Arts Commissioners

The Arts Commission is comprised of fifteen citizens (three from each of the five districts of Alameda County) appointed by the Board of Supervisors,and seven ex-officio members representing three major County departments and four leading Alameda County educational and cultural institutions. The Arts Commission's Executive Committee is comprised of three officers – the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary, plus one to two ex-officio members who may be appointed by the Chairperson. The Arts Commission's staff person, the Executive Director, reports to the Executive Committee and implements all programs.

Arts Belief Statements

Starting in 2007, the Arts Commissioners began writing Arts Belief Statements to articulate their personal belief in the arts and creativity.  This project is part of the Artist Statement initiative of Art IS Education, a project of Alameda County Office of Education’s Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership. 

Appointed Members

Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 1
David Judson (Arts Belief Statement)

Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Suzanne Gayle
Gail Lundholm
Leisel Whitlock- Peterson

Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 3
Tomyé Neal-Madison (Arts Belief Statement)
Eric Murphy
Mona Shah

Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 4
Andrew Johnstone
Scott Miner
Cathy O’Dea

Representing Alameda County Board of Supervisors, District 5
Barbara Hedani-Morishita
Nia Imara


Ex-Officio Members

Aki Nakao, Director
Alameda County General Services Agency (Arts Belief Statement)

Chris Bazar, Director
Alameda County Community Development Agency

Lori Fogarty, Director
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland

Stephen Beal, President
California College of the Arts, Oakland

Damien Gossett, Assistant Deputy Director
Community Development Agency (designee representing the CDA) (Arts Belief Statement)

Jim Kachik, Deputy Director
Alameda County General Services Agency (designee representing the GSA)

Julie Muniz, Associate Curator of Crafts and Decorative Arts
Oakland Museum of California (designee representing the OMC)

Ann Wettrich, Instructor, California College of the Arts (designee representing the CCA) (Arts Belief Statement)



Public Art Advisory Committee

Nick Gomez
Elizabeth Harvey
Fernando Hernandez
Steve Jones
Mark Read
Nancy Selvin
Mark Yin


Arts Education Committee

Ann Wettrich, Chairperson
Louise Music
Mona Shah
Belinda Taylor



Alameda County Arts Commission Staff

Rachel Osajima
Director (Arts Belief Statement)

Violet Juno
Arts Education Program Coordinator

Amy Stimmel
Public Art Program Coordinator

Rosa Valdez
Public Art and 100 Families Program Coordinator