Chair, Alliance of Chinese Culture & Arts USA

Passionate to connect people through Chinese culture and fusion musics; Actively involved in Chinese community’s development; started to bring Asian communities together from 2022 for showcasing Asian creative expression and cultural traditions through the power of arts.
• 2004 – Present, Worked at GE and then Honeywell as a senior professional leader;
• 2020 – Present, Committee member, Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC);
• 2018 – Present, Appointed as the Chair of Alliance of Chinese Culture & Arts USA (www.acca-us.org), a 501c3 non-profit organization fully operated by the volunteers. It is composed of the local chapters across regions in the spirit of collaboration;
• 2008 – 2019, Led a volunteer group to partner with Philharmonia Orchestra of CCM ( College Conservatory of Music in UC), defined programs and organized the annual Chinese New Year concert as an executive producer in 12 consecutive years, created fusion music programs, and named by Cincinnati Enquirer as one of the highly received concerts in the year;
• 2012-2019, Partnered with the social studies teacher of 6th grade in a local school to initiate the annual event “Connecting Kids to the World” in 8 consecutive years. The event was to create the dialog opportunities for the 6th grader to talk with the similar age of the kids in India and China face-to-face through video;
• In early 90s, came to the United States from China to pursue higher education and received MBA degree.

Midori Hirose, born in Hood River, Oregon, is a Japanese American interdisciplinary artist based in Portland. Through sculpture, sound, and social ritual, she explores material storytelling as a portal to memory, perception, and transformation.

Her practice bridges care labor and poetic research, turning complex histories and communal connections into dimensional, tactile forms. Hirose co-leads a mutual aid collective supporting protest safety and community resilience, informing her ongoing inquiries into collective care and embodied resistance.

Her work transforms shared spaces into sites of relational alchemy and slow, subversive repair. It has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including “Labor of Love” at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, “Of the Unicorn (and the Sundowner Kids)” with the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and East/West Project in Berlin. Her installations invite intimacy, tension, and radical possibility.

Discipline: Visual Arts

Dr. Miriam Padilla, Executive Director of Bomba Marilé, is a proud LGBTQ Puerto Rican woman, a registered Taino tribal member, a doctor, and a community organizer. Dr. Padilla is board certified in Endocrinology, Obesity Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine. She currently is the Medical Director of the LiveWell Center at Utah Valley Hospital. When Miriam is not seeing patients, she is the Executive Director of Bomba Marilé which is a non profit organization that shares Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance with the community in Utah. Dr. Padilla has received multiple awards for her community involvement including the “30 Women to Watch” award from Utah Business Magazine, the “Mujeres Destacadas” award from La Opinion Newspaper, and the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress. Miriam is grateful for the WESTAF support and hopes to continue lifting up brown, black, and indigenous voices through her work as a cultural artist in the state of Utah.

MK Chavez (She/They) is an Afro-Latinx writer, cultural worker, coach, consultant, educator, and editor. She/They are committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the arts and beyond. She is the co-director of Berkeley Poetry Festival and the Founder and Director of Ouroboros Coaching & Writing Lab. Her writing has been honored with a Pen Oakland Award, a San Francisco Foundation/Nomadic Press Literary Award, and fellowships at CantoMundo, Caldera, Sitka, Playa, Community of Writers, and Hedgebrook. Her community activism and cultural work have been acknowledged with an Alameda County Leadership Award, and in 2023, she was recognized by the Yerba Buena Center for Arts as a YBCA 100 Fellow.

Molly Rufus is a Washington D.C-based arts administrator, creative, and culture worker. Her work focuses on creating spaces for diverse and expansive art projects. Molly is currently working at CulturalDC as their Programs and Exhibitions coordinator, where she focuses on public art and mobile art installations in the district. Her time is also spent coordinating artistic programming at EatonDC and as the DC Programs Manager and Chapter Co-Founder of Black Girls in Art Spaces.

Previously, she worked as a program analytics intern at the City of Alexandria to diversify their public programming before moving to coordinate operations for John F. Kennedy Center’s Washington National Opera.

Discipline: Interdisciplinary

Monique N. Michel is a bilingual educator, dancer, teacher, and the Artistic Director of her company, the the Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo, located in Southwest Idaho. The group was established in 2003 in Nampa, Idaho. They have over twenty Mexican states in their folklorico repertoire that they perform regularly. Monique and the Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo have performed in five states in the Pacific Northwest, and recently celebrated twenty-one years of existence in March 2024.
Monique is a former Diversity Equity and Inclusion director, WESTAF Emerging Leaders of Colour Alumni, and a WESTAF Fellow. She active in both the Ada and Canyon County area arts communities. As a result, Monique has danced, traveled and performed both in and around the United States. She has received accolades for her work in the Latino community as well. Recently she was awarded the Orgullo Migrante Award from Radio International in Chicago. Monique believes that everyone has the ability to dance!

Director/Owner/Teacher, Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo

Director/Owner, Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo

Hello from Idaho! My name is Monique N. Michel. I’m a traditional Mexican folklorico dancer, dance director, teacher and learner for life. I’m the proud owner of my own dance company, the Ballet Folklorico Mexico Lindo from the Treasure Valley, in Idaho. I originally began dancing as a child in my hometown of East Los Angeles, California. After attending college, I moved to Idaho in 1997. I began my dance company in 2003 with the help and support of four dance parents and their children. I’ve since grown my dance company to forty-five members of all ages and abilities. Through my dancing I’ve met incredible people, formed wonderful relationships, and connected with communities in Idaho, Oregon, California, Washington and Utah. My dance outreach has afforded me the experience of sharing my culture and heritage with so many. I’m a staunch LGBTQ+ Ally, as both of my adult children are gay. I am ridiculously blessed to have not one, but two beautiful gay children who’ve shown me the richness of this world through their eyes. I’ve worked extensively with underserved populations in California and Idaho. I’ve taught the children of migrant workers for many years. Representation is super important to me. I want to leave this world knowing I made a difference in education, outreach and compassion. My hope is to start a Latinx Arts non-profit. I want to leave a legacy for future generations to know their heritage and culture and be proud of themselves and their roots.

Cultural Worker & Strategist, Caracol Collective

Natalia Neira Retamal is a cultural worker and strategist, co-creating a more just and joyful world with communities, artists, activists and allies seeking liberation. Natalia is based in Huichin, Ohlone Territory (Oakland, CA), with roots in the Andes and Wallmapu (Mapuche territory). She is the former Executive Director of La Peña Cultural Center where she grew the organization from 3 to 6 staff, established living wages, health insurance, increased vacation time and other important benefits to offer better work-life balance for employees. She was the former co-chair of Berkeley Cultural Trust’s (BCT) Equity & Inclusion Committee. Natalia is now currently focusing on community-driven projects where she will continue to advocate for equity and justice for the community.

Originally from Philadelphia, PA; Nate Edwards IV is a creative artist that produces art using different mediums and crafts. After spending a few years in college and the workforce, he embarked on his comedy career. With performances at Helium Comedy Club – Philadelphia, Flappers Comedy Club – Burbank, The Laugh Factory – LA, Broadway Comedy Club – NYC, The Stand – NYC and others, he’s quickly making a name for himself. He uses his real life experiences, such as growing up in the streets of North Philadelphia and attending college to paint a picture of life in America as a young black man; dealing with issues of race, politics, religion and others to deliver a well-rounded, smart and engaging show, that’s full of laughs and social commentary. In addition, he shot a film with award-winning Armenian artist Melik Ohanian which was shown at the 14th annual Biennale De Lyon in France from Sept. 2017 – Jan. 2018, worked with Erin Ko, a Native-American VR artist at the 6th annual Spring/Break Art Show in NYC, shot a short film with director, Tim Offor; which was recently selected to be apart of The Yonkers Film Festival, Queens World FIlm Festival 2018 and Gasparilla Film Festival 2018. In conclusion, he also does theater, performing a James Baldwin play, “Blues for Mr. Charlie ” at the NYS Association of Black & Puerto Rican Legislators 46th Annual Conference with French-playwright Manu Vaintino.

Art Education Coordinator, Kodiak Arts Council

Artist/Art Instructor Dept. Chair, Saint Croix Central High School

I am from the luscious Island of Dominica in the West Indies but have resided most of my time in St. Croix, USVI and I am a US Citizen.
I am a 29 year public school veteran art instructor. I teach design, painting and sculpture in diverse media. I am certified and have taught on all levels of public education from K-12 to University and adult classes. In 2006 I initiated in the Virgin Islands the Youth Art Month program on St. Croix which has now grown into territory wide student art exhibition.
I have also practiced my craft for the past 29 years. I am a multimedia multi-genre, Multi-form artist. I paint still-lifes, figurative and experimental works. My primary painting medium is oil paint but as an art instructor I have a good handle on most dry and wet media including encaustic medium. In sculpture I prefer to work with found and recycled objects.
As in my own work and so in my instruction I prefer to work sustainably by sometimes using found and discarded materials

Nicole Henao
Manager of Teen and Family Programs, Seattle Art Museum
Nicole is a Boricua (native Puerto Rican) born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and currently living in Seattle, WA. Nicole studied Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts in NYC and it was there she discovered her passion for arts education. She has worked as an elementary school visual arts teacher in Puerto Rico and later found her love for working in art museums at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, FL. At the Norton Museum Nicole worked in developing, producing, and managing public programs for all ages, ranging from Community Festivals, Art After Dark program offerings, Family and Teen Workshops, and Arts Performances, to name a few. She was also a member of the City of West Palm Beach Art Life Advisory Committee, the city’s cohort that selects the city’s public art projects. Nicole has been working at the Seattle Art Museum for the last year managing public programs for youth and families and her passion lies in providing arts access to those furthest away from educational justice.

Discipline: Media Arts

Waqaa, wiinga Quluuqaugua. Mamterrillermiungunga taugaam Soldotna-mi uitatuunga. Hello, my Yup’ik name is Quluqaaq. I was born and raised in Bethel, Alaska, but I now reside in Soldotna. My English name is Nikki, and I am the proud owner of Sew Yup’ik. I come from a long line of remarkable skin sewers and talented women who have been creating garments for generations. My grandmothers are my inspiration and my driving force, motivating me to continually learn and embrace my traditional Yup’ik ways of living.I have been teaching sewing workshops since the summer of 2015, but my sewing journey began much earlier, back in elementary school. My very first skin sewing project was a fur hat, crafted with the guidance of my Yup’ik teachers. Skin sewing and sewing are integral parts of my life and Yup’ik culture, and I am dedicated to continuing the legacies of my three grandmothers. Creating traditional Yup’ik regalia has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I am thrilled to embark on this path.

Nikki Kirk (she/her) is a leadership development and cultural equity practitioner, with diverse experience as a facilitator, curriculum developer, grant administrator, project manager, and advisor. She has lived and worked across the country with arts organizations in the nonprofit, government, and higher education sectors. She currently serves as the Director of Community Impact & Investment with the Indy Arts Council, where she leads a portfolio of grantmaking investments to artists and arts organizations. She centers her work on expanding equitable investments that strengthen the overall impact of thriving arts communities.

Nikki earned a Master’s degree in Arts, Festival, and Cultural Management from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she researched the impact of programming at the intersection of arts and social justice. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Linguistics from Pitzer College in southern California, where she affirmed her interests in and the significance of language and identity, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding.

Nikki’s previous work experiences include Americans for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Berklee College of Music, El Sistema USA, and the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, among others.

Discipline: Photography

Noelani Montas (she/her) is a proud Kanaka Maoli and Dominicana from Southern California. She is currently an MFA candidate in the Hawaiian Theatre Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and received her BFA in Theatre Design & Technology from University of the Arts. Recent credits include: Glitter in the Paʻakai (ʻĀnela) – UHM, Haku Wale (Scenic, Lighting, and Projection Design; Hula) – UHM, Kaisara (Emma Nāwahī) – UHM, Primero Sueño (Scenic & Lighting Design) – Repertorio Español, and La Extinción de los Dinosaurios (Scenic & Lighting Design) – Repertorio Español. She is a recipient of the 2022 Brind School Award for Storytelling in Design, the 2021 Pat Mackay Diversity in Design Award, and was a lighting design mentee in the 2021-2022 Wingspace Mentorship Program Cohort. Upon her graduation from the Hawaiian Theatre Program in December 2024, she will be moving to Seattle, WA, to continue her work with Indigenous arts and performance. E holomua, sigue pa’ lante.

Norman A. Branch is a Huntington, WV native. He is the third child and son of the late Norman H. Branch and Lanita C. Hatcher. Norman is a 1995 graduate of Huntington High School and a 2009 graduate of Marshall University with a Regents Bachelor of Art degree and double minor in marketing and social work. Norman is a former multi-cultural scholarship award winner and Marshall University Thundering Herd Football player. He lived in Nashville, TN from 1998 to 2001, where he continued his education and worked with community organizations including; being a member of the AmeriCorps Nashville HealthCorps, working with families and communities in education and health. Working at the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville as a Teacher/Counselor and mentoring youth. Norman is the CEO of Positive People Association, a community development organization that promotes education, health and wellness to at-risk youth and young adults, through interactive multi-media and theater arts. He has produced. Directed. And performed stage plays in WV, Ohio, GA. Norman operates a podcast with his wife called The Biz with NormBeezy and Lady Tiger.

Arts and Culture Coordinator, XIA Gallery and Cafe

Npaus Baim is an educator and storyteller, who collects the narratives of Asian Americans. In 2023, she taught A Reflection on Hmong Culture & Language with Public Art St. Paul for the Sidewalk Poetry Workshop series. In 2022, she published the digital zine “Hmong American Experiences during the Pandemic” with Hmong Museum. In 2019 to 2021, she was published in #MinneAsianStories with Coalition of Asian American Leaders, Staring Down the Tiger by Pa Der Vang, and The Summit Avenue Review. Previously, Npaus Baim worked in higher education and taught the course College Writing at the University of Minnesota Duluth as an instructor, as well as a Writers Consultant for the Writing Workshops. Currently, she works at XIA Gallery & Cafe as an Arts & Culture Coordinator to support and celebrate Asian & BIPOC artists. Npaus Baim recently started her youth program, SEA (Southeast Asians) Us Write & Design focused on fostering the creative, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills of Southeast Asian youth. It was funded by Coalition Asian American Leaders’ Sparks Fund Leadership and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota’s Women Innovators Program. Together, Npaus Baim and the youth group published the magazine, “Hmong Palette: Our Uniqueness in Bloom.”