About Us: 1stACT Network: Advisory Teams

A critical component to the success of any new project or initiative is the vision and direction from our advisory teams. These teams are created to support and drive the incubation phase of any new initiative. We are very grateful for the insight and expertise from the following advisory teams

MHP Steering Committee

Alcario Castellano

Erin Goodwin-Guerrero

Maria de la Rosa 

Roy Hirabayashi

Moy Eng 

Connie Martinez

Chris Esparza 

Olivia Mendiola

Manuel Fimbres 

Carlos Perez

Danny Garza

Linda Snook

Guadalupe Gonzalez


Research Advisory Team

John Killacky, San Francisco Foundation

Raul Lozano, Teatro Vision

An Lu, genARTS Steering Committee, MALI class of 2009

Dave Mills, the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation

Lawrence Thoo, City of San Jose

Creative Tots, Kids & Teens Advisory Team
Andrew Bales, Executive Director, Symphony SV
Muhammed Chaudhry, Silicon Valley Education Foundation
Michelle Mann, Director of Corporate and Social Responsibility, Adobe
Michael Mulcahy, NexGen
Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University
Andrea Temkin, Alameda County
Colleen Wilcox, Joint Venture SV
Sandra Wheatley, Cisco Systems
Jane Decker, Retired, County of Santa Clara
Tanuja Bahal, Associate Executive Director, India Cultural Center
Dennie Palmer Wolf, WolfBrown
Jeffry Walker, Executive Director, Community School of Music & Arts
Sofia Fojas, MALI Class of 2008, San Jose High School Music Director

genARTS Advisory Team

Chair: An Lu, Program Coordinator, Arts Council Silicon Valley
Vice Chair: Lucie Paye, Director of Marketing and Communications, San Jose Jazz

Aliza Arenson, Development Manager/ Community Relations, Children's Musical Theater San Jose

Lisa Ellsworth, Arts Educator, Children's Discovery Museum San Jose

Franco Imperial, Associate Artistic Director, San Jose Taiko

Emily Knutson, Arts Council Silicon Valley
Karen Kwan, Institutional Gifts Officer, Community School of Music and Arts
Grace-Sonia Melanio, Cinequest
Joshua Russell, Director of Communications and Emerging Initiatives, 1stACT Silicon Valley

Patricia Walsh, Public Art Program Coordinator, San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs

Lani Wong, Marketing Specialist, City Lights Theater Company

Robert Long, Event Coordinator/ Admin - genARTS Silicon Valley

Community Investment Advisory Team
Greg Avis, Founding Managing Partner, Summit Ventures

Leon Beauchman, Area Manager, External Affairs, AT&T in Santa Clara County

Rich Braugh, Senior Vice President, UBS
Carmen Castellano, Castellano Family Foundation

Carl Cookson

Tom Crotty, President of CBIZ MHM, LLC of Northern California

Bruce W. Davis, Executive Director, Arts Council Silicon Valley

Susan Hammer, former Mayor of San Jose

Hsing Kung, Managing Partner, Acorn Campus Ventures

Michelle Mann, Director of Corporate and Social Responsibility, Adobe

John McGuirk, Director of Performing Arts Program, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Gail Mohr, Senior Vice President, Market Manager - Silicon Valley, Bank of America

Mike Nevens

Dean Osaki, Community Relations, Target

Lisa Sobrato Sonsini, Board President, Sobrato Foundation

Larry Stone, County of Santa Clara Tax Assessor

Charmaine Warmenhoven

Kim Walesh, Chief Strategist, City of San Jose
Mark Walker, Managing Director of Global Community Affairs, Applied Materials

Sandra Wheatley, Cisco Systems
Irene Wong, Local Grantmaking Director, David and Lucile Packard Foundation