CEII Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee has been a part of Cultural Equity and Inclusion Work from the beginning. During the 18-month development period, the first advisory committee guided the initiative and shaped its vision, goals, and recommendations to the board.

The first advisory committee was led by three co-chairs: Tim Dang, the former Producing Artist Director at East West Players; Helen Hernandez, President and Founder of The Imagen Foundation and executive producer of the Imagen Awards; 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.

Over 130 individuals self-nominated or were nominated to participate on the committee. The co-chairs carefully reviewed the nomination list and recommended 36 community leaders from across a variety of sectors to serve on the Advisory Committee, striving for diverse representation including ethnicity, disciplines, age, LGBTQ, and able-challenged communities.

When the LA County Board of Supervisors approved five recommendations from the Cultural Equity & Inclusion Initiative, they also directed that the CEII Advisory Committee remain as a standing committee the Arts Commission.

Join the Advisory Committee

Submissions are now being accepted for a waiting list to join the Advisory Committee of the Los Angeles County Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative. Applicants will be selected with consideration to equal representation across the County of Los Angeles.

Apply Now

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

 

Helen Hernandez*, Co-Chair
Karen Mack, Co-Chair
Mike Che, Co-Chair
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
Eric Eisenberg*
Fabian Debora
Glenna Avila
Griselda Suarez
Hayk Makhmuryan
Helen Hernandez*
Joe Smoke
Julia Diamondi
Karen Mack
Kiki Ramos Gindler
Koji Steven Sakai
Kristin Sakodai
Larisa Nickel
Leslie Ito 
Leticia Buckleyi
Letitia Fernandez Ivins
Liane Wientraub*
Madeline Di Nonno*
Margaret Aichele
Miguel Luna
Mike Che
Pamela Bright-Moon*
Renae Williams Nilesi
Rick Noguchi
Sabrina Burrisi
Shannon Daut
Thor Steingraber
Tim Dang* (Past Co-Chair)
Windy Barnes Farrell
Ximena Martini

In October 2020, the Arts Commission voted to accept the proposed slate of 2020-23 CEII Advisory Committee members as presented. Members were invited to stay on the Committee and 18 members chose to re-enlist. There were 12 open seats and those members were chosen by Commissioners and Co-Chairs from a waiting list of applications submitted in 2018. The current membership includes 30 individuals who represent the community (6 from each Supervisorial District), as well as one Arts Commissioner from each Supervisorial District and eight County cultural department representatives.

* 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

On April 4, 2018, Commissioner Valdez made a motion (seconded by Commissioner Clausen Odenthal) to accept the proposed slate of 2018-20 CEII Advisory Committee of members as presented, which increases the total membership from 36 to 45 seats to include 8 County cultural department representatives along with members representing the community and 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

 

Co-Chairs Emeritus

Tim Dang
Maria Rosario Jackson