Seattle Arts Commission

Kayla DeMonte is the Managing Director at Citizen University, a Seattle-based non-profit working to build a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the US. Prior to this role, she was Director of Programs & Partnerships at the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce and began her career at One Reel, where she managed festival sponsorships, partnerships, and special projects for Bumbershoot and the Family 4th. In addition to her years on staff at One Reel, Kayla has done work with a variety of major festivals and events such as Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, and Northwest Folklife, and has been an event consultant for Seattle's Mayor’s Arts Awards for the past several years. Kayla has served in volunteer leadership roles with ArtsFund, The Vera Project, and Leadership Tomorrow and is a proud graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Holly’s professional background spans both for-profit and non-profit institutions. She has created strategic marketing and product solutions for Microsoft, The City of Seattle, The Seattle International Film Festival, and other entertainment and education institutions. Having studied film at San Francisco State University, she has worked as a director in both documentary and commercial filmmaking. In 2003, Holly founded Voter Action, a national non-profit that secured accessible voting for disenfranchised communities through legal means and led successful efforts to improve access and standards in seven states.

In 2013, Ms. Jacobson took the helm of Path with Art, an organization to support individual and community recovery through strength-based arts practice. Under her leadership, Path with Art has increased participation in its programs tenfold. Path with Art continues to expand its collaborative model to support the emerging arts and health sector through its recently launched artREMEDY trauma-informed arts training for arts organizations and health practitioners. Path with Art is currently in  collaboration with Johns Hopkins International Arts and Mind Lab, looking at the effects of strength-based arts practice on mental health and well-being.  

Ms. Jacobson has led workshops and been a featured speaker regionally, nationally, and internationally. Engagements include those at the Regional Domestic Violence Symposium, the National Association of Arts and Health, the Boston Foundation, and the International Arts and Homelessness Festival (U.K) regarding art’s role in individual and public health and well-being.

Leslie Anne Anderson is responsible for the National Nordic Museum’s creative vision as its Chief Curator. She oversees the Museum’s collections, exhibitions, and program functions. Leslie has organized major exhibitions with Sweden’s Nationalmuseum and Finland’s National Gallery, commissioned new work from Jónsi—vocalist for the world-famous band Sigur Rós—and organized his first art exhibition at a US museum, and developed programs featuring Iceland’s President, Ministers of Iceland and Finland, and Ambassadors of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, and Norway. For COP26, she directed planning of an industry-leading symposium—co-presented with the American Alliance of Museums, the International Council of Museums, and the UK’s National Museum Directors’ Council—that convened speakers in 7 countries to discuss the impact of climate change on Arctic museums.

Previously, Leslie held curatorial positions at Utah Museum of Fine Arts and Indianapolis Museum of Art and taught courses at Brooklyn College and Parsons School of Design. She published in 10 academic journals, curated 20+ exhibitions, and directly stewarded 1,000+ acquisitions of art works. Leslie won the international Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) Award for Excellence (First Place) in 2018 and the Utah Museums Association Award for Excellence in 2020. She is a contributing author for AAMC’s latest best practices guide and a member of the editorial board of the international journal Arts. Leslie serves on 4Culture’s Heritage Advisory Committee and the Executive Council of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study. Previously, Salt Lake City’s then-Mayor Jackie Biskupski selected her for the City’s Art Design Board.

A former Fulbright scholar to Denmark, Leslie earned an MPhil (and advanced to doctoral candidacy) in Art History at City University of New York Graduate Center and an MA in Art History at the University of Florida, where she also completed a BA in History. She earned certificates in Scandinavian Languages from New York University, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Business Management (both) from University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. In 2023, the University of Florida Alumni Association selected Leslie for the “40 Gators Under 40” honor.

Avery Barnes is an entrepreneur, African art curator, and community advocate. Awarded in 2023 for Forbes 30 Under 30 Seattle Class, Avery owns and operates TASWIRA, Seattle’s only African art gallery and event space in the heart of Pioneer Square. Avery is active in the community and is often invited to speak on panels about her work and the inspiration behind it. She also campaigns for causes that empower women, people of color, and small business owners.

Established in 2022, TASWIRA has become a neighborhood staple designed to celebrate the diaspora of African arts and culture. Inspired by her roots, Avery journeyed to Africa to work with the Bamburi Women Empowerment Center in Mombasa, Kenya. It was at this place that the vision to create a social impact company was born. Today, TASWIRA has evolved into an established art gallery and community space that not only celebrates African heritage through historical pieces but is also home to a collective of local and globally renowned contemporary artists. 

Linda Chavez-Lowry‘s creative energy, enterprising spirit, and passion for the arts are evident in her role as Director of Opportunities at Seattle Magazine, her focus on enhancing relationships through connecting community leaders with the private and non-profit sector, and her active participation on advisory boards and committees that work for a diverse, and equitable community. Linda founded the Art Committee at the Columbia Tower Club in 2010, where she has been part of a passionate group that has promoted community engagement of the arts. Linda studied at Chapman University where she was a collegiate athlete in Women’s soccer and received her BA in Political Science/International Law. She is active in the Executive Advisory Council for Providence O ’Christmas Trees and Chair of the DEI Committee at the Women’s University Club. Linda also embraces opportunities to assist like-minded entrepreneurial efforts and women in business and currently serves on the advisory board for PartnerTap. In 2021, Linda was recognized and awarded the “Hometown Hero” award by the Seattle Mariners, for her philanthropic work at Bloodworks NW during the COVID-19 pandemic. Linda is also a stroke and brain aneurysm survivor, and her story of strength and resilience has been featured in the 50/50 Friendship Flow, Ask Yourself This by Shari Leid and on several podcasts, including “Power Moment” with Paula Lamas. She is also part of an all-women’s sailing team.

Dhyana Garcia is an International Butoh performer based in Seattle, and holistic movement specialist whose work and research centers on dance and movement as healing and transformative practices. Co-founder of DAIPANbutoh Collective, former dance faculty at the University of Washington and owner of Meditation in Motion Pilates and Yoga and Breathing Room Studio in Seattle. Has more than 30 years performing nationally and internationally in Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Japan, South Korea, Canada and the United States.  During her professional ballet and modern dance career, she performed with the National Ballet of Mexico, Luna Negra Dance Theater and The Chicago Moving Company in Chicago, and The Chamber Dance Company and BQDanza in Seattle. As butoh artist her solo and collaborative work has been presented in Seattle, New York City and Minneapolis in the US and  Seoul Korea, Kyoto Japan, Toronto Canada, Santiago Chile and Mexico City. You can find Dhyana teaching Pilates and yoga at meditationinmotiontoday.com

Ricky Graboski’s personal and professional history are intertwined with America’s underground DIY scene. He currently serves as Executive Director of The Vera Project, an all-ages music venue, arts incubator, and community center in Seattle. Before Vera, Ricky coordinated grassroots initiatives in Detroit, worked in musician engagement in New York, and ran a national community organizing training center based in Houston. During that time, he also played in terrible punk bands and volunteered at influential DIY spaces Death by Audio and Shea Stadium in Brooklyn. At Vera, Ricky has dedicated his time to advocating for the DIY scene and community-centered cultural spaces, building all-ages programming at the intersection of art and activism.

Yoon Kang-O’Higgins is the Director of Community Impact and Programs at Friends of Waterfront Park, where she leads a team dedicated to creating community-centric programming for the city's new waterfront. With over 20 years of experience in program development across arts, culture, and education sectors, Yoon has contributed to significant projects, including her recent work with the Gates Foundation Discovery Center and Visual Thinking Strategies. Her expertise in facilitation and visual literacy has been instrumental in program design and implementation for notable partners such as the City of Dublin Arts Office (Ireland), The New York Times Learning Network, and the European Union Erasmus+.

Yoon studied art history and studio art at Barnard College (NYC), University College London, and the Leith School of Art (Edinburgh, Scotland). She holds an M.Ed. in Adult Learning and Global Change from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Rodney is the artist and owner of Kingspen LLC. His goal is to create vibrant images that celebrate the greatness of black culture. He primarily focuses on hip hop, jazz, and basketball in his pieces, with the signature touch being the use of color. Recently, he has been fortunate to receive positive media coverage with features on Komo, Seattle Refined, PBS, King 5 Evening, the Renton Reporter, and other local outlets. In addition to being an artist, he is a devoted husband, father of three, and a man of faith. Through his art, he aims to spread love and evoke feelings of nostalgia for the best aspects of our culture.

Megan Kiskaddon is Executive Director of On the Boards, Seattle's home for contemporary performance. Previously, she was interim Chief Education and Community Engagement Officer at SFMOMA, where she oversaw artist driven, socially engaged, discursively inclined, and educationally focused initiatives. She served for several years on the Advisory Board for Emerging Arts Professionals, an equity-centered organization focused on empowerment and leadership in the arts. She holds a BA in Sociology from Mills College, an MA from the Institute for Curatorial Practice in Performance at Wesleyan University, and is an alumna of the NextGen Getty Leadership Institute for executive education.

Carmen Pan (she/her) is a Cantonese femme residing in the traditional lands of the Duwamish people. She is getting in touch with her creative self; she practices in mediums such as printmaking and ceramics and is curious about art as a tool of healing. She aims to serve the Arts Commission as a young voice advocating for a thriving arts culture in Seattle. Carmen’s professional experience spans from nonprofits to the public sector. She works for the Seattle Public Library and is a graduate of the University of Washington.

Yolanda Spencer is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Yakama Nation as well as Lummi Nation in Washington. She is part of the Swan Clan and carries her mother’s Lummi name, Cho Phosh Owet. She attended Haskell Indian Nations University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She has served with United Indians of All Tribes Foundation over a decade and has served as its strong leader for the past decade promoting education and employment rights. Her knowledge spans outreach and education for both workers and employers for our Seattle Indigenous community. Yolanda has developed and administered Native Workforce Services Program since 2011. She is currently the new Community Services Director for the Chief Seattle Club that focuses on Reentry, Housing, and Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault need within our Urban Indigenous communities. She previously served on the WorkSource Seattle-King County Employer Outreach Partners and King Central Local Planning Area (LPA) that focuses on best practices and outreach for our underserved job seekers. She also served as a recovery coach for the White Bison Medicine Wheel that supported the incarcerated women at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) and participated as a traditional dancer that attended the Department of Corrections Pow Wows across Washington State. She is also certified in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to administer personality assessment tool, facilitator in White Bison Warrior Down/Recover Coach and Survivors of Homicide. She is an avid sports fan for the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks.

Vanessa Villalobos is a performing artist, choreographer, producer and non-profit consultant from Lima, Peru with Indigenous, African and Spanish ancestry. She presented hundreds of original works and danced with companies in New York, Seattle, and more. She has degrees in Theatre and Dance from the University of Washington and earned her MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University.  She co-founded creative company VANICH Multimedia (NY) and is the founder of BALORICO.dance (WA). She is a seasoned Teaching Artist having worked in many public and private schools in Seattle and New York. Trained in contemporary, ballet, jazz and Ballroom Theatre Arts, she is a certified American Ballroom Rhythm & Smooth instructor. Film credits include MadHot Ballroom and Walt Disney's Enchanted where she was a principal dancer. Her dedication to racial equity is expressed through her community work with 501Commons, the Covid-19 Response Alliance, La Sala, the Dance Educators Association of Washington and Seattle University's Center for the Study of Justice in Society. Vanessa's cross-industry expertise has brought forth opportunities to help influence funding decisions on behalf of the Washington State Arts Commission, 4 Culture and the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.