STAFF

Carol Stakenas, Executive Director (09/05)

Since her arrival at LACE in 2005, Stakenas has worked with over 400 artists, more than 50 of which have developed unique and innovative projects that could only be realized through a residency at LACE. Through training and experience, Stakenas leads LACE’s staff to deliver core programs.  These programs require socially intensive processes to engage numerous community groups, local businesses, city agencies and thousands of residents. Stakenas is also a faculty member at the University of Southern California in Public Art Studies.

Previously, Stakenas was the Deputy Director/Curator of Creative Time, New York City’s adventurous public arts presenter. She has worked with a broad range of artists including Asymptote, Haluk Akakçe, Natalie Bookchin, Chris Doyle, Cai Guo-Qiang, Granular Synthesis, Shu Lea Cheang, Vik Muniz, Takashi Murakami, Marjetica Potrç, Toshi Reagon, Erwin Redl, Steve Roden, Christopher Russell, Mary Ellen Strom and Lebbeus Woods.  She has curated and produced multidisciplinary public art at sites such as Massless Medium and Music in the Anchorage in the Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage; Consuming Places in DUMBO Brooklyn; the DNA Deli Cups and the DNAid Billboards; PDPal, a mobile mapping project commission in Times Square; Shimon Attie's Between Dreams and History on Manhattan's Lower East Side; and Karaoke Ice, a mobile public art project that traveled throughout Los Angeles.

Robert Crouch, Assistant Director (07/08)
robert(at)welcometolace(dot)org

Having joined LACE in 2008, Crouch is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.  He works closely with the Executive Director in planning and fundraising activities. Crouch has a decade of fundraising and non-profit membership management experience. During his 9-year tenure at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, he increased annual membership revenue by 60% over a three-year period, raising annual membership revenue from $740,000 to $1.2 million. He is also the co-founder and co-curator of Volume Projects, which functions as a catalyst for interdisciplinary new media work through exhibitions, performances, events, lectures, and publications.

Shoghig Halajian, Outreach Coordinator (07/08)
sho(at)welcometolace(dot)org

Halajian brings her experience in the alternative arts to LACE as Outreach Coordinator. She works with LACE’s web designers and marketing/public relations partners to implement unified marketing strategies. She also runs the internship program. With a background in Philosophy and Literature, she approaches her independent curatorial work from an outsider’s perspective. As one of the co-founding members of Eighteen Thirty Collaborations, an artist-run experimental arts space in Echo Park, she is interested in using collaborative projects to produce momentary and site-specific situations that question the traditional art space.

Geneva Skeen, Gallery Supervisor (12/08)
geneva(at)welcometolace(dot)org

BOARD MEMBERS

Chad Clark, President, (7/06) is an independent architect, a writer at Frontiers Magazine, and was a founding member of The Young Professionals Council at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. Chad shares his professional knowledge of facilities issues and working with large scale non-profits.

Vincent Ruiz-Abogado, Vice-president, (06/07) is an independent art director and film maker.  He created title sequences for films such as Brokeback Mountain, Fantastic 4 and XXX.  His clients include HBO, Bravo, TNT and Partnership for a Drugfree America. This year he directed A Walk in the Park, a documentary feature film. He brings his expertise to developing access to the LACE Video Archive Project for the 30th Anniversary.

Synderela Peng, Secretary, (6/07) is an artist and graphic designer.  She is currently an art director at yU+co.  Her clients include Universal Studios, Disney, Sony Pictures, and Touchstone Pictures. She provides strategic direction in developing LACE’s communication plan.

Adam Comeau, Treasurer, (2/08), an engineer and architect by training, is currently working in the retail and urban development sector with Westfield Properties.  He enjoys charitable fundraising endeavors such as the AIDS marathon and AIDS LifeCycle. He is interested to bring his experience in urban development to the art community.

Blake Koh, (1/03) is the Senior Vice President and Director of Fine Arts, West Coast for Sotheby’s in Beverly Hills. He has been at Sotheby’s for over fifteen years. He has served as the auctioneer of LACE’s Annual Benefit Art Auction.

Sean McDonald (1/07), until recently, he was an equity research associate at the Capital Group Companies, Inc. He is currently in business school at Columbia University. Sean brings significant experience in financial analysis and strategic planning to the LACE Board. 

Glenn R. Phillips (6/05) is Research Associate and Consulting Curator in the Department of Contemporary Programs and Research at the Getty Research Institute. He recently curated the acclaimed California Video retrospective at the Getty Museum.

RVLDP BOARD INTERNS
Remy Zapanta, Capital Group
Jane Chung, Capital Group

LACE INTERNS

Lizzy Joelson
Lisa Bechtold
Susan Higo
Nina Laurinolli
Mike Rios
Marcus Benigno
Janet Dandridge
Lila Miller
Laura Anne Birch
Lesley Negrete
Ilana Milch
Fred Portillo
Alice Clements