Commissioners

Commission Vice Chair, Dr. Pamela Hall (Phoenix) is a professor of Art History at Glendale Community College (GCC) where she has taught since 1998. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Maryland, and has taught at the Smithsonian Institution, the American University, the University of Maryland, and Trinity College. She is past district coordinator of the Art Masterpiece Program for the Madison Elementary School District, and currently serves as curator of GCC’s Art Collection. She served as advisor to Phi Theta Kappa honor society, has been recognized as GCC’s Honors Professor of the Year, and is a regular lecturer to docents at the Phoenix Art Museum. Dr. Hall was first appointed to the Arts Commission by Governor Jane Dee Hull; she was re-appointed by Governor Jan Brewer and Governor Doug Ducey and is now serving her fourth term. She lives in north central Phoenix with her husband, Scott Celley. Updated June 2020

Christina Corieri (Phoenix) is the Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Doug Ducey. Previously, she was Health and Human Services Policy Advisor.

Jason Kush (Cave Creek) was born in California but raised in Arizona attending Arcadia High School and then Arizona State University obtaining a BS in Marketing from the W.P. Carey School of Business. After college, he spent his 20’s returning to California working for fortune 10 companies. In 2005, he moved back to Arizona to become the 3^rd generation in his family to become a home builder and real estate broker. He currently owns J P Kush Construction, a developer and builder of luxury homes located in Scottsdale Arizona. Jason is active throughout the community including past President of The Phoenix Theatre Company, a past active member of the Phoenix 20/30 club, a member of The Men’s Art Council and Sun Devil Club and has served on numerous boards including The Children In Need Foundation and serving as a panelist for the National Endowment for The Arts. Jason and his wife live in Cave Creek, with their three daughters.

Angelia Hill (Phoenix) is the President & CEO of OneMillion Entrepreneurs nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the economic landscape for all people to one million sustaining entrepreneurs by 2036. For the past 17 years, she has been inspiring entrepreneurs with the motivation needed to succeed through the journey of creating and refining businesses in Arizona. Consulting economic development campaigns for the United Nations UN Women (WEP) council and national companies she is the former, Senior Vice President of the Arizona Small Business Association. Currently serving on the Arizona Dept of Education CTE Board Commission, Angelia provides guidance on programs for entrepreneurial students and community engagement of arts industry businesses at many levels. Angelia and her husband live in the Biltmore area of Phoenix and enjoy cultural emersion travelling around the world. Updated June 2021 

Chelsea Lett (Phoenix) was born and raised in Bullhead City, Arizona, and attended Northern Arizona University earning degrees in American Political Studies and Public Relations. She moved to D.C. and worked a year on Capitol Hill prior to joining the Washington National Opera and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Lett spent three years with WNO and The Kennedy Center in the press and development departments working on  projects promoting the opera in the community. In 2012, she moved back to Arizona and began working for U.S. Senator Jeff Flake where she currently serves as Regional Outreach Director.

Michael Potter (Surprise) has been involved in the arts in Arizona as a Theatre major at Grand Canyon University, the former President of the Phoenix Youth Symphony Orchestras, the lead broadcast voice of the GCU Men’s Basketball (radio) and Baseball (ESPN+) teams, and broadcasting various sports for the Pac12 network and the Western Athletic Conference. He has spent a number of years executing sales strategies, insurance, and real estate and looks forward to bringing his unique experiences in arts and business to lead, challenge, and support the organizations and the overall arts culture in Arizona. With three children in colleges/conservatories studying french horn, trombone, piano and percussion performance and one child at home studying piano and ballet, Michael is “bullish” on the future and excited to be part of developing the new paradigm for the arts in Arizona and beyond.

Megan Schmitz is a Director at Horizon Strategies, where she helps clients navigate the intersection of business, government, and community to reach their goals. Before joining Horizon Strategies, Schmitz was Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of Arizona Public Service. She advised on the strategic operations of the utility and publicly-traded holding company. She also served as Program Manager at APS, where she advanced the company’s clean energy commitment and reputation management strategy. Previously, Megan was Chief of Staff to the Phoenix City Council District 4 Office. She led a small but mighty team that worked to enhance quality of life for City of Phoenix residents, and advised on policy issues including transportation, public safety, zoning, DEI, and more. Schmitz volunteers to advance arts-focused initiatives as Board President of Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, and is also an appointed commissioner on the Phoenix Women’s Commission. She holds a bachelor’s from Ohio State, an MBA from ASU, and is a graduate of Valley Leadership. In her free time, Megan throws pottery, experiments in the kitchen, and enjoys the outdoors. Updated October 2022

Danny Sharaby (Phoenix) grew up in Cedarhurst, Long Island, New York and moved to Arizona to attend Law School at Arizona State University graduating with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1985. While attending ASU, Sharaby founded what is now Tickets Unlimited Inc., an independent, privately owned company engaged in the business of buying and selling premium tickets for all Local, National and International Sporting, Concerts, and Theater events. Sharaby is an avid art collector, and has been an active contributor of his time and resources to many civic, educational and charitable institutions in Arizona and across U.S. Sharaby and his wife Jenna live in the Arcadia area of Phoenix and have raised three daughters there. Sharaby is a current board member of the Camelback East Village Planning Committee serving since 2015. Updated June 2020

Ruth Soberanes (Phoenix), an Arizona native, is an International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service in Phoenix. She previously served as the Director of Trade and Investment at the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and as the Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives at the Arizona-Mexico Commission, Office of the Governor. Soberanes serves as the Vice President of the University of San Diego Phoenix Torero Club, Board of Director of the ASU Morrison Institute and Executive Council Member of the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute Emerging Leaders Network. Soberanes is an active member of the Flinn Brown Civic Leadership Academy and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations. In her spare time, Soberanes enjoys dancing flamenco and taking acting lessons. Updated June 2020

Colleen Steinberg (Paradise Valley) grew up in the Valley of the Sun. She attended the University of Arizona and earned a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art in 1990. In partnership with her mother and sister she founded a graphic design firm serving local and national clientele. For fifteen years she was a principal, working with clients to determine strategies and design for marketing campaigns and translating concepts into visuals for media outreach. She currently has her own commission-based animal portrait studio and teaches painting classes at various valley venues. She serves on the Paradise Valley Arts Board and has been active with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Ruben Alvarez (Phoenix) is Co-founder and Managing Partner of Molera Alvarez, LLC, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Phoenix. Molera Alvarez, represents a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, non-profit groups and governmental entities. Prior to forming Molera Alvarez in 2003, Alvarez worked in the State of Arizona’s Executive branch for 12 years. Notable is his role as the Governor’s Policy Advisor for Mexico and Hispanic Affairs. In this role, Alvarez managed the state’s relationship with Mexican government officials and provided leadership direction on key bi-national issues, cross border trade activities and initiatives targeting the needs of the Hispanic community. In addition, before becoming Policy Advisor, Alvarez served as the Governor’s Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity where he was responsible for implementing and overseeing outreach efforts to develop greater communication links between state agencies and underrepresented communities to disseminate information on contracting and employment opportunities. Updated June 2020