Arts for LA is thrilled to announce Cristina Pacheco has joined our staff as our new advocacy manager. “The advocacy manager position felt like a perfect fit for me. I've been on the ground in neighborhoods and schools, building community programs and engaging students and their families,” Cristina said.  She holds an MA in leadership studies from the University of San Diego and a BA in media communications with a music minor from Point Loma Nazarene University.

Before joining Arts for LA, she worked with the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory as a community teaching artist and administrator with the Community Opus Project, a program developed to make music education accessible for students in Chula Vista, California. A lifelong vocalist, Pacheco is also a founding member of the Walnut Valley Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale. She believes in the value of a thriving art culture as a vital component to the success, vibrancy, and health of communities and individuals.

“At my core, I believe in social justice and I believe that arts are a beautiful and vital catalyst for that work,” Cristina said. “I am excited to begin to learn about each community, its culture, its personality, and to build relationships.”

“Cristina is bright, inquisitive, and motivated to ensure kids in LA County have equal access to a complete education that includes the arts,” said Danielle Brazell.  “I am so grateful to have her energy and enthusiasm on our team.”