Laura (she/her) comes to Laramie after spending over fifteen years as an arts administrator in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about providing arts access for all.

Laura has a Masters in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She previously worked for the Carnegie Museum of Art as the Manager of Social Engagement and for the Office of Public Art in Pittsburgh as the Educational Programs Manager.

Contact Laura: director@laramiepublicart.org

Photo credit: Ana Castro

Olivia (she/her) grew up outside of Fort Collins, CO and has been visiting family in Laramie all her life. After settling in Laramie in 2017, she has found love for the community, arts, and outdoor access that Laramie brings.

While on a semester abroad, she enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art. This reignited her love for the arts and helped her see how art could become a larger part of her life. She is a visual artist and muralist primarily working in paint, completing two bathroom murals for LPAC, Visit Laramie, and the USFS in 2023, as well as some private mural commissions in Laramie in 2024.

She strives to make this community a welcoming place for artists and anyone who wishes to express their creativity.

Contact Olivia: community@laramiepublicart.org

Sunnie Lew (she/her) is the Manager of Content Strategy and the President of the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Employee Network at the University of Wyoming Foundation. She is a co-founding editor of the literary magazine Open Window Review and a UW alum where she was mentored by renowned authors Dr. Lori Howe and the late Brad Watson. She holds degrees in English, Creative Writing, and Chinese Mandarin. A published writer, poet, and accomplished artist, Sunnie has resided in Laramie for nearly 15 years where she mentors marginalized individuals and trauma survivors in professional and community leadership. She is passionate about minority advocacy and creating policy change that builds a stronger and more diverse state. In 2022, she received a CASE Gold Award for her work with the University of Wyoming.

Katie Christensen (she/her) spent 20 years working in the arts in various capacities including as a working artist, for the Wyoming Arts Counsel, Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts, and the University of Wyoming Art Museum. Motivated by working with Veterans and women who were incarcerated, she recently transitioned to the mental health counseling field. Integrating expressive arts in counseling, Katie provides a nurturing environment to help people explore and create their best selves. Katie holds an MS in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Wyoming (UW), MFA from Bowling Green State University, and a BFA from UW. She resides in Laramie with her husband and daughter. Together, they enjoy spending time outside, and soaking up the sunshine and cultural events whenever possible.

Ana Castro is a multimedia artist and creative with a passion in restorative justice, public accessibility, and community development.

Immigrating to the United States from Mexico. She is a queer brown woman, who is currently navigating her new and exciting role as Program Coordinator for Laramie Main Street Alliance.

Sadie Winter (she/her) grew up on a ranch in Wyoming, immersed in the DIY aesthetic and frontier ingenuity of outsider art. She has studied at Penland School of Craft, interned at Anderson Ranch Arts center, received a post-baccalaureate in ceramics from Utah State University, and worked and interned at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts. She regularly teaches ceramics at Siren Studios in Laramie, Wyoming and maintains a studio practice and business out of the Laramie Plains Civic Center. She is extremely passionate about making arts education accessible to all - regardless of age, economic status, education, or location - and believes every person has creative potential to better their communities.

Photo credit: Ana Castro

Sue Ibarra was elected a County Commissioner in 2020 and serves on the LPAC Board as the liaison for the Commission. She has served on numerous boards, including two terms on the ACSD1 School Board, the SAFE Project, Downtown Clinic, and Laramie Reproductive Health. Sue holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a master's degree in Spanish from the University of Wyoming. She taught in the Department of Modern & Classical Languages at UW for ten years. She continues to use her Spanish language skills as a volunteer medical interpreter for the Downtown Clinic and Laramie Reproductive Health. Sue enjoys running, biking, hiking, and nordic skiing in her free time.

Micah serves as the Laramie City Council member liaison for the LPAC Board. She is also the Director of Programs at the Wyoming Community Foundation, where she oversees grantmaking to nonprofits across the state. Micah received her K-12 Art Education degree from Chadron State College and worked as an independent artist for a number of years. She grew up in Wyoming and is passionate about Laramie and her fellow Laramigos. She enjoys volunteering in the community, working in her garden and playing outdoors.

Helen Banach (she/her) is the artist of two murals in Encampment, Wyoming - Greetings from Wyoming, 2020, and Rooted, 2024. Helen has a BA in History of Art & Architecture from Boston University and jumped head first into public art by coordinating the U.S. Tour of In Search of the Truth: The Truth Booth, a long-term global project by Cause Collective, to reach 31 states in four months. She has been working with artists ever since. In 2021, she co-founded Art Production Partners to help artists conceptualize ideas, produce artwork and create exhibitions, public art installations, and activations. 

Ismael Dominguez is the Programs Specialist for the Wyoming Arts Council with years of experience in engaging in and fostering the arts community of Wyoming. The literary, performance, and visual arts offer representation and connection for the disparate audience of Wyoming, so providing community access to the arts is one of Ismael’s driving passions. Ismael dedicates much of his free time to creating artwork in his studio, but can also be found outdoors enjoying the never ending vistas of Laramie, WY.

Jacob (he/him) is an environmental economist and the Knobloch Assistant Professor of Conservation Economics at the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources. He is deeply invested in public art as a driving force for community vitality and economic growth.

Jacob holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Wyoming and degrees in Environmental Studies and Economics from Gettysburg College. He was formerly employed by East Carolina University and has consulted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The Nature Conservancy, The World Bank and the United Nations Development Program.