Now Presenting the 2025 Board Slate
Voting is Open!
WAA’s Board of Directors plays a vital role in our capacity to serve you — our members. Our board supports us in fulfilling our mission to advance excellence in the performing arts, through innovative thinking and ground-breaking initiatives, by anticipating the future needs of the field, and through sound governance and stewardship. Board rotations take place each year, and our members play an essential part in the process — from nominating candidates, to approving the slate.
This year we are expanding the board by two additional seats to strengthen the WAA governance capacity, broaden representation, and support the continued growth and strategic direction of Western Arts Alliance.
All current WAA member organizations are eligible to vote in the election. The person designated to vote on behalf of your member organization received an email with directions on accessing their ballot in the member portal.
The results of the election will be presented at the 2025 Annual Membership Meeting which will be held in Los Angeles at the 2025 Western Arts Alliance Annual Conference.
If you need to update your organization's designated voter or have other questions about the elections, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Need help renewing your membership? Get in touch with us at membership@westarts.org — and we will be happy to assist you!
Learn more about the nominees below.
Meet the 2024 WAA Board Nominees
Rafael Gonazalez (he/him) | Grand Performances
Secretary/Treasurer — (two-year term expiring 2027)
Rafael Gonazalez is a proven and inclusive leader, manager and advocate driven by his core values of justice, collaboration, accountability, balance, respect, trust and innovation. Over the years, he has worked and organized in the nonprofit, government, service, and philanthropic fields. This multisector experience has gifted him the skill to develop and maintain relationships with individuals from diverse disciplines and backgrounds for purposes of realizing common objectives, social impact, equity, and community/systems change.
In August 2022, Rafael became President and CEO of Grand Performances whose mission is to inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts.
He previously served as Director of Community Outreach and Engagement with the Los Angeles City Council Redistricting Commission; Director of Community Relations for First 5 LA; Director of Community Relations for the Los Angeles Dodgers; Chief Service Officer and Director of Neighborhood; Community Services for City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; Executive Director of Collective SPACE; Founder and Executive Director of Public Allies – Los Angeles; Director of Civic Education; U.S. Citizenship Project Director at the National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund; Affirmative Action Campaign Coordinator at the Mexican American Legal Defense Educational Fund (MALDEF); Campaign Field Director at Coalition LA; Senior Field Deputy for LA council member Mike Hernandez.
Rafael serves on the boards of the Community Coalition, Center for Nonprofit Management and ActiveSGV. He also serves on the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Advisory Council and the City of El Monte’s Planning Commission.
Rafael is a musician and previously served as a producer/writer for independent film and documentary features.
Rafael was born and raised in the downtown area of Los Angeles and resides in the City of El Monte. He graduated from Cal State University at Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chicano Studies and received his Master’s Degree from the USC Price School of Public Policy. He is married and has three sons.
Tamica Washington-Miller (she/her) | Lula Washington Dance Theatre
Director — Second Term (three-year term expiring 2028)
Tamica Washington-Miller is the Associate Director and named successor for the Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT). She is a choreographer, performing artist, and an overall arts leader. Her board experience spans strategic planning, succession, development and fundraising, governance, and bylaws.
She is currently on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD). Tamica helped to produce their conference and festival in Los Angeles five times. She is an active member on the Board of Trustees for Dance/USA, where she serves as Co-Chair of the Trustees Committee. Her work with Dance/USA has included serving on the 2018 Host Committee for their Los Angeles conference, and on the Bylaws Committee, working to more intentionally align the bylaws with the organization’s core values and mission.
Tamica participated in the Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training. She also earned a full scholarship to participate in the inaugural Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Leadership Fellows program, and a full scholarship from the LA County Arts Commission to attend the Southern California Leadership program and the Arts for LA Activate Leadership Development program.
Christopher Kaui Morgan (he/him) | Christopher K. Morgan & Artists
Director — First Full Term (three-year term expiring 2028)
I am honored to be nominated to serve on the Western Arts Alliance Board of Directors. My relationship with WAA spans nearly 30 years, beginning with my first experience as a dancer in a showcase at the 1996 conference in Portland. Over the past seven years, I have become deeply engaged with the organization—as an inaugural Native Launchpad Artist, juried showcase artist, host committee member, and a member of the Advancing Indigenous Performance (AIP) Committee. In 2022, I was humbled and surprised to receive the WAA Mentoring Award (I hadn’t even been notified before the ceremony!). Currently, I serve as Chair of the Advancing Indigenous Performance program and sit on the Conference Planning Committee. I’m excited by the opportunity to deepen my contributions to WAA and help shape its future.
Christopher Kaui Morgan is a choreographer, performer, educator, and arts administrator celebrated for advocating for cultural integrity, inclusivity, and diverse representation in dance. His Native Hawaiian heritage and extensive international career inform his work, which blends dance, storytelling, original music, and multimedia design to explore identity and social issues. His choreography has been presented in 22 countries and supported by organizations including Creative Capital, NEFA’s National Dance Project, and the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation. He was inaugural Native Launchpad Artist in 2018
In 2011, Morgan founded Christopher K. Morgan & Artists, gaining recognition that same year in Dance Magazine as a breakout choreographer. Since 2006, he has directed Art Omi: Dance, fostering international collaboration and mentorship. In January 2024, he became Artistic Director of Malashock Dance, revitalizing the organization with a community-focused mission.
Morgan previously led the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's programming (2022–23) and served as Executive Artistic Director of Dance Place in Washington, D.C. (2017–21), guiding the organization through the challenges of 2020 without layoffs.
A sought-after educator, he has taught at American University, the University of Maryland, and numerous residencies. Morgan also serves the field on the board of the National Performance Network, co-chaired the 2023–24 Association of Performing Arts Professionals Conference, and is a President Biden appointed member of the National Council on the Arts.
Born in California, Morgan resides in San Diego with his husband, opera director Kyle Lang.
Josh Ellis (he/him) | Creative West
Director — First Full Term (three-year term expiring 2028)
I’m honored to be nominated for a seat on the WAA Board of Directors. I have great respect for WAA’s legacy and have witnessed firsthand how powerful it can be when people truly feel seen, heard, and supported in this field. I believe WAA is in a unique position to deepen that sense of connection and to continue expanding its reach.
Many early-career artists and leaders are carving their own paths outside of traditional institutions or simply don’t see themselves reflected in existing networks, so they disengage. Through my work on the board, I want to help change that. I’ve worked within established systems, but I also understand the importance of fostering new connections and ways of thinking. I’m excited to bring that perspective to the table. I want to help WAA strengthen its relationships with emerging professionals, create more accessible pathways for all members, and make sure the next generation of arts leaders sees WAA as their community—not just a legacy network.
Josh Ellis is a Grants, Awards and Programs Manager at Creative West (formerly WESTAF), one of six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. At Creative West, he manages national leadership programs, implements grantmaking across the Western region, and collaborates on TourWest—a grant supporting arts organizations in presenting touring performers and literary artists in the West.
His experience includes orchestral management, grantmaking, and convening at both local and national levels. Josh has been part of planning committees for WAA and APAP, co-chaired equity initiatives on county commissions and councils, and takes a relationship-driven approach to his work. He has helped create and run programs supporting artists, presenters, and early-career professionals across disciplines.
Earlier in his career, Josh co-founded and managed a local band in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area. This experience shaped his understanding of performance and logistics from the artist’s side. Even though the group disbanded, the lessons of collaboration, hustle, and creative entrepreneurship continue to guide his work. Josh holds a Bachelor’s in Music and a Master’s in Arts Management from George Mason University.
You can access your ballot to vote by logging into the member portal. Afterwards, you can click in the top navigation bar Forms. You will be presented with a list open forms you are eligible to submit, at the top there is a link titled 2025 Board of Directors Election, which will take you to your ballot.