Tamara Alvarado
Since becoming MACLA’s Executive Director in 2003, the organization has strengthened ties to its neighborhood, the William/Reed Corridor, through the innovative use of art as a catalyst for community development. Tamara sits on the Board of Directors of the National Performance Network and, locally, has played an instrumental role in the ongoing efforts of First ACT, a cross-sector collaborative formed to ensure that arts and cultural activities take their rightful place in Silicon Valley. She co-chairs two committees, one of which represents the interests of multicultural arts and communities of color. Tamara holds a BA in Spanish literature from Stanford University.

Joan Chandos Baez
Baez is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. Many of her songs are topical and deal with social issues. She is best known for her 1970s hits "Diamonds & Rust" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" -- and to a lesser extent, "We Shall Overcome" "Sweet Sir Galahad" and "Joe Hill" (songs she performed at the 1969 Woodstock festival). She’s had a long-lasting passion for activism, notably in the areas of nonviolence, civil and human rights and, in more recent years, the environment. Additionally, she has performed publicly for nearly 50 years, released over 30 albums and recorded songs in over eight languages.

Marcela Davison-Aviles
A first generation Mexican- American, Marcela is a graduate of Harvard College and Stanford Law School. She is the President and CEO of the largest multi-disciplinary Latino and multicultural arts venue in California, presenter and producer of inter-cultural visual and performing arts that celebrate the culture and heritage of Mexico and showcase multicultural arts in the region. Under Ms. Aviles' leadership, MHC made the successful transition from near insolvency to a surplus in 2006 and with the Trustees of Mexican Heritage Plaza is innovating a new operations model for non-profit arts management. The Plaza’s critically acclaimed season of vibrant visual and performing arts programming illuminates and explores both the cultural diversity within Mexico and the influence of Mexican culture on other communities worldwide.

Amy González
Amy González is a stage director with a passion for directing new plays, particularly those that reveal the Latino experience. She has directed numerous plays for many fine theatre companies. In Silicon Valley these companies include Teatro Vision, El Teatro Campesino, San José Repertory Theatre and TheatreWorks where she directed the Pulitzer Prize winning play Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz. Amy’s directing experience outside of Silicon Valley includes productions at the Denver Center Theatre Company and the San Diego Repertory Theatre. Amy believes in the power of creative expression to build community.

Raul Lozano
Lozano is the manager of Teatro Vision and has served as its board member, president and as their first Executive Director. Lozano was instrumental in establishing Teatro Vision's non-profit status. He is currently a charter member with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Capacity Building Program, a board member on the Mayfair Improvement Initiative, Team San Jose, and a member of First Voice and First ACT.

Sonya Paz
Artist Sonya Paz is a native of Santa Clara who owns two exclusive galleries for her work only in the Silicon Valley. Her Latin American roots are a reflection of her art style which is a combination of cubism and pop art. It is all about the color as Sonya says. Growing up in the valley and working in high tech has influenced her style where she has melded her art with products such as wrist watches, clocks, ceramics, and pillows. Currently, her art and products are also sold through approximately 100 independent retailers across the United States and Canada.

Artemio Posadas
Artemio has been vital in the development of traditional Mexican Son in the Bay Area since 1980. Lyrics he wrote were recorded with “Los Camperos de Valles” and distributed world wide by the Smithsonian Institute. Artemio has received grants from the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Currently, he is the director of the Mexican program at the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, in Richmond California. In San Jose, he teaches in his own center, “El Mosquito”. On occasion, he also has the pleasure of being accompanied by his sons, Yacanex and Xicayan. Artemio is also an avid marathoner.

Elena Robles
Elena Robles is an Ethnic Arts Advocate for the Office of Human Relations in Santa Clara County. She has taught in colleges all over the Silicon Valley and founded the dance academy “El Grito de la Cultura”. She has performed with artists including Vicente Fernandez, Freddy Fender and in events such as the visit of Pope John Paul II. She has won numerous awards including the KQED “Hero Award” and is the Founder and President of the Heritage Network.

Luis Valdez
Luis Valdez is the Founder and Artistic Director for El Teatro Campesino, an internationally renowned theatre of the arts. His vision is to use theatre to display the true Chicano experience in the United States in a context that is meaningful to all Americans. In addition, Valdez has also been a council member of the National Endowment of the Arts and a founding member of the California Arts Council. He has been honored with numerous awards including the prestigious Aguila Azteca Award, a Presidential Medal of the Arts, a George Peabody Award and the Governors Award of the California Arts Council. Some of his outstanding works include Zoon Suit, La Bamba, and Corridos. Valdez continues to work, mentor and inspire a new generation of theatre artists.