MEET THE BOARD
David Slutes brings a distinctive dual perspective to the arts - first as a former RCA recording artist with the Sidewinders, and later as a long-tenured venue builder in Tucson. During his 20 years as Entertainment Director at the historic Hotel Congress, he helped grow Club Congress into a three-stage venue hosting more than 1,200 annual events, with an eye toward preserving the historic character and cultural identity of the space.
He is now Co-Owner and Lead Programmer at La Rosa, a converted 1939 Benedictine chapel that opened in 2025. Throughout his career, both as an artist and as a steward of live music spaces, his work has been driven by a belief in the power of arts and culture to enrich and strengthen the Tucson community.
Susan Holden has been a defining figure in Southern Arizona's music community, leading Rhythm & Roots Tucson's premier Americana, folk, and bluegrass concert series, now in its 30th year - and has been the unrivaled force in bringing these artists to our region.
Her contributions extend across the city's most beloved venues, with meaningful roles at UA Presents, Hotel Congress, the Fox Tucson Theatre, and La Rosa. Through booking, strategic planning, and marketing, Susan's commitment to Tucson's cultural life has been both broad and deep - and her impact on the local music scene is without peer.
Gene Armstrong established himself as one of Southern Arizona's most trusted voices in arts criticism over a career spanning more than three decades. As the principal music writer for the Arizona Daily Star and a contributor to the Tucson Weekly, his award-winning work covered the full breadth of Tucson's cultural landscape — music, theatre, dance, and film — with the depth and enthusiasm of a true advocate for the arts.
Gene's writing helped shape how generations of Tucson audiences discovered and engaged with live performance, and his championship of local artists and venues left a lasting mark on the community he so thoughtfully covered.
Daniela Ontiveros brings a unique blend of expertise in the arts, luxury wellness, and transformational work. For more than two decades, she has worked across filmmaking, arts
administration, community engagement, and guest experience, creating meaningful opportunities for connection, creativity, and personal growth.
A longtime contributor to Arizona's arts community, Daniela has worked with a local arthouse cinema, the Arts Council, and a regional video collective, helping produce cultural events, support local artists, and engage audiences through film and creative programming. She has
also built a successful career within the luxury wellness industry, working at two of the nation's premier wellness resorts, where she is known for cultivating exceptional guest experiences grounded in authenticity. Her lifelong passion for music, cinema, and artistic expression continues to inform her approach to leadership, collaboration, and fostering
connection—whether through community arts initiatives or her work in luxury wellness
Alyssa Sandoval is a Tucson native whose roots in the local music and arts community run deep. A musician and singer herself, she brings an artist's perspective to her work in marketing and communications. Over the past decade, her collaborations with historic properties and Cream Design & Print have embedded her in the fabric of Tucson's cultural scene in ways that go well beyond a typical professional résumé.
Her firsthand understanding of what makes Tucson's creative community unique , combined with her marketing expertise, makes her a natural and passionate advocate for the arts.