Creative Individuals

Cristeta Boarini: Boarini is a writer and arts educator based in south Minneapolis. A former journalist, she wrote theater, dance, and visual art reviews for metro area and southern Minnesota news outlets for over a decade. Boarini has taught youth creative writing for over seven years at many institutions. An accomplished fiber artist, her knitting has won third place at the Minnesota State Fair. Boarini now primarily writes YA fiction and children's literature.; Reyna Davila-Day: Day, an enrolled member of Bois Forte with a lineage steeped in Mexica-Toltekatl ancestral wisdom, has dedicated her career to serving Native communities. Armed with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hamline University, she brings a wealth of experience as a youth mentor, project manager, administrative assistant, and cultural consultant. Currently, as the development and membership coordinator at Native Americans in Philanthropy, Day plays a vital role in advancing the organization's mission. Beyond her professional endeavors, she treasures moments with her family and being involved in the Twin Cities arts community. Day's passion for Indigenous empowerment and her rich cultural heritage position her as a dynamic force in philanthropy and community development.; Lissa Lofgren: Jones is the principal and consultant at the Lissa Jones Group, a consultancy dedicated to transforming the nonprofit sector by enhancing executive leadership, governance, and organizational culture. The company's mission is to empower nonprofit organizations to achieve greater impact and sustainability through strategic and tailored consulting services. Jones is the creator and has been the host of Urban Agenda, a public affairs program on KMOJ Radio, for fifteen years. Jones is currently the host of Black Market Reads, a podcast of The Givens Foundation for African American Literature. Jones sits on the board of the Friends of the Hennepin County Library and is a lover of reading and the arts.; Jean Louis: Louis is an avid supporter of the arts, having worked for two Twin Cities arts organizations and the Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota in administrative positions. She has utilized her music education degree by playing piano for many musicals, church services, and weddings. Volunteer work includes serving as an accompanist and vocal coach for a nearby school, working on a fine arts council, and hosting an annual talent showcase for the community. She has written grants for the local community theater and school system and reviewed grants for several arts organizations. ; Brighton McCormick: McCormick is a sculptor, educator, and art fabricator living and working in south Minneapolis. Their interdisciplinary practice focuses on sculpture, gallery installation, and public art, primarily utilizing metal casting and reinterpreted found objects. McCormick has a BFA from the University of Minnesota and a MFA from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA). McCormick is currently working out of and teaching at the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center; they are a visiting faculty member at Hamline University in sculpture; and the founder of Fire Press Library. Current exhibitions include Stevens Point Sculpture Park and the Minneapolis Convention Center.; Laura Nuckols: Nuckols is a candidate for the University of California Riverside's Palm Desert MFA, a 2024 Oberlin Screenwriters Intensive Fellow, and poetry editor at The Coachella Review. Their poems appear or are forthcoming at Aothen, The Banshee, and Protean.; Andrew Schlauch: Schlauch has served as executive director of the Cafesjian Art Trust for two and a half years. Schlauch also served as executive director of the Chihuly Collection in Saint Petersburg, FL, and chair of the arts advisory council for the city of Saint Petersburg. He worked at Chihuly Studio in Seattle, WA, and the Artists Archive of the Western Reserve in Cleveland, OH. He holds a BA in the history of art and architecture from Miami University.; Robin Wingo: Wingo embraces the arts through her lifetime practice as a fiber artist and has shown and earned awards in Missouri and Minnesota. Wingo serves as a board member for the Carnegie Art Center. In that capacity, she reviews artist exhibition proposals, installs shows, and serves as the board secretary. Wingo is educated as a master's level social worker and retired after 25 years teaching at two different universities. She has always been involved professionally with nonprofits as a social work educator throughout southern Minnesota and as a volunteer, including with Greater Mankato United Way and the Radio Talking Book Network.