OUR TEAM
"A SMALL TEAM, COMMITTED TO A CAUSE BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES,
CAN ACHIEVE ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING."
SIMON SINEK
The Arts Fund could not carry out its mission without our talented staff, volunteers, and board of directors.
STAFF & VOLUNTEERS
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CEILIDH BIRKHAHN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ceilidh Birkhahn creates multimedia art and design work at the intersection of fantasy and technology, including music, writing, performance, HTML/CSS, and illustration. After graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA, they moved back to Santa Barbara. They co-run Procrastinating Writers United, and published anthologies Both False & True (2019) and Long-Winded (2024) through Lip Think Press. Aside from the arts, Ceilidh likes sweet star fruit, indie pop, pretending to be a dragon, and has maintained a “piano hobby” for over thirteen years. They currently work alongside several arts organizations and educators, focusing on making the arts more accessible to a wider local and global audience. They can be found in various places on the internet as @suitcasedragon.
JAMIE DUFEK | ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jamie Dufek has been serving on the board of The Arts Fund since 2015. A native Minnesotan, she earned a BA in Studio Art and holds a MBA with a specific focus in nonprofit management and corporate social responsibility. Currently she works for TIGER 21, a membership organization for successful, high-net worth entrepreneurs, and has her own consulting business for non-profits focused on fundraising and board cultivation. Jamie's passion is centered around service and community, and she currently serves as Communications Chair for The Women's Fund, and also serves on the board of A Different Point of View. Jamie is a mixed media and print artist and teaches art classes on the West Side with students K-12.
BELLA P | GALLERY MANAGER
Bella currently works for the Arts Fund supporting administrative duties, curating guest experiences, and promoting MSME on various social media platforms. When Bella is off the clock, Bella loves listening to music, watching TV, and writing- both fiction and non-fiction. Bella is so honored and excited to be a part of The Arts Fund team.
CHRISTINA ANDREA | GALLERY ATTENDANT
christina andrea is nonbinary, multimedia artist originally from Kerman, CA, in the Central Valley, but is currently occupying Chumash land in Santa Barbara. With a B.A. in Art from UCSB C/O ‘22, their artistic practice focuses on utilizing materials to their fullest ability, holding space for appreciation of all art forms, and creating sustainability and change through various artistic practices. Because of their familiarity with the lack of accessibility in the art world, especially in lower-income, underrepresented communities, christina andrea appreciates the ArtsFund and their dedication to continuing and encouraging artistic practices. In terms of christina andrea’s mediums, they range from acrylic, watercolor, and oil paint to collage and textile, to performance and public art.
