Arts Council Silicon Valley Elects Four New Board Trustees

San Jose, CA, March 5, 2005 – Arts Council Silicon Valley announced the election of four new Board trustees in January. The new trustees were elected by the 21-member Board and will serve their first one-year term from January 2005 to January 2006. Board trustees are responsible for the fiscal oversight and governance of the organization and also assist in fundraising, marketing and advocacy efforts. Each new trustee brings with them a unique set of skills and experiences that complement the existing Board.

Newly elected Board trustees:

Peter Gelfand is a San Jose resident, professional cellist and founder of the San Jose String Quartet. Mr. Gelfand is also a principal cellist with San Jose Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Silicon Valley and Ballet San Jose/Silicon Valley. He is a faculty member at Santa Clara University, a past Arts Council Silicon Valley grantee and is the producer/coordinator of many community projects.

Renee Guild is the Director of Regulatory Affairs and Emerging Markets for AREVA T&D Corporation, which offers a complete range of products, services and solutions for electrical transmission and distribution applications. She is a former member of the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, a former Chair of the Nevada Museum of Arts Special Events Committee and a member of the Hidden Villa Duveneck Dinner Committee. A current resident of Mountain View, Ms. Guild has dual citizenship in both the United States and New Zealand.

Gita Hazemi is both a nuclear engineer and professional artist. She obtained a masters degree in Nuclear Reactor Science & Engineering from the Imperial College London University in England. While a Mathematics instructor at the American College in London, she was the coordinator and organizer of a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching Farsi language to all age groups which grew from five to 160 students in three years. Now, Ms. Hazemi now owns her own business as a freelance web designer and developer and has developed websites for the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, California Community College Association and others.

Audrey Wong is the former Executive Director of the Baroque Choral Guild where she worked for over 23 years. A Sunnyvale resident, she is a current staff member at Hidden Villa, a 1,600-acre farm and wilderness preserve in Los Altos Hills that has unique programs that teach environmental and multicultural awareness. She is a current member and past Chair of the Arts Council Grants Committee, a freelance writer, elementary school teacher, and singer.

“The diversity of the new trustees will be a great asset to the Arts Council,” said Bruce W. Davis, Executive Director of Arts Council Silicon Valley. “We have certainly accomplished our goal of infusing capable professionals with varied backgrounds who both understand and appreciate the power of the arts.”

Incorporated in 1983, Arts Council Silicon Valley is a regional nonprofit arts agency, providing funding and advocacy support, and fundraising and marketing services, to the region’s arts and multi-cultural organizations and individual artists. As the official state/local partner with the California Arts Council and the County of Santa Clara, Arts Council Silicon Valley is now the largest nonprofit arts council in the state. Over the past 12 years the Arts Council has distributed $7 million to local arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, schools, and community groups.