Board of Directors
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| Angela Rodela Chair Director of Innovation, Sigma Foods |
Steve Valderrama Vice Chair Sr. Managing Consultant, Point B, Inc. |
Alvaro Sande Treasurer Development Principal, KATERRA |
Martyn Bridgeman Secretary Realtor, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices |
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| Jamie L. Halavais Past Chair Attorney, Husch Blackwell LLP |
Christine Macias Account Exec., Clear Channel Outdoor |
Cynthia Standley, Ph.D. Professor, Director of Art in Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix |
Staff & Associates
Lauren Henschen, Chief Executive Officer
Jessica Valiente, Programs Manager
Lindsey Krause, Thunderbird Manager
Will Snider, Campus Manager
Renee Aguilar, Marketing Manager
Mirinda DiBiase, Creative Designer
Kevin Lopez, Remote Patron Services Lead
Cadel Grisinger, Technical Coordinator
Ruben Aguilar, Patron Services Associate
Silvia Avila, Patron Services Associate
Miros Domenzain, Patron Services Associate
Meenakshi Kapur, Patron Services Associate
Gabi Arias, Patron Services Associate
Ted Ciccone, Community Arts Curator
Nuvia Enriquez, Community Coordinator
Maria Cruz Cordoba, Thunderbird Camp Manager
Ileyna Witenstein, Intern – Teen Artist Guild
To contact a staff member you may send an email to: the first letter of their first name dot last name (at) phoenixcenterforthearts.org (no spaces). There are only two exceptions to this; Will Snider, who can be reached at will.snider(at)phoenixcenterforthearts.org, and Renee Aguilar, who can be reached at renee.aguilar(at)phoenixcenterforthearts.org.
Chief Executive Officer
Lauren Henschen
Lauren Henschen has served as Phoenix Center for the Arts’ CEO since July 2019. Lauren has been with the organization since 2012, most recently serving as Deputy Director from 2016-2019. Prior to coming to the Center, Lauren spent 8 years on the Communication Arts Network team, focusing on marketing and public relations for local businesses and arts organizations. Lauren serves on the boards of Phoenix Community Alliance, the Hance Park Conservancy, and the Evans Churchill Community Association. She is a proud Arizona State University graduate and big Sun Devil Football and Arizona Cardinals fan. Lauren is also a published songwriter (BMI, Fervor Records), with music featured in some of your favorite television programs. She is an Arizona native, a Valley Leadership alumna, and a committed community advocate.
Lauren’s Superpower: Game planning
Office Hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 304
Programs Manager
Jessica Valiente
Jessica Valiente is a powerful Latina! She was born in San Francisco and raised in “La Phoeniquera.” When she isn’t being awesome as Phoenix Center for the Arts’ Programs Manager, she is busy doing awesome things in her community. As a business owner, Jessica focuses on connecting talented Phoenicians to unexpected audiences, by creating memorable events and productions. She is also a core member of the Isac Amaya Foundation; an organization that raises scholarship funds for students who are undocumented. In her free time, Jessica enjoys meeting new people, engaging in various cultural events, and learning about new and upcoming trends. Her favorite quote (which her mother repeated many times throughout her childhood) is ” dime con quien te juntas, y te digo quien eres” (translation: “tell me who you surround yourself with and I’ll tell you who you are”). Jessica takes pride in making sure that she is always surrounded by powerful and determined individuals. Her inspirations come from those who keep fighting the fight to achieve their goals and their dreams.
Jessica’s Superpower: She’s a Multipotentialite
Office Hours: 10:00am-6:00pm Monday-Friday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 303
Thunderbird Manager
Lindsey Krause
Lindsey Krause is a long-time student, volunteer, and teaching artist at the Center. She has managed Thunderbird Arts Center since its inception in 2016. Lindsey is personally and professionally passionate about art and believes it can be used to heal, empower, and enact social change and connection. Lindsey holds a multifocal Master’s Degree in Humanities concentrated on Psychology, Expressive Arts Therapy, Social Justice, and Non-profit Arts. Lindsey is a practicing artist, proficient in oil painting, and enjoys depicting the human form. She has exhibited and received awards for her work in Pennsylvania, her home state. In her free time, Lindsey enjoys hiking, meditation, reading, researching, and all things ART!
Lindsey’s Superpower: Idea generator
Office Hours: 12:00am-9:00pm Monday-Thursday
Contact: 602-293-3267
Campus Manager
Will Snider
Will started at Phoenix Center for the Arts as the Technical Coordinator in 2017 and took over the Campus Manager position in 2019. Previously, he was a working theater technician in Arizona since 2012. In his role as Campus Manager, he aims to create an affordable and supportive space for all organizations, students, and teachers at The Center. In his spare time, he enjoys watching television, seeing movies and plays, and playing video games with friends all across the world. Will hopes to one day start and run a successful podcast with his friend and colleague, Mirinda.
Will’s Superpower: My easy-going attitude
Office Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm Monday-Friday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 306
Marketing Manager
Renee Aguilar
Renee Aguilar is a dedicated arts and culture advocate who has worked with a variety of Phoenix non-profit organizations, including Cultural Coalition, Inc., Pueblo Grande Museum, and Phoenix Art Museum. She looks forward to bringing her passion for building meaningful engagement between cultural organizations and their surrounding communities to her role at Phoenix Center for the Arts. Originally a California girl, she came to Arizona by way of Virginia, Wisconsin, and back again via Newcastle, England. She credits travel at an early age to her academic pursuits at Arizona State University, where she received her B.A. in anthropology, and her M.A. in museum studies from University of Newcastle Upon Tyne. A self-confessed history, art, and music nerd, Renee loves exploring cultural sites in every city she visits. When not traveling, she enjoys living local, attending as many arts, culture, and music events around Phoenix as she can.
Renee’s Superpower: Creating connections
Office Hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
Contact: 602-254-3100
Creative Designer
Mirinda DiBiase
Mirinda is a graduate of Arizona State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Visual Communication. She has several years experience in the graphic design industry and has an extreme passion for all things creative. As a Creative Designer, Mirinda helps create and update the graphic design materials used for Phoenix Center for the Arts, Thunderbird Arts Center, and Central Arts Alliance. Originally from Tucson, she came to Phoenix to pursue her dreams of finding a way to contribute her knowledge and enthusiasm to the art community. When not at work, she can be found exploring new mediums and methods for creating all forms of art. Her favorite quote comes from Mark Twain, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” She is grateful that Phoenix Center for the Arts has given her the opportunity to do what she was born to do.
Mirinda’s Superpower: Making others smile
Office Hours:
10:00am-6:00pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday
10:00am-1:00pm Tuesday & Thursday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 311
Patron Services Lead
Kevin Lopez
Kevin is a creative, mellow, and curious person. He is always looking for something creative to fill his day and keep his imagination flowing. Whether it’s creating something at home or being involved in local art and fashion events. He is a graduate from Arizona State University with a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies with concentrations in Communication and Media Analysis. He has a strong interest in media and visual and performing arts. One of his overall goals is to make a positive impact on people’s lives with art.
Office Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm Tuesday, 1:00-5:00pm Wednesday-Friday, 9:00am-1:00pm Saturday.
Contact: 602-254-3100
Patron Services Associate
Ruben Aguilar
Born and raised in Phoenix, Ruben is excited to work alongside the amazing staff, teachers, and students (or pretty much anyone that walks into the Center). As a self-professed extrovert, he enjoys communicating with and helping people. In his spare time, he volunteers for Aliento, which is a young adult led organization that focuses on community healing through the arts. Some of his interests include: learning, sports, music, and photography…in reality, the list is almost endless!
Ruben’s Superpower: Friendliness
Office Hours: 5:00-9:00pm Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 312
Patron Services Associate
Silvia Avila
Silvia was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. She lived in San Diego for 7 years and moved to Phoenix 3 years ago. She is super excited to be working with such amazing people, and to get to know the teachers, students, and everybody that walks into the Center. Silvia has over 10 years of experience in customer service. In her free time, Silvia volunteers for the Isac Amaya Foundation, an organization that focuses on raising money for scholarships for students who are undocumented, as well as provides workshops to students and parents on how to effectively apply for scholarships and fund their educations. Silvia enjoys learning, reading, hiking, swimming, and dancing…pretty much anything fun!
Silvia’s Superpower: Spreading love
Office Hours: 5:00-9:00pm Tuesday & Thursday, 12:30-4:30pm Saturday
Contact: 602-254-3100 ext. 312
Community Arts Curator
Ted Ciccone
Originally from the East Coast, Ted earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial design from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His background includes diverse roles in the arts. As part of the executive team at Scottsdale Arts he oversaw the marketing for the Center for Performing Arts, SMoCA and Public Art. Ted also served The Art Institute of Phoenix as director of communications, where he helped young artists and designers explore career options in the arts. While at The Art Institute, he lead the outreach efforts and formed many partnerships with nonprofits and community leaders. Currently, as the community arts curator, he manages a variety of art shows including the Student Art Series and the Thunderbird Art Works. In his free time, Ted enjoys creating new forms in clay as a ceramics student at the Center.
Ted’s Superpower: Super vision for the small details
Office Hours: Varied
Thunderbird Camp Manager
Maria Cruz-Cordoba
Maria Cruz-Cordoba is the Camp Manager at Thunderbird Arts Center. She is a firm believer in creative arts as a form of learning and says that being Camp Manager brings together two loves: her love of children and her love of art. As an almost “empty nester,” Maria enjoys being around kids because they have a lot of creative energy and are unlimited envisioning themselves as young artists. As an adjunct Theology Instructor at Benedictine University at Mesa, she incorporates art in her teaching there, and affirms to her Ben U. students that art is an expression of God, who created everything and gives us the “eyes” to recognize beauty. Maria has two young-adult sons and one “almost” grown daughter of her own and loves to be creative whenever she has the opportunity.
Maria’s Superpower: Coming soon…
Office Hours: Seasonal
Contact: 602-293-3267
