Cultural Connections Board 2024-2025

John Alexander, Treasurer (he/him)

Since joining BAMPFA, John has worked to bring the underrecognized artists of all categories to the walls of the museum such as Kay Sekimachi, Candice Lin, Caroline Kent, Hannah Levy, Sin Wai Kin, Gabriel Chaile, and retrospectives of Alison Knowles and Amalia Mesa-Bains.  Other responsibilities John was involved in the permanent collection of out-going loans to other institutions and, most primarily, a robust acquisition process. Three times annually, John plays a key role in the planning and implementation of gifts and purchases to the BAMPFA collection. This involves donor relations, the maintenance of acquisition funds and meeting coordination as well as the supervision of an ongoing document of potential new works for consideration.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2022

Mercy Bertero, Co-President (she/her)

Berkeley-born and raised, Mercy is a Ph.D. student at the University of Washington specializing in community-based health equity research. A health communication researcher, she is the lead research assistant in the Health Equity Action Lab at UW's Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity. 

Previously, Mercy worked as a Visitor Insights Specialist at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), where she focused on audience-based research projects and conducted various evaluations of museum programming, events, exhibitions, and content. She was also an active member of multiple task forces and learning teams working to develop equitable and accessible resources for museum staff and visitors. Working in both a museum frontline position and behind the scenes, Mercy aimed to bridge community needs and organizational goals together. She is passionate about accessibility in all forms and co-directed OMCA's partnership with KultureCity, making the museum the first Sensory Inclusive™ venue in Oakland. 

Mercy's work in higher education, museums, and nonprofit organizations has primarily involved finding creative ways to connect communities with cultural and learning institutions. She continues to pursue this work in her research and as a member of the Cultural Connections board.

A personal glimpse: Mercy splits her time between Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston. She loves to explore various regions and landscapes across the US from the mountains to the ocean. At home, she enjoys queuing up enticing New York Times Cooking recipes to try out for herself.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2022

Hugo Corro (he/him)

Hugo Corro works as Education & Civic Engagement Manager at di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art.  Hugo’s role includes training and coordinating volunteers, collaborating with community partners, coordinating and leading school tours, and creating and implementing hands-on art-making for visitors of all ages.
Hugo received his Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona and a Master’s degree in Urban Design from UC Berkeley.  Before entering the museum education world, he worked for years in after-school enrichment as a Program Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley providing opportunities for personal growth and development for elementary and middle school youth.

A personal glimpse: Hugo is a new dad and enjoys playing and being active with his one year old son Dario.  Hugo is an avid runner, enjoys trail-running and backpacking, and loves to watch movies in the theater and at home.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2019

Cara Dodge (she/her)

Cara Dodge has been a museum professional since 2007, and has enjoyed a number of different positions in science-focused institutions. She has written programming for The Tech Interactive, helped launch the Exponential Center at the Computer History Museum, worked on social media campaigns for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and is now Engagement Lead and Exhibit Manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center. 

She also explored the potential within museums through her masters program, earning both an MA in Museum Studies and a Masters in Business Administration from John F Kennedy University. Her Master’s Thesis "Humor me a moment: The power of humor in science museums," explored how positive emotions, like humor, can be impactful for individuals, even those who are perhaps not interested in science. The results of this research encouraged her to continue to explore how to connect people with science, as there are still underutilized ways to do so, and trying new and innovative techniques can have powerful results.

A personal glimpse: I am absolutely obsessed with podcasting. Exploring how great storytelling is done without physical objects is an inspiration to me on how we can do it in real life!

Joined Cultural Connections in 2019

 Lauren Finch (she/her)

Lauren Finch is a photographer and educator who loves any excuse to share art-making with children and their families. She currently works as the Youth Programs and Camps Coordinator for the City of Walnut Creek’s Arts & Recreation department. There she helps connect local artists with the community with quarterly classes, workshops and camps. Prior to the City of Walnut Creek, Lauren spent a collection of years in art museums like the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and San Jose Museum of Art and where she prioritized making connections between youth and art through hands-on activities and tours. She holds a Master of Arts in Photography and Urban Cultures from Goldsmiths University of London.

A personal glimpse: Lauren is a Bay Area native who loves any excuse to be outside in the fresh air. She frequently has a cup of coffee in her hands. When she is not exploring or hosting programs, she is probably dancing in her kitchen or practicing ASL. 

Joined Cultural Connections in 2023

Joanne Sidlovsky Grant (she/her)

Joanne is the Acquisitions Registrar at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. She coordinates the safe receiving of all new artifact acquisitions through donations, sales, and transfers, is responsible for all aspects of documenting those transactions, and maintains related registration records to the highest standards. Joanne can also be found at the Oakland Aviation Museum most Sundays, where she has been managing the collections, library and archives since 2021.

In May 2022, Joanne received a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University, where her coursework focused on collections management, curation, exhibition design, and archives. Prior to returning to school, she spent 15 years in archaeological consulting – she has always loved learning about and caring for objects! 

In the fall of 2021, Joanne was a Curatorial Intern at the Camron-Stanford House in Oakland, under the guidance of Executive Director Iliana Morton (who also introduced her to Cultural Connections!) She is excited for another year as a Cultural Connections board member, and looks forward to creating programs and activities to celebrate the rich culture, history, and creativity of the Bay Area.

A personal glimpse: I have done archaeological field work in Cyprus, been stuck at a train station overnight in Cannes, and on one day in 2019, had breakfast in France, lunch in Monaco, and dinner in Italy (yes, it can be done!)

Joined Cultural Connections in 2022

Ruby Ming, Secretary (she/her)

Ruby aims to provoke unconventional connections to art across cultures, time, and technology. Involved in visual arts education for over 25 years, she has presented captivating art-making workshops for all ages, richly-illustrated lectures for life-long learners, and engaging teacher professional learning seminars on arts integration for the National and California Art Education Associations, Norton Museum of Art, San Jose Museum of Art, and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. In partnership with UC Berkeley History-Social Science Project, she launched a week-long teacher institute in summer 2022 for the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles focused on integrating textile arts in the humanities. As the Associate Director of Outreach and Education at Montalvo Arts Center, she collaborated to design and produce school, teacher, and public programs. She received her B.A. in Fine Arts from Brown University and her M.A. in Museum Studies, with an emphasis in Programming, from San Francisco State University, where she was also an adjunct lecturer.

A personal glimpse: Ruby enjoys traveling and experiencing daily life and cuisine in other parts of the world. She also enjoys crafting with friends, movies, theater, and trying different foods.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2021

 Deborah Munk (she/her)

 Deborah is the Manager of the Recology San Francisco Artist in Residence (AIR) Program where she has worked with hundreds of artists and community members   on projects ranging from performance to new media both at Recology and at various off-site venues and spaces. She has implemented AIR Programs at Recology   facilities across the  western region including in Portland and Astoria, OR and Seattle, WA, and continues to be involved with their growth. Deborah also manages the   Environmental Learning Center and Educational Tour Program providing tours to over 4,000 children and adults annually who learn about the importance of   sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. Prior to joining the Recology AIR team, Deborah was the assistant editor of Art/Women/California 1950-2000: Parallels and Intersections, published by UC Press. She is a graduate of San Francisco State University and holds an MA in Education focusing on art and media.

A personal glimpse: Growing up in Hawaii instilled a deep appreciation and love for the environment, which continues to influence all factors of her life. She has lived in San Francisco for many years with her husband and two dogs and enjoys pilates, independent films, spending time in nature, and traveling.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2023

 Claire Pillsbury (she/her)

Claire Pillsbury is an accomplished leader in the non-profit cultural sector with a proven record in interdisciplinary engagement, exhibit design, informal education, and managing creative teams. She is a past Board member of the Museum Computer Network, current Board member of Cultural Connections, served as a Fulbright Specialist at museums in Melbourne, Paris, and Warsaw, and was an advisor for ACM's Reimagining Children's Museums project.

Claire develops and directs cultural and educational programs, curates art-science, history, children’s, and science exhibitions. She has also successfully supported these projects by developing funding strategies and writing and being awarded grants.  Claire has planned and produced conferences and seminars for practitioners, directed a multi-disciplinary residency program, and managed institutional collaborations with artists, scholars, designers, and scientists.

Recent roles include Associate Director of Exhibit Content Development at the California Academy of Sciences, Program Director at the Exploratorium, Programs Manager at Chabot, and independent consultant for museums throughout the United States and abroad.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2024

Ashleigh Richelle, Co-President (she/her)

Ashleigh Richelle is a compassionate communications professional storytelling for connection, equity, & progress. As a Bay-Area born, raised, and based Latinx leader and professional, she currently works at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) as the Associate Director of Communications. Her career spans over 10 years — from PR, media relations, digital storytelling, graphic design, website and project management, to social media, campaign strategy, and cross-functional collaborative leadership. She’s worked at startups, non-profits, and tech companies like Daughters of Rosie, CBS Interactive and LinkedIn.

Ashleigh attended the University of Chicago, where she graduated with a B.A. in Cinema & Media Studies and a minor in Human Rights, focusing on documentary film production.

A personal glimpse: Outside of work, Ashleigh enjoys coffee, crosswords, arts & crafts, stand-up comedy, cooking, birding, yoga and salsa dancing. She is also an Emma Bowen Foundation Fellow, an Hermana of Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. and an alumna of SMASH, the signature STEM education program of the Kapor Center, where she honed her passion for storytelling.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2021

Samantha Stevick (she/her)

Samantha is the Director of Strategic Sales at the Chabot Space & Science Center where, for the last 8 years, she and her team collaboratively built exciting new educational programs and customized events for Oakland and beyond. Former work included positions with The San Francisco Opera in corporate and legacy giving, grant-writing at Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab, and education at the Mattress Factory Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. She holds Masters degrees in Arts Administration & Public Policy and Art History & Curation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her passion is for cultural centers that feature vernacular representation and museum collections orbiting popular culture, unique-object interests, and self-taught works.

A personal glimpse: Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Samantha has been in the Bay Area for just over a decade and is still exploring all the hiking trails and beautiful scenery it has to offer with her one-eyed dog, Odie. She loves small roadside attraction museums and travels often to visit fascinating sites such as “The Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk” and “The World Famous Crochet Museum.”

Joined Cultural Connections in 2023

Crystal Lee Stone (she/they)

Crystal Lee Stone is the Volunteer Program Manager at the Gardens of Golden Gate Park. Her passion for nature, the arts, and people is reflected in her work both at the Gardens and as an artist. As part of the Programs and Partnerships team at the Gardens, she draws upon over a decade of experience in museums and public spaces such as the Exploratorium, Maud Morgan Arts Center, White House Historical Association, Nantucket Historical Association, and the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer and Sackler Galleries to lead a vast community of committed and passionate volunteers. Trained to teach yoga, Crystal also periodically teaches yoga classes at the Gardens.

Crystal studied Visual Art and Psychology at Bowdoin College and Museum Studies at Harvard University. 

A personal glimpse: When Crystal isn’t at the Gardens, you can find her at San Francisco’s Noonan Building creating immersive art experiences, riding her bicycle through San Francisco, or backpacking in the Sierras. In addition, she currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Committee of the American Alliance of Museums.

Joined Cultural Connections in 2023