OVERVIEW: Executive leader with 20+ years of creative industry, nonprofit, and government service.

Champion for artists, culture, and an equitable creative economy, promoting public will for the arts.
Extensive experience in destination marketing and convention and cultural facility management.
Thought leader in grant-making, program development, fund development, marketing, and public relations. • Demonstrated leadership in strategic planning, partnerships, financial oversight, research, and staff teams.
Interdisciplinary, international arts leader, presenter, scholar, and writer of best practices across the arts.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CITY OF SAN JOSE Director of Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA); Assistant Director of Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs (OEDCA) (Present – 2008)

Recognizing the increasingly significant prominence of the arts sector in our community and economic recovery roadmap, I championed the 2021 rebranding of the OEDCA, previously Office of Economic Development renamed as Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs in the City Manager’s Office, in the 10^th largest U.S. city and one of the most ethnically diverse U.S. cities with over one million residents.
Promoted to OEDCA Asst. Director, I manage the Administrative Division, with an $87M budget, 500+ annual OEDCA contracts, and other strategic interdisciplinary department services.
Direct the Office of Cultural Affairs, with a 13 FT team with a $24M budget.
Collaborate with the arts and events community, creative industries, tourism bureau, philanthropic and business sectors to advance San Jose as a vibrant center of the arts with a guiding principle of cultural inclusion.
Oversee civic goals through arts education, grant making, public art, placemaking, special events, cultural facilities operations and management, nonprofit capacity building, arts presenting, arts and destination marketing, creative entrepreneur workforce development, and an arts leadership recognition program.
Develop nationally recognized programs including: Paseo to Paseo – a partnership with Burning Man Project, Americans for the Arts’ Public Art Program of the Year; Airport Art+Tech Program; Creating Connection; Illuminating Downtown; Creative Entrepreneur Program; and San Jose Creates and Connects.
Direct the $5+ million Cultural Funding Portfolio: Investments in Arts, Creativity and Culture comprised of multiple grant programs. Leverage public funds through strategic investments and partnerships. Lead continuous improvements to grant programs, better aligning resources to desired outcomes while improving relations and communications with arts partners. Through over 100 grantees’ programs, 2.7 million people are served anually.
Advance mission with philanthropic partners that include the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtPlace America, CA Arts Council, Hewlett Foundation, Knight Foundation, Adobe Foundation, and Packard Foundation.
Manage $3.5 million City-owned cultural facility contracts with nonprofit partners including: Children’s Discovery Museum, History San Jose, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose State University/Hammer Theatre Center, School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza, and The Tech Interactive.
Manage the City’s contract with Team San Jose (TSJ), a nonprofit that manages the San Jose McEnery Convention Center and four City theaters including the Center for the Performing Arts, Civic Auditorium, California theatre, and Montgomery Theatre. TSJ is the convention and visitor bureau that provides destination marketing services. As the board liaison on behalf of the City Manager, I negotiate contracts and annual goals.
Co-create new public-private partnership for cultural facility reuse needs including new models: School of Arts and Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza, a 56,000 sq. foot cultural complex, and a City/San Jose State University partnership to operate the 540 seat Hammer Theatre Center, advising on programming and facility needs.
Present and produce visual and performing arts such as CityDance, Sonic Runway: Experiments in Sound, Musical Swings, and Hear Her Song featuring Carla Canales. Oversee coordination of approximately 500 annual outdoor events including CityDance, Cirque du Soleil, Jazz Summer Fest, and Rock n Roll Half Marathon.
Shape capacity building programs such as Creating Connection aimed at building public will for the arts, in partnership with the California Arts Council, Arts Midwest and the Metropolitan Group.
Develop significant public policy, such as Cultural Connection: San Jose’s Cultural Plan and the cultural element of Envision San Jose 2040, San Jose’s general plan.
Chair national event committees including the CODAsummit, National Arts Marketing Project Conference, Amgen Tour of California, and Grantmakers in the Arts’ Art and Technology Conference.
Serve as executive staff member and advisor to the Mayor, City Council, City Manager, and Arts Commission.
Speak to media on arts and cultural matters, and frequently quoted in local, national and industry publications.
Lead marketing and public relations efforts including press announcements, newsletters, and social media.

CITY OF SAN JOSE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER Non-Profit Local Assistance Task Force Unit Leader (2020)

Led the interdepartmental EOC unit with the goal of supporting the sustainability and resilience of the crosssector San Jose nonprofit community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Led creation of virtual nonprofit local assistance center.
Worked across departments to “make City grants whole” while aligning with City fiduciary responsibilities.
Led creation of new grant programs with federal Coronavirus Relief Funds, supporting community recovery.
Applied an equity lens to new grant programs, serving vulnerable populations and ethnicities experiencing inequitable an public health emergency due to historic racial marginalization.
Advised civic leadership on goals and strategies to support the arts and social service sectors during the crisis.

CITY OF VENTURA Cultural Affairs Manager, Department of CommunityServices (2005 – 2008)

Directed the Cultural Affairs Division of the Community Services Department with a $6 million budget.
Managed eight full-time staff, fostering an environment of creativity, team work, and accountability.
Led and developed programs in the following areas: art education, public art, special events, cultural grants, artist live/work space, cultural tourism, capacity building, cultural facilities, and Mayor’s Arts Awards.
Oversaw management of the Barranca Vista Arts Education Center and the historic Olivas Adobe.
Supervised production and sponsorship of five annual Downtown Cultural District outdoor festivals with multiple stages, over 100 artist vendors and performers that attracted approximately 10,000 visitors per event.
Managed the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau contract, including development and reporting of performance measures, staff/board relationships and collaborative tourism strategies.
Led Ventura: California’s New Art City brand campaign and MAVericks collective marketing initiative.
Shaped performance measures and outcome-based annual budgets.
Advised Mayor, City Council, Cultural Affairs Commission, civic groups, and the community on cultural matters.
Realized the vision of the 2005 Ventura Cultural Plan: Creating California’s New Art City. Achieved successful implementation of short-term goals in advance of target dates.

CITY OF VENTURA Public and Visual Art Supervisor (1999 – 2005)

Led Public and Visual Art section of the City of Ventura Cultural Affairs Division.
Directed $3 million Public Art Program, a 2% for art program that integrates art into capital projects.
Managed and promoted approximately 20 site-specific, multi-media projects from planning to installation to conservation. Among projects was nationally acclaimed Bus-Home by Dennis Oppenheim.
Oversaw production of the tri-annual ArtWalk event involving multiple entertainment stages, over 150 visual and entertainment artists, and over 100 merchants, with an estimated attendance of 10,000.
Led the development and curation of the Municipal Art Collection, acquiring over 70 works.
Served as staff liaison to the Public Art Commission and Municipal Art Acquisition Committee.

GALERIE MICHAEL Project Coordinator for CEO and Director (1997 – 1999)

Planned and coordinated exhibitions, openings, programs, events and special projects for a leading fine art gallery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills specializing in Old Master, Impressionist, and Modern Master art works.
Analyzed and reported on $8 million in annual sales for Executive Board.
Managed executive client services and accounts.
Supervised gallery administrative staff.

A.S.A. ART APPRAISALS: IMAGES OF CULTURE Appraiser (1996 – 1997)

Researched art market and estimated value of ethnographic art works for donations, insurance and sales.
Appraised properties representing Native American, Asian, African, Oceanic, and Mesoamerican cultures.

A LIQUID AFFAIR Operations Manager (1995 – 1996)

Reported directly to the owner/designer in the development and execution of all business aspects for a growing clothing design firm and manufacturer.
Produced publicity and sales materials including seasonal product catalogue, resulting in a 175% sales increase.

J. PAUL GETTY TRUST Public Affairs Associate (1994 – 1995) Part Time

JAY LAST COLLECTION Art Registrar (1992 – 1993) Part Time

CONSULTING EXPERIENCE

ADAMS ART ADVISORY AND ART APPRAISALS (1997 – 2009) Appraised modern and contemporary fine art.

CITY OF SANTA MONICA CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION (2007 – 2008) Revised Cultural Grants programs.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATES

STANFORD UNIVERSITY – Master in Liberal Arts (2019) GPA 3.608

Interdisciplinary program with an emphasis on the arts, humanities, social science and natural science.

Thesis “Plumed Serpent: Politics of Place, Art and Cultural Inclusion” is a case study on the power of public art.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES (UCLA) – Bachelor of Arts (2002)

Art History major with Business Administration specialization (Cum Laude)

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE EXTENSION – Certificate (2004)

Appraisal Studies in Fine and Decorative Arts Program with American Society of Appraisers

CONTINUING EDUCATIONAL STUDIES AND TRAININGS

Architectural Blueprint Reading, Ventura College

City of San Jose Senior and Executive Staff Workshops for Effective Leadership and Racial Equity Trainings

Public Art Studies, University of Southern California Public Art Masters Program Public Relations and Journalism,

UCLA Extension

Public Speaking, Toastmasters International

Why Black History Matters, Stanford University (2021)

BOARD SERVICE

California Arts Advocates (2008 – present; Secretary 2009 – 2013)

Californians for the Arts (2010 – present; Secretary 2012 – 2013)

Public Art Coalition of Southern California (1999 – 2008; Co-Chair 2005 – 2008)

Santa Clara County Office of Education Artspiration Arts Education Steering Committee (2009 – 2017) Team San Jose (2016 – present)

The Canales Project Advisory Board (2019 – present)

United States Urban Arts Federation (Chair 2013 – 2016; Vice-Chair 2012 – 2013; Executive Committee 2010 – present)

Ventura County Arts Council (2002 – 2005)

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENTS AND HONORS

Americans for the Arts Getting Creative Workers Working Coalition (2020 – 2022)

Americans for the Arts Creative Economy Advisory Committee (2019)

Americans for the Arts Cultural Districts Advisory Committee (2014)

Arts Local Art Agency Executive Leadership Symposia – Invited participant and speaker at symposia at the Sundance Preserve, the Aspen Institute, and Arts Advocacy Day in Washington D.C.

Arts in Society 15^th Conference (2020) Presented at the invitational leading international scholarship conference on the impact of the arts in society. Presentation was on art, monuments and cultural inclusion.

Juror for art commissions, exhibitions and grant programs – City of Los Angeles, City of Ojai, City of San Francisco, Los Angeles Metro Art, National Endowment for the Arts, Santa Clara County Office of Education, Silicon Valley Creates, Southern California Metropolitan Water District and Ventura County Arts Council.

Speaking engagements – Americans for the Arts Annual Conferences (2010, 2012, 2013, 2016); California Arts Council (2015, 2018); California Joint Committee on the Arts’ Hearing on California’s Creative Economy (2014); California Presenters Conference (2013, 2016); Cesar Chavez Day Celebration (2013); City of San Jose City Attorney’s Office Elimination of Bias Training – participating City attorneys received state bar credit (2019); Independent Sector Conference (2012); International Arts in Society Conference (2020); National Arts Policy Roundtable on Art and Technology (2014); National Arts Marketing Project Conference (2010); San Benito County Arts Council; San Jose Museum of Art (2019); Santa Barbara Arts Commission; SPUR (2018); and Stanford University (2019).

Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) Nonprofit Management Institute – David and Lucile Packard Foundation Grantee/Fellow (2020)

World Culture Summit Participant Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (2018) – Selected invitee of an international art convening.

Writing and Publications – Americans for the Arts Arts Blog, Americans for the Arts’ Arts Link, Content Magazine, Cultural Connection newsletter, Space Cadet magazine, and URB magazine, among others.

HONORS

Faces of the Bay (2022) Inaugural recipient of NEWS UP NOW’s award recognizing leadership in the arts and education.

Pride of San Jose Award (2016)Annual award provided for outstanding public sector work. Honored for leading interdepartmental Hammer Theatre Center Reuse Team.

In 2014 and 2015, the last year it was published, named one of the most powerful and influential leaders in the United States’ nonprofit arts sector in Barry’s Blog, published by the Western States Arts Federation.

California Arts Council delegation to China (2014) Invited participant in local art agency delegation sponsored by the People Republic of China culminating in a Memorandum of Understanding to promote cultural exchange between California and China.

MEMBERSHIPS

Americans for the Arts, ArtTable, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, California Arts Advocates, Californians for the Arts, California Presenters, Grantmakers in the Arts, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Graphic Arts Council, Northern California Grantmakers, SPUR, Stanford Alumni Association, Stanford in Master of Liberal Arts Alumni, UCLA Friends of Art History, and member of numerous multicultural and multidisciplinary art institutions.

LINKS TO SELECTED AWARDS, WORK SAMPLES, REPORTS AND MEDIA

Americans for the Arts’ Arts Blog

I am a contributor to Americans for the Arts’ blog, discussing different facets of the arts and culture. My profile and blog posts can be found on my user profile. https://www.americansforthearts.org/users/5177

Arts Link, “Public Art and the Culture Wars,” Americans for the Arts, Spring, 2020.

Exemplifying three case studies, I argue the importance of public art in marking public identity and cultural inclusion in an evolving culture with dynamic demographics. https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=58879

Arts in Society Scholarship Conference, June 2020

A participant in the 15^th annual academic international Arts in Society conference, I was invited to present my paper on Plumed Serpent: A Case Study on the Power of Public Art and the Politics of Place, Art and Cultural Inclusion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHXSCHvf7MY

California Joint Committee on the Arts’ Hearing on California’s Creative Economy Testimony

In February 2014, at the invitation of California Arts Council Director, I testified at the State Joint Committee on the Arts Hearing on California’s Creative Economy. https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=AT9igTG5EJk

Content Magazine

Coverage of the 2017 Paris Fashion Week for an independent art magazine.

Cornerstone of the Arts Award

A leadership in the arts awards program called the Cornerstone of the Arts developed by the San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) in partnership with the San Jose Arts Commission.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sal –pizarro/ci_24037529/pizarro –opera –san –jose –founder –irene –dalis –honored

Creative Industries Incentive Fund

An innovative OCA grant program aimed at stabilizing and/or growing art-based businesses developed in partnership with the Center for Cultural Innovation. http://www.cciarts.org/San_Jose_CIIF.html

Creative Placemaking

A leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the US Conference of Mayors, this report for The Mayors’ Institute on City Design highlights OCA’s Creative Entrepreneur Project and San Jose’s ZERO1 biennial art and technology festival as case studies, with quotes from me.

Click to access CreativePlacemaking-Paper.pdf

Cultural Connection: San Jose’s Cultural Plan

Adopted in 2011, the City of San Jose’s cultural plan lays out 10 strategic goals to advance the arts and culture sector. http://www.sanjoseculture.org/downloads/CulturalConnectionFinal_FullPlan.pdf

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Art Works Blog

“Art (and Technology) Talk with Kerry Adams Hapner” is an in-depth interview discussing the intersection of art and technology with a humanities lens. https://www.arts.gov/art –works/2015/art –technology –talk –kerry –adams –hapner

National Endowment for the Arts Magazine, “A Vibrant Transformation”

National Endowment for the Arts’ magazine featured an article on creative placemaking in which I commented on the national creative placemaking movement and San Jose’s success at increasing vibrancy through the arts. http://arts.gov/NEARTS/2012v3-arts-and-culture-core/vibrant-transformation?id=05_avibrant&issue=2012_v3

Platform: Building Networks to Catalyze Creative Urban Culture Symposium

Produced by the OCA, the Platform convening explored creative placemaking and creative entrepreneurship – and the relationship between them. A creative entrepreneur resource fair promoted access to small business services. Soft copy available on request.

Plumed Serpent: Politics of Place, Art, and Cultural Inclusion, Stanford Master in Liberal Arts Colloquium, 2019 Presentation on my Stanford University research on the power of public art and the schemas involved in its interpretation within the cultural context of its time, advised by Dr. Paula Moya.

Sonic Runway

This public art work catalyzes creative expression and community development. See media clip here .

Strengthening Innovation in a Local Arts Community

This OCA publication documents the outcome of San Jose’s New Pathways Program for the Arts and Innovation Risk Capital Grant Program, advancing adaptive change and innovation in the art sector. Soft copy available on request.

Women Who Really Rock (WWRR) Podcast

Hosted by Carmen Milagro, this interview “A Woman Who REALLY Rocks: A Keeper of the Arts” shares leadership insights as well as key initiatives.

https://www.blogtalkradio.com/divasthatcare/2019/10/17/a-woman-who-really-rocks-a-keeper-of-the-arts