Innovations in Government Workshop Series

Like the other CAC grant programs, the CAC convened a peer-review panel to adjudicate and rank the submitted applications for this program. We offer deep appreciation to our panelists.

Lauren Benetua (Oakland, Folk/Traditional Arts) is an experienced community organizer and cultural leader and the founding Community Catalyst at OF/BY/FOR ALL. Lauren coached members of the OF/BY/FOR ALL Change Network program and facilitated workshops and trainings before stepping into the new Community Datalyst role. She has worked with organizations across California and the globe focusing on cultural equity and social responsibility, including San Francisco/Bay Area Emerging Arts Professionals, The American Arts Incubator, the Western States Arts Federation Emerging Leaders of Color, Betti Ono, and the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. She holds a Master’s in Museum Studies from a joint international program from Marist College and the Istituto Internazionale Lorenzo de’ Medici, and a Bachelor’s degree in History of Art and Visual Culture from the University of California Santa Cruz. In her own time, Lauren is a dedicated cultural practitioner who has been recognized by the Alliance for Traditional Arts for her studies as an apprentice weaver with Kalingafornia Laga with master artist Jenny Bawer Young (2014), and also for her studies in traditional kulintang ensemble music with master artist, Titania Buccholdt (2017).

Shelly Covert (Grass Valley, Multidisciplinary) is the Spokesperson for the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and sits on the Tribal Council. She is also the Executive Director of the Tribally guided non-profit, CHIRP (CA Heritage: Indigenous Research Project). Recently, with efforts to restore federal recognition, her work has taken on a wider scope that includes social, environmental, and racial justice topics that impact the Tribal community and their wellbeing. It is imperative that this education reaches the State Capital and that those making decisions regarding legislation, policies and budgeting for the state of California know the history of genocide and its continuing ramifications that impact the Nisenan today. Undoing the erasure of Nisenan history has been at the forefront of Tribal efforts and a focus for CHIRP. Raising the visibility of the Nisenan through community outreach, public events, and education has been of great importance as the Tribe struggles with the reintroduction of its culture and identity in 2022. As Tribal liaison, Shelly works closely with the Elders, Tribal Council, and Tribal members, to identify the areas of greatest need, and then guides CHIRP, to develop and implement projects that have found funding.

Laili Gohartaj (Oakland, Music) is passionate about equity and access to arts opportunities for people who have been excluded or marginalized. As a fundraiser, Laili has worked for individual artists and organizations throughout California while using her voice to push funders to acknowledge and dismantle white supremacy in philanthropy. She has also supported the arts community as a grants panelist for the California Arts Council and the City of Oakland, and board member for the Berkeley Arts Center and Mahealani Uchiyama Center for International Dance. Laili is a 2022 Periplus Fellow, was a Western States Arts Federation Emerging Leader of color in 2018 and advisor through 2020, and was a San Francisco Emerging Arts Professionals Fellow in 2017.

Sean Greene (San Francisco, Music) is a program innovator, and advocate for transgender and queer people in San Francisco. He is the Deputy Director of The Transgender District, where he spearheads resource generation for the organization’s innovative Arts & Culture and Economic Development programs to cultivate transgender exceptionalism in the arts, business ownership and safety in the Tenderloin. He is the former Development Director of the GLBT Historical Society and has led development and volunteer efforts at Positive Resource Center (PRC) and Breast Cancer Emergency Fund. Sean spent four years on the Board of Directors of the world renowned Folsom Street Fair, overseeing the Entertainment and Volunteer departments and was an underground DJ in San Francisco and Chicago for 10 years during the 2000s, before returning to life in the non-profit sector to lead projects that create opportunities and economic stability for people making their livelihood in the arts.

Terria Smith (Thermal, Literary Arts) is a proud tribal member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. She is also a one-time resident of a dozen different California municipalities and has used this versatile experience to carry on the tradition of storytelling. Since becoming affiliated with the Native American Journalist Association in 2005, the biggest joy she has had in her field has been traveling across the country, meeting native people from a number of tribes, and sharing their stories. Today, she has dedicated the focus of her career to focusing on sharing the stories California’s tribal people, her people. Smith received her undergraduate degrees from College of the Desert and Humboldt State University. She is a 2008 Chips Quinn Scholar who interned with the Ventura County Star newspaper under the direction of the health and science editor. She spent close to two years working as a reporter for The Desert Sun newspaper covering the community of Palm Springs, and now serves on the editorial board. She earned her master’s degree from the University of California Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism where she focused on radio and multimedia reporting. Today, she works full time as the Berkeley Roundhouse Director for Heyday Books. Among her responsibilities is being the editor for News From Native California magazine – a quarterly publication “devoted to the vibrant cultures, arts, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California’s diverse Indian peoples” and serving as the Director of California Indian Publishing.