State of the Arts Summit

Bodies in Play

Bodies in Play is a mission-driven organization challenging and evolving the aesthetics of performance through a consent-based, collaboratively-directed creative process.

As an independent collective, they have produced several dance-based events over the past few years including our Bodies in Play:Work in Process (BiP:WiP) series; Bodies in Play:Dance is Pleasure (BiP/DiP) at the LA LGBT Center; a performance lecture at the Brand Library in Glendale; and their full length production “Our Dancer’s Project” in 2024.

They incorporated as a government recognized non-profit organization in 2026 to further our mission and community engagement. Bodies in Play is a volunteer run organization prioritizing financial compensation for creative and artistic labor.

Dr. Liza Bearman

Dr. Liza Bearman is the Director of the Wildwood Institute for Social Leadership (WISL). She has spent the past 25+ years working to transform K-12 education by co-creating learning environments that address the unique lives and interests of students through real-world, community rooted, project-based and personalized teaching and learning.

Liza grew up in Los Angeles and spent years living and working in both Washington, DC and New York City.

She earned her B.A. in English and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degrees from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

9th - 12th graders, Wildwood Institute for Social Leadership (WISL)

Leticia Rhi Buckley

Leticia Rhi Buckley is a civic strategist and executive leader with more than two decades advancing public sector and community initiatives across Los Angeles County. A lifelong Angeleno and daughter of Mexican immigrants, she brings a grounded, systems aware perspective on community, opportunity, and regional stewardship.

She strengthens institutions through periods of transition, aligns diverse stakeholders, and navigates political complexity with clarity and integrity. Her leadership has shaped major regional civic efforts, supported by service on high level boards and advisory groups – including her role as Arts Commissioner for LA County’s First District, and board positions with the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board and The Music Man Foundation, where she contributes to long-term resilience, public sector investment, and community-defined impact across the region. She holds a B.A. from Loyola Marymount University with executive training from Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Mayor Eric L. Chan

By profession, Mayor Chan is an Accountant and Property Manager, holding a degree in Business-Economics and Accounting from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Elected to the San Gabriel City Council in November of 2022, Mayor Chan is the most recently-elected Councilman. For nine years previous to that, he had been proudly serving his Community as an elected Water Board Director on the local San Gabriel County Water District Board. He is a long-time resident of San Gabriel, making the City his home for the last 20 years.

Mayor Chan is a liaison for the General Plan Update Committee, Tourism Marketing Improvement District Committee, and the Dumpling and Beer Fest Committee.

Some of his goals for his City Council tenure are to improve San Gabriel’s Public Safety, Business Friendliness, and Cultural “Balance.”

Dr. Jacqueline M. Cofield

Dr. Jacqueline M. Cofield is an educator, researcher, and founder of CulturED Arts Consulting. Her work explores how art, museums, and community spaces function as sites of knowledge production, civic engagement, and social transformation.

She is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Hunter College, a Fulbright Specialist, and a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art. An award-winning scholar, Dr. Cofield’s research bridges arts education, curriculum theory, museum education, and multimodal literacy, centering artists and educators as knowledge producers. She partners with schools, cultural institutions, and communities to design learning experiences that expand educational possibility and cultivate critical, creative, and equitable practice.

Dr. Cofield is also the creator and host of the Beyond Beauty podcast.

Vanessa Hernández Cruz

Vanessa Hernández Cruz is an interdependent Chicana Disabled multidisciplinary dance artist and Disability Justice Consultant based in Los Angeles, CA. Over the past several years, Vanessa has presented dance work nationally and internationally.

She is currently the recipient of the NEFA National Dance Project supporting an evening length experimental dance set to premiere in 2027 called: “Echoing Memories in a Distant Future”. In her consultancy work she has worked with AXIS Dance Company, Thomas Mann House, LAMBDA Literary, We Still Move, HomeLA, Dance/NYC, Americans for the Arts & Mid Atlantic Arts, and other arts organizations.

Bridging the realms of dance and Disability Justice – Vanessa is committed to radical accessibility and strives to transform dance into a space where marginalized bodies thrive, innovate, and lead.

Kyle Denman

Before entering the creative space, LA-based artist Kyle Denman studied political science with a focus on nonprofit policy. Having always loved art as a child, he craved creative expression and freedom. In 2016, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue fashion design and has grown a client list to include names like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.

He has received accolades for his work, including being recognized as the 2021 International Fashion Designer of the Year and listed on Forbes 30 Under 30.

Kyle’s mission is to ignite a culture of change through creativity and curiosity through radical acts of humanizing the human experience. Hoping to create social change, share cultural narratives, and expand the creative economy, he currently serves as the Executive Director of Arts Bridging the Gap, an LA nonprofit with the mission of uplifting the voices, experiences, and self-expression of youth from under-resourced communities through healing arts programs.

Danny Feldman

Danny Feldman joined Pasadena Playhouse as Producing Artistic Director in 2016, following his run as Executive Director at Labyrinth Theater in New York City. Under his leadership, the Playhouse has undergone a remarkable transformation, culminating in the 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Feldman has staged numerous acclaimed productions, including Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage aux Folles, and most recently, Topdog/Underdog and Eureka Day.
He is deeply committed to making theater accessible to all, expanding education programs for children and adults through initiatives such as Acting for Non-Actors, Playhouse Singers, Musical Theater Boot Camp, and productions for young audiences like Pasek and Paulʼs Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile: The Musical.

Through his vision and leadership, Feldman has revitalized the Playhouse, reinforcing its role as both a cultural and community hub and solidifying its status as the State Theater of California.

Letitia Fernandez Ivins

Letitia Fernandez Ivins is the Senior Director of Civic Strategies & Partnerships with The Music Center where her work is grounded in the belief that creative expression strengthens democracy.

Representing The Music Center, a public asset, she serves as liaison with civic while implementing multi-disciplinary arts programs that seek to ignite joy, affirm participants’ identity and strengthen social connection, through equitable organizational partnerships.

Letitia previously held the role of Director, Public Art & Design with LA Metro where she collaborated across disciplines to produce art experiences that amplify the stories of people and texture of place throughout the regional transit system. Letitia has also worked at LA County Arts Commission, Ryman Arts, the Getty Foundation and Claremont Graduate University.

She is Board Chair of Side Street Projects, a member of Filipinx arts collective NAMAN and in her free time, she coaches and plays soccer.

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson

Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson is one of our nation’s leading thinkers about the roles of art, culture, and design in building healthy communities where all people can thrive. She was the 13th Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (2021-2025).

Her influential work has focused on quality-of-life measurement, comprehensive community development, supports for artists and creative entrepreneurs, the importance of “cultural kitchens” for social inclusion and a healthy democracy and the roles of arts and culture in community health, wellness, and resilience.

With experience in government, philanthropy, higher education, the nonprofit sector, she has served on governing and advisory boards of arts and community development organizations and institutions around the country and in Los Angeles, including co-chairing the County of Los Angeles Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative.

Dr. Jackson is University Professor of Creativity and Social Impact at Arizona State University and Executive and Creative Director of the Studio for Creativity and Social Impact at the ASU California Center.

Daniel Pascual

Cultural manager, entrepreneur, and consultant with 15+ years of experience leading artistic, educational, and social programs. Specialized in interculturality and creative industries, His background spans exhibition curation, scenic arts, documentary film, and immersive digital art.

He founded MAIC, a traveling museum of contemporary indigenous art and serve on the boards of Estudio Mexicano de Arte y Tecnología and Artistpace Brands. Recently relocated from Mexico City to Los Angeles, he is eager to connect with the local creative community and contribute his global vision to the cultural landscape. He holds master’s degrees in Cultural Management, and Communication, alongside leadership in creative industries training from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Victoria Perera Rojas

Victoria Perera Rojas (she/her) is the Associate Director of Learning & Evaluation at The Music Center, where she leads research and evaluation to better understand audiences and the impact of arts programming. She is particularly interested in using data to foster organizational learning, identify effective practices, and strengthen how cultural organizations serve their communities.

Before joining The Music Center, Victoria worked as an evaluator at The Huntington, and with nonprofits, philanthropy, and public agencies, including the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture as a research and evaluation consultant.

Outside of work, she enjoys native plant gardening, exploring nature, and reading speculative fiction and manga.

Camille Schenkkan

Camille Schenkkan is Chief Operating Officer of The Ebell of Los Angeles and a cultural leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing the operations, strategy, and sustainability of nonprofit arts organizations. Previously Deputy Managing Director at Center Theatre Group, she has led portfolios spanning operations, workforce development, education, civic engagement, and organizational leadership.

She is Adjunct Faculty at California State University, Los Angeles, where she teaches arts management and theatre management.

Schenkkan holds a Master’s in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University and a dual B.A. in Theatre and English from Scripps College. She is the co-author of Navigating a Career in Technical Entertainment (2022) and Navigating a Career in Performance (2026), published by Routledge/Focal Press.

Sya Warfield

Sya Warfield is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. She is the founder of Upward Together, which partners with schools, nonprofits, public agencies, and cultural organizations to design arts-based experiences that foster belonging and resilience.

Her personal art practice, spanning mixed media and public art, explores the beauty of becoming – the fleeting moments between states, and the subtle shifts in perception that change how we experience the world.