Board Members

President

Vice President

John has been a high desert artist for the past 12 years, after 30 years as a performing arts producer at UCLA's Royce Hall. He previously volunteered on the MBCAC board for five years and now, after a two year hiatus, has returned for another tour of duty. John is grateful to be able to give back to this creative community that means so much to him.

Treasurer

Shahasp is a gallerist and an award winning, published jewelry designer with directorship and design positions in the high jewelry industry. Her own work, "Precieux" Metal Clay Jewelry, was established 1999 during the infancy of the medium.

She is a published author, Certified Precious Metal Clay Instructor and a GIA Grad. Before serving as Treasurer at MBCAC, Shahasp served on the boards of The Bay Area Metal Arts Guild and The Women’s Jewelry Association. Shahasp looks forward to supporting our Morongo Basin art community! 

Secretary

Laurie works as a Sales/Marketing Coordinator at the California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley and has 25+ years of experience as a financial sales advisor in Boston and NYC. She moved to the desert 15 years ago from Cape Cod, making her home in Rimrock with her late husband, Norman Erickson. Laurie has a passion for connecting people and she is actively involved in the community, so it was a natural progression to join the MBCAC as Board Secretary. When Laurie is not on the move, you can find her walking the desert with her dogs, Rock and Scruffy.

Member

A volunteer for the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council since 2010, Marcia's artistic focus is on representational painting. Her subjects range from abandoned buildings in desert ghost towns and old homestead cabins, to local landscapes and desert fauna. She enjoys the camaraderie and friendships that come from living in the thriving artists’ community of Joshua Tree and surrounding areas. Her remote private studio north of Joshua Tree provides the open space, peace, and solitude necessary for her creative inspirations to grow and flourish.

Communications Chair

When he's not busy arting, Bill helps other artists get noticed.

Membership Director

Sophia Sanchez is the Membership Director of the Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council. A Los Angeles native, she has over 15 years of experience as an arts administrator and stage manager across Southern California. After years in the Bay Area and Los Angeles nonprofit arts scene, she relocated to the high desert, where she has lived for the past three years. Her work reflects a deep commitment to community building, grassroots organizing, and the arts as a tool for social change—all rooted in her love for the desert and its vibrant, eclectic community. When not working in the arts, she’s busy road tripping with her husband, kids, and dog.