CEII Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee was formed in 2015 to work in partnership with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission to implement the Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative (CEII). The committee was designed to reflect the diversity in race and ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, age, physical ability, LGBTQ status, arts discipline, and geography across LA County, led by three co-chairs who were leaders in the LA County arts ecology.

During the initial 18-month development period, the first Advisory Committee guided engagement with community members, including 14 Town Hall meetings that took place in locations across LA County, and shaped the Initiative's vision, goals, and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.

The co-chairs for the first Advisory Committee were: Tim Dang, former Producing Artist Director of East West Players; Helen Hernandez, President and Founder of The Imagen Foundation and executive producer of the Imagen Awards; and Maria Rosario Jackson, Institute Professor, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, Arizona State University. In 2022, Maria Rosario Jackson was appointed the Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Between 2020 - 2022, a new rotation of arts leaders became co-chairs: Mike Che, Arts Coordinator for the City of West Hollywood; Karen Mack, Executive Director of LA Commons; and Leticia Buckley, CEO of La Plaza de Cultura y Artes.

A total of 36 community leaders from across a variety of sectors served on the Advisory Committee, providing input and feedback to the LA County Arts Commission and the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture on the implementation of the funded CEII recommendations, including the Countywide Cultural Policy. 

When the LA County Board of Supervisors approved the funding for five CEII recommendations, they also directed that the Advisory Committee remain as a standing committee of the Arts Commission for five years. The final term of the CEII Advisory Committee concluded on June 14, 2023.

If you have any questions, please email CEII@arts.lacounty.gov.

 

Leticia Buckley* Co-Chair (2022-2023)
Helen Hernandez*, Co-Chair (2020-2022)
Karen Mack, Co-Chair (2021-2023)
Mike Che, Co-Chair (2020-2023)
Allison Agsten
Allison Tanaka
Amy Ericksen
Angela Johnson Peters
Aurora Anaya-Cerda
Ben R. Caldwell
Carla Corona
Charmaine Jefferson
Cynthia Fuentesi
Dawn Jackson
Debra J.T. Padilla
Dellis Frank
Diana Vesgai
Dorit Cypis (Added 2022)
Eric Eisenberg*
Fabian Debora (Ended 2022)
Glenna Avila
Griselda Suarez
Hayk Makhmuryan
Helen Hernandez* (Past Co-Chair)
Joe Smoke
Julia Diamondi
Karen Mack
Kiki Ramos Gindler
Koji Steven Sakai
Kristin Sakodai
Larissa Nickel 
Leslie Ito 
Leticia Buckley*
Letitia Fernandez Ivins
Liane Wientraub*
Madeline Di Nonno*
Margaret Aichele
Miguel Luna
Mike Che
Pamela Bright-Moon*
Renae Williams Nilesi
Rick Noguchi
Shannon Daut (Ended 2022)
Sofia Klatzer (added 2022)
Thor Steingraber
Tim Dang* (Past Co-Chair)
Windy Barnes Farrell
Ximena Martini

In October 2020, the LA COunty Arts Commission approved the 2020-23 CEII Advisory Committee members  for a three-year term. The  membership included 30 individuals from the arts community (six from each Supervisorial District), as well as one Arts Commissioner from each Supervisorial District and eight representatives from County-owned cultural facilities.

* denotes a member of the Arts Commission
I denotes a representative from a County cultural department

Tim Dang*, Co-Chair
Helen Hernandez*, Co-Chair
Maria Rosario Jackson, Co-Chair
Allison Agsten
Glenna Avila
Leni Boorstini
Pamela Bright Moon*
Ben R. Caldwell
Mike Che
Carla Corona
Shannon Daut
Fabian Debora
Juan Devis
Julia Diamondi
Letitia Fernandez Ivins
Angela Lucia Flores
David A. Ford
Dellis Frank
Helen Hernandez*
Dawn Jackson
Charmaine Jefferson
Angela Johnson Peters
Constance Jolcuvar*
Bettina Korek*
DJ Kurs
Karen Mack
Hayk Makhmuryan
Ines Familiar Miller
Kai Monet
Elena Muslar
Ming Ngi
Rick Noguchi
Debra J.T. Padilla
Kiki Ramos Gindler
Lucas Riverai
Koji Steven Sakai
Nathalie Sanchez
Liz Schindler-Johnson*
Thor Steingraber
Griselda Suarez
Diana Vesgai
Kenneth Walker

In April, 2018, the LA County Arts Commission approved the 2018-20 CEII Advisory Committee for a two-year term. Total membership was increased from 36 to 45 seats to include eight representatives from County-owned cultural facilities, along with members representing the arts community and Arts Commissioners.

* denotes a member of the Arts Commission
I denotes a representative from a County cultural department

Tim Dang, Co-Chair
Helen Hernandez*, Co-Chair
Maria Rosario Jackson, Co-Chair
Betty Avila
Julia Diamond
Letitia Fernandez Ivins
Prumsodun OK
Glenna Avila
John Echeveste
Joel Jacinto
Debra Padilla
Carlos Benavides
Jordan Elgrably
Charmaine Jefferson
Claire Peeps*
Deborah Borda
Quetzal Flores
Gregorio Luke
Randy Reinholz
Pamela Bright-Moon*
Edgar Garcia
Claudia Margolis*
Luis Rodriguez
Ben Caldwell
Kiki Ramos Gindler
Kathy McDonnell*
Koji Steven Sakai
Barbara Carrasco
Mynor Godoy
Rachel Moore
Jose Luis Valenzuela
Juan Devis
Leslie Ito
Elena Muslar
Diana Vesga

* denotes a member of the Arts Commission