Pronouns:
she/ her/ ella
Educational History:
BFA in Sculpture and Mixed Media, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA; MFA in Painting, Academy of Art University, San Francisco CA; Studio Art Coursework at Santa Reparata International School of Art, Florence Italy; SEA Facilitator trained in Social Emotional Arts, Arts & Healing Initiative, Los Angeles CA; Beat the Odds® Facilitator, Arts & Healing Initiative, Los Angeles CA
Fields of Expertise:
• Painting
• Drawing
• Mixed Media
• Sculpture
• Ceramics
• Public Art
• Community Art
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Arts Nonprofits
• Creative Youth Development
• Program and Curriculum Development
• Arts Advocacy
Professional Highlights:
- Higher Ed Division Chair, Virginia Art Education Association (2024- Present)
- Fellow, National Leaders of Color Program, WESTAF (2023-2024)
- ExComm (Executive Committee), Alternate Roots *regional position, US South (2023- Present)
- COIL Fellow, Barzinji Institute, Shenandoah University (2023- Present)
- Board of Directors, Sinclair Free Clinic (2021- Present)
- First Latina to serve as Chair of the Virginia Commission for the Arts (2021)
- Chair of the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access) Committee, Virginia Commission for the Arts (2020-2021)
- NASAA (National Assembly of State Arts Agencies) Board of Directors (2020-2023)
- Founder and Director of Arte Libre VA (2019- Present)
- People of Color Affinity Group Co-Chair, NASAA *national position (2019- Present)
- Commissioner, Virginia Commission for the Arts (2016-2021)
- Fellow, NALAC Advocacy Leadership Institute, Washington DC (2016)
- Fellow, NALAC Leadership Institute, San Antonio TX (2016)