi ʻana i ke kākoʻo no nā mea hoʻohana o nā polokalamu ZAPP® a me CaFÉ™ e hōʻoia i ka ʻoluʻolu o ka mea kūʻai aku. Ma mua o ka hui ʻana iā Creative West, ua hana ʻo Arias ma ke ʻano he kauka lapaʻau a me ka mea hōʻike COVID. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia e hoʻolimalima manawa me kāna kāne male a me kāna mau keiki a aʻo i nā hana hoʻopunipuni hou i ka lumi kuke.

Mālama ʻo Mareike Bergen i ka hui hana huahana ZAPP e hōʻoia i ka ʻoluʻolu a me ka mālama ʻana o ka mea kūʻai aku me ka ulu ʻenehana no ka pūnaewele ZAPP. Loaʻa iā Bergen kahi kēkelē laepua ma ka makemakika me kahi keiki ʻepekema kamepiula ʻuʻuku mai ke Kulanui ʻo Bethel a me kahi kūlana i ka lawelawe mea kūʻai aku a me ka hoʻolālā hanana. No Kansas, ua neʻe ʻo ia i Denver ma hope o kona puka ʻana mai ke kulanui. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia i ka holo hau, ka hele wāwae, a me ka kuke ʻana.

Kōkua ʻo Drew Chavez i ka hāʻawi ʻana i ke kākoʻo o nā mea kūʻai aku no ka papahana ZAPP. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, ua hana ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he ʻelele kūʻai aku a me ka mea hele wāwae ʻīlio ma ka wahi metropolitan Denver. I kona manawa kaʻawale, hauʻoli ʻo Chavez i ka pāʻani pīpeku a me ka hoʻolilo ʻana i ka manawa ma ka hele ʻana i ka hale haʻuki, heluhelu, a me ka hoʻolimalima manawa ma ke ʻano.

Mālama ʻo Ken Cho i nā hana kūʻai no CaFÉ a me ZAPP. ʻO ia ke kuleana no nā hana kūʻai kūʻai i loko a i waho e hoʻolaha ana i nā platform SaaS o Creative West (Software As A Service) ʻoiai e hui pū ana me nā keʻena kūloko e pili ana e hana i kahi ʻike lawelawe mea kūʻai aku no nā mea kūʻai aku a pau o Creative West. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, noho ʻo Cho ma ka East Coast ma Wakinekona, DC, a ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he mea kākoʻo meaʻai kūloko koʻikoʻi no 4P Foods, he hui pōmaikaʻi i hoʻolaʻa ʻia no ke kōkua ʻana i nā mea mahiʻai liʻiliʻi e holomua i ka ʻoihana meaʻai o kēia mau lā. Loaʻa iā Cho ke kēkelē laepua ma ka ʻōlelo Pelekania mai Elmhurst College. Ma waho o ke keʻena, leʻaleʻa ʻo ia i ka huakaʻi kaʻa kaʻa a me ka holo kaʻa kaʻa maikaʻi e like me ka Tweed Ride (kahi i hui ai ʻo ia me kāna wahine ʻo Laine), a ua hoihoi ʻia e ka paʻi 3D.

Owyn Cooper manages and coordinates Creative West’s efforts to present a professional, consistent voice for the CaFÉ and ZAPP audiences. With a background in communications and social media marketing, she creates consistent messaging across all platforms. Before joining the Creative West team, she worked with Denver South, the University of Denver, and Pluralsight to develop effective marketing campaigns and engaging content. Cooper grew up moving around the United States, including the western states of California, Utah, and Colorado. She graduated from Emerson College with a degree in visual media arts production and a minor in marketing communications. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Colorado with her dog, playing board games, and watching Colorado Avalanche hockey.

Kelsey Foster supports GO Smart operations through day-to-day customer support and technical troubleshooting. Foster assists customers in contract renewals, composing one-on-one training sessions with clients, and responding to client emails and questions. Foster grew up in Colorado and earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in creative writing from the University of Colorado Denver. She is also a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching films.

ʻO Lori Goldstein ka luna nui o Creative West's Public Art Archive. Na Goldstein ke kuleana no ka hoʻolālā lōʻihi o ka ʻōnaehana, ka hoʻomohala ʻana i nā huahana, a no ka mālama ʻana i ka hoʻohui ʻana o nā hōʻiliʻili kiʻi lehulehu i ka Archive. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he noʻeau lehulehu a me ka luna papahana no ka Arts Council o Lake Oswego, Oregon. Ma mua o ka hana ʻana ma ka ʻAha ʻAiʻoniʻoni, ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he ʻaelike no ka Archive i kona mau makahiki hoʻokumu. Ua lawelawe pū ʻo Goldstein ma ke ʻano he kōkua no ka lehulehu ma Braaksma Design, kahi hale kiʻi kiʻi lehulehu me nā papahana i kauoha ʻia ma ka ʻāina. Ua loaʻa iā ia ke kēkelē laepua ma ka mōʻaukala mai ke Kulanui o Colorado a me ke kēkelē laepua ma ka mōʻaukala noʻeau me ka manaʻo nui i ka hana kiʻi lehulehu mai ke Kulanui o Colorado Boulder. Ke lawelawe nei ʻo Goldstein ma ke ʻano he Pelekikena Papa o ka hale kūʻai ʻo Art Garage ma Denver a ma ka papa o Public Art Dialogue.

Jessica Gronich leads strategy and operations for Creative West’s grant management SaaS platform, GO Smart™. She partners with marketing and technology teams to drive growth, strengthen sales, and enhance the user experience. She also oversees client services in collaboration with the GO Smart Support Coordinator, who leads day-to-day engagement and retention efforts. Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining Creative West, she worked with nonprofit organizations focused on international relations, policy, and education.

Hāʻawi ʻo Ayanna Hwang i ke kākoʻo o nā mea kūʻai aku no nā papahana ZAPP a me CaFÉ. Ke ʻimi nei ʻo ia i ke kēkelē hoʻolaha hoʻolaha a me ka noiʻi media ma ke Kulanui o Colorado. A laila e hoʻomau ʻo ia i kāna hoʻonaʻauao ʻana ma ke kula ʻo Denver School of Traditional Chinese Medicine e aʻo i ka lāʻau lapaʻau holoʻokoʻa. Ma mua o kona kūlana ma Creative West, ua hana ʻo Hwang i ke kūʻai aku ʻana no ka mālama ʻana i ka wai a me kahi hui ʻole e hoʻolaha i ka ʻike moʻomeheu. Ma waho o ka hana, leʻaleʻa ʻo ia i ka pena, hele i nā ʻahaʻaina/concert a me nā kiʻi.

Kākoʻo ʻo Amelia Leinbach i nā hana a me nā kaʻina hana ZAPP like ʻole, me ka hoʻololi ʻana i ka ʻaelike, ke kamaʻilio o ka mea kūʻai aku, a me ka ulu ʻana o ka ʻenehana. Ua ulu ʻo Leinbach ma Colorado a loaʻa ke kēkelē laepua ma ka ʻepekema mai Colorado State University. ʻO kekahi o kāna mau mele punahele ʻo “O Pescador de Violão” na Marcel Caram. I kona manawa kaʻawale, hauʻoli ʻo ia i ka hele wāwae, ke nānā ʻana i ke kīwī, a me ka ʻai ʻana i ka pasta.

Michelle Martinez-Monday oversees the financial operations of the revenue generating programs within Creative West. She manages all financial activity for the organization’s two largest programs, CaFE and ZAPPlication, and is responsible for maintaining accuracy, compliance, and clear reporting across both. Martinez-Monday supervises the Business Operations Coordinator, and assists leadership in overall financial strategy through detailed analysis, reporting, and cross-functional collaboration. She also evaluates existing workflows, develops new processes, and identifies and corrects inefficiencies to strengthen internal controls and operational effectiveness. In addition, she provides limited support to arts administrators on financial matters related to their CaFE and ZAPP accounts. Outside of work, Martinez-Monday is building her real estate investment portfolio. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Metropolitan State University Denver. She has three adult children, one of whom also works at Creative West. In her downtime, she enjoys time with family, traveling, taking long walks, seeing shows, eating great food, watching movies, and reading when time permits.

Erika McLoud serves as Business Operations Coordinator at Creative West, reporting directly to the Business Financial Specialist. In this role, she supports financial and administrative operations across the organization’s largest revenue-generating programs, CaFE and ZAPPlication. She is responsible for maintaining accurate data entry across systems, including uploading financial activity into Sage, invoicing clients, updating client profiles, and preparing and calculating bank deposits. McLoud tracks and shares incoming payments organization-wide, and ensures timely and accurate distribution of mail. She also manages contract administration for both CaFÉ and ZAPPlication. Her work supports financial accuracy, organized recordkeeping, and consistent operational workflows. She is currently pursuing a degree in business. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, cooking, painting, and spending time with loved ones.

Kōkua ʻo Aliah Ramirez i ka hāʻawi ʻana i ke kākoʻo o nā mea kūʻai aku no nā papahana ZAPP a me CaFÉ. Ke hele nei ʻo ia i ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Red Rocks a e neʻe koke ʻo ia i ke Kulanui o Colorado e ʻimi i ke kēkelē laepua ma ke kahu hānai. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia e hoʻolimalima manawa me kāna kāne a me kāna mau keiki a heluhelu.

Jenna Sansonette assists customers with numerous ZAPP processes to ensure success on the platform. Her focus is onboarding new clients, holding new administrator orientations, and assisting clients with additional ZAPP services. Prior to joining Creative West, she was the Director of Customer Support for an international fair trade organization, working with artisans on a global scale. She has recently completed Front-End Development courses through the University of Illinois Springfield and plans to continue her education in UX design and web development.

Hana ʻo Tyler Speller ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻoponopono ʻike mea kūʻai aku no ka papahana CaFÉ o Creative West. Loaʻa iā ia ke kēkelē laepua mai Casper College, Wyoming, kahi i hele haʻaheo ai ʻo ia i ke kulanui ma kahi haʻawina holo piha no ka volleyball. Ma waho aʻe o ka hāʻawi ʻana i ke kākoʻo o ka mea kūʻai aku no ka papahana, he mea kākoʻo olakino a maikaʻi ʻo Speller a ke hoʻopau nei ʻo ia i ʻelua palapala hōʻoia ma Certified Personal Fitness and Nutritional Coaching. Ma mua o kona kūlana ma Creative West, ua hana ʻo ia ma nā wahi ʻē aʻe o ke kākoʻo o nā mea kūʻai aku, a me ka hoʻonaʻauao kamaliʻi. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia i ka hoʻoikaika kino, ka waho, a me nā ʻano hana noʻeau a me ka moʻomeheu like ʻole, e like me ka pena, ka hula, a me ke kākau ʻana. A, ʻoiaʻiʻo, aloha ʻo ia i kona ʻohana, ʻoiai ʻo kāna kuleana nui loa ma ka honua nei he makuahine mua no kāna kaikamahine aliʻi!

Raquel Vasquez is the Senior Manager for the CaFÉ (CallforEntry) program at Creative West. She oversees the system’s administrative performance, ensuring that the software service effectively supports Creative West’s mission to benefit the arts and creative industries. In this role, she leads program operations and contributes to ongoing software improvements. She works closely with business and technical teams on design, specifications, testing, deployment, sales, and marketing to ensure end-user needs and program success remain central priorities. Vasquez holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Denver.

Kākoʻo ʻo Alison Verplaetse i nā hana o ka papahana Public Art Archive ma o ka hoʻokele waiwai ʻikepili lehulehu a me ke kākoʻo o nā mea kūʻai aku. Ua hoʻomaka ʻo Alison i kāna ʻoihana ma ke ʻano he hale waihona puke aʻoaʻo a mālama i nā puke a me ka pepa, a ma ia manawa ua paʻa ʻo ia i nā kūlana ma ke Kulanui o Colorado Boulder a me ke Kulanui ʻo Harvard. ʻO kāna mau makemake i ka mālama ʻana a me ka hana kiʻi i alakaʻi iā ia i kahi kuleana ma kahi hale hana kiʻi kiʻi lehulehu a me ka hale mālama mālama ʻo Denver, kahi i hana ai ʻo ia i mea hana kiʻi kiʻi no nā makahiki he nui. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻolālā hōʻikeʻike a me ka luna hana hana ma ka Hale Hōʻikeʻike o nā Keiki o Denver. Loaʻa iā Alison nā mākelē laepua ma ka ʻepekema waihona puke a me ka mōʻaukala noʻeau mai Indiana University Bloomington a me kahi kēkelē laepua ma ke kula kiʻi mai ke Kulanui o Indianapolis.

Natalie Villa manages the communication and technical processes among the internal technology team, the program teams, and external development companies for CaFÉ, GO Smart, Public Art Archive, and ZAPP. She creates and manages technical and business project plans, coordinates technical releases and sprints, aids in the development of new site features, supports the director of business, and acts as the technical accessibility manager. In addition to her project management work, Villa is an independent filmmaker who produces content for Creative West including the 50th Anniversary documentary series, Creative West Turns 50. She has received awards for her personal film work as well, including Best Amateur Film and Audience Choice awards at the Ridgway Moonwalk Film Festival and Best Documentary Short Film at the Oklahoma Cine Latino Film Festival for her short film, With the Power of a Thousand Suns. Villa earned a bachelor’s degree in film and television from the University of Colorado Denver.

An alumna of Creative West’s Emerging Leaders of Color program, Cynthia manages Creative West’s public policy and advocacy programs and services. Creative West’s AAP division leads the organization’s efforts to strengthen advocacy for the arts at local, state, and national levels; support state arts agencies across the West; and connect and mobilize a western network of artists, administrators, public officials, and influencers within and outside the arts field to build awareness of arts-related issues to drive legislation and policy. She is a versatile arts and cultural professional with diverse experiences in the sector from local to international levels. Trilingual in English, French, and Mandarin, Chen has helped with the production of cultural projects in the United States, France, China, and Taiwan for institutions such as the Centre Pompidou and Musée d’Orsay. Raised in Salt Lake City, Chen began her career working as a legislative fellow for the Utah Cultural Alliance and at the nationally-recognized youth media arts nonprofit, Spy Hop Productions. She was part of the team that developed Creative Washington: Hoʻoulu a hoʻoikaika i ka hoʻokele waiwai, a statewide strategic plan for the Washington State Department of Commerce. Chen graduated from the University of Utah where she majored in flute performance and minored in political science. She also holds a master’s degree in public policy with the distinction of summa cum laude from Sciences Po Paris. She was a 2025 Fellow with the Public Affairs Council, a leading international association for public affairs professionals.

Previously director of the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency, Sandy Flores Moylan is passionate about cultural education and the arts. Moylan’s career includes creating organizations and programs in San Diego, California that support the indigenous CHamoru diaspora. Moylan was a founding member of the House of Chamorros organization in San Diego, helping to raise more than $500K to build the first permanent physical structure in the United States to represent the Chamorro culture. The house is now part of the International Cottages in Balboa Park, San Diego and the first to represent the Pacific community. The Uno Hit program that Moylan helped to found continues to educate youth in CHamorro language, song and dance in tuition free weekly classes. Moylan joined Creative West in March 2024 as the Pacific Jurisdictions Coordinator, working with the state art agencies of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam to navigate their new integration with Creative West. Moylan has a degree in Anthropology from Northwestern University and a Masters in Peace and Justice from the University of San Diego.

An alumnus of Creative West’s Emerging Leaders of Color program (2021), Cameron Green leads the organization’s state services portfolio across a 16-state jurisdiction. He co-designs and deploys innovative funding programs to support the advancement of public servants in the arts through the State Arts Agency Innovation Fund—which has supported 81 unique projects at state arts agencies across the West—and the SAA Professional Development Support Fund. Cameron also facilitates Creative West’s peer networks and partners with Executive Director Co-Chairs to co-design the Annual Executive Directors Forum, the ED Teleconference, the Deputy Directors Network, and the Creative Districts Consortium.

During his tenure as Executive Manager, Green facilitated the development of Creative West’s Adaptive Plan, leveraging the Bridgespan framework to synchronize organizational strategy with the regional needs of the West. In this capacity, he served as a key liaison to the Board of Trustees, supporting governance and strategic alignment during a period of institutional evolution. Prior to joining Creative West, he served as the Art Show Coordinator at the Cheyenne Frontier Days™ Old West Museum, where he led the Western Spirit and CFD Invitational Western Art shows to record-breaking results during the pandemic.

A 2024 alumnus of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts’ Leadership Arts program, Green holds a Master of Arts in History from the University of Wyoming. His academic research includes leading international artifact repatriation efforts as the student lead for the UW Cambodian Artifact and Repatriation Team (CAM-ART). A frequent national grant panelist for programs such as Creative Forces and TourWest, Green is a dedicated civic leader who currently serves on the Denver Asian Pacific Islander Commission, as a liaison to the Denver Human Rights and Community Partnership Advisory Board, as Board President for Colorado Dragon Boat, and as Co-Chair of Art of the Rural.

ʻO Anika Tené (ʻo ia) ka Luna Hoʻokele o Grants, Awards and Programs, kahi āna e alakaʻi ai i nā hana e hoʻoikaika ai i nā mea pena kiʻi, nā hui ʻoihana, a me nā kaiāulu ma o ke kālā kaulike, nā kumuwaiwai, a me nā ʻike aʻo. Hoʻoulu ʻia ʻo ia e kona makemake no ka hoʻopili ʻana me nā ʻupena like ʻole o nā mea pena kiʻi a me nā alakaʻi moʻomeheu a puni ka ʻāina, a haʻaheo nui i ka hana ʻokoʻa o kāna hui, i hōʻike ʻia ma lalo nei. Ua hoʻonui nui ʻo Tené i ka hae o ka hui Nā alakaʻi o ka pūnaewele kala, e hoʻolauna ana i ka Leaders of Color Network Professional Development Fund, ka National Leaders of Color Fellowship Program, a me ka Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Artist Fund. Eia kekahi, ua hoʻolālā pū ʻo ia i nā papahana ʻāina me ʻelima ʻē aʻe Nā hui noʻeau o ʻAmelika, me ArtsHERE a me Cultural Sustainability, e hoʻokumu ana i nā pahuhopu kaulike i kēlā me kēia hana. Ma mua o kāna kūlana i kēia manawa, ua hoʻokele ʻo Tené i nā papahana aʻo aupuni ma ka John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, kahi āna i manaʻo ai i ka hōʻoia ʻana i ke komo kaulike i ka hoʻonaʻauao ʻana no nā haumāna kula aupuni. ʻO kāna ʻike like ʻole i ka hana noʻeau e pili ana i nā kuleana ma ke ʻano he alakaʻi mele a me nā hana noʻeau, luna hoʻokele, mea hana, a me ka hana ma nā hale kiʻi kiʻi a me ke kūʻai inoa inoa. He alakaʻi kaiaulu hoʻolaʻa ʻo Tené, ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he noho komisina noʻeau kūloko a me ka noho papa o mua o ka Arts Administrators of Color Network. I kēia manawa, noho ʻo ia ma ka papa no Mason Arts ma George Mason University. He kumu aʻoaʻo ola i hōʻoia ʻia ʻo Tené, loea i ka hoʻoikaika ʻana i nā mea hana. Loaʻa iā ia nā kekelē mai ke Kulanui ʻo Howard, ke Kulanui ʻAmelika, ke Kulanui ʻo George Mason, a me kahi diploma mai ke Kulanui o Stellenbosch ma ʻApelika Hema.

He kuleana koʻikoʻi ko Josh Ellis i ka hoʻomaʻamaʻa ʻana a me ka hoʻokele ʻana i nā papahana BIPOC a Creative West a me nā hoʻolālā me ka hoʻohana ʻana i nā hana hāʻawi kālā i hoʻokumu ʻia e hoʻoikaika i ka hopena aupuni. ʻO kāna mau hana ma mua, ʻo ia ka mana o ka orchestra ma nā hui he nui, kahi i mālama ai ʻo ia i nā orchestra ʻōpio me nā haumāna he 500, mālama i nā kumu kula a me nā ʻaelike kiʻi malihini kipa, a hana a hoʻokō i nā papa hana papahana. Ua paʻa pū ʻo ia i nā kūlana ma ka John F. Kennedy Center no ka Performing Arts in Patron Services a ma ka Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts ma ke ʻano he hana hoʻokele hoʻokele opera, kahi āna i hoʻomohala ai i ka ʻike mea pena no ka manawa o ka papahana a alakaʻi i ka noiʻi ʻana i ka mea hana opera. hōʻoluʻolu i ka pūnāwai o 2020. Hōʻike ka hana manawaleʻa a Ellis i kāna kūpaʻa i ka ʻōlelo aʻoaʻo a me ke kaulike. He lālā ikaika ʻo ia no ka Arlington Commission for the Arts, e hāʻawi ana i ka hoʻonui kālā kālā no ke kalana a me ka lobbying i ka ʻaha ʻōlelo VA. Eia hou, ua hoʻopaʻa ʻo ia i ke kālā a me ka hui pū ʻana i nā hanana makana no ka Prince William County Arts Council. ʻO ka mea i hala koke aku nei, ua hāʻawi ʻia ʻo ia i kahi kūlana ma ke Kōmike Hoʻolālā no ka Hui Hui o nā ʻOihana Hoʻonaʻauao (APAP) - ʻo ka hui nui o ka honua i ka hōʻike ʻana i nā hana hana, hoʻopaʻa ʻana, a me ka ʻoihana huakaʻi. Loaʻa iā Ellis kahi Master of Arts in Arts Management a me kahi Bachelor of Arts in Music mai ke Kulanui ʻo George Mason.

ʻO Ashanti McGee he mea pena kiʻi a me ke kākoʻo noʻeau i kapa ʻia ʻo Las Vegas, Nevada home no nā makahiki he 25. Ua hoʻomaka ʻo ia i kāna hana hoʻokele noʻeau e kōkua ana i nā ʻuʻu a me nā mea waiwai ʻole me ka palapala hāʻawi kālā a me ka hoʻokele a hoʻomau i ka hana ma kēia wahi no kahi ʻumi makahiki. Ma 2014, ua koho ʻia ʻo ia i ʻelele no Nevada no Creative West's Emerging Leaders of Color program a ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he panelist no Creative West's Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar. Ua lawelawe ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he ʻelele apana no Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee, e kālele ana i ka hoʻolaha ʻana no nā kaiāulu ʻeleʻele, ʻAmelika ʻAmelika, a me LGBTQ+ e pili ana i ka hana noʻeau a me ka moʻomeheu a me ka ʻāina a me nā ʻāina lehulehu. He makuahine haʻaheo o ʻehā, ua hāʻawi ʻo McGee i kāna hana i ka hana noʻeau a me ka hoʻonaʻauao, me ka hoʻonui ʻana i nā kūlana hoʻonaʻauao no ka ʻOihana Hoʻonaʻauao ʻo Nevada; e lawelawe ana ma ke ʻano he lālā papa no Cultural Alliance of Nevada, he hui kākoʻo noʻeau mokuʻāina; hoʻokumu pū i ka Las Vegas Womxn of Color Arts Festival, a ma ke ʻano he lālā koʻikoʻi o NUWU Cultural Arts + Activism complex, kahi POC nona a lawelawe ʻia ma Las Vegas e hana ana e hāpai i nā kaiāulu āpau ma o ka hoʻoikaika ʻana i ka ʻike moʻomeheu a me ka ʻike ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka hooikaika ana, a me ka hoonaauao.

Marcelina Ramirez is an Indigenous Latina artist, cultural strategist and community builder whose work focuses on the intersection of art, advocacy and Indigenous self-determination. Her career began in higher education administration at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where she developed a strong foundation in systems leadership, student advocacy and community-centered program design. That experience continues to inform how she navigates institutions today, with both strategic precision and relational care. 

Now working in regional arts leadership, Ramirez designs and oversees Native-centered programs that prioritize relationships over transactions, process over product, and community care over extraction. As the inaugural artist-in-residence at the Colorado College Mobile Arts Program, she led community conversations and creative initiatives addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and the disproportionate impacts of the pandemic on women of color. Her work reflects her belief that art is not decoration, but medicine, memory and movement.

An accomplished Latin dancer, she trains and performs with Latisha Hardy Dance Studio, continuing to collaborate in ways that honor cultural lineage while expanding contemporary expression and creating spaces where movement becomes both storytelling and reclamation. She also integrates leadership development and personal growth frameworks into her work, drawing from coaching experiences with Ashley Coffey Coaching and leadership mentorship to strengthen her capacity as a values-driven, community-centered leader.

Ramirez is also a published poet whose writing explores love, lineage, magic, grief and survival. Rooted in her Indigenous Latina identity, her work invites audiences into stories that feel both ancestral and immediate. Whether through policy, performance, poetry or program design, she is committed to building spaces where culture is protected, artists are resourced and community is held with care.

Sierra Scott has over 20 years of experience in varied sectors of the arts and culture industry from non-profit arts administration to grantmaking for state and local arts agencies. Most recently, Sierra was the Arts & Culture Supervisor for Carson City, Nevada where she managed the public art program and implemented the city’s Arts & Culture Strategic Plan. Prior to this, Sierra worked at the state level with arts organizations and artists throughout Nevada as the Grants and Projects Analyst for the Nevada Arts Council. Sierra is also a practicing performing artist and arts educator. After earning a BFA in Theater Arts from the Conservatory at Webster University, Sierra performed across the country in touring and regional theater productions. She also worked as a Casting Director in Los Angeles and New York City and cast film and television projects for studios including Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, Sony, NBC, ABC, and CBS. Sierra is currently the Chair of the City of Reno Arts and Culture Advisory Board, was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is the Vice President of the board of The Reno Generator, one of the largest community makerspace in the world. Scott lives in Reno, Nevada.

Leah Horn provides leadership and strategic oversight for Creative West’s marketing and communications activities. She leads the organization’s brand messaging and storytelling initiatives to build relationships with its diverse networks and constituencies. Working collaboratively with the senior leadership team on the organization’s strategic initiatives, she guides the strategy for all communications activities, including website, social media, digital and content marketing, advertising, media and public relations, branding and collateral to broaden the impact of Creative West’s programs and services. Prior to joining Creative West, Horn managed a congressional campaign in Wisconsin. She previously served as a law firm administrator in Arizona and spent a decade in retail management, working in visual merchandising and product development for a worldwide clothing and accessories retailer and then for a leading international sports apparel company. Her background includes over 25 years of experience in meeting and event planning. She has served as a grant panelist for Colorado Creative Industries and the National Endowment for the Arts and as a panelist and speaker at the Artist Communities Alliance (ACA) Conference. She is a former Chair of the Denver County Cultural Council, the city-council-appointed body that distributes Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Tier III funds to cultural organizations in Denver, having previously served as vice-chair and secretary. Horn received dual bachelor’s degrees in sociology (gender studies) and journalism (media studies) from the University of Colorado Boulder after transferring from the music program at the University of California, Los Angeles. She holds a master’s degree in communication from the University of Colorado Denver. She is a certified  yoga instructor and breathwork and Pranayama facilitator. She has a background in (and love for) music performance and theory and trained in classical ballet for 11 years. An avid outdoor enthusiast and animal lover, Horn spends much of her free time outside with her Yorkie, (mini) Cooper.

Brittany Howell lawe mai ma luna o 10 mau makahiki o ka ʻike ma ke kālepa, kamaʻilio, a me ka hoʻolālā hanana i kāna kuleana ma Creative West. Ma ke ʻano he Luna Hoʻokele, mālama ʻo ia i nā ʻāpana āpau o ka hoʻolālā ʻana no nā ʻaha kūkā o Creative West, e hana pū ana me nā keʻena a me nā hui he nui e hoʻomohala, hana, a hoʻokō i nā ʻano hālāwai a me nā hanana. Loaʻa iā ia ke kēkelē laepua ma ke kamaʻilio ʻana me kahi mea kūʻai liʻiliʻi mai ke Kulanui o Wyoming.

Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo Howell i ka hoʻokolohua ʻana i ka lumi kuke a hoʻolimalima manawa me kāna terrier, ʻo Olive.

Kōkua ʻo Samantha Ortega i ka hoʻolālā ʻana a me ka hoʻokō ʻana i nā hoʻolālā kūʻai kūʻai holoʻokoʻa no nā huahana ʻenehana Creative West e alakaʻi i nā alakaʻi, nā manawa kūpono, a me nā kūʻai. Mālama ʻo Ortega i ka ʻike a me ka noho ʻana o ka hui a hoʻonui i ka pili pūnaewele me nā huahana a me nā lawelawe a Creative West ma nā kahua āpau. Hoʻomohala a hoʻokō ʻo ia i nā hoʻolālā media social no nā huahana, nā lawelawe a me nā hālāwai a Creative West a kōkua pū i ka hoʻonohonoho ʻana a me ka hoʻolālā ʻana i nā ʻaha kūkā, nā hālāwai, a me nā hanana. Loaʻa iā Ortega ke kēkelē laepua ma ke kamaʻilio ʻana mai ke Kulanui o Texas ma El Paso. Loaʻa iā ia kahi ʻike ma ke kālepa hanana a ua kōkua ʻo ia i ka hoʻokele ʻana i ka media no nā hanana e hōʻike ana i nā mea hana e like me Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Cirque du Soleil, a me nā mea hou aku. I kona manawa kaʻawale, leʻaleʻa ʻo ia i ke mele, hoʻolimalima manawa me kāna poʻe aloha, a ma waho.

Hana ʻo Natalie Scherlong e hoʻonui i ka hopena o ka hui ma o ka hoʻomohala ʻana i ka hoʻolālā kamaʻilio kūloko a me waho a hoʻonohonoho a hoʻokō i nā hana i kēlā me kēia lā e kākoʻo ana i nā kamaʻilio o Creative West, nā pilina lehulehu, ka hoʻokele brand, a me nā hoʻolālā hoʻolālā. Loaʻa ʻo Scherlong i kahi ʻike ma ke kūʻai aku ʻana i nā kikohoʻe, ka hoʻokumu ʻana i ka ʻike, ka media media, a me ka lawelawe mea kūʻai aku. ʻO kāna ʻike ma kēia mau kula e pili ana i ke alakaʻi ʻana i kahi papa ma ka ʻaoʻao o ka Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment a me ka lawelawe ʻana ma ke ʻano he lālā ikaika o Colorado o ka Public Relations Society of America. I kona manawa kaʻawale, leʻaleʻa ʻo ia i ke kiʻi, hoʻolimalima manawa me kāna mau holoholona, hele a heluhelu.

Mālama ʻo Amy Hollrah i nā ʻano āpau o ka hana kālā a Creative West, nā kumuwaiwai kanaka, ka hoʻokele keʻena, a me ka loiloi kānāwai me kahi hui kūʻokoʻa o ʻehā mau limahana. Makemake ʻo Hollrah i ke kūkulu ʻana i nā kaʻina hana a me nā kulekele hou a ua hauʻoli nui ʻo ia i kāna noho ʻana ma Creative West, i hoʻomaka i ka makahiki 2012. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, ua hana ʻo Hollrah no ka Colorado Environmental Coalition ma Denver a ua hoʻohana ʻo ia i 10 mau makahiki ma San Diego e hana ana i ka hale kiʻiʻoniʻoni kūloko ma ke ʻano he nui. luna ma San Diego Repertory Theatre a ma ke ʻano he luna nui hui ma La Jolla Playhouse. ʻO kāna alakaʻi mua o ke kūlana kālā me Volunteer San Diego. Ma mua o kēlā, ua hana ʻo ia ma Guthrie and State Theatres ma Minneapolis a me Great Barrington Stage Company ma Great Barrington, MA. Loaʻa ʻo Hollrah i ke kēkelē laepua ma ka hoʻokele ʻoihana mai ke Kulanui o Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He kanaka holo kukini ʻo ia a neʻe koke aku i Evergreen, CO kahi i hoʻopuni ʻia e nā lāʻau paina.

Ua hoʻomaka ʻo Rebecca Dominguez i kāna ʻoihana ma Creative West ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻoponopono ʻike mea kūʻai aku a neʻe koke i ka ʻoihana kālā ma ke ʻano he hoa kālā, ma mua o ka lilo ʻana i luna HR a me ke keʻena. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana i Creative West, ua hoʻomaikaʻi ʻo ia i kāna mau lawelawe lawelawe mea kūʻai aku e hana ana no ka Colorado Department of Revenue a no ka Credit Union o Colorado. Loaʻa iā Dominguez kahi kēkelē Pelekania me ka ʻike palapala a me ka palapala hoʻokele waiwai kanaka. I kona manawa kūʻokoʻa, hauʻoli ʻo Dominguez i ka heluhelu, ka huakaʻi, a me ka hoʻolimalima manawa me kona ʻohana.

Ua komo ʻo Jessica Martinez i ka hui kālā ʻo Creative West ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻoponopono kālā hapa manawa i ka mahina ʻo Kepakemapa 2019. Ma kēia kūlana, kākoʻo ʻo Martinez i nā hana paʻakikī kālā a me nā waiwai kanaka o ka ʻoihana kālā a me ka hoʻokele me nā mākau hoʻonohonoho, ka nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī, a me ke kūlike. Ke hana nei ʻo ia i ka hapa manawa ʻoiai e hele ana i ke Kulanui Kaiāulu ʻo Aurora e loaʻa kāna palapala hōʻoia ma Human Resources. Leʻaleʻa ʻo ia i ka hoʻolimalima manawa me ka ʻohana, ka huakaʻi, a me ka hele wāwae.

Ua alakaʻi ʻia ʻo Michelle Reilly i ka ʻike maka ʻole mai Bosetona a i Denver, kahi i hoʻohanohano ʻia ai ʻo ia i loaʻa kahi wahi e kōkua ai i nā hui ʻoihana ʻole e hoʻoikaika e hana i kekahi mea waiwai no nā kaiāulu a lākou e lawelawe nei. Ua hana ʻo ia no nā ʻoihana ʻepekema a me ka moʻomeheu mua loa, e like me: Swallow Hill Music, RedLine Contemporary Art, Denver Botanic Gardens, a me MCA Denver. Hoʻoulu ʻia ʻo Reilly mai nā wahi he nui a hoʻoikaika ʻia e ka ʻōlelo noʻonoʻo, nā mea e ulu ana, nā hoʻoikaika hui e hoʻokūkū i ka hierarchy, nā hana aloha, ka lapuwale maoli, a me ka mahalo i nā mea ola āpau. Loaʻa iā ia ke kēkelē laepua ma ke kamaʻilio ʻana a me ka mōʻaukala noʻeau mai ke Kulanui ʻo Boston a me kahi palapala mālama puke mai ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Red Rocks. ʻO Reilly kekahi i hōʻoia ʻia ʻo CNAP (Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional). Ke noho ʻole nei ʻo Reilly i ka ʻāina o nā ledgers, makemake ʻo Reilly e hele i waho e leʻaleʻa i ka holo ʻana ma nā mauna, e ʻimi i kahi hōʻikeʻike hou a i ʻole nā hana a puni ke kūlanakauhale, e pāʻani i ka manawa me kāna mau holoholona, a i ʻole e ʻai a ʻakaʻaka me nā hoaaloha.

Mālama ʻo Lauren Wilson i ka ʻike a me waho o nā kālā kālā a Creative West. Hana ʻo ia ma ka hoʻoponopono hou ʻana, ka hoʻohui ʻana i ka ʻikepili, ka nānā ʻana i ka ʻikepili, a me ka hoʻokele ʻana i kā mākou ʻōnaehana helu helu. Ke hana nei ʻo ia ma kēlā me kēia keʻena, hoʻopololei ʻo ia i nā hana a hoʻoikaika e hoʻomaopopo a hoihoi i ka hoʻokele kālā no nā luna papahana a me nā mea kuleana. Ma mua o kona komo ʻana iā Creative West, ua hana ʻo Wilson i ka ikehu lā kaiāulu. Ua hōʻike ʻo ia ma ka Belvedere Museum, Mint Museum, a me RedLine Contemporary Art Center ma ke ʻano he mea kākau moʻolelo. Ua puka 'o Wilson me ke kēkelē ma ka mō'aukala no'eau me ka ho'oikaika 'ana i nā ha'awina wahine a me ka moekolohe. Ke hoʻomau nei ʻo ia i ka hāʻawi ʻana i kona ola i ka hana noʻeau ma o nā hui e like me Tilt West a ma ka hoʻomaʻamaʻa ʻana i kāna mau pena kiʻi ponoʻī a me nā hana media hui ʻia i kona manawa manawaleʻa.

Ke alakaʻi nei ʻo Paul Nguyen i ka hoʻolālā ʻenehana no nā lawelawe pūnaewele o Creative West, ka ʻike ʻoihana, ka palekana, ka hoʻokō a me ka hoʻokō ʻana, nā hāmeʻa kūʻai kikohoʻe, ka hoʻolālā ʻikepili, a me nā mea hou aku. Loaʻa iā ia kahi mōʻaukala kūleʻa o ke alakaʻi ʻana i nā huahana SaaS o Creative West, ua lawelawe ʻo ia i nā hana ʻenehana like ʻole mai 2007-2019 a, i kēia mau lā, ke aʻo ʻana i ka papa luna o Creative West. Ma mua o kona hoʻi ʻana i Creative West i kāna hana i kēia manawa, he luna huahana ʻo Nguyen ma JumpCloud, kahi i hoʻomohala ai ʻo ia i ka hoʻolālā ʻikepili kūloko a me waho a lawe mai i ka mākeke i kekahi mau huahana data B2B hou a me API no nā limahana IT a me nā ʻoihana palekana. Hoʻohana ʻo ia i kona ʻike a me kona ʻike i ka ʻikepili a me ka ʻenehana e holomua i nā hana a Creative West ma ka hana noʻeau, kulekele, a me ka pono kaulike. Loaʻa ʻo Nguyen i ke kēkelē laepua ma ke kula kiʻi mai Parsons School of Design a me ke kēkelē laepua ma ka ʻepekema data mai ke Kulanui ʻo Regis. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia e hoʻolimalima manawa me kona ʻohana, mahiʻai, a me ka ʻimi ʻana iā Colorado.

Hana pū ʻo Jonathan Cantwell me nā mea hoʻonohonoho papahana a me ke koena o nā limahana ʻenehana e mālama a hoʻonui i ka mana o Creative West e hāʻawi i nā lako polokalamu i nā mea pena a me nā hui. Hāʻawi lākou i ko lākou akamai i ka hoʻonohonoho ʻana i kahi hui o nā ʻenekini polokalamu ma Synacor, ka lawelawe ʻana i nā pono o ka mea kūʻai aku, a me ka hoʻonohonoho ʻana i nā puka pūnaewele keʻokeʻo a me nā huahana polokalamu ʻē aʻe no nā ISP nui, a me ka hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana i nā kumu code kahiko ʻoiai e mālama ana i nā hana pono. Loaʻa iā lākou ka hoihoi i ke ola a pau i ka ʻike mea hoʻohana a me ka loaʻa ʻana o ka pūnaewele, i ka hoʻomaka ʻana i ka hoʻomohala pūnaewele ma ke ʻano he leʻaleʻa e kākoʻo a hoʻomaikaʻi i ka hoʻohana ʻana o ka puka pūnaewele o kahi kaiāulu moʻokalaleo hui pū a lākou i ulu ai. Ua loaʻa iā Cantwell ko lākou kēkelē laepua ma ka ʻepekema kamepiula mai SUNY Buffalo ma 2009, a he semi-finalist no ka Microsoft Imagine Cup i ko lākou makahiki kiʻekiʻe no kahi papahana kahi i kūkulu ai lākou a me kā lākou hui i ka ʻenehana kōkua no nā neurodivergent a me nā haumāna kīnā a me kā lākou kumu. kahu malama.

Ua hoʻomaka ʻo Ben Casalino e hana ma Creative West i ka hopena o ka makahiki 2018. Ua noho ke ola holoʻokoʻa o Casalino ma ke ala o ke kiʻi / hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, i hōʻike ʻia ma kāna hana a me kāna ʻike i hala. Ua aʻo ʻo Casalino i ka hoʻolālā kiʻi ma Arizona State University ma mua o ka noho ʻana ma Portland, Oregon no ʻelima mau makahiki. I loko o ia manawa, ua hoʻonui ʻo ia i kona ʻike loea i ka wā e hana ana no WACOM Americas, kahi hui honua e hana ana i nā papa pākaukau / stylus hōʻike no nā mea pena kiʻi a me nā mea animator. Ma hope o ka neʻe ʻana i Colorado ma 2016, ua hana ʻo ia ma ke ʻano he mea hoʻomohala pūnaewele no kahi ʻoihana kūʻai kikohoʻe ʻo Boulder a no Vail Resorts Inc. Ua lanakila ʻo Casalino i nā hoʻokūkū kiʻi he nui i hōʻike ʻia i kāna mau hoʻolālā ma ka uhi papahana pāʻani Phoenix Suns. He puka puka ʻo Casalino no Galvanize's Web Development Immersive program, he kula hoʻolālā piha piha ma Denver.

ʻO Ajitha Kanapala kahi ʻoihana hōʻoia koʻikoʻi koʻikoʻi me ka ʻoi aku o 10 mau makahiki o ka ʻike ma ka ʻoihana IT, loea i ka hoʻāʻo polokalamu. I loko o kāna ʻoihana holoʻokoʻa, ua hana ʻo Kanapala ma ke ʻano he loiloi hōʻoia maikaʻi a alakaʻi hoʻāʻo ma nā wahi like ʻole, e like me ka waihona kālā, ʻinikua, mokulele, kelepona, moraki a me ka mālama ola kino. Loaʻa iā ia ka ʻike nui i ka hoʻomohala ʻana i nā hoʻolālā hoʻāʻo no ka hoʻāʻo ʻana i ka mobile, manual a me ka hoʻāʻo ʻana, e hoʻohana ana i nā mea hana alakaʻi ʻoihana a me nā ʻano hana e hoʻopuka ai i nā polokalamu kiʻekiʻe. Hoʻokumu ka ʻike o Kanapala i ka hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana i ka pono a me ka hilinaʻi i loko o ke ola o ka hoʻomohala polokalamu. Ua loaʻa iā ia ke kēkelē laepua ma ka ʻenehana uila a me ka ʻenehana kamaʻilio mai ke Kulanui ʻo Nagarjuna i ka makahiki 2011. Ma waho o ka hana, hauʻoli ʻo ia i ka hoʻolimalima manawa me kona ʻohana, ka kuke ʻana me kāna keiki mua, a kaʻana like i kā lākou hana ma YouTube. He meaʻai makemake nui, hauʻoli nō hoʻi ʻo ia i ka ʻimi ʻana i nā hale ʻaina hou a me ka ʻike ʻana i nā ʻike ʻaina kūʻokoʻa.

He kanaka aloha ʻo Brett O'Connor a aʻo i nā kamepiula a me ka ʻenehana. Lawe ʻo ia me ia i mau makahiki o ka ʻike ma ka ʻoihana ʻenehana, kahi āna i paʻa ai i nā ʻano hana like ʻole mai ka luna hoʻomalu pūnaewele a i kahi CTO hoʻomaka. Ma hope o ka hoʻolilo ʻana i ka hapa hope loa o kāna ʻoihana ma ke ʻano he kūkākūkā pilikino e lawelawe ana i nā ʻoihana liʻiliʻi a me nā hui like ʻole o Denver, ua hui pū ʻo Brett iā Creative West a me ka honua nonprofit, me ka makemake e loaʻa i kāna mau akamai i ka hopena maikaʻi. ʻO Brett ka mea kākau, heluhelu, a aloha mele. Inā ʻaʻole ma kāna kamepiula, ʻike ʻia ʻo ia e hele wāwae ana i kāna ʻīlio a puni nā mauna o Colorado.