Experience

Sones de Mexico Ensemble

• United States
• Musicians
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director/Producer/Musician

  • Apr 1994 - Present

  The mission of Sones de México Ensemble is to promote greater appreciation of Mexican folk and traditional music through innovative performance, education, and dissemination. The mission of Sones de México Ensemble is to promote greater appreciation of Mexican folk and traditional music through innovative performance, education, and dissemination.



City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE)

• Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Member - Chicago Cultural Advisory Council

  • Dec 2019 - Present

  Members of this Council advocate for a vital Chicago arts community and help advance the Mayor’s arts and culture priorities, which include making Chicago livable and affordable for artists and creative professionals, expanding public arts programming to help drive the economic life of our neighborhoods, collaborating with communities and creative industries to engage our artists and expand quality jobs, and expanding equitable access to high-quality arts education for all young people in Chicago. Show less



Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE)

• Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Co-Chair - Year of Chicago Music Steering Committee

  • May 2019 - Present

  Each year DCASE focuses on a different art form, rallying the support of all members of the local industry to help promote, nurture, and amplify their field. The year 2020 (and since COVID-19 cancelations, now extended to 2021), is dedicated to music. The Steering Committee is formed by 40-50 music industry leaders in Chicago. It is chaired by DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly, and co-chaired by four Committee members who serve as advocates and spokespeople for the project, along the commissioner. Each year DCASE focuses on a different art form, rallying the support of all members of the local industry to help promote, nurture, and amplify their field. The year 2020 (and since COVID-19 cancelations, now extended to 2021), is dedicated to music. The Steering Committee is formed by 40-50 music industry leaders in Chicago. It is chaired by DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly, and co-chaired by four Committee members who serve as advocates and spokespeople for the project, along the commissioner.



National Museum of Mexican Art

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Consultant - Director of Performing Arts

  • Aug 2013 - Jan 2014

  Worked as interim, part-time (0.3 FTE) director of performing arts: (a) produced three concerts for the fall 2013 season, staying within budget and reporting a $13K gain at the end of the season; (b) consulted on the technical design and buildout of a new, industry-standard, audiovisual system in the renovation of the Museum's auditorium; (c) created a 3-year vision document outlining performing arts solutions to further the Museum's strategic plan; (d) created a first draft of an 18 month operational plan for 2014-2015; and (e) developed a list of programming options for Dia del Niño 2014. Show less



Smithsonian Institution

• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 700 & Above Employee

• Consultant - Translator for Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Liner Notes

  • Mar 2011 - Apr 2011

  Translated detailed liner notes from English to Spanish on upcoming CD releases by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Typical liner notes for this label range from three to five thousand words, or more. The language contains musical references and technical terms that require some knowledge of music terminology and social sciences in English and in Spanish alike. Translated detailed liner notes from English to Spanish on upcoming CD releases by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Typical liner notes for this label range from three to five thousand words, or more. The language contains musical references and technical terms that require some knowledge of music terminology and social sciences in English and in Spanish alike.



The Recording Academy

• Musicians
• 700 & Above Employee

• Vice President - Board of Governors

  • May 2010 - Apr 2011

  Served for one year as our local chapter's Vice President and also chaired the membership committee. Served for one year as our local chapter's Vice President and also chaired the membership committee.



Ohio Arts Council

• Consultant - Fieldwork Research

  • Jun 2009 - Aug 2010

  Conducted a survey of Latino artists throughout the state of Ohio in the summer of 2009 that continued in the summer of 2010. I identified eligible artists for the project, obtained their contact information, traveled to their locations, interviewed many of them and documented their work with written, audio and video data. The research results were presented to the OAC in a searchable database using a FileMaker Pro template developed by me. The OAC intends to disseminate this information on their website. Show less



The Chicago Community Trust

• United States
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Fellow—Community Fellowship Program

  • Mar 2009 - May 2010

  Participated in an intensive, year-long, self-designed, self-improvement training program for emerging non-profit leaders. My areas of concentration were Finances, Internet Communications and Music Law. In 2010 and 2011 I was invited to continue my involvement as a member of the selection committee for subsequent generations of the Fellowship program. Participated in an intensive, year-long, self-designed, self-improvement training program for emerging non-profit leaders. My areas of concentration were Finances, Internet Communications and Music Law. In 2010 and 2011 I was invited to continue my involvement as a member of the selection committee for subsequent generations of the Fellowship program.



Freelance

• Voiceover Artist & Creative Writer for Commercial Campaigns

  • 1998 - 2010

  I have worked as a freelance voiceover artist in English and Spanish for over a decade. I have been a writer/translator for several ad campaigns in agencies that include EMorris Communications, Right Hand Man Productions, Charles Colbert Communications, Carol H. William Advertising, Cultural Communications LLC, and Adelante Advertising. I have produced other voiceover artists in the studio. Besides advertising, I have also done documentary film voiceover, two animated cartoon characters who spoke and sang in Spanish for John Burstein's "Math Monsters" series (for this series I also translated the songs so they would rhyme in Spanish). In my own production of the 2010 Parents Choice Silver Award winning album "Fiesta Mexicana" for Sones de Mexico Ensemble I wrote all the scripts and recorded the narration in English and Spanish. Show less



Western Folklife Center

• Consultant - Fieldwork Research

  • Jun 2007 - Jul 2007

  Conducted field research for the "Beyond Borderlands" exhibition. Worked as a presenter and taught a workshop on "corridos" songwriting at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 2008. Conducted field research for the "Beyond Borderlands" exhibition. Worked as a presenter and taught a workshop on "corridos" songwriting at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 2008.



Idaho Commission for the Arts

• Consultant - Fieldwork Research

  • Jun 2007 - Jul 2007

  Conducted a survey of Latino artists in the Southern part of the State for the "Mosaico Latino" project. I identified Latino folk artists in different genres, visited them, interviewed them, documented their work in writing, photos and video, and created a searchable database with the information. Conducted a survey of Latino artists in the Southern part of the State for the "Mosaico Latino" project. I identified Latino folk artists in different genres, visited them, interviewed them, documented their work in writing, photos and video, and created a searchable database with the information.



Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County

• Consultant - Fieldwork Research

  • Jun 2006 - Jul 2006

  Conducted fieldwork research to survey the work of Latino artists in Montgomery County, Silver Spring, Maryland. I identified eligible artists, obtained contact information, interviewed them, and documented their work with audio, video and written information. Conducted fieldwork research to survey the work of Latino artists in Montgomery County, Silver Spring, Maryland. I identified eligible artists, obtained contact information, interviewed them, and documented their work with audio, video and written information.



Smithsonian Institution

• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 700 & Above Employee

• Co-curator, Folklorist, Presenter, Interpreter

  • Sep 2005 - Jul 2006

  I was co-curator of the "Nuestra Música: Latino Chicago" exhibition at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. with Dr. Olivia Cadaval. I coordinated a group of researchers in Chicago to identify artists for the exhibition and collaborated in the design and manner fo their presentation during the festival. I also wrote the article about the exhibition in the official program book. In subsequent years I have returned to work as a presenter/interpreter, and I have been a consultant/translator for the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage "Música del Pueblo" website at www.musicadelpueblo.org Show less



Old Town School of Folk Music

• United States
• Music
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Director of Community Programs

  • Apr 1993 - Dec 2005

  Worked as a liaison between the organization and Chicago's many ethnic communities, produced hundreds of concerts and community programs, conducted audience research and collaborated in grant writing over the course of a 13 year tenure. Worked as a liaison between the organization and Chicago's many ethnic communities, produced hundreds of concerts and community programs, conducted audience research and collaborated in grant writing over the course of a 13 year tenure.



Indiana University Bloomington

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Financial Aid Advisor

  • Sep 1990 - Sep 1992

  I helped students find the best financial aid options for their particular situation, including grants and different student loan programs. This 20-hr/week part-time job involved a great deal of face-to-face and phone client services in a highly structured professional office environment. Daily activities included helping students fill out their financial aid forms, reading and interpreting their results, and general money management advice. The job also required the use pre-Internet search engines to find student records, registration, grades, contact info, etc. in the university's central database. The office culture was warm, supportive, adaptable and very team oriented. Show less



Malaga, Spain

• Private Guitar Instructor

  • Aug 1988 - Aug 1989

  I was a private guitar instructor in Malaga, Spain for one year. I had an average of ten students per week. Most of my students were beginners or intermediate. I taught American guitar styles, chord voicings, scales and modes, and some recording techniques on a portable four track tape recorder. I was a private guitar instructor in Malaga, Spain for one year. I had an average of ten students per week. Most of my students were beginners or intermediate. I taught American guitar styles, chord voicings, scales and modes, and some recording techniques on a portable four track tape recorder.