Who We Are

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.

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.

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.

Ed King, new to Seattle, is thrilled to be the Executive Director of Pottery Northwest. As a
former award-winning visual artist, art director, marketing manager, and arts administrator
from Miami, Florida, he began his career in ad agencies honing his skills as a designer and
art director of various campaigns focused on political, corporate, and healthcare
communication. He later worked as an arts administrator for ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale
and as the Chief Operating Officer of Creative Pinellas in St. Petersburg.
Ed is passionate about non-profit arts leadership and fiercely advocates for the financial
vitality of working and teaching artists, which he considers the foundation of a healthy
creative economy. His work is focused on creating opportunities for inclusivity and
diversity. Ed is energetic about leveraging the immense power of the arts as a catalyst for
transformative personal growth, community building, and social change.

A compassionate and creative leader with over 20 years of experience in the arts and culture field, Jo Mikesell is the Program Director for Arts Business Services at Shunpike Arts Collective. Her expertise includes arts programming and exhibition management, arts funding, and digital humanities. Jo is dedicated to nurturing social equity by facilitating meaningful and transformative arts experiences for diverse audiences. Jo earned an M.A. in Visual Arts Administration from Columbia University in New York and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Washington. Her diverse professional background includes roles at organizations such as ACA Galleries, Creative Time, Baryshnikov Arts Center, The Northwest School, and Amazon.com. In addition to her professional endeavors, Jo serves on the board of Pratt Fine Art Center as co-vice president, is an independent curator, and a member of the Council of Readers for the College Art Association.

Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo is the Executive Director of Town Hall Seattle, where she leads
strategic initiatives to expand access to arts and culture across the city. With over seven
years at Town Hall Seattle, including six as Director of Development, Kate has been
instrumental in fundraising, strategic planning, and community partnerships. A Seattle
resident for over ten years, she is a Leadership Tomorrow graduate, holds a Nonprofit
Management Certificate from UW, and was recognized as a Puget Sound Business Journal
40 Under 40 honoree in 2025 for her impact in the nonprofit sector. Kate also serves on the
Rainier Valley Food Bank Capital Campaign Steering Committee, and is a founding member
of the Seattle Chapter of the Chamber of Connection, which focuses on supporting
individuals experiencing loneliness.

Jack Nash is a software engineer living in Ravenna. While studying computer science at Cornell University, he performed in and led an improv comedy troupe. He loves the shared experience of theater and the joint creation of improv. In addition to the performing arts, he is passionate about public art which he sees as essential to creating a vibrant city that reflects its residents. He looks forward to applying his analytical skills to solve the unique challenges Seattle faces in relation to World Cup 2026 – a great opportunity to activate our city and showcase our creativity. His goal on the commission is to advance community-driven artwork throughout Seattle that make city living richer and more inspiring.

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.