Board of Directors
Cosette Moeller, President
Nick Kite, Vice President
Some of my fondest memories as a child were that of my mother volunteering in my classroom to teach art. To this day I still have former class mates coming up to me saying how they remember my mother and loved every minute of her teaching.
​
I hope to continue her legacy and provide ways for our local youth to be creative and express themselves through art.
​
"Art is a place for children to learn to trust their ideas, themselves, and to explore what is possible"
- MaryAnn F. Kohl
Cheryl Swix, Secretary
Gail Youngblood, Treasurer
Board Members
Cristina Medina Dirksen
Cristina is a 30-year Marina resident and community volunteer.
She served as Mayor Pro Tem of Marina during her elected term on the Marina City Council and brings a commitment to improving access to arts, education and opportunities during her 11-years on the Marina Youth Arts board. She also serves as a board member of Salinas-based arts organization Hijos del Sol Productions. Her support of the arts is demonstrated by bringing new supporters to ensure MYA's success in delivering on its promise of free art opportunities. She and her husband are raising triplet teens daughters who attend MPUSD schools.
Mia Nguyen
Excited to be joining the Marina Youth Arts, Mia enjoys sharing her passion of art with others. She spends her free time creating artwork, traveling, reading, gardening, hiking, biking and being outdoors. During her world travels she’s come to realise that Art is an essential key to a happy society and mental health. Art is mathematics in motion. From her personal experience art can be healing, nourishing and fun. It’s an important part of growing up as well as managing a stressful life into adulthood. For the elderly it’s wonderful to help with memory and cognitive functions.
Nancy Amadeo
As a child, I was exposed to the arts from the earliest years of my life. My dad was involved in community theater as an actor and director. My mother, grandfather, and great aunt were all artists. Singing and learning to play an instrument seemed as important as breathing. It was an essential part of life.
As a result, when I was asked if I was willing to be a founding board member, I was excited to say yes and helped to develop this amazing nonprofit organization.
I am honored to continue to participate in our ongoing effort to bring arts programs to our youth.
"You put the STEAM in STEM when you include the Arts in education."
Eric Huerta
Samantha Huerta
Remembering Lenore Masterson
​Lenore Masterson has been a resident of Marina for 30 years. She is a Custom Cartoon Illustrator with a BA in Commercial Art and a Graduate Degree in Fine Art and over 40 years as a professional illustrator with 5 books to her credit. She, along with Nancy Amadeo, founded Marina Youth Arts and has been its President for 13 years.
A scholarship in her name is held at The Marina Foundation that provides arts education support for youth. More information or to apply go here.