California Arts Advocates sister organization Californians for the Arts (CFTA) co-sponsored a reception (with Arts Orange County) to welcome Governor Jerry Brown’s newly-appointed Executive Director of the California Arts Council, Anne Bown-Crawford, at her first public meeting of the Council on January 25 at the OC Music & Dance Center in Irvine.  CFTA  Board members present that day included President Victoria Hamilton of San Diego, Past President Richard Stein (President & CEO of Arts Orange County) of San Juan Capistrano, Michael Alexander of Los Angeles, Tomas Benitez (Board Chair, Latino Arts Network of California) of Los Angeles, and Patrick Brien (Executive Director, Riverside Arts Council) of Riverside.  CFTA also celebrated the CAC’s “changing of the guard”–its election of a new Chair, Nashormeh Lindo of Oakland, and Vice Chair, Larry Baza of San Diego. Field Representatives David Taylor of Assemblyman Matt Harper’s office and Jose Martinez of Assemblyman Steven Choi’s office presented certificates to the new CAC director.

Pictured below: Image 1: Larry Baza, Anne Bown-Crawford, Nashormeh Lindo; Image 2: Anne Bown-Crawford, David Taylor; Image 3: Anne Bown-Crawford, Jose Martinez.