ACA Staff & Board

Alexandra joined the Board in December 2023. She is an arts manager and fundraiser with experience in management, fundraising, and communications in arts nonprofits and higher education. Her passion for the power of the arts to enrich communities drives her current roles as Director of Development for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and on the ACA Board. Alexandra holds an MFA in Arts Leadership and Cultural Management, as well as graduate certificates in Nonprofit Administration and in Cultural Organizations and Sustainability Management.

Alicia joined the Board in December 2026. She is a theatre professional with a rich background in performance, having trained at NYU Tisch and starring in several regional theatre productions and short films. She currently serves as Events & Engagement Officer at The Huntington, where she leverages her expertise in arts administration to support development, community engagement, and nonprofit initiatives with strong commitment to fostering access. Outside of the theatre, she has worked on Oscar-winning films such as Free Solo and several Emmy-winning late night tv shows including the now cancelled Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Alicia moved to Arlington in early 2025 and is very much enjoying getting to know all the town has to offer.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Jane joined the Board in December 2023. Prior to retirement, Jane worked for 39 years with WolfBrown, a Cambridge-based consulting firm that works with nonprofit cultural organizations, primarily in the field of arts and culture. Jane’s particular expertise is in financial analyses and planning, and she has worked on many planning and evaluation projects. Prior to her work with WolfBrown, Jane served on the staff of several Boston area cultural organizations. She is currently on the Finance Committee of Circus Smirkus. Jane is an amateur singer, and performs with Divi Zheni, a Balkan women’s chorus, and Sharing A New Song, an Arlington-based chorus (and serves on both of their boards).

John Oliver joined the Board in December 2020. He is Branch Manager at Cambridge Savings Bank, and originally met the Arlington Center for the Arts as their Personal Banker. John graduated with a B.A. in English Literature and a Certificate in Religious Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2013. He is the President and Co-Founder of The BeatHeart Foundation, a small Non-Profit based in Reading, MA, whose mission is to celebrate local art and music while promoting addiction awareness and recovery. John is also an amateur drummer.

Julie Neu joined the Board in December 2020. She is a quilt and fiber artist whose work has been included in several recent ACA group shows and in the “Disarming: Memorial Quilts for Mass Shooting Victims” exhibit in 2019. She is also a digital strategist for Baker Library at Harvard Business School. Julie holds a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Virginia and a Masters of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She and her family have lived in Arlington for more than a decade.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Nandana Mewada joined the Board in December 2020. She is an independent consultant with 20 years of experience in the sustainable investing industry having worked in the financial sector and with non-profit groups. An ACA “camp parent”, Nandana is an active resident volunteer for the arts, diversity and learning enrichment in Arlington. She and her family enjoy participating in community-based art projects in Arlington. She holds a Masters degree in Economics from Tufts University.

Sarah Buyer joined the Board in December 2020. She is an arts administrator specializing in programming and education. She holds a BA in History and Art History from Wellesley College, and an Mlit in Museum Studies from the University of St Andrews. Sarah currently works in Learning & Engagement at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and sits on the Boston Committee for Wellesley Friends of Arts. As the former Director of Education at ACA, Sarah has close ties to the community and mission of the Arlington Center for the Arts.

Shannon joined the Board in December 2023. She is the Executive Director of the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI), a national non-profit working to support hydropower that prioritizes environmental, cultural, and recreational resources. Shannon is an avid rower, sparking her interest in river health from a young age. She also learned a wide range of crafts from her mother and great aunt but now concentrates her efforts on ceramics. Shannon has played a key role in passing environmental and energy polices, including renewable portfolio standards and climate change legislation. She has deep experience with boards, volunteering her time for numerous educational, environmental, and industry organizations. Having graduated from Colby College with a BA in Art History, she is thrilled to put her expertise to work for an arts organization. Shannon also has an MBA from Boston University.

Bio coming soon!