Our vision:
An environment where arts and culture flourish and prosper.
Our mission:
To enrich our communities through arts and culture.
Our values:
- We value freedom of artistic and cultural expression as a
fundamental human right.
- We value a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences.
- We value a community in which everyone can participate in arts and culture.
- We value a community that celebrates and supports its artists, and its arts and cultural organizations.
- We value arts and culture as key elements in creating desirable places to live, work and visit.
RACC’s Equity Statement
We believe that the arts have the power to change hearts and minds, and to inspire social change. Prejudice and privilege have created barriers that RACC must dismantle, systematically and strategically, until everyone in our community has equitable access to arts and culture.
We acknowledge that there is no one perfect way to achieve equity, but we are willing to take risks because there is much work to do. We are thoughtfully researching and implementing new methods of thinking within our organizational culture, starting with an in-depth assessment of our services, policies and procedures. We are seeking out and listening to voices that have not been heard and fully engaging under-represented populations in dialogue that will help us improve.
We are committed to the full scope of this work and will hold ourselves accountable along the way—anything less would prove a disservice to ourselves and the communities we serve. RACC strives to be an organization that values and celebrates everyone’s life experiences, their voices and their histories. By consistently bringing new perspectives to our decision-making table, forming new relationships and alliances, and finding new ways to support creativity, RACC will be a strong, equitable and relevant organization. Throughout this process, we commit to humility, optimism and respect.
Investing in Equity
In 2016, RACC expanded its connections with communities of color and other under-represented populations. We unveiled a new Arts Equity Grant program in the spring, conducted a series of focus groups to learn more about the barriers that prevent some residents from accessing RACC and other arts services in the region, and hired Resolutions NW to help facilitate RACC’s equity committee and develop a new action plan next year.
In the fall of 2016, RACC announced that it would start setting aside more Arts Tax revenue to help build the capacity of culturally specific arts organizations regardless of size, and to fund other equity initiatives within the arts community starting next year. This winter RACC made additional investments and facilitated connections to ensure that more than 2,200 area residents — including students, elected officials, clergy and police officers — could attend and discuss free performances of “Hands Up.” Presented by the August Wilson Red Door Project, this powerful series of seven monologues was written as a response to the police shootings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, John Crawford III in Beavercreek, Ohio, and others.
RACC Leadership
RACC is governed by a diverse board of directors. They bring valuable experiences and insights, and help connect RACC to public, private and nonprofit partners in the region.
Board of Directors
- Mike Golub, Chair
- Phillip Hillaire, Vice Chair
- Eileen L. Day, Treasurer
- Steve Rosenbaum, Secretary
- Jan Robertson, Chair Emeritus
- Nik Blosser
- Verlea G. Briggs
- Raymond C. Cheung, CPA
- Lew Frederick
- Debbie Glaze
- Osvaldo ‘Ozzie’ Gonzalez
- Angela Hult
- Dana Ingram
- Susheela Jayapal
- Parker A. Lee
- Linda McGeady
- Brenda L. Meltebeke
- Anita Menon
- Mitchell Nieman
- Joanna Priestley
- Shyla M. Spicer
- Anita Yap
In 2016 we said farewell to five wonderful board members, including Katy Brooks, Robert Bucker, Eric Hormel and Dave Lofland. A few months after his board term expired in June, our dear friend Joe Krumm passed away. Joe was the director of communications for the North Clackamas School District, a passionate arts supporter, a skilled facilitator and an invaluable member of our Equity Committee. We are grateful for all that Joe contributed to RACC and to the community. He is missed!
Mike Golub was elected board chair in June, with Phillip Hillaire serving as vice chair. RACC’s treasurer is Eileen Day, and our secretary is Steve Rosenbaum. Jan Robertson currently serves as RACC’s chair emeritus.
Four extraordinary individuals joined the RACC board in 2016. Welcome Parker Lee, Anita Menon, Mitchell Nieman and Anita Yap!
Many former board members and other community leaders continue to provide assistance and counsel through RACC’s Resource Council.
Resource Council
- Alan Alexander III
- Pam Baker
- Jesse Beason
- Ernie Bloch II
- Claudia Burnett
- Jennifer Cies
- Jay Clemens
- Eric Friedenwald-Fishman
- George Forbes
- Gwyneth Gamble Booth
- Lina Garcia Seabold
- Kira Higgs
- Karen Karbo
- Mike Lindberg
- Gary Maffei
- Mary Maletis
- Julie Mancini
- Josie Mendoza
- Cate Millar
- Randy J. Miller
- Max Miller, Jr.
- Carole Morse
- Bonita Oswald
- Dorothy Piacentini
- Bettsy Preble
- Mary Ruble
- Joan E. Sappington
- Carol Smith, Ed.D.
- Craig Thompson
- Julie Vigeland
- Clark Worth
RACC appreciates the talent and dedication of its employees who oversee a variety of programs that add measurable value to our communities. We value a diverse workforce, built upon inclusion, equity and cultural agility.
Staff
- Eloise Damrosch, Executive Director
- Pricilla Cheung, Executive Assistant
- ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE:
- Cynthia Knapp, Director of Operations
- Jennifer Matsumura, Finance & HR Specialist
- Carla Holmberg, Bookkeeper
- Ahmed Yusuf, Office Manager
- Einar Sunde II, Database Administrator
- ADVOCACY AND DEVELOPMENT:
- Jeff Hawthorne, Director of Community Engagement
- Alison Bailey, Business Partnership Manager
- Chad Hadsell, Work for Art Donor Data & Technology Specialist
- Windy Hovey, Work for Art Workplace Giving Coordinator
- Matthew Carron, Work for Art Workplace Giving Coordinator
- Ella Marra-Ketelaar, Work for Art On-Call Campaign Assistant
- Sara Farrokhzadian, Work for Art Donor Data Clerk
- ARTS EDUCATION:
- Marna Stalcup, Director of Arts Education
- Maya McFaddin, Arts Education Community Engagement Associate
- Phoebe Ebright, The Right Brain Initiative Development Manager
- Sinéad Kimbrell, The Right Brain Initiative Program Manager
- Sarah Deal, The Right Brain Initiative Administrative Assistant
- Kate Fagerholm, The Right Brain Initiative Development Assistant
- COMMUNITY SERVICES:
- Mary Bauer, Communications Associate
- Tonisha Toler, Community Liaison
- GRANTS:
- Helen Daltoso, Grants Officer
- Ingrid Carlson, Grants Officer
- Jack MacNichol, Grants Associate
- PUBLIC ART:
- Kristin Calhoun, Public Art Manager
- Peggy Kendellen, Public Art Manager
- Keith Lachowicz, Public Art Collections Manager
- William Rihel, Public Art Program Specialist
- Danielle Davis, Public Art Collections Registrar
- Amanda Kronlage, Public Art Conservation Technician
- Salvador Mayoral IV, Public Art Program Assistant
We’ve welcomed several talented individuals to our staff this year, including Alison Bailey, Business Partnership Manager; Sarah Deal, The Right Brain Initiative Administrative Assistant; Kate Fagerholm, The Right Brain Initiative Development Assistant; Amanda Kronlage, Public Art Conservation Technician; and Ella Marra-Ketelaar, Work for Art On-Call Campaign Assistant
We’d like to thank the employees who left RACC in 2016 but contributed volumes while they were with us, including Rebecca Burrell, Helen Carlton, Kathryn Jackson, Rainen Knecht, André Middleton, Manny Orozco, Phoebe Southwood and Chris Tew.
