Staff
Jan Williamson
Executive Director
Jan Williamson is the Executive Director of the 18th Street Arts Center. She came to the Center during its fifth year in 1995. Under her leadership 18SAC has evolved from a small, alternative artist-run space to Southern California’s largest artist residency center, working with diverse local and international artists who provoke public dialogue through their art making. During her tenure, the organization purchased 18SAC’s 1.25-acre property and Williamson has been leading the planning and fundraising efforts for the renovation and redevelopment of the site. Williamson holds a certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders and a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2010, she was awarded a Durfee Foundation Sabbatical Fellowship for her executive leadership in the arts. For nine years she served on Santa Monica City’s Arts Commission. She currently serves on the board of Santa Monica Travel and Tourism.
Prior to 18th Street Arts Center Williamson worked for visual artist Tom Van Sant for four years on his revolutionary artwork The GeoSphere Project – the first satellite composite map of the Earth, free of clouds, and for performance artist, Barbara T. Smith. As an artist, Williamson co-founded and produced EWALA (Earth Water Air-Los Angeles) an annual performance art trek with playwright Susan Suntree, which engaged hundreds of Angelenos from 1994 to 2000 in honoring the Los Angeles River watershed while drawing public attention to threatened environmental areas along the river. She was also a founding member of the eco-political street theatre troupe FrogWorks, which performed original works nationally on the plight of California’s wetlands.
Kim Russo
Deputy Director
Kim Russo is a practicing artist who has an extensive career in education and the arts. She has served as a gallery director, college professor, department chair, and associate provost at the University of Louisiana, Whittier College, College of Santa Fe, Ringling College of Art and Design, and CalArts, and most recently served as dean of graduate studies and interim provost at Otis College of Art and Design. Russo has also worked as a public orientation educator at MOCA/Los Angeles and an artful weekends assistant manager at the Getty, and she wrote art criticism and gallery reviews for the Albuquerque Journal North and The New Mexican/Pasatiempo in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Kim Russo’s works-on-paper are cautionary tales that reference the complexities of contemporary America. Her current and ongoing work and research references 19th century ideas about manifest destiny and transcendentalism as avenues for critiquing our colonialist and corporatized relationships with nature in America 200 years after the Hudson River School artists painted the American landscape. Her work also explores the symbiotic practices and philosophies of Native people that were eliminated by white settlement, and the disparity between Native and colonialist relationships with the natural world.
Russo’s work is in the permanent collections of the Hilliard Art Museum, the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, as well as notable private collections. She has received residency fellowships from the Lenz Foundation, Caldera, the Atlantic Center for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts.
Michael Ano
Senior Director of Public Engagement
Michael Ano is an artist, curator, and educator. Contemplating the transmission of ideas and its correlative relationship to systems of power- Ano makes alternative platforms for information distribution, to explore how ideas and people connect to ask whether pedagogical methods can more fully democratize the diffusion of learning, and to conduct critical thought experiments in deconstructing how resources associated with social stratification are codified. He has worked organizing educational programs and outreach at the Orange County Museum of Art, the Norton Simon Museum, LACE, the New Museum, University of California, San Diego, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego.
Jazmyn Beauchan
Director of Communications
Jazmyn is an arts professional, cultural worker and tropical fruit enthusiast with over 5 years of experience in nonprofit communications. Born in Hawaii, Jazmyn primarily grew up in Europe and the continental U.S., informing and sparking an early interest in communicating across cultures and lived experiences and lead to pursuing a degree in Public Relations at Virginia Commonwealth University. Both an arts patron and advocate, Jazmyn has dedicated her career to mission driven organizations working in the arts or social sector, including YoungArts, Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, Commissioner, Maven Leadership Collective and Sibling Leadership Network. She also provided key support on projects such as Artist Relief, an emergency grant fund created in April 2020 in response to the devastating impact on artists due to COVID-19.
Nicole Gordillo
Director of Advancement
creating and implementing strategic programming and engagement initiatives in art organizations and
higher education. She has held positions at organizations such as Inner-City Arts, LACE, LA Freewaves,
Americans for the Arts and LA’s Community Redevelopment Agency. Gordillo most recently served as a
Philanthropy Officer at the Colburn School, where she was responsible for the stewardship and
expansion of the School’s portfolio of institutional partners and individual donors while providing vision,
leadership and creativity in building a vibrant and successful giving program for the School’s music and
dance departments.
Melissa Anderson
Development and Executive Coordinator
Melissa Anderson-Vincent is an actor, writer, and all around creative who brings over 15 years of administrative, organizational, and customer service skills to her position. She has worked at non-profit organizations in the past such as, Theatre of Hearts/Youth First and Sustainable Works, and is excited to join the passionate team here at 18th Street Arts Center. She is a member of the Towne Street Theatre, the company in residence at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, and currently volunteers with ARRAY, the film distribution company founded by Ava DuVernay which focuses on amplifying the filmmaking voices of women and people of color.
Tom Norris
Residency Coordinator
As an advocate and artist, Tom Norris understands the strength of community and believes that through the arts, collective societal change is possible. He addresses social structures and economic systems using various mediums, including sculpture, performance, watercolor, and sound.
Norris earned his MFA from Otis College of Art and Design, and a BA in the field of studio art from University of California at Riverside. Before arriving at the 18th Street Arts Center, he focused on the twentieth-century art and archives from the Pasadena Art Museum housed in the Norton Simon Museum’s collection. He currently builds community as a member of the Arroyo Seco Network of Time Banks.
Sydney Brundige
Administrative Assistant
Sydney Brundige is an artist and system developer. As an artist she works primarily in abstraction, exploring themes of understanding and identity. As a system developer Sydney works with art organizations to help them optimize their internal systems and more effectively reach their audience and community. Sydney has worked with a number of organizations from Interlochen Center for the Arts to the Arts and Culture Commission of Glendale, California. She earned her BFA in drawing from Ball State University and MA in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University.
Sacha Dufresne
Operations Manager
With a career spanning over two decades, Sacha Dufresne is a seasoned professional in facilities maintenance and property management. His diverse skill set includes certifications in horticulture and cabinet making, reflecting his ability to blend technical expertise with creativity.
His journey has taken him through various facets of the industry. He dedicated a significant portion of his career to horticulture, cabinet making, and general contracting, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and experience.
In a bold move, he also ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing and successfully operating, along with a partner, a bistro-pastry shop in Montreal. Then, in 2014, he embarked on a three-year journey throughout South-East Asia. This transformative experience further enriched his perspective and personal growth.
Upon returning to North America in 2017 he took on the role of facilities caretaker for a Buddhist retreat center in Whistler. His dedication to maintaining and enhancing the retreat center’s environment aligned with his own spiritual values. In 2019, he relocated to California, where he assumed the role of property manager for an estate in San Marino.
Sacha is excited to bring his extensive skills to 18th Street Arts Center, to enhance operations and contribute to the organization’s continued success.
Paloma Nicholas
Public Engagement Associate
Paloma Nicholas is an arts educator and program curator born and raised in Los Angeles. After working in the UCLA Library of Special Collections as an undergrad, she discovered her love for working with primary sources and works of art. She has since worked with The Getty Center, The Association of Research Institutes in Art History (ARIAH), The Hammer Museum, and most recently as the Education Specialist at ESMoA. Paloma is passionate about arts equity, and has centered most of her work around creating diverse, inclusive, and accessible programming, with a particular interest in Spanish language programming.
Photo credit: Nicole Martinez
Ryan Wheeler
Gallery Attendant
Ryan Wheeler is a current student at Pepperdine University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Art. Ryan‘s love for the arts has drawn him to 18th Street, where he’s eager to become involved with the Los Angeles and Santa Monica art scene. Alongside his academic pursuits, Ryan‘s busy creating visual art, primarily working with charcoal and ink. He’s thrilled about the opportunity to collaborate with seasoned artists and our dedicated administration team here at 18th Street Arts Center.
Lucia Fonseca
Housekeeper
Stephen Sacks
Director of Finance
Interested in joining our team? Check out our employment opportunities.
Interns
Annie Abbago
Communications Intern, California Lawyers for the Arts Designing Creative Futures
I have a variety of interests in art/design and law. I am passionate about being creative and how I can use that to be of service to others. I love to create art that reminds people about the beauty and value within themselves and others. I hope to be able to explore the different perspectives of artists and those who support them to do what they do best. Through my internship, I want to learn effective ways of communicating visually appealing messages and values that speak to the hearts of people to inspire positive action.
Board
Ted Schwab
President
Ted Schwab is strategy consultant servicing the healthcare industry, an entrepreneur, and serves on several charitable boards. He has been in the health care business for 32 years and has started six small businesses. His interest in non-profit work started with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), where he still is active. His interest in contemporary arts led him to the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts where he was a board member for over a decade.
Joan Abrahamson
Vice President
Joan Abrahamson is president of the Jefferson Institute, a public policy institute that identifies and implements innovative approaches to current policy problems. She was assistant chief of staff to Vice President George H. W. Bush from 1981 to 1985. She has also worked with the U.N. Human Rights Commission and UNESCO’s Division of Human Rights and Peace, where she designed new procedures for the treatment of alleged violations of human rights. She planned and implemented the Vienna International Congress on the Teaching of Human Rights and the International Symposium on the Political Participation of Women. In 1985 she was named a MacArthur Fellow. She is president of the Jonas Salk Foundation and founding chair of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Malindi Davies
Treasurer
Malindi Davies is the Chief Operating Officer for Tamara Mellon, Inc., the premiere direct to consumer luxury footwear brand, where for the past year and a half she has overseen operations and finance through triple-digit growth. Prior to Tamara Mellon, Malindi was General Manager of the global online marketplace Saatchi Art, a Leaf Group company, and managed Investor Relations and M&A for The Knot/ XO Group. Her first career was on Wall Street where she spent over a decade in equity research covering the ecommerce and online media sectors.
Jonathan Aronson
Jonathan Aronson is professor of communication at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California as well as professor of international relations. He also is on the board of the Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis. His two most recent books (with P. Cowhey) are, Digital DNA: Disruption and the Challenges for Global Governance (Oxford University Press, 2017) and Transforming Global Information and Communication Markets: The Political Economy of Innovation (MIT, 2009). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served as president of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. Aronson received his degrees from Stanford (1976) and Harvard (1971). He received an honorary doctorate from St. Petersburg State University, Russia, in 2000.
Janine Arbelaez
Born in Los Angeles but grew up in Colombia, Janine Arbelaez is a private practice Marriage & Family therapist in Santa Monica. Her past experience includes serving MOCA on the board of the Contemporaries Council from 2001-2010, as Vice President from 2007-2010, and also as Education Co-Chair (2004-2007) and Members at-Large Co-Chair (2001-2005) and also serving the Santa Monica Museum of Art from 2007-2009 on the Incognito Committee. Currently she serves on the board of the Contemporary Craft Council at CAFAM and also the Acquisitions Committee for MOLAA, both since 2012. Arbelaez brings a breadth of knowledge of Contemporary Latin American Art as a collector and avid supporter.
Dan Greaney
Michael G. Rey
Michael G. Rey is presently a working fine artist in Los Angeles. He was the Founding Principal and Creative Director of Intersection Studio. Intersection first specialized in design and creative direction for publications and music packaging then grew to include branding and fundraising strategies for major non-profit organizations. Clients included: The Getty, Skirball Cultural Center, LA Philharmonic, United States Artists, Sundance Institute, Autry National Center, The Broad Stage, CHOC Children’s, Craft and Folk Art Museum, Geffen Playhouse, KCRW, Natural History Museum, North Carolina School of the Arts, Otis College of Art and Design, Pacific Symphony, PRI (Public Radio International), Segerstrom Center for the Arts, SCI_Arc, UCLA, USC Marshall School of Business, USC Shoah Foundation Institute, and Art Center College of Design. He holds a BFA in Advertising Design and an MFA in Fine Arts from Art Center College of Design, where he has also taught photography and graphic design.
Jessica Cusick
Jessica Cusick is president of Cusick Consulting, established in 1999, which specializes in cultural planning and policy development. Ms. Cusick has over thirty years of experience working in community development and the arts for governmental agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations. Key areas of expertise include municipal government, public process, and resource development; as well as public/private partnerships and neighborhood revitalization projects in which the arts play a substantive role. Clients include the cities of Fort Worth, Pasadena, and Ventura; the California Arts Council; the County of Los Angeles; the Houston Midtown Redevelopment Authority; and the Seattle Public Library, among others.
Ms Cusick was the cultural affairs manager for the City of Santa Monica from 2005 through 2015, where she oversaw significant expansion in the City’s support for artists and the creative sector, including the establishment of an artist fellowship program. As part of her work, she developed Glow, a unique, all-night art event that drew over 200,000 visitors in its first year.
She has taught in graduate programs at several institutions, including Otis College of Art and Design, the University of Houston, and the University of Southern California. Currently she teaches a course in cultural policy for Claremont Graduate University.
Ms. Cusick has a degree in art history from the Sorbonne in Paris and a master’s degree from New York University. In 2014, she was awarded I’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, one of France’s most illustrious titles, for her distinguished career in the arts.
Pamela Mass
Pamela Mass is an arts professional with over 20 years of experience. She was a Senior Designer for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Getty Trust where she created award winning exhibitions, publications and environmental design programs. She later founded a design and strategy consultancy focused on arts and cultural institutions. Pamela served on the board and executive committee of Craft Contemporary and as president of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s MOCA Contemporaries. She currently serves on the board of the Blue Ribbon at the Music Center and at Windward School, where she chairs their Advancement Committee. Pamela earned her B.A. from UCLA’s School of Arts and Architecture and her M.A. in Art Business from Sotheby’s Institute of Art/Claremont Graduate School’s Center for Business and Management of the Arts.
Susan Baik
Susan Baik is the owner and Director of BAIK ART, a contemporary art gallery in Los Angeles. With over 14 years of experience representing and advising emerging and established artists, Baik also runs a satellite location out of Space Kaan in Seoul, South Korea. As former Director of AndrewShire Gallery, Los Angeles, which she owned and managed from 2002 to 2013, Baik expanded the gallery to Singapore in 2006 where it ran until she left to start her own enterprise. Baik has curated exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, Seoul, London, and Indonesia. In 2016, she organized the exhibition Art and the Measure of Liberty at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations. In 2017, she assisted with Unexpected Light: Works of Young-Il Ahn at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to its critical acclaim as the first exhibition of a Korean-American artist at a major institution. As the visionary behind the BAIK ART residency program, Baik places her artists into a country or culture distinctly different from their own. Each concurrent residency takes place in a different country and culminates in a curated exhibition accompanied by a comprehensive catalog. In addition to 18th Street, Baik currently serves as a Board Member at the Korea Arts Foundation of America, and on the Art Committee at Davidson College in North Carolina. She graduated with a degree in Fine Art from the University of California, Irvine.
Andrew Beath
Andrew Beath is the founder of the EarthWays Foundation in Malibu, California, as well as several other nonprofit social justice and environmental organizations. His foundation has initiated projects to protect wilderness and assist threatened communities in South, Central, and North America. Beath is also author of the book, Consciousness in Action. His personal interest continues to focus on potential solutions to our ecological problems by dealing with the issues of poverty in the third world, consumption in our country, expanding human population, specific environmental problems, and the undeniable interconnectedness of all these things. EarthWays projects are meant to be a catalyst for personal and global awareness, and social and environmental activism.
Damien Bigot
Born in Brittany, France and having lived all around the world, Damien Bigot has become a specialist in cultural diplomacy, international relations, and institutional administration for the arts. After working for several years in Italy (Villa Medici and Rome Music Foundation), he moved to Israel to manage the French Institute (Institut français) for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then for three years in Lebanon as Regional Director, where he started several different cultural and art initiatives. Damien Bigot was Director of Cultural Affairs of the City of Montrouge (France), and was a regular Conference Speaker for the Arts, Science, and Technology University in Beirut. He became a representative for the Middle East at Cultural Heritage Without Borders (Patrimoine Sans Frontière), an international organization, official partner of the UNESCO, that mobilizes the notion of cultural heritage as a means to respond to the demands of local populations (post-crisis situations and social exclusion). In this role, he worked to utilize the power of cultural heritage as a means to respond to the demands of local populations.
Judith Khneysser
Born in Germany, Judith grew up in East and Southeast Asia. She worked in EU lobbying for more than 10 years, advising large financial services institutions on issues related to the EU Enlargement and the Financial Services Action Plan. She left the lobbying industry, when the family moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where she worked in Asset Management. After 10 years in Geneva, the family moved to Singapore, where she started establishing her network within the arts community in Singapore and Indonesia. Judith now concentrates her efforts on promoting Southeast Asian artists in Los Angeles.
Judith studied French literature and history at the Sorbonne in Paris and holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations & Politics from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, in Brussels, as well as a Master’s Degree in Art Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art and the Drucker School of Management.
She speaks fluent German, French, and English, some Italian and basic Bahasar Indonesia.
Susanna Bixby Dakin
Emeritus
A native California writer and sculptor, Susanna Bixby Dakin is a co-founder of 18th Street Arts Center and the former publisher of High Performance magazine. Dakin has also been an instrumental and sustaining figure over many decades in family and indigenous farmers’ rights, nuclear disarmament, and environmental justice movements.