Who we are.

Board of Directors

La Sala is a non-profit organization fiscally sponsored by Shunpike. Board members and volunteers have powered this organization since its beginning. 

La Sala is grateful for the contributions and leadership of our advisors. 

Miguel Guillen
Co-founder

Irene Gómez
Co-Founder

Antonio Davidson-Gómez,
Co-founder

Board

Board President and co-founding member

Catalina Marie Cantú is a retired attorney and Mediator with decades of experience in banking, real estate, land use, risk management, philanthropy, and organizational management. She is a multi-genre writer, interdisciplinary artist, Jack Straw Fellow and VONA/Voices Alum.  Her writing has been published in numerous publications and anthologies. Catalina holds a B.A. in La Raza Studies, and a J.D. from the University of Washington, where she was a co-founding member of MEChA and Teatro del Piojo, the first Washington State Bilingual guerilla theater group. As a volunteer attorney, she managed the King County Bar Association Bilingual Spanish Legal Clinic. Catalina is a co-founding member and current Board President of La Sala, past chair of Los Norteños, NW Latino Writers Group, and past board member of legal and community boards. 

Board Vice President and co-founding member

Wendy Call (co-founder and board Vice President) is Assistant Professor of English at Tacoma’s Pacific Lutheran University. She has organized more than 100 literary events in the Seattle area, many of them as part of her volunteer work with La Sala. She has received ten grants from 4Culture, Artist Trust, and the Seattle CityArtist Program for her creative writing, which includes the award-winning nonfiction book No Word for Welcome. Her current literary projects (writing and poetry translation) are supported by the Fulbright Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Office of Arts & Culture. Before joining the faculty at Pacific Lutheran University, she was a freelance writer, editor and Spanish-English translator for 15 years. Before that, she devoted a decade to full-time work as a grassroots organizer for non-profits in both Seattle and Boston. She was a founding member of La Sala and served on the board until 2013, rejoining in 2015.

Board Treasurer

Jim Cantú is an IT Project Manager with over fifteen years direct Project Management experience, including more than ten years’ experience managing budgets of over $20 million. He holds PMP Certification and an MBA. Jim recently joined the staff of El Centro de la Raza as their Operations Administrator, where he works on special projects. Jim is also poet, prose writer, and radio producer. He served as Writer-In-Residence for La Sala’s 2016 pop-up gallery “La Cocina.” He is a graduate of the Artist Trust Writer’s program. He produces and DJs KBCS 91.3 FM’s Latinx music show “Sabor” and KRVU 105.7 FMs weekly Arts program Hearts and Soul. In addition to serving on La Sala’s Board of Directors, he also serves on the boards of KVRU Radio and for the Seattle UNESCO City of Literature. Jim joined La Sala’s Board of Directors in 2016.

Board Secretary

Lauren Davis is assistant director of ArtXchange Gallery in Pioneer Square, an intercultural gallery that promotes cultural exchange through art and reflects the diversity of influences shaping the Seattle community. Her involvement with La Sala began with 2010’s exhibition “Sense Us 2010: Latino/a/x Artists in the Pacific Northwest” at ArtXchange Gallery, and she joined La Sala’s board in 2013. Davis' projects include exhibitions and events with the Office of Arts & Culture, Arts & Social Change Partnership, La Sala Latino/a Artist Network, Bellevue Arts Museum and Columbia City Gallery. She is a graduate of Seattle University’s Masters Program in Arts Leadership. Davis is committed to grassroots community engagement and creating equitable access to arts opportunities for both artists and audiences.

Vanessa Villalobos is a professional dancer, choreographer, and teaching artist at her artist business BALORICO LLC. She also does Construction management as an Executive Assistant to Bad Boyz Painting General Contractors. Vanessa’s nonprofit/business management consulting roles were Director of Marketing at Dance Forum-NY, Studio Manager at the American Ballroom Dance Studio and an Executive Corps 501 Commons consultant. Vanessa holds BA’s in Theater and Dance from the University of Washington, and a MA in Nonprofit Arts Leadership from Seattle University. She is a graduate of the United Way of King County’s Project L.E.A.D. Program. For four years Vanessa served as Board Treasurer for the Dance Educators Association of Washington. She is a skilled bilingual development (fundraising) professional who encourages a philanthropic spirit across ALL generations. For three years, she contributed to the A.F.P. Advancement NW’s Philanthropy Day planning committee outreach. In 2021, Vanessa was appointed a City of Seattle Arts Commissioner. She joined La Sala’s Board of Directors in 2016.

Jake Prendez is a renowned Chicano artist exhibiting his art and lecturing across the country. Jake is also the owner/director of the Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery in White Center, WA. JPrendez was born in San Jacinto California but raised in Bothell Washington. He returned to California after receiving his Bachelor’s in American Ethnic Studies from the University of Washington to work on his Master’s in Chicana/o Studies from CSU Northridge. His oil paintings and digital artwork are created with a specific focus on themes relating to Chicanx and Indigenous culture, social justice, pop culture, and satire. Jake is a strong advocate for youth empowerment and the power of positive reinforcement. Jake was a founding member and editor and chief of Puro Pedo Magazine, the Pop Up Mercado, The Barrio Boogie Collective, and The Art Jam/ Buen Pastor Mural Project.