Nicole Caracia

Nicole Caracia is an artist and VP/ Artistic Director from Annapolis, Maryland. She has worked with an impressive number of artists and companies over the past 20 years in a wide range of industries, however, photography, marketing and programming have been her primary focus for the past decade.

Nicole got her start in Marketing when she worked for Sony/ BMG and continued as the Marketing Director at the Rams Head Group from 2007-2012. She oversaw creating engaging social media content, press releases, and coordinating events for the restaurants and helping with the music venues.

In 2013, Nicole was hired as the Marketing Director and Gallery Coordinator at the Chesapeake Arts Center. She has curated over 100 gallery exhibitions at the CAC and off-site pop-up galleries, along with working with the CAC staff on marketing the center’s upcoming events and developing programs. In 2018, Nicole was promoted to become the center’s Artistic Director and soon she began developing a relationship with Anne Arundel County Public Schools to provide free after school programming for the Northern Anne Arundel County Elementary students. In 2022, she continues to develop and collaborate with AACPS, The AngelWing Project, TCP, Next One Up, Star Ltd., Maryland Concert Series and other local organizations that will provide quality and affordable art programs for the community.

In addition, she runs Nicole Caracia Photography, and is also a house concert photographer for I.M.P and Live Nation. Working at the arts center has helped Nicole realize she was an artist herself. “Walking through the doors at CAC brings me so much joy. It’s my home to be creative. I love being inspired by other artists that walk through the doors.”

Nicholas Cohen

Over the past 13 years, Nicholas Cohen has been a strong advocate for the arts in Maryland as a musician, educator, and administrator. Currently, Mr. Cohen is the Executive Director of Maryland Citizens for the Arts (MCA). In this role, he oversees the statewide strategy, implementation, and engagement for advancing public policy and investment in the Maryland Arts Sector. Before coming to MCA, he served as Director of Community Engagement & Education Program for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, overseeing programming that provided access to music and arts for the Mid-Atlantic region. Nicholas has also served on Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh’s Youth Development Committee which was charged with developing a comprehensive plan for Baltimore City youth.

An avid musician, Nicholas is currently the contrabassoonist with the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Bethesda, Maryland, and has performed with the Annapolis Symphony, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, and other ensembles throughout North America. Nicholas and his partner, Stephanie, a professional flutist and musical entrepreneur, reside in Baltimore City where both are deeply invested in utilizing the arts as a vehicle to help build and sustain local communities. Nicholas received his Bachelor of Music with a minor in Developmental Psychology from the University of Florida and a Master of Music Performance in Bassoon from Carnegie Mellon University.

Ruby Lopez Harper

Ruby is the Executive Director of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+). Ruby’s work has included external equity strategies and field education, leadership development, local arts advancement, and cohort building for the local arts agency field, arts and culture administrators, and arts marketers. She currently works on projects with the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums and has consulted with numerous local, state, regional and national organizations on grantmaking, equitable practice, and capacity building initiatives.

She was selected for the 2021 BIPOC Leadership Circle Cohort with Artequity. She was a 2019 Arizona State University Practices for Change Fellow. She was recognized as a 2019 Inspirational Woman (Arts Advocate) by “And I Thought” Women in Literature. She is a steering committee member for the National Coalition on Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response, serves as Chair of the Gard Foundation, serves on the board for the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (Grants Committee/Advocacy Committee) and serves on Aha Creative board and WETA Community Advisory Council.

Ruby’s work has focused on equitable access, grantmaking, supporting individual artists, community development, economic development, cultural tourism, marketing, and public art. She draws on a varied background that includes corporate affairs, community relations, volunteerism, employee engagement, marketing and communications, and business administration. She served on the Emerging Leaders Council for Americans for the Arts, was the primary contact for the Arts and Economic Impact Study for Central Ohio and served as a mentor with Arts Administrators of Color DMV. She is a 2017 National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Advocacy Leadership Institute Fellow, Class of 2017 American Express Leadership Academy Alumni and Class of 2010 Next Generation of Leaders Fellowship program.

Alysia Lee

Formerly the education program supervisor for Fine Arts for the Maryland State Department of Education, Alysia work centers on anti-racism, creativity, and justice.

Presently, Alysia Lee is the inaugural President of the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund (BCYF), the bold hyperlocal grantmaker stewarding $14 million in public funds this year to support the success of Baltimore’s young people. Lee is also a Kennedy Center Citizen Artist and the Founding Artistic Director of Sister Cities Girlchoir, the El Sistema-inspired, youth empowerment choral academy operating in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Camden.

Lee composes music for vocal ensembles and is the series editor of Hal Leonard’s Exigence for Young Voices, the new choral series uplifting Black and Brown composers for young ensembles.

Garrett Matthews

Garrett Matthews (He/They) is an active member in the DMV theater scene. They have performed with The AngelWing Project in the plays “Clay’s Place” and “N” and has performed in musicals with Creative Cauldron: “Audrey”, “On Air”, “Charlotte’s Web” and “Beauty and the Beast” as well as with Ovations Theatre: “Urinetown”, “Legally Blonde”, “The Wild Party”, “Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde”, and “Spring Awakening”. Garrett has been seen with In Series: Opera and More, The Arlington Players, Rockville Musical Theatre, Laurel Mill Playhouse, and other local venues. They have also worked as an assistant to James Beard Award Winner and recent Jewish Book of the Year winner Michael W. Twitty (The Cooking Gene, KosherSoul).

James Phillips

As the Vice President of People & Culture, James Phillips provides visionary leadership as an internal influencer and agent of change leading The ARC’s talent acquisition and talent experience teams. He works collaboratively to develop, implement, and manage strategies that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all of The ARC’s practices.

Prior to The Arc, James worked as the Director of Human Resources & Administration at Business Health Services and also as the Senior Director of Human Resources at The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, where he streamlined recruiting processes, implemented leadership training programs, and managed compensation and total rewards strategies while the organization restructured.

James is a motivated, results-driven leader who has a wide range of experiences related to talent management, development, and onboarding. He holds a bachelor’s in business administration and human resources from Old Dominion University as well as a Senior Professional Human Resources certification.

Gabriel Rodriguez

Gabriel Rodriguez has built a multifaceted and impactful career spanning the nonprofit, higher education, and arts sectors. With a master’s degree in Classical Guitar Performance and over a decade of experience as an adjunct professor at the PRBC, Rodriguez has consistently leveraged his unique blend of skills and experiences to make a difference in the communities he serves.

In the nonprofit sector, he has made significant strides as the Director of Programs, and now Executive Director, at the Center of Help (Centro de Ayuda) in Annapolis, Maryland. This organization is committed to providing immigrants with comprehensive educational, family, and health and mental health services. Here, Rodriguez has led key initiatives, secured vital funding, and cultivated a positive work culture, significantly benefiting the community.

Parallel to his commitment to the nonprofit sector, Rodriguez has enriched the arts community. His contributions have included serving as the Deputy Artistic Director for the National Classical Guitar Competition in Puerto Rico, the most prestigious and significant classical guitar event in the island at the time. Additionally, he has held the interim directorship of the BCGS Orchestra and led the BCGS’s “Guitars for Change” program. This groundbreaking program supports at-risk immigrant youths, highlighting his dedication to education and community outreach.

Since May 2023, Rodriguez has taken on the role of Executive Director at the Center of Help. Drawing from his extensive background in strategic organizational leadership, he guides the organization’s mission and future direction. Rodriguez’s diverse background, strong leadership, cultural sensitivity, and unwavering commitment make him a vital part of the ongoing efforts to support and uplift the immigrant community served by the Center of Help.

Wilfredo Valladares-Lara

Born in Trujillo Colon, Honduras, Central America, Wilfredo Valladares Lara began his career as an artist and educator. Due to his creative abilities and challenging perceptions as a teacher during a time of conflict in his country, it was necessary to seek political asylum.
In the early 1990s, he arrived in the United States, where he continued his journey as an artist. He attended Montgomery College then the Maryland Institute College of Art, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture. He continued his studies at the University of Maryland where he earned his Master of Fine Arts in sculpture. It was evident that his chosen path would lead him to make contributions in the academic and artistic arenas.
Throughout his career, Wilfredo has been part of numerous artistic and educational events such as group shows, solo exhibits, workshops, and environment installations. In 1997 he had his first international sculpture show in Milan, Italy, where he had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse community of artists and curators. Lara’s work is designed to cross boundaries and move beyond the traditional paradigm of cross-cultural art. One of his most notable installations, “Ofrenda al Dios del Maiz,” explored Mayan mythology. It captivated the imagination of its viewers and transported them to a place cloaked in mystery with endless discoveries yet to be uncovered. His most recent commission project is a sculptural stainless-steel form designed for the Georgia and Wayne Avenues Park in Silver Spring.

Angela Wilson

Angela is the founder and Executive Director of the AngelWing Project, Inc.   She leads the non-profit organization in their mission to “Positively impact the community by providing uplifting, entertaining shows and events to inspire appreciation for and participation in the arts.”  The AngelWing Project is currently in residence at the Chesapeake Arts Center – a premier regional arts center – where they collaborate on myriad projects. 

Angela is an award-winning playwright, producer, director, and an independent artist with a vision. As a teacher and artist, she has found her niche in writing plays that tell stories of her cultural experiences in honest and compelling ways.  Her plays are truthful and sincere and tell important stories about the African American experience in a highly entertaining yet thought provoking manner. She can move audiences as she ensures that they are learning while being entertained, informed, and inspired.  

Angela’s work has been widely recognized and in 2022 she was one of 69 artists from across the state selected to receive an Independent Artist regional award from the Maryland State Arts Council for Literary.  Angela’s critically acclaimed stage play, Tears of the Soul, premiered at the Chesapeake Arts Center in 2018. It has since been published and licensed by Heuer Publishing, one of the oldest publishing houses serving the educational community theater markets from amateurs to stock (professional) performances in the US and other countries. Tears of the Soul also won the DC Black Theater and Arts Festival in Washington, DC in 2019 as it was voted the Festival Favorite in the full-length play category. Her latest work, Clay’s Place: Inside My Blue Mind was a quarterfinalist in the 2021 Screencraft national playwriting competition.

Angela’s writing style is real and honest.  Her fictional characters are authentic, valid, and amazingly human so they feel very familiar to her audiences.  Her plays provide a reflective look at life and the intermingling of its beauty and atrocities.  Her skillful prose enables her to write fictionalized stories with multifaceted characters inhabiting communities during historically real moments.  These are people living in and through fear, pain, and unspeakable challenges yet still finding a way to live courageously and love with an endurance of spirit that touches hearts. Angela states that she writes what her soul tells her, and believes this authenticity is why her audiences are so moved by her work.  Her writing themes focus on respecting our shared human experience, and the similarity of our individual frailties. 

Angela has also had a successful career in human resources for over 23 years. She has a Bachelor of Science in business Management and a Master of Science in Organization and HR Development and has been a leader in Learning and Development as well as Diversity and Inclusion. She left her corporate job in 2020 – at the height of the pandemic – to start her own consulting company, and to commit more time to her writing, leading The AngelWing Project, and helping others learn skills and tools to help them improve outcomes through effective communication and inclusive practices.

While there is nothing new under the sun, Angela believes that what makes someone a true artist is their unique perspective on life expressed through their individual creative lens.