Christy is a painter, journalist, and arts manager native to Napa Valley, CA. Growing up in Napa, an area with small town charm and international acclaim, has developed Christy’s interests in community integration and engagement through the arts, specifically in tourism-centric regions. Currently the programs manager for Arts Council Napa Valley, Napa County’s designated cultural organization for the arts, Christy develops countywide programs to further Napa’s definition as an arts destination. Also an avid arts journalist, Christy writes about the arts for publications including the Napa Valley Register, North Bay Bohemian, Napa Valley Life Magazine, and the Examiner. Christy is the recipient of two NextGen Professional Development Grants in 2011 and 2012 for her focused studies on nonprofit arts development and the UC Chancellor’s Undergraduate Scholarship in 2007. Christy earned a B.A. in Art and History of Art and Visual Culture from UC Santa Cruz in 2007. With an added love for international travel, Christy has lived abroad in Rome, Italy, and spent extensive time in Latin America—both regions have influenced her own aesthetic as a painter and cultural advocate.