Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs

Co-Chair

Creative Entrepreneur
Dan is an award-winning literary arts advocate who holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Western Colorado University. He's a founding board member of the nonprofit Sidewalk Poets, and co-founder of Story Quest, a creative business teaching aspiring authors how to use the power of storytelling to unlock their imagination.

Co-Chair

Latino Cultural Arts Center
Alfredo was born and raised in Denver to Mexican immigrants, Juventino and Aurora. He is a proud graduate of Denver South High, Colorado College, CU Boulder and UC Santa Cruz, where he spent three years of doctoral studies. Alfredo is currently the Executive Director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center (LCAC), a project he dedicated his first Master’s to conceptualizing. His expertise includes education research, college access, youth development, fundraising and coalition-building, among others. Alfredo enjoys reading, bike riding, rowing, and dabbling in painting with his family and friends. 

Newman Center for the Performing Arts
Aisha is the Executive Director of the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver. Previously, she was the inaugural Director of the Ent Center for the Arts at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Producer of Public Programs for The New York Public Library. Prior to her transition to the nonprofit sector, she held positions at Columbia Artists Management and Barrett Vantage Artists.

Urban Planner
Alexis is an urban planner who is passionate about the intersection of arts and planning. Alexis is active in planning and implementation efforts for the 40 West Arts District and ArtLine project in Lakewood, CO and serves on the Board of Director’s for 40 West Arts.

Manos Sagrados
Alicia "Bruce" Trujillo is a music professional from Denver, CO. Known professionally as Bruce, she has been working in music and arts organizations since 2006, with a mission to collaborate with communities who are systematically excluded, and a focus on independent and locally made music and art. She's the founder of Manos Sagrados, supporting BIPOC, femme, 2SLGBTQ+, and disabled artists.

Latino Coalition for Community Leadership

Access Gallery
Leader in Accessible Arts
Damon is working at the intersection of art, ability and creativity. He is a speaker, trainer, activist, consultant, coach, mentor and community artist.

MSU Denver
Liz is an Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology at Metropolitan State University of Denver and Faculty Fellow in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In her role at MSU Denver, she developed and oversees a Visiting Artist Series on Music, Race, and Social Justice highlighting the work of BIPOC musicians, performers, and scholars (https://www.msudenver.edu/music/events/music-race-social-justice/). Liz teaches courses on music and culture, global popular musics, and Black music in the United States, performs with Denver community ensemble Gamelan Tunas Mekar, and loves time on the trails with her dog, Fritza. 

Denver Art Museum
Heather is Chief Learning and Engagement Officer at the Denver Art Museum where she champions the importance of art, creativity, access and learning both on campus at the Museum and in community with partners and collaborators. 

Curious Theatre Company
Jada is an award-winning actor and director, currently serving as the Artistic Director at Curious Theatre Company, where the mission is to engage the community in important contemporary issues through provocative modern theatre. She believes the best art is created through respect, collaboration, a strong desire to play, and an unwavering spirit of curiosity. Named Colorado's “2022 Theatre Person of the Year,” Dixon has performed and/or directed at various local theatre companies. 

2U Inc.
Josh is an educational coach and academic advisor with 2U, Inc. He supports graduate students earning degrees in licensed clinical psychology and acts as a liaison with the company’s Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee (DISC). Josh is also a Restorative Justice facilitator with The Conflict Center. Aside from volunteering, he enjoys reading, podcasts, writing and reciting slam poetry, riding his bicycle, rollerblading (inline), indoor bouldering, video games, Jiu-Jitsu, improv, and ancient mythology. 

Denver Film
Kevin is the CEO of Denver Film. He is passionate about film and its ability to transform perspectives and spark constructive dialogue. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Colorado Dragon Boat. 

Arts Journalism, Film & Theatre
Longtime journalist, Lisa writes on popular culture, race and gender among other topics. The former Denver Post film and theater critic returned to Denver from New York City by way of Phoenix in 2003. Before returning, she held high-level editor posts at Out, Us and the Village Voice. A member of the National Society of Film Critics and the African American Film Critics Association, she has been a juror for the American Film Institute’s Top Movies, Film Independent’s Spirit Awards and the Gotham Awards. She has also been a juror for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism. She has taught adult enrichment courses in criticism at the University of Denver and teaches writing at Lighthouse Writers Workshop

Presenting Denver
Marisa is the Executive and Artistic Director of Presenting Denver. She has previously been a part of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble and the Hannah Kahn Dance company. She has served as a board member for the Children's Museum of Denver and is currently an advisor for the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) for dance. Marisa is a Detroit native and a wife and a mother of two. 

Michael Warren Contemporary
Mike co-owns Michael Warren Contemporary and has produced over 100 exhibits. As an artist and a writer, he is active the city’s art community. Mike currently serves as president of the Denver Art Dealers Association.

Cultural Arts Specialist
Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver
Paola is a Mexican dreamer and cultural art specialist. She aspires to be an art ambassador who embraces all art and makes it more accessible to everyone. Its her first year as a commissioner and she's very thankful to be apart of DCCA.

Philanthropy
After a career in communications and cable programming creation and distribution, Rick turned his attention to our community’s arts and culture life force.  He’s lead several nonprofit organizations as an executive and board member. He pledges to support the Commission and its valuable work.

Barefoot Public Relations
Sarah is Barefoot PR’s resident word nerd and co-founder. Sarah has channeled her lifelong passion for storytelling into a career in PR and community investment. She leads Barefoot PR’s Research-Based Messaging work and contributes to the strategy we build for nonprofits, government agencies and community-minded businesses. When she is not at work, you can find Sarah reading long articles on her iPad, listening to podcasts, championing Denver’s creative community or building Legos with her son Andrew. 

The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary
Viniyanka is the Executive Director and Founder of The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary, a nonprofit organization fighting for equity and inclusion in the literary arts. To learn more visit www.thewordfordiversity.org