Artown Board of Directors
The all-volunteer Artown Board oversees the organization and provides a welcoming festival for residents and visitors alike.
Christopher Galli - Co-Chair | Dickson Realty
Christopher Galli is a fifth generation Reno native who is deeply passionate about the Reno area and the quality of life it has to offer. Chris joined Dickson Realty in 2010, and has been consistently ranked as a top performing broker/salesperson in northern Nevada. He is the broker of their downtown office, and works with local and national corporate clients on their relocation efforts as the Vice President of Relocation. He loves getting new members of our community connected and engaged with all the incredible opportunities and resources Reno has to offer.
He also currently serves on the board for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Nevada, is an ambassador for Northern Nevada HOPES, and is chair of the board for the Lilley Museum of Art. Chris recently established the Christopher Galli Art Acquisitions Endowment for the purpose of supporting the acquisition of works of art for public display and to enhance the permanent collection of the John & Geraldine Lilley Museum of Art.
Chris holds a bachelor of arts in economics from Vassar College. In addition to his love of the arts, Chris loves home design, and enjoys rehabbing and investing in homes around the area. He also is one of the co-founders and owners of Parlay 6 Brewing Company, with a great taproom in Midtown Reno.
Meredith Tanzer - Co-Chair | Northern Nevada Hopes
Meredith Tanzer has made a huge impact on her adopted home of Reno, Nevada. Upon arrival from San Francisco, arriving in Reno, she established the award-winning La Bussola boutique, a one-stop creative retail space and buzz center in downtown Reno for delightful art oddities. The boutique helped support and develop artists who would eventually make art their fulltime livelihood. Meredith opened the HeartSpot Gallery, Deuce and Tree House Lounge. But it is Meredith’s numerous civic contributions that have been most profound, and through her efforts at the SPCA of Northern Nevada, Washoe County Homeless Youth Point in Time Count and Eddy House. Meredith helped to both improve and save the lives of our most vulnerable citizens. An award-winning gay rights activist, Meredith was a vital part of the capital campaign that opened Our Center, a vital community outreach, education and drop-in center for the underserved and at-risk LGBTQAI+ community, where she served on the board for nearly 10 years. Meredith, a resident artist at 1995 Dickerson (Sierra Arts), serves on the Board of Directors at Artown and is a part of the Northern Nevada HOPES family in downtown Reno. She considers herself a community connector with a unique combination of entrepreneurial mentality, nonprofit thoughtfulness, and corporate strategic planning experience.
Deane Albright - Treasurer
Deane Albright was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and moved to Reno when he was 4 attending k1-k-12 at local public Reno schools graduating from Reno High School in 1967. He attended the University of Nevada and received a BA degree in 1971 with a major in accounting. After working for a large National CPA firm, he started his own CPA firm(Albright & Associates, Ltd) in 1976 which has grown into one of the largest accounting firms in Northern Nevada.
During the past 50 years, Deane has been active in other business ventures such as the Brasserie Saint James Restaurant, Sierra Wellness Connection and various investments in startup companies as one of the founding members of the Reno Seed Fund in 2019, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage companies operating in Northern Nevada.
Deane has been involved in nonprofit activities for the past 30 years as a trustee of the UNR Foundation, the Nevada Museum Of Art, one of the early supporters of Artown, the Holland Project, the Reno Chamber of Commerce and EDAWN as well as one of the founders and current board member of the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan statewide policy research nonprofit organization working to advance evidenced based policy solutions for Nevada addressing key challenges faced by policymakers in Nevada.
Deane is married to Judy Albright and has 2 adult sons and two grandchildren.
David Lan - Secretary | Focused Computing
David Lan is a dedicated community advocate with an unwavering passion for uplifting non-profits and championing the underdog. As a recent addition to the Artown board, David brings his fervent support for the arts, coupled with his extensive experience in technology and entrepreneurship. His background includes serving as a board member for organizations such as the Renown Regional Medical Center, Secret Witness, and Artech. David's entrepreneurial spirit has led him to establish various businesses, such as Focused Computing, Next Best Thing Corp, and Capstone Compliance while also working with more global entities such as Intuun Medical and Terra Essence International. His nonprofit past includes helping the SPCA, the National Automobile Museum, the Fourth Ward School, Doors to Recovery, and of course Artown!
David also helps wrangle technology out in Gerlach Nevada for Burning Man. Some of his most meaningful moments have been bringing Art out to playa and providing support for international teams who bring out art as well. As a member of the Artown board, he hopes that his enthusiasm and expertise will continue to enrich the Nevada arts community, inspire others, and create lasting, positive change.
Craig Conrath M.D.
Craig Conrath was quite busy as a medical oncologist and one of the founding members of Cancer Care Specialist until his retirement five years ago. He grew up in a household in Ohio where his father initially played in the big bands and live music was always abundant. For many years Craig has been an enthusiastic supporter of the local arts as well as attending multiple regional music festivals regularly. He has been a member of the Leader’s Circle of SF Jazz for over twelve years. He has been involved with multiple local concerts, attempting to bring to Reno musical groups that are “just below the radar” before they take off with a national audience. He has been eager to support multiple regional civic organizations and is proud to live in the Truckee Meadows where he has many wonderful friends.
Gabrielle Enfield | Washoe County
Gabrielle Enfield has served Washoe County in the Office of the County Manager, since 2001. She leads the Community Reinvestment Division; responsible for identifying and addressing community needs by convening partners and aligning new and existing resources to create transformative change. Projects are funded utilizing the county’s recovery funds, competitive federal grants, opioid settlement funds, foundation grants and county general funds.
Enfield served as the County Grants Administrator, providing oversight for county-wide federal funding; and as Community Support Administrator she worked closely with community based human service organizations addressing human services needs including homelessness and housing assistance.
She spearheaded development of the Washoe ArTrail project in collaboration with Burning Man and multiple community partners. The ArTrail , routes along a 200-mile trail celebrating the art, history and culture of Washoe County. She is responsible for Washoe County’s Arts and Culture projects including temporary art, murals, and new installations. Ms. Enfield was recently appointed to the Artown Board of Directors.
She also serves on the Western Nevada Development District Board of Directors, the One Truckee River Partnership Council, and is a member of the Urban Land Institute - Public Private Partnership Council, Gold. She is an avid innovator, dedicated to maximizing the investment of public funds to improve communities. Throughout her career she has developed a robust background in and respect for the power of collaboration.
She earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Idaho, the Certified Grants Management Specialist, from National Grants Management Association. In her free time Gabrielle enjoys art events, hiking, biking, and exploring recreational areas and National Parks.
Patricia Meidell | American Wealth Management
Patricia Meidell is a Certified Financial Planner equipped with decades of experience in finance, education, and counseling. Pat received a BS from Idaho State University, a master’s degree from the Northern Arizona University, and has done post graduate work in counseling. Before becoming a financial advisor, Pat taught high school classes for 17 years. After earning her first securities license in l972, Pat went on to open her own financial services business in l982. She moved her practice to Reno in in l992. She is currently the Chairman of the Board of American Wealth Management.
Pat has been involved in the community in numerous capacities. She is the recent past president for the Nevada Interfaith Association. She has been actively engaged in creating and promoting the NIA Youth Leadership Conference for area youth over a three-year period. She has been actively involved in Community presentations such as the NIA Prayer Breakfast, NIA Thanksgiving Prayer Service, and the commemorative Martin Luther King Event. For over ten years she served as a Director for the Renown Health Foundation. She successfully matched donors to vital medical needs in the community. She was instrumental in the Renown Spiritual Center remodel and redesign to more closely reflect our diverse spiritual community.
Pat is looking forward to serving on the Artown Board. She loves the performing arts and is delighted to be part of this vibrant, creative part of our community, anxious to lend her support to all the possibilities.
Lauren R. Schwarz, Ph.D., ABPP | Associate Dean, Institutional Wellness, UNR Medical School
Lauren Schwarz is a brand-new member of the Reno community. She and her family moved here this past August. Professionally, Lauren is a clinical neuropsychologist and chief wellness officer for UNR school of medicine. This amazing job opportunity is what brought Lauren and her family here. In her free time, Lauren enjoys being outdoors with her daughter Maddy (age 4), son Benji (age 8), and partner Fred. Hiking, biking, and climbing are favorite pass times. A significant source of joy for her and her family is art in any form. They enjoy being amateur artists as well as appreciating the amazing creations of professionals.
Cathy Trachok | Community Member
Cathy Trachok was born and raised in Reno Nevada. She attended the University of Nevada and received a BA degree in 1976 with a major in Spanish and minor in French. She returned to receive a teaching degree and certificate in 1983.
In 1986, Cathy left teaching and worked in the family business until 1997.
Cathy has been active in non-profit activities for most of her adult life. She was the director of the Suzuki Music Association of Reno-Tahoe, president of Sage Ridge School’s Parent Association,a member of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada Board, a member of the UNR College of Liberal Arts Board, a member of Sierra Nevada Ballet Board, a member of the St. Mary’s Hospital Board and is presently a member of the Community Health Alliance Foundation Board.
Cathy is married to Rick Trachok. They have 2 children and a 3 year old grandson.
Teysha Harbin | Multidisciplinary Artist
Teysha is a multidisciplinary artist and senior federal program manager based in Reno, Nevada. She brings over 22 years of experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs, where she currently serves as a Logistics Program Manager overseeing multimillion-dollar procurement and contracting activities. Her professional background includes roles as a Budget Analyst, Program Specialist, and Voucher Examiner, providing deep expertise in fiscal oversight, compliance, risk management, and organizational operations.
In her federal role, Teysha serves as a liaison between VA Medical Center leadership and the Network Contracting Office, supporting the acquisition of complex equipment and services. She analyzes annual procurement and contracting budgets, researches delinquent and outstanding acquisitions, and provides guidance and training to Contracting Officer Representatives and management staff on pre-award and post-award processes. Her work emphasizes transparency, accountability, and effective stewardship of public resources—skills directly aligned with nonprofit board governance.
Alongside her professional career, Teysha maintains an active artistic practice. She works across painting, singing, and welding, with a decadelong focus on large-scale abstract acrylic painting. Her work explores organic movement, layered texture, and emotional presence through an intuitive, process-driven approach.
Teysha has exhibited in nonprofit, commercial, and community-based venues, including the Sierra Arts Foundation Main Gallery, Reno Tahoe International Art Show, multiple solo exhibitions at The Paloma Design House as part of Art Town programming, and a Sierra Arts Foundation exhibition displayed at Reno Orthopedic Center. These experiences inform her understanding of artist support, exhibition logistics, and community engagement.
As a board member, Teysha offers a rare combination of artist perspective and institutional leadership. She is committed to advancing nonprofit arts organizations through ethical governance, sound financial stewardship, and inclusive, mission-driven programming that benefits artists and the broader community.
Bethany B. Sam | Community Artist and Public Relations
Bethany is a highly organized, goal-driven, client-focused professional with strong communication and presentation skills. She describes herself as creative, outgoing, take-charge, and team-oriented, with a track record of motivating and training others. Bethany emphasizes attention to detail and a commitment to delivering accurate, high-quality work and expresses interest in representing ARTOWN to enhance its visibility and public image among the general public, the local tribal community, and partner organizations.
Her recent roles center on public relations, community outreach, project management, and media. Since October 2019 she has served as Public Relations / Community Information Officer for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. She has also worked as an Innovator/Project Manager and independent contractor for First Nation’s Focus and Nevada News Group (2016–2020), managing projects and initiatives that bridge community and media interests.
Bethany has extensive sales and advertising experience across print, digital, radio, and video. She held multiple sales and account management positions with Sierra Nevada Media Group, Swift Communications, Ruby Radio Corporation, and Rice Hydro, including outside sales, business account management, recruitment/classifieds sales, and team lead responsibilities. Earlier positions include roles in retail, customer service, marketing, and supervision—such as Credit Captain at Home Depot, bartender/supervisor and marketing at SCAVOS Bar, and retail clerk/supervisor for the Washoe Tribe.
Her formal education includes a high school diploma (Coleville High School, 2003) and college coursework at Feather River College (2003–2005). Bethany has completed professional trainings and certifications relevant to her field: ABC’s of Fair Housing (2014), Effective Advertising (2014), First Aid/CPR/AED (2012), and Dale Carnegie Training (2016). These credentials support her background in advertising, client relations, and community-focused communications.
Ana Lauren Córdova de García | Entrepreneur
Originally from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Ana Lauren is an attorney, wife, mother, and entrepreneur with extensive experience in marketing strategy, sales development, and experiential leadership. In South America, she organized festivals, concerts, and large-scale cultural events, building a strong foundation in cultural production and community-driven programming. Her career has evolved toward creating spaces where business and community meaningfully connect.
Through her leadership at Brasserie Saint James in Reno, Ana cultivates inclusive programming that generates opportunities for local artists, musicians, and creative entrepreneurs, ensuring that art, music, and culture remain central to community engagement.
Grounded in collaboration, accessibility, and long-term vision, she is dedicated to strengthening Reno’s creative ecosystem in sustainable and impactful ways. As a member of the Artown Board, she supports initiatives that expand access to the arts, foster partnerships, and reinforce the cultural vitality of the region.
