O se ta'ita'i ata tifaga, faatufugaga, ma tekonolosi e iai le poto masani i vaega e le o ni polofiti ma tupe maua, sa umia e Gaines tulaga ta'ita'i i le Sundance Film Festival, Hawai'i International Film Festival, ma le American Film Institute. Mo le lima tausaga, na ia faʻatautaia le atinaʻeina o pisinisi i Withoutabox, o se faʻasalalauga tuʻuina atu o ata tifaga na maua e IMDb, o se vaega o Amazon. I le 2013, na avea ai Gaines ma faatonu sili o ArtPrize, o se tauvaga faatufugaga faavaomalo faʻalavelave e faia i tausaga taʻitasi i Grand Rapids, Michigan, lea na ia galue ai foi i le Michigan Arts and Culture Council ma luga o le komiti a DisArt. Ia Ianuari o le 2019, na auai ai Gaines i Creative West ma sa ia faʻatautaia le faʻalapotopotoga e ala i le faʻatupulaia tele ma i lona isi mataupu o Creative West. O lo'o galue o ia i le komiti fa'atonu o le National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), ma talu ai nei na amata ai lana tautua o le ta'ita'ifono o le US Regional Arts Organizations collective. Gaines e fiafia tele i le faʻatupuina o avanoa mo tusiata ma tagata faʻaleaganuʻu, fatuina avanoa fiafia, ma 'au faʻaosofia e fai a latou galuega sili.

E lagolagoina e Kaela Buffum Hogan le faatonu sili o Creative West, sui faatonu, ma le komiti faafoe ma o se tasi e galulue faatasi i le manuia o le au taʻitaʻi ma le komiti faʻafoe a o latou taʻitaʻia le faʻalapotopotoga i le lumanaʻi. O Buffum Hogan o lo'o umia le BFA ile fa'ata'ita'iga ma e silia ma le sefulu tausaga lona poto masani galue ile fale talimalo i tua ma le fa'ato'aga. O le poto masani i le pulega o faatufugaga muamua e aofia ai le galue o se fesoasoani i potuaoga i le Emerging Leaders Institute Classroom i le Asosi a Faia'oga Fa'apolofesa Fa'ata'ita'i (APAP) fonotaga fa'aletausaga ma le avea o se Administrative Assistant and Guest Relations Coordinator mo le Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Region VII). I lona taimi avanoa e fiafia ai e fai togalaau, faiva, auai i falemataaga, ma musika 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.

E fesoasoani Ashley Arias i le tuʻuina atu o le lagolago mo tagata faʻaoga o polokalame ZAPP® ma CaFÉ™ e faʻamautinoa ai le faamalieina o tagata faʻatau. Aʻo leʻi auai i Creative West, sa galue Arias o se fomaʻi fesoasoani ma COVID suʻega. I fafo atu o le galuega, e fiafia o ia e faʻaalu se taimi ma lana faʻaipoipo ma tamaiti ma aʻoaʻoina ni togafiti fou i le umukuka.

Mareike Bergen va'aia le vaega fa'agaioiga o oloa a le ZAPP ina ia mautinoa le fa'amalieina o tagata fa'atau ma le fa'atumauina fa'atasi ai ma le tuputupu a'e fa'atekonolosi mo le ZAPP site. O Bergen e iai lona tikeri o le tagata malaga i le matematika ma se tamaititi faasaienisi komepiuta mai le Kolisi Peteli ma se talaaga i auaunaga a tagata faatau ma fuafuaga o mea e fai. Na amata mai Kansas, na toe siitia i Denver ina ua uma ona faauu mai le kolisi. I fafo atu o le galuega, e fiafia o ia i le kiona, savaliga sopo, ma le kuka.

E fesoasoani Drew Chavez i le tuuina atu o le lagolago a tagata faatau mo le polokalame ZAPP. Aʻo leʻi auai i Creative West, sa galue o ia o se sui faʻatau ma taʻifau savali i le taulaga o Denver. I lona taimi avanoa, e fiafia Chavez e taalo pasiketipolo ma faʻaalu le taimi e ala i le alu i le faletaalo, faitau, ma faʻaalu le taimi i le natura.

O Ken Cho na te fa'atautaia taumafaiga fa'atau mo le CaFÉ ma le ZAPP. O ia e nafa ma faʻatauga uma i totonu ma fafo e faʻalauiloa ai le SaaS a Creative West's (Software As A Service) faʻatasi ma faʻamaopoopoina ma matagaluega uma i totonu e faʻavaeina se faʻataʻitaʻiga faʻataʻitaʻiga auaunaga mo tagata faʻatau uma a Creative West. A'o le'i auai atu i Creative West, sa nofo Cho i le Talafatai i Sasa'e i Uosigitone, DC, ma sa avea o se sui sinia o mea'ai i le lotoifale mo le 4P Foods, o se fa'alapotopotoga fa'amanuiaina e fa'atatau i le fesoasoani i faifa'ato'aga fa'ato'aga laiti ia olaola i le tamaoaiga o taumafa i aso nei. O loo umia e Cho se faailoga o le tagata malaga i le Igilisi mai le Kolisi o Elmhurst. I fafo atu o le ofisa, e fiafia o ia i ta'amilosaga uila ma ti'eti'e uila mananaia e pei o le Tweed Ride (lea na feiloa'i ai ma lona to'alua, o Laine), ma e fiafia i le lomitusi 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.

O Lori Goldstein o le pule sinia o Creative West's Public Art Archive. Goldstein e nafa ma fuafuaga umi a le faiga, atinaʻeina o oloa, ma le vaʻaia o le faʻaopoopoina o faʻaputuga faʻasalalauga lautele i le Archive. A'o le'i auai i Creative West, sa galue o ia o se fa'ata'ita'iga lautele ma pule o polokalame mo le Arts Council o Lake Oswego, Oregon. A'o le'i galue o ia i le Arts Council, sa galue o ia o se konekarate mo le Archive i ona tausaga amata. O Goldstein sa galue foi o se fesoasoani a tagata lautele i le Braaksma Design, o se faletusi a tagata lautele ma galuega faatino ua tofia i le salafa o le atunuu. Sa ia maua se faailoga o le tagata malaga i le talafaasolopito mai le Kolisi o Colorado ma se faailoga o le matuaofaiva i tala faasolopito o faatufugaga ma se faamamafa i faatufugaga lautele mai le Iunivesite o Colorado Boulder. O Goldstein o lo'o galue nei o le Peresetene o le Komiti Fa'atonu a le Art Garage e leai ni tupe mama i Denver ma i luga o le laupapa o le 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.

E saunia e Ayanna Hwang le lagolago a tagata faatau mo polokalame ZAPP ma CaFÉ. O lo'o su'e nei se fa'ailoga fa'asalalauga ma su'esu'ega fa'asalalau i le Iunivesite o Colorado. Ona fa'aauauina lea o ana a'oa'oga i le Denver School of Traditional Chinese Medicine e su'esu'e ai vaila'au fa'apitoa. A'o le'i o'o i lona tulaga i Creative West, sa galue Hwang i le maketiina mo le fa'asaoina o le vai fa'apea fo'i ma se fa'alapotopotoga e le'i fa'atupeina e fa'alauiloa le fa'alauiloaina o tu ma aga. I fafo atu o galuega e fiafia o ia i le valiina, alu i tausamiga/konseti ma ata pue.

E lagolagoina e Amelia Leinbach le tele o fa'agaioiga ma faiga a le ZAPP, e aofia ai fa'afouga fa'akonekarate, feso'ota'iga a tagata o tausia, ma le tuputupu a'e fa'atekinisi. Na ola aʻe Leinbach i Colorado ma maua se tikeri o le tagata malaga i sociology mai Colorado State University. O se tasi o ata e sili ona fiafia i ai o le “O Pescador de Violão” saunia e Marcel Caram. I lona taimi avanoa, e fiafia o ia e savalivali, matamata TV, ma 'ai 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.

E fesoasoani Aliah Ramirez i le tuuina atu o le lagolago a tagata faatau mo polokalame ZAPP ma CaFÉ. O lo'o a'oga nei o ia i le Kolisi Tu'ufa'atasi a le Red Rocks ma e le o toe mamao ae si'itia loa i le Iunivesite o Colorado e su'e ai lona fa'ailoga o le tagata malaga i le tausima'i. I fafo atu o le galuega, e fiafia o ia e faaalu le taimi ma lana tane ma lana fanau ma faitau tusi.

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.

O Tyler Speller o lo'o galue o se tagata fa'asoa fa'asoa fa'asoa mo le polokalame a Creative West's CaFÉ. O loo ia umia se faailoga lagolago mai le Kolisi a Casper, Wyoming, lea sa ia auai ai ma le mitamita i le kolisi i se sikolasipi atoa mo le volipolo. E le gata i le tu'uina atu o le lagolago a tagata fa'atau mo le polokalame, o Speller ose fautua mo le soifua maloloina ma le soifua maloloina ma o lo'o fa'amae'aina nei tusi pasi se lua i le Certified Personal Fitness and Nutritional Coaching. A'o le'i o'o i lona tulaga i Creative West, sa galue o ia i isi vaega o le lagolago a tagata fa'atau, fa'apea fo'i ma a'oa'oga amata. I fafo atu o le galuega, e fiafia o ia i le malosi, fafo, ma le tele o ituaiga o faatufugaga ma aganuu, e aofia ai le valiina, siva, ma le tusitusi, e taʻu ai ni nai mea. Ma, ioe, e alofa o ia i lona aiga, aua o lana matafaioi sili ona taua i luga o le fogaeleele o le avea lea ma se tina muamua i lana tama tama teine!

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.

E lagolagoina e Alison Verplaetse le fa'agaioiga o le polokalame a le Public Art Archive e ala i le pulega o fa'amaumauga a tagata lautele ma le lagolago a tagata fa'atau. Na amata e Alison lana galuega o se tausi potutusi aʻoga ma le faʻasao o tusi ma pepa, o le taimi lea na ia umia ai avanoa i le Iunivesite o Colorado Boulder ma le Iunivesite o Harvard. O lona fiafia i le faasao ma faatufugaga na taitai atu ai o ia i se matafaioi i se faletusi fau ma le faasao a le Denver, lea sa avea ai o ia ma se tagata fau faatagata mo le tele o tausaga. A'o le'i auai i Creative West, sa galue o ia o le fa'aaliga o le fa'ailoga & fa'ata'ita'iga pule i le Falemata'aga a Tamaiti i Denver. O Alison e iai fa'ailoga matai i le fa'asaienisi faletusi ma tala fa'asolopito o ata mai le Iunivesite o Indiana Bloomington ma lona fa'ailoga o le tagata malaga i mea tau ata mai le Iunivesite 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: Faʻateleina ma Faʻamalosia le Tamaoaiga Foafoa, 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.

O Anika Tené (o ia) o le Fa'atonu o Fa'ameaalofa, Fa'ailoga ma Polokalama, lea na te ta'ita'ia ai fuafuaga e fa'amalosia ai le au tusiata, fa'alapotopotoga fa'atutufu, ma nu'u e ala i tupe tutusa, punaoa, ma a'oa'oga. Ua fa'aosofia o ia i lona naunau e feso'ota'i ma feso'ota'iga 'ese'ese a tufuga ma ta'ita'i fa'aleaganu'u i totonu o le itulagi, ma e mitamita tele i galuega fa'apitoa a lana 'au, o lo'o fa'ailoa i lalo. Ua matua faalauteleina e Tené le fu'a a le faalapotopotoga Taitai o Fesootaiga Lanu, fa'alauiloa le Fa'aputugatupe a Ta'ita'i o Color Network Professional Development Fund, le National Leaders of Color Fellowship Program, ma le Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Artist Fund. E le gata i lea, o loʻo ia faia faʻatasi polokalame a le atunuʻu ma isi e lima Fa'alapotopotoga fa'aitulagi a le US, e aofia ai ArtsHERE ma Aganuu Faʻaauau, faʻamuamua sini tutusa i taumafaiga uma. A'o le'i o'o i lana matafaioi o lo'o iai nei, sa fa'atautaia e Tené polokalame a'oa'oga a le atunu'u i le John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, lea na ia taula'i atu ai i le fa'amautinoaina o avanoa tutusa i a'oa'oga fa'aa'oa'oga mo tamaiti a'oga a le malo. O lona poto masani eseese i faatufugaga e aofia ai foi ma matafaioi o se faatonu musika ma faatufugaga, pule o le tulaga, tagata gaosi oloa, faapea foi ma galuega i fale tusiata ma le faatauina atu o saofaga. O Tené o se ta'ita'i fa'apitoa i nu'u, sa avea o se ta'ita'i komiti o faatufugaga fa'alotoifale ma le ta'ita'i fono ua mavae o le Arts Administrators of Color Network. I le taimi nei, o loʻo nofo o ia i luga o le laupapa mo Mason Arts i le George Mason University. O Tené fo'i ose fa'aa'oa'oga fa'aa'oa'oga fa'apitoa, fa'apitoa i le fa'amalosia o fatuga. O loo ia umia faailoga mai le Iunivesite o Howard, Iunivesite o Amerika, Iunivesite o George Mason, ma se tipiloma mai le Iunivesite o Stellenbosch i Aferika i Saute.

O Josh Ellis o lo'o i ai se sao taua i le fa'afaigofieina ma le fa'afoeina o polokalame a le Creative West BIPOC ma fuafuaga e fa'aaoga ai faiga fa'ameaalofa fa'avae tutusa e fa'aleleia ai a'afiaga o le atunu'u. O ana matafaioi talu ai e aofia ai le avea ma se pule faaili i le tele o faalapotopotoga, lea na ia pulea ai aufaaili a le autalavou ma le silia ma le 500 tamaiti aoga, faatautaia konekarate a faiaoga ma tagata tusiata, ma fatuina ma faatino polokalame faatulagaina. Sa ia umia foi ni tofiga i le John F. Kennedy Center mo le Fa'afiafiaga Fa'ata'ita'i i Patron Services ma i le Wolf Trap Foundation mo Fa'ata'ita'iga Fa'ata'ita'iga o se tagata faigaluega fa'apolofesa, lea na ia fa'atupuina ai fa'amatalaga tusiata mo le vaitau o polokalame ma faia ai su'esu'ega i luga o tusiata ta'aloga. toomaga i le tautotogo o le 2020. O galuega ofo fua a Ellis e atagia mai ai lana tautinoga i faatufugaga lagolago ma le tutusa. Sa avea o ia ma sui malosi o le Arlington Commission for the Arts, ma saofagā i le faʻateleina o faʻatupeina o faatufugaga mo le itumalo ma faʻamalosia le fono faitulafono a VA. E le gata i lea, na ia faʻamautinoaina le faʻatupeina ma faʻatautaia sauniga faʻailoga mo le Prince William County Arts Council. Talu ai nei lava, na ofoina atu ai ia te ia se avanoa e avea ai i le Komiti o Fuafuaga mo le Asosi a Tagata Faigaluega Fa'apolofesa (APAP) Koneferenisi - o le fa'apotopotoga muamua a le lalolagi o le tu'ufa'atasiga o fa'afiafiaga, fa'asalalau, ma ta'amilosaga. O Ellis o lo'o umia le Master of Arts in Arts Management ma le Bachelor of Arts in Music mai le George Mason University.

Ashanti McGee o se tusiata ma faatufugaga faufautua ua taʻua Las Vegas, Nevada fale mo le silia ma le 25 tausaga. Na amata lana galuega fa'ata'ita'i fa'ata'ita'i e fesoasoani ai i nu'u ma fa'alapotopotoga e le o ni polofiti i tusitusiga fa'ameaalofa ma le pulega ma fa'aauau pea ona galue i lea vaega mo le silia ma le sefulu tausaga. I le 2014, na filifilia ai o ia e avea ma sui Nevada mo Creative West's Emerging Leaders of Color program ma sa avea o se laulauafono mo Creative West's Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminar. Sa galue talu ai nei o ia o se sui itumalo mo Nevada Congresswoman Susie Lee, e taulai atu i le aapa atu mo Black, Native American, ma LGBTQ+ nuu i luga o faatufugaga ma aganuu ma siosiomaga ma fanua lautele. O se tina mitamita o se fanau e toafa, ua tuuina atu e McGee lana galuega i faatufugaga ma aoaoga, e aofia ai le faafouina o tulaga o aoaoga faatufugaga mo le Matagaluega o Aoga a Nevada; auauna atu o se sui o le komiti faafoe mo Cultural Alliance o Nevada, o se faalapotopotoga lagolago faatufugaga i le setete atoa; fa'avaeina le Las Vegas Womxn of Color Arts Festival, ma galue o se sui autu o le NUWU Cultural Arts + Activism complex, o se POC e umia ma fa'agaioia avanoa i Las Vegas e galue e fa'aeaina nu'u uma e ala i le fa'amalosia o le malamalama fa'ale-aganu'u ma le fa'asinomaga e ala i faatufugaga, activism, ma aoaoga.

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 e sili atu i le 10 tausaga o le poto masani i maketi, fesoʻotaʻiga, ma fuafuaga faʻapitoa i lana matafaioi i Creative West. I le avea ai ma Pule o Fa'alavelave, na te va'aia vaega uma o fuafuaga mo fonotaga a Creative West, galulue vavalalata ma le tele o matagaluega ma 'au e atia'e, gaosia, ma fa'atino le tele o fonotaga ma mea e tutupu. O lo'o ia umia se tikeri o le tagata malaga i feso'ota'iga ma se tamaititi maketi mai le Iunivesite o Wyoming.

I fafo atu o le galuega, e fiafia Howell e faataitai i le umukuka ma faʻaalu se taimi ma lana terrier, Olive.

E fesoasoani Samantha Ortega i le fuafuaina ma le fa'atinoina o fa'ata'ita'iga fa'atautaiga atoatoa mo oloa fa'atekonolosi a Creative West e fa'aola ai ta'ita'i, avanoa, ma fa'atau. Ortega e fa'atautaia le fa'asalalauga fa'alaua'itele i luga o le initaneti ma le auai ma fa'ateleina feso'ota'iga i luga ole laiga ma oloa ma auaunaga a Creative West i luga o fa'avae uma. Na te fa'atupuina ma fa'atino fuafuaga fa'aagafesootai mo oloa a Creative West, tautua ma fono ma fesoasoani fo'i i le fa'amaopoopoina ma le fuafuaina o fonotaga eseese, fonotaga, ma mea e tutupu. Ortega o lo'o umia le tikeri o le tagata malaga i feso'ota'iga mai le Iunivesite o Texas i El Paso. E i ai lona talaaga i le maketiina o mea tutupu ma sa fesoasoani i le puleaina o ala o faasalalauga mo mea na tutupu e faʻaalia ai le au faʻafiafia e pei o Elton John, Guns N' Roses, Cirque du Soleil, ma isi. I lona taimi avanoa, e fiafia o ia i musika, faʻaalu taimi ma e pele ia te ia, ma fafo.

O Natalie Scherlong e galue e faʻalautele le aʻafiaga o le faʻalapotopotoga e ala i le atinaʻeina o fuafuaga tau fesoʻotaʻiga i totonu ma fafo ma faʻamaopoopoina ma faʻatinoina galuega i lea aso ma lea aso e lagolago ai fesoʻotaʻiga a Creative West, fefaʻatauaʻiga lautele, pulega faʻailoga, ma fuafuaga faʻavae. O Scherlong ei ai lona talaaga i le maketiina numera, fatuina o mea, faʻasalalauga lautele, ma le auʻaunaga a tagata faatau. O lona poto masani i nei matata e aofia ai le taʻitaʻia o se laulau faʻatasi ma le Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment ma galue o se sui malosi Colorado o le Public Relations Society of America. I ona taimi avanoa, e fiafia o ia i ata pue, faʻaalu taimi ma ana fagafao, faimalaga, ma faitau.

E pulea e Amy Hollrah vaega uma o galuega tau tupe a Creative West, tagata faigaluega, pulega o ofisa, ma iloiloga faaletulafono ma se vaega tulaga ese o tagata faigaluega e toafa. E fiafia Hollrah i le fausiaina o faiga fou ma faiga faavae ma ua matua fiafia lava o ia i lona tulaga i Creative West, lea na amata i le 2012. A o lei auai i Creative West, sa galue Hollrah mo le Colorado Environmental Coalition i Denver ma faaalu 10 tausaga i San Diego galue i le fale faafiafia faaitulagi e pei ona aoao. pule ile San Diego Repertory Theatre ma avea ma pule sili lagolago ile La Jolla Playhouse. O lana uluai faatonu o tulaga tau tupe sa i le Volunteer San Diego. A o lei oo i lena, sa galue o ia i le Guthrie ma State Theatres i Minneapolis faapea foi ma le Great Barrington Stage Company i Great Barrington, MA. E umia e Hollrah se faailoga o le tagata malaga i le pulega o faatufugaga mai le Iunivesite o Wisconsin-Stevens Point. O ia o se tagata tamo'e malosi i le auala ma e le'i leva ona si'i atu i Evergreen, CO lea o lo'o si'omia ai e laau paina.

Na amata e Rebecca Dominguez lana galuega i Creative West e avea o se tagata faʻatautaia poto masani ma faʻavavevave i le matagaluega o tupe o se paaga tau tupe, aʻo leʻi avea ma HR ma le ofisa pule. A'o le'i auai i Creative West, sa ia fa'amamaluina ona tomai fa'atau auaunaga faigaluega mo le Colorado Department of Revenue ma le Credit Union of Colorado. Dominguez o loʻo umia se faʻailoga Igilisi faʻatasi ai ma le faʻatonuga o tusitusiga faʻapea foʻi ma le faʻamaonia o le pulega o tagata faigaluega. I lona taimi avanoa, e fiafia Dominguez e faitau, faimalaga, ma faaalu le taimi ma lona aiga.

O Jessica Martinez na auai i le Creative West finance team e avea o se faamaopoopo tupe faavaitaimi ia Setema 2019. I lenei tulaga, e lagolagoina e Martinez le lavelave o galuega tau tupe ma tagata faigaluega a le matagaluega o tupe ma pulega ma tomai faʻalapotopotoga, gauai atu i auiliiliga, ma tumau. O lo’o faigaluega nei o ia fa’avaitaimi a’o a’oga i le Kolisi Tu’ufa’atasi a Aurora e maua ai lana tusi pasi i le Human Resources. E fiafia o ia e faaalu le taimi ma aiga, faimalaga, ma savaliga sopo.

O le fia iloa na ta'ita'ia ai Michelle Reilly e fa'amanino le va'ai mai Boston i Denver, lea e fa'amamaluina ai o ia i le mauaina o se nofoaga e fesoasoani ai i fa'alapotopotoga e le o ni polofiti e taumafai e fausia se mea taua mo nu'u latou te tautuaina. Sa galue o ia mo le tele o faʻalapotopotoga faʻasaienisi ma faʻaleaganuʻu faʻapitoa, e aofia ai: Swallow Hill Music, RedLine Contemporary Art, Denver Botanic Gardens, ma MCA Denver. E maua e Reilly musumusuga mai le tele o nofoaga ma e aʻafia i faʻamatalaga fatufatuaʻi, mea e tuputupu aʻe, taumafaiga faʻatasi e luʻitauina le faʻatonuga, galuega alofa, faʻavalevalea, ma le faʻaaloalo mo mea ola uma. O loo ia umia se faailoga o le tagata malaga i fesootaiga ma tala faasolopito o faatufugaga mai le Iunivesite o Boston faapea foi ma se tusipasi tusi mai le Red Rocks Community College. O Reilly o lo'o fa'amaonia fo'i le CNAP (Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional). Pe a le nofo i le fanua o tusi, e fiafia Reilly e alu i fafo e fiafia i se savaliga sopo i luga o mauga, suʻesuʻe se faʻaaliga fou poʻo se faʻataʻitaʻiga i le taulaga, fai se taimi taʻalo ma ana fagafao, pe fefaʻasoaaʻi se taumafataga ma talie ma uo.

O Lauren Wilson o lo'o va'ava'ai i totonu ma fafo o mea tau tupe a Creative West. E galue o ia i le toe fa'aleleia, tu'ufa'atasia o fa'amaumauga, su'esu'ega fa'amaumauga, ma le fa'atonutonuina o le fa'afouga fa'afouga o le faiga fa'amaumauga. O le galue i matagaluega ta'itasi, na te fa'afaigofieina galuega ma taumafai e fa'amanino ma fa'afiafia le pulega o tupe mo pule o polokalame ma paaga tutusa. A'o le'i auai i Creative West, sa galue Wilson ile fa'alapotopotoga ole malosi ole la. Na ia faʻaalia i le Belvedere Museum, Mint Museum, ma RedLine Contemporary Art Center o se tusitala faʻasolopito. Na fa'au'u Wilson ma se fa'ailoga i tala fa'asolopito ma se fa'atonuga i su'esu'ega i itupa ma feusuaiga. O loʻo faʻaauau pea ona tuʻuina atu lona olaga i faatufugaga e ala i faʻalapotopotoga e pei o Tilt West ma e ala i le faʻataʻitaʻiina o ana lava ata vali ma galuega faʻasalalau fefiloi i lona taimi avanoa.

O Paul Nguyen e taʻitaʻia le fuafuaga faʻatekonolosi mo le Creative West's web services, pisinisi atamai, saogalemu, tausisia ma faʻatinoga, meafaigaluega maketi maketi, faʻamatalaga faʻamaumauga, ma isi mea. O lo'o ia te ia se tala fa'asolopito manuia o le ta'ita'iina o oloa a le Creative West's SaaS, sa tautua i galuega fa'atekonolosi eseese mai le 2007-2019 ma, talu ai nei, faufautua i luga o le komiti tausi mavaega a Creative West. Aʻo leʻi toe foʻi i Creative West i lana matafaioi o loʻo i ai nei, o Nguyen o se pule o oloa i JumpCloud, lea na ia atiina ae ai faʻamatalaga faʻamatalaga i totonu ma fafo ma aumai i le maketiina o oloa fou B2B faʻamaumauga ma API mo IT polofesa ma kamupani saogalemu-i luma. Na te faʻaaogaina lona poto masani ma le malamalama i faʻamaumauga ma tekinolosi e faʻalauteleina ai fuafuaga a Creative West i faatufugaga, faiga faʻavae, ma le tutusa o agafesootai. O Nguyen o lo'o umia se tikeri o le tagata malaga i fa'ata'ita'iga mai le Parsons School of Design ma se fa'ailoga matuaofaiva i fa'amatalaga faasaienisi mai le Regis University. I fafo atu o galuega, e fiafia e faʻaalu se taimi ma lona aiga, fai togalaau, ma suʻesuʻeina Colorado.

O lo'o galulue vavalalata Jonathan Cantwell ma fa'auluuluga o poloketi ma isi vaega uma o le aufaigaluega tekonolosi e fa'atumauina ma fa'alautele le malosi o Creative West e tu'uina atu meafaigaluega faakomepiuta i tusiata ma fa'alapotopotoga. Latou te aumaia lo latou tomai i le faamaopoopoina o se vaega o inisinia software i Synacor, taulimaina manaoga o tagata taitoatasi, ma configuring paepae-igoa faitotoa web ma isi oloa software mo ISP tetele, ma le faaleleia o tulaga tuai code faavae a o tausia galuega talafeagai. Sa i ai lo latou fiafia i le olaga atoa i le poto masani a le tagata faʻaoga ma le faʻaogaina o le upega tafaʻilagi, ua amataina le atinaʻeina o upega tafaʻilagi e avea o se mea e fiafia i ai e lagolago ma faʻaleleia le faʻaogaina o le upega tafaʻilagi a se sosaiete talafatu felagolagomai na latou ola aʻe ai. Na maua e Cantwell lo latou tikeri o le tagata malaga i le saienisi komepiuta mai SUNY Buffalo i le 2009, ma sa avea ma semi-finalist mo le Microsoft Imagine Cup i lo latou tausaga sinia mo se poloketi lea na latou fausia ai ma le latou au tekinolosi fesoasoani mo tamaiti aoga neurodivergent ma le atoatoa ma o latou faiaoga ma tausi.

Na amata galue Ben Casalino i Creative West i le faaiuga o le 2018. O le olaga atoa o Casalino sa i ai i le fetaulaiga o ata / mamanu ma tekinolosi, lea na faʻaalia i luga o ana galuega ma poto masani uma. Sa su'esu'e Casalino le ata fa'ata i le Iunivesite o le Setete o Arizona ae le'i nofo i Portland, Oregon mo le lima tausaga. I lena taimi, na ia faʻalauteleina lona malamalama faʻapitoa aʻo galue mo WACOM Americas, o se kamupani faʻavaomalo o loʻo faʻatupuina faʻasalalauga faʻasalalauga / stylus faʻaaliga mo tusiata ma tagata fai ata. Ina ua uma ona toe siitia i Colorado i le 2016, sa galue o ia o se upega tafaʻilagi mo le Boulder-based digital marketing agency ma mo Vail Resorts Inc., Colorado taʻutaʻua kamupani tafaoga faaseʻe. Ua manumalo Casalino i le tele o tauvaga faatufugaga na faʻaalia ai ana mamanu i luga o le Phoenix Suns game program cover. O Casalino o se fa'au'u mai le Galvanize's Web Development Immersive program, o se a'oga fa'akomepiuta atoa i Denver.

O Ajitha Kanapala o se tagata tomai sinia faʻamautinoaga lelei ma sili atu i le 10 tausaga o le poto masani i le IT alamanuia, faʻapitoa i suʻega polokalama. I lana galuega atoa, sa galue Kanapala o se tagata su'esu'e fa'amautinoaga lelei ma ta'ita'i su'ega i vaega eseese, e aofia ai teugatupe, inisiua, vaalele, feso'ota'iga, mokesi ma le soifua maloloina. E tele lona poto masani i le atina'eina o fuafuaga su'ega mo su'ega feavea'i, tusi lesona ma fa'autometi, fa'aogaina meafaigaluega e ta'ita'ia ai alamanuia ma auala e fa'aolaina ai polokalame maualuga. O le poto masani a Kanapala e fa'atotonu i le fa'aleleia atili o le lelei ma le fa'atuatuaina i le faagasologa atoa o le atina'eina o polokalame. Na ia maua se faailoga o le tagata malaga i mea tau eletise ma fesoʻotaʻiga inisinia mai le Iunivesite o Nagarjuna i le 2011. I fafo atu o galuega, e fiafia e faʻaalu taimi ma lona aiga, taoina ma lana tama matua, ma faʻasoa a latou foafoaga i luga o le YouTube. O se tagata e fiafia tele i mea'ai, e fiafia fo'i e su'esu'e fale'aiga fou ma su'esu'eina mea'ai tulaga ese.

O Brett O'Connor o se tagata fiafia i le olaga atoa ma e aʻoaʻoina komepiuta ma tekinolosi. Na te aumaia ma ia le tele o tausaga o le poto masani i pisinisi tekonolosi, lea na ia umia ai le tele o matafaioi eseese e amata mai i le pule o le upega tafaʻilagi i le CTO amata. Ina ua uma ona faʻaaluina le vaega sili ona lata mai o lana galuega o se faufautua tumaoti e tautuaina le tele o pisinisi laiti ma faʻalapotopotoga a Denver, na auai Brett i Creative West ma le lalolagi e leai ni polofiti, ma le naunau ia maua e ona tomai se aafiaga sili atu ona anoa. O Brett o se tusitala malosi, faitau, ma e fiafia i musika. A leai i luga o lana komepiuta, e mafai ona maua o ia o savali i lana taifau i mauga o Colorado.