Members of the 2026 Oakland Host Committee
Committee Work
Committees are at the heart of WAA. Every performance, pitch, and speaker you see at WAA was chosen by committee. Even the cities that host the annual conference are the work of committees. Operational committees address the core business functions and strategy of the organization while programmatic committees develop the events and programs that are the touchstone of the WAA experience. Steering committees guide the work of affinity groups and interest groups.
Volunteer
Joining a committee is a great way to build your network, deepen your expertise, or develop a new skill. Committees are chaired or co-chaired by members of the WAA board, and everyone - members and non-members - are eligible to serve. Committee terms begin the month after the WAA Conference, typically September or October, and end in June. We accept new committee members throughout the year depending. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please complete this form.
Operational Committees
Executive
The executive committee is responsible for working in support of, or occasionally in place of, the full board.
Rafael Gonzalez, President
Grand Performances
Joseph Copley-Venturo Díaz, Immediate Past President
ODC/Dance
Rebecca Carson, Vice-President
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts
Courtney Ozaki, Secretary Treasurer
Japanese Arts Network
Governance
The governance committee is responsible for ongoing review and recommendations to enhance the quality and future viability of the board.
Joseph Copley-Venturo Diaz, Chair
OCD/Dance
Robert Bailis
Broad Stage
Sandy Garcia
Cia Artists Management
Josh Ellis
Creative West
Ally Haynes-Hamblen
Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts
Lindsay Kratz
Opus 3 Agency
Joseph Martin
604 Records
Finance
The finance committee is responsible for assisting the board in ensuring the organization is in good fiscal health.
Courtney Ozaki-Durgin, Chair
Japanese Arts Network
Rafael Gonzalez, Honorary
Grand Performances
Graham Cole
White Bird
James Fredrick
Onstage Ogden
Dan Froot
Dan Froot & Company
Jason Hodges
Anchorage Concert Association
Chris Nigro
Prism.FM
Randall Vogel
Mesa Arts Center
Membership
The goal of the Membership Committee is to recruit and retain performing arts professionals as active members of Western Arts Alliance. Goal 1: To increase the association's membership and improve member retention. Goal 2: To identify the needs of the membership; ensure that the board is made aware of these needs; and implement, facilitate, and support initiatives to meet these needs.
The committee also organizes and reviews the nominations for the awards program and selects winners under the policies and procedures established by the board of directors.
Meghan Bush, Chair
UCSB Arts & Lectures
Dóri Bosnyák
Texas Tech
Lindsay Kratz
Opus 3 Artists
Michael Rennie
Harmony Artists
Nadhi Thekkek
Nava Dance Theatre
Programmatic Committees
Conference
The conference committee oversees the planning and program design of the WAA Annual Conference and ensures that conference goals and strategies, as established by the board, are met. The committee is responsible for leadership, program and resource development, community building, and ensuring WAA's success as a marketplace.
Rebecca Carson, Chair
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts
Michael Alexander
Cal Tech
Tara Bailey
Bailiwick Booking Agency
Samantha Bryant
ASYMM Digital
Becky Cale
Green Music Center Sonoma State University
Joseph Copley-Ventura Diaz
ODC/Dance
Genevieve DeMerchant
AIM Booking
Dan Froot
Dan Froot & Company
Wendi Hassan
Cache Valley Arts
Brian Kendall
City of Henderson
Marian Liebowitz
Marian Liebowitz Artist Management
Ilaan Mazzini
Broad Stage
Tiina Mittler
California Presenters
Leah Rosenthal
La Jolla Music Society
Derrick McBride
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Professional Development
The professional development committee is charged with overseeing the scope, quality, and delivery of WAA's education and professional development activities. The committee shall ensure that WAA’s professional development programs meet the needs of the staff of presenting organizations, artists, producing companies, artist representatives, and other interested professionals.
Nadhi Thekkek, Chair
Nava Dance Theatre
Jessica Akers
Oakview Group Grandjunction
Jacob Deaton
GPG Touring
Scott Levy
Green Box Arts
Spring Karlo
Holden Arts & Associates
Beatrice Thomas
Authentic Arts Media
Randall Vogel
Mesa Arts Center
Ruth Wikler
Wikler Arts
60th Anniversary Host Subcommittee
The host subcommittee is an adjunct of the conference committee. The subcommittee is responsible for enhancing local connections with the annual conference especially local and regional outreach, development, and resource expertise.
Rebecca Carson, Co-Chair
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts
Rafael Gonzalez, Co-Chair
Grand Performances
Michael Alexander
Caltech
Dan Froot
Dan Froot & Co
Cynthia Fuentes
LA Phil
Chad Hilligus
The Soraya
Ilaan Mazzini
BroadStage
Tiina Mittler
California Presenters
Kevin Peters
NAPAMA
Meribeth Reeves
Arizona Presenters
Charlie Robin
PNW Presenters
Camille Schenkkan
The Ebell
Corby Skinner
Alberta Bair Theatre
Tamica Washington-Miller
Lula Washington Dance Theatre
Renae Williams-Niles
Renae WN Consulting
Bryan Yamami
TAIKOPROJECT
Showcase
The Showcase Subcommittee is an adjunct of the Conference Committee. The primary responsibility of the subcommittee is to adjudicate the juried showcase that takes place at the annual conference. The committee is also responsible for informing WAA's long-term showcase strategy.
Rebecca Carson, Chair
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts
Christopher Nicholas, Chair
Hip Hop Orchestra Experience
Okama Brook
Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance
Jacob Deaton
GPG Touring
Claudia Norman
Mexico Now Festival
Jerry Ross
Harmony Artists, Inc.
Corby Skinner
Corby Skinner Public Relations
Ruth Wikler
Wikler Arts & Clark College Foundation
Affinity & Interest Groups
Advancing Indigenous Performance
The role of the AIP Committee is to provide oversight and direction to the program. They represent a variety of roles in the performing arts: production, performance, management, choreography, arts administration, and philanthropy
Christopher K. Morgan, Chair
Malashock Dance
Delbert Anderson
Delbert Anderson Trio / DDAT
Ed Bourgeois
Rika Iino
SOZO
Laura (Cales) Maltaka
Madeline Sayet
Conexiones: Latino Arts @ WAA
The Conexiones: Latino Arts @ WAA is WAA's new interest group dedicated to advancing Latino engagement, participation, and programming at Western Arts Alliance and in your communities.
Tony Gomez, Chair
Tacoma Arts Live
Leah Keith
Rhythm of the Arts
Hyphen + Asian
WAA's affinity group for API identities.
Nadhi Thekkek, Co-chair
Nava Dance Theater
Courtney Ozaki, Co-chair
Japanese Arts Network
Karen Fischer
Pacifika Artists Network
Kathy Hsieh
City of Seattle, Office of Arts & Culture
Meena Malik
Magpie Cultural Strategies
Achinta McDaniel
Blue13 Dance
Christopher Morgan
Malashock Dance
Michael Sakamoto
UMass Amherst
Ova Saopeng
TeAda Productions
Marie-Reine Velez
USC Visions and Voices
Black Arts @ WAA
Tamica Washington-Miller, Chair
Lula Washington Dance Theater
Kaitwan Jackson
LA Commons
Yvonne Farrow
Department of Cultural Affairs Los Angeles
Ashanti McGee
CreativeWest
Gail Boyd
Gail Boyd Artist Management
Josh Ellis
CreativeWest
Anika Tené
CreativeWest
Bernard Brown
bbmoves
Bruce A. Lemon Jr.
Watts Village Theatre Company & Cornerstone Theatre Company
Collette Williams Alleyne
Inner-City Arts
Billy Dean Thomas
Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture
Queen Esther
Artist
Raymond Tymas-Jones
Retired, Formerly: Cornish College of the Arts
QWAA
QWAA, formed in 2021, is WAA's affinity group for queer identities.
Joseph Copley-Venturo Díaz, Chair
ODC/Dance
San Francisco, CA