Discipline: Folklife/Traditional Crafts&Visual Arts

Alberta Bair Theater

Albuquerque Museum Foundation Inc

Alces Community Works

Discipline: Media Arts

The founder of Marianas Visuals is a dedicated videographer and filmmaker from the Northern Mariana Islands. Their work is deeply rooted in capturing and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the CNMI through documentaries on traditional practices, local artists, and cultural events.

Primarily self-taught with a 2004 film school certification, they also contribute to cultural and language preservation as a media specialist at the Chamorro Carolinian Language Policy Commission. Beyond cultural documentation, their diverse portfolio includes sports and special events, product commercials, hotel promotions, family portraits, and wildlife photography. Through Marianas Visuals, they actively uplift Pacific traditions and connect with their community by sharing its unique stories and beauty.

Alexandra James, is a Southern Maine-born maker, mover and mother. As an independent artist, she’s engaged with improvisation and interdisciplinary investigation, the interrogation of pedagogy and craft, seeking liberation through the integrity of embodied knowledge and the sharing of practice. In addition to her role as BDF’s Director of Training Programs, Alexandra is a professor of dance at Bates, and artistic director of a youth Hip Hop company. Her work has been presented in Chicago, New York and South Africa, with a teaching practice that carries her nationally. She earned her BFA from the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago in 2009.

Alexandra Olivares is an arts administrator based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her focus is audience research and evaluation, leveraging qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to inform institutional strategy and drive meaningful community engagement. Her expertise is demonstrated through her published work examining motivations for and barriers to arts participation, as well as the role of cultural representation in shaping visitor experiences.

With over a decade of experience in the museum field, she has developed innovative evaluation initiatives to systematically collect and apply visitor feedback, building deeper connections between museums and their audiences. As board president of the North Carolina Museums Council, she leads statewide efforts to strengthen collaboration, advocacy and professional development across North Carolina’s museum community.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Membership and Operations Coordinator, Benvenuti Arts

Alicia Margarita Olivo (theythem) is a Houston-based Mexican American playwright, performer, and weather enjoyer, whose work focuses on the fiery interactions between identity, gender, rage, and memory. Alicia’s plays have been developed and received readings with Stages, Company One Theater, The Workshop Theater, Teatro Chelsea, Telatúlsa, AlterTheater, and The Inkwell Theater. Alicia is the Membership and Operations Coordinator at Benvenuti Arts, an arts consulting company for small and mighty arts orgs. B.A. Wellesley College. Alicia loves talking about comic books, good food, and the weather. @aliciamargaritx / amolivo.com

Allen and Alice Stokes Nature Center

ALMA

Alpine Artisans Inc.

Amanda King is a classic singer of standards and jazz, celebrated as a true chanteuse with a straight-ahead style steeped in tradition.

Praised by The New York Times critic Stephen Holden as one of the nightclub world’s “exceptional rising talents,” King dives deep into the treasure trove of musical history, honoring the stories, songs, and legends that shaped the rich tapestry of early American popular music and jazz.

Having recently made her international debut, she is currently touring across the United States, captivating audiences with her smooth voice and confident style. Her performances, infused with the sophistication of a bygone era while resonating with contemporary vibrancy, have earned her the affectionate moniker “Las Vegas’ Queen of Swing.”

In 2024, she was featured on “Standards Deluxe,” an album by the Rob Dixon/Steve Allee Quintet. The record spent 18 weeks on the JazzWeek Top 50 chart.