The people building Houston’s cultural future.
ALMAAHH is led by a board and staff drawn from Houston’s cultural, civic, and philanthropic leadership — artists, executives, educators, and public servants who share one conviction: an American Latino arts and cultural center of this scale is overdue, and Houston is where it belongs.
Leadership Team
The team building ALMAAHH
day by day.
The people carrying ALMAAHH’s vision into strategy, partnerships, development, and programs — the operational core that translates the board’s mission into the work itself.
President
Carlos Duarte
Three decades of nonprofit leadership — including national development work at Mi Familia Vota — now guiding ALMAAHH’s growth as a strategist rooted in American Latino community organizing, civic engagement, and institutional development.
Chief of Development
Susana Rosas
Leading ALMAAHH’s development strategy — cultivating the donor partnerships and institutional support powering Houston’s first permanent American Latino cultural home.
Director of Operations and Programs
Gabriela Magaña
Artist, curator, and cultural worker shaping ALMAAHH’s day-to-day operations, community engagement, and programmatic direction — from partnerships to the lived experience of every activation.
Lead Strategist
Eduardo Rosales
Leads strategy, identifies and maps strategic alliances, and guides communications.
Planning Director
José Solís
Leading planning, design, and construction.
Officers
The governance core.
Three officers set the strategic direction of ALMAAHH’s board and carry fiduciary responsibility for the organization.
Board Chair
Geraldina Interiano Wise
Artist
Treasurer
Juan Padilla
Principal / Shareholder, Doeren Mayhew
Secretary
Wendy Montoya Cloonan
Partner, Cantu Harden Montoya LLP
Board of Directors
Leaders across culture, civic life, and industry.
Artists, executives, educators, and public servants bringing Houston-wide depth and decades of sector experience to ALMAAHH’s mission.
Tony Castilleja
Senior Manager, Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Mario K. Castillo
Chancellor, Lone Star College System
Art Chavez
Principal, Page Architects
Claudia de Vasco
Director, Miller Outdoor Theatre
Tony Diaz
Founder & Director, Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say
Gabriel Esparza
Publisher, Que Onda Magazine
Deborah Lugo
VP of Programming & Education, The Hobby Center
Ana María Martínez
Artistic Consultant, Houston Grand Opera
Esteban Montero
President, Holon Labs Foundation
Teresa Morales
Executive Vice President, Amegy Bank
Alexander Obregon
CFO, Comcast
Annise Parker
Former Mayor of Houston
Fernanda Razo
Educator, Houston ISD
Rebecca (Becky) Reyes
CEO, BecTec Construction Resources, LLC
Peter Rodriguez
Dean, Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University
Graciela Saenz
Attorney & Civic Leader
Massey Villarreal
CEO, PTG
These leaders are building it. Build it with them.
ALMAAHH’s board and staff bring the vision, the governance, and the community trust. What finishes the work is a community of investors who believe Houston deserves an American Latino arts and cultural center at this scale.
ALMAAHH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Contributions are tax-deductible.