Commissioners

Commission Chair, Mark Feldman (Scottsdale) was appointed as the Commission Chair for the Arizona Commission on the Arts by former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer and was recently reappointed for a fourth term by Governor Doug Ducey. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Community Foundation (Chair of Investment Committee), the Board of Trustees for the Phoenix Art Museum (Co-Chair and Treasurer), Valley Beit Midrash (Treasurer and Past-Chair), and Temple Chai (Board President). He is past Co-Chair of the Jewish Community Association of Greater Phoenix, past Chairman of the Board for Free Arts of Arizona, a past Board and Executive Committee member for the Arizona Science Center, past Chairman of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern and Central Arizona, and a past Trustee of the Desert Botanical Garden. Updated June 2020

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

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

Benjamin Baer (Phoenix) completed his Bachelor of Music Theory at Ohio University. He continued his studies at the University of Kansas and with Frank Morelli at SUNY Stony Brook, where he taught courses in music technology and appreciation. Baer worked as a freelance bassoonist in New York before relocating to Arizona in 2011. He currently manages Education, Youth Performance, and Community Programs for Arizona Musicfest in the North Valley, coming from a similar position with The Phoenix Symphony. He is also active as a volunteer mentor with Free Arts of Arizona and in various capacities with his local church. Updated June 2020

Lisa Barnes (Mesa) previously worked as a legislative analyst for the Arizona House of Representatives and is active in the community. She is a Master Docent at Phoenix Art Museum where she has served on the governing board and as President from 2011-2012. She also serves on the John Volken Academy Ranch Advisory Committee and developed and runs their arts and culture curriculum and program. She and her husband Stan live in the East Valley. Updated June 2020

Jason Kush (Cave Creek)

 

Dr. Oliver Harper (Phoenix) has practiced medicine in Arizona as a family physician and geriatrician. A co-founder and former president of the Arizona Medical Clinic, where he practiced for 35 years, Dr. Harper has also been a volunteer physician at St. Vincent de Paul and currently at Mission of Mercy Clinics. He is currently on the board of the International Society for Cardiovascular Translational Research, the Creighton University Medical Alumni Board, a Council Member of St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix, and Chairman Emeritus of The Phoenix Symphony. He served on the Traveling Staff of John McCain’s 2008 Presidential Campaign. He and his wife Sharon, who is President and CEO of Plaza Companies, have 5 children and 5 grandchildren. Updated June 2020

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 

Rachel Frazier Johnson (Phoenix) is multi-faceted. She found her purpose in her career as an attorney, as well as her work in the arts & culture community. Johnson dedicates her personal time to improving the lives of Arizonans through arts & culture. Johnson’s dedication to positively impacting the lives of Arizonans makes her an exceptional addition to the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Her unwavering compassion and commitment to serving her community and the State is unparalleled. Johnson supports countless organizations and serves on a variety of boards and commissions which focus on enhancing arts & culture throughout Arizona. She possesses a passion for the arts, and devotes her free time to enjoying artistic and cultural events. She is also a theatre and film producer. Johnson enjoys live music, entertaining and international travel with her family. Updated June 2020

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.

Tamalyn Lewis (Scottsdale) is an Arizona native, born in Globe, raised in Safford, and attended Arizona State University. She has been practicing law for 34 years and is a shareholder with Engelman Berger, PC, a business based law firm, with her primary focus being commercial bankruptcy, creditor/debtor rights and corporate restructuring. Lewis also serves as a Co-Chair for Center Dance Ensemble, the resident modern dance company of the Herberger Theater Center. She is actively involved with many other charitable organizations, including the Casa.

 

Michael Potter (Surprise)

Megan Schmitz (Phoenix) is an expert at navigating the intersection of business, government, and community. Before joining Horizon Strategies, Schmitz was Chief of Staff to the Chairman and CEO of Arizona Public Service. In that role, 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, she was Chief of Staff to the Phoenix City Council District 4 Office. She led a small but mighty team 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. She holds a bachelor’s from Ohio State, an MBA from ASU, and is a graduate of Valley Leadership. In her free time, Schmitz throws pottery, experiments in the kitchen, and enjoys the outdoors. Updated April 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