2026 WAA Membership Votes and Election!
This year’s Board Slate & a special ballot initiative.
2026 Board of Directors Slate
WAA’s Board of Directors plays a crucial role in our ability to serve our members. Our board supports staff and members in fulfilling our mission to advance excellence in the performing arts through innovative thinking, groundbreaking initiatives, anticipating the field’s future needs, and sound governance and stewardship.
Board rotations occur annually, and our members are instrumental in the process, from nominating candidates to voting on the slate. 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 2026 Western Arts Alliance Annual Conference at the WAA Awards Ceremony and the Annual Membership Meeting.
Learn more about the nominees below.
2026 WAA Board Nominees
Rafael Gonazalez (he/him) | Grand Performances
President — (two-year term expiring 2028)
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 currently serves on the WAA Board as Secretary/Treasurer as well as on the boards of Californians for the Arts, 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.
Rebecca Carson (she/her) | Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University
Vice President — (two-year term expiring 2028)
Rebecca Carson is the Managing Director of the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University. The Center for the Arts serves more than 50,000 people annually through performances, rehearsals, and exhibitions in Smothers Theatre, Raitt Recital Hall, Lindhurst Theatre and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. Rebecca is known for her commitment to vibrant, engaging, and diverse programming, as well as her passion for providing performance opportunities for emerging artists. Before moving to California in 2007, Rebecca was the director of performing arts at COCA (Center of Creative Arts) a multidisciplinary community arts center in St. Louis, Missouri. Rebecca served as Vice President and Conference Chair for California Presenters from 2013–2017, and remains active on various committees with California Presenters, WAA (Western Arts Alliance), APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals), and Pepperdine University. Rebecca has served on the WAA Board of Director’s since 2024 as the co-chair of the Showcase Committee.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre management from the University of Maryland. She and her husband, storyboard artist and illustrator Dan Murphy, live in West Los Angeles.
Courtney Ozaki (she/her) | JA-NE
Secretary/Treasurer — (partial term expiring 2027)
Courtney Ozaki is a cultural connector and creative producer based in Denver, Colorado. After studying at Brooklyn College and receiving an MFA in Performing Arts Management, she worked as a project manager and dance producer for Joyce Theater Productions with whom she developed and toured new works for artists including Wendy Whelan (NY City Ballet), Daniil Simkin (American Ballet Theater), and Malpaso Dance Company from Cuba. A professional taiko musician with over 25 years of experience, she has performed across the globe in Dubai, as well as in major cities throughout the United States. Courtney is the founder of the Japanese Arts Network (JA-NE) - a national resource for artistic collaboration and connection which provides access to resources and develops programs and platforms that support, advance, and strengthen visibility for Japanese Artists in America. She also serves as the Business Director for the Taiko Community Alliance, a national non-profit organization that empowers and advances the art of taiko in North America. Courtney is passionate about the melding of ideas and exploration of the intersection and interdependence of arts sectors. She looks forward to continuing her professional journey in multiple capacities with the Western Arts Alliance.
Shannon Daut (she/her) | US Regional Arts Organizations
Director — First Term (three-year term expiring 2028)
Shannon Daut is the inaugural National Director for the US Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs) where she fosters and leads the collaborative efforts of the six RAOs. Her career has included roles in executive leadership at Regional, State and Local Arts Agencies. From 2016-2023 she led the Cultural Affairs Division for the City of Santa Monica, California. In that role she conceptualized and led the implementation of Acknowledge and Reframe Together, a program that produced public art and civic memory projects that center community voices, and Art of Recovery, which supported artistic efforts that addressed the City’s recovery needs. Previous to that role, she was the Executive Director of the Alaska State Council on the Arts. While there, she re-imagined and re-invigorated the leadership role of the agency in state policy, from tourism and economic development to education and Alaska Native cultural advancement. Prior to moving to Alaska, Daut was Deputy Director of the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), where she oversaw the organization's work in cultural policy development and building technology systems that served the arts field.
Shannon has served on the boards of the National Performance Network, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and WESTAF (now Creative West). She received her bachelor's degree in Communication Arts/Film from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her graduate degree in Communication/Rhetoric from the University of Colorado-Denver. She lives in Denver with her partner and two very spoiled kitties.
"I am honored to be nominated to serve on the WAA Board of Directors. I've spent over two decades working with the presenting and touring field, from my time running TourWest while at WESTAF (now Creative West), to serving on the APAP and National Performance Network boards. I love the West---from getting to know the entire region when I was at WESTAF, to serving the state of Alaska to working locally in Southern California. I know the tremendous opportunities and challenges this region presents and see real opportunity in building broader coalitions to advocate for and strengthen the arts. I am excited to bring that experience to the WAA board!" - Shannon Daut
Genny DeMerchant (he/him) | DeMerchant Artists Agency
Director — First Full Term (three-year term expiring 2029)
Genny DeMerchant is the founder and principal of DeMerchant Artists Agency (DAA), a boutique Canadian agency representing exceptional touring artists across jazz, classical, roots, blues, world music, and family programming. Since entering artist management and booking in 2014, she has built a reputation for developing long-term touring strategies, cultivating strong presenter relationships, and helping artists build sustainable careers throughout Canada and internationally.
Prior to founding her agency, Genny spent 15 years working in arts marketing, audience development, programming, and communications with several respected performing arts organizations, including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Waterloo Theatre Company, Rose Theatre Brampton, and Centre in the Square. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University and a certificate in Arts Management from the University of Waterloo.
Genny brings a broad perspective to the performing arts ecosystem, having worked from both the presenter and artist sides of the industry. Her experience spans touring strategy, contract negotiation, marketing, programming, artist development, and fostering collaborative partnerships between artists, presenters, and industry organizations. She is particularly passionate about strengthening the touring landscape, creating meaningful opportunities for artists, and supporting a vibrant and sustainable live performing arts sector.
Her contributions to the field have been recognized with the Agent of the Year Award from Ontario Presents (2019) and the BC Live Performance Network (2025). She has contributed to the performing arts sector through board and committee service, including recent participation on a Western Arts Alliance committee, and continues to volunteer in support of arts organizations and the broader touring community.
A lifelong musician, Genny believes that great live performance has the power to build connection, foster understanding, and strengthen communities. She sings with the Ottawa Cantata Singers and remains committed to supporting artists in creating performances that resonate deeply with audiences. Through her work with DAA and her service to the sector, she is dedicated to helping ensure a thriving and sustainable future for the performing arts.
Rebekah Diaz (she/her) | Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA)
Director — First Full Term (three-year term expiring 2029)
Rebekah Diaz (she/her) is President & Managing Partner of Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA) and Founder of Diaz Inclusion Consulting. A Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) with more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit arts and culture sector, her work sits at the intersection of leadership strategy, organizational development, civic engagement, and human-centered systems design. She specializes in helping organizations align people, purpose, and practice in ways that are both intentional and sustainable.
Rebekah attended Carnegie Mellon University and later Manhattan School of Music, training as an opera singer before transitioning into arts leadership and organizational strategy work focused on community impact and systems change. She performed professionally throughout the United States and South America prior to moving into executive leadership, consulting, and program development.
Through Diaz Inclusion Consulting, Rebekah developed a reputation for helping organizations move beyond aspirational language into practical, people-focused strategies that strengthen culture, leadership, and long-term sustainability. Her work includes organizational assessments, strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, facilitation, and the design of initiatives that foster stronger alignment between organizational values and everyday practice.
In 2026, Rebekah and her business partner acquired Management Consultants for the Arts (MCA), one of the nation’s leading arts consulting firms. Under their leadership, MCA continues its decades-long legacy in executive search and organizational strategy while expanding its focus on integrated leadership support, organizational resilience, and people-centered systems that help arts and cultural institutions thrive through periods of growth and transition.
Rebekah’s innovative work has received national and international recognition. She conceived “Cadenza,” a groundbreaking initiative supporting therapeutic recovery and career development for young women and girls impacted by human trafficking through access to the arts. The program received international recognition through a nomination in education at the International Opera Awards. She was later honored with the Creativity and Innovation Award from YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh and named to Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 Under 40.
Her broader work has included collaborations with Disney/Pixar to create custom operatic animations, the development of youth opera and leadership programming, and partnerships focused on mental wellness, education, and community connection through the arts. She also co-founded Pittsburgh Arts Administrators of Color, served as the arts equity specialist for OPERA America’s New Works Forum, moderated the 2024 World Opera Forum, and later became a mentor for the Opera Leaders of Color Initiative.
Rebekah is a Certified Diversity Executive with advanced training from Cornell University and maintains certification through Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC).
Aaron Schubert (he/him) | Paquin Artist Agency
Director — First Full Term (three-year term expiring 2029)
Aaron Schubert is a Vancouver-based Booking Agent with Paquin Artists Agency. He has been with Paquin since 2006 with a short stint in between working as an Artist Manager, Concert Promoter/Talent Buyer and Consultant.
Aaron books music, comedy and theatrical artists/shows across Canada and the US, with a primary focus on Western markets. Career highlights include working with artists such as Sly & The Family Stone, Sam Moore (Sam & Dave),
Aaron currently works with artists in the US such as Classic Albums Live, Hyprov, Tenors and Martha Wainright in addition to an extensive Canadian roster.
He is also part of Paquin’s Exhibition team, working on Immersives such as Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond King Tut.
Aaron has served on the BC Live Board of Directors since 2023 and is currently the Vice-Chair. He has assisted with the updating of the organizational DEI policy as well as the Code of Conduct in addition to assisting in the development of the Block Booking program.
You can access your ballot to vote by logging into the member portal starting on Monday, August 3. 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’s a link titled 2026 Board of Directors Election, which will take you to your ballot.