CLEVELAND (February 5, 2018) – Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) has hired experienced nonprofit and public sector professionals Heather Johnson-Banks and Luis Gomez as Program Managers, filling two positions that were vacant since the summer of 2017.
In these roles, Johnson-Banks and Gomez, alongside CAC’s third program manager, Dan McLaughlin, will serve more than 250 non-profit organizations in 2018, a record number of grantees that receive funding through CAC’s
General Operating Support or
Project Support grant programs. Johnson-Banks and Gomez will work to build relationships with and provide technical assistance, guidance and support to grant recipients and applicants.
Prior to joining CAC,
Johnson-Banks was the development manager at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. There she managed the Museum’s membership, annual fund, grant writing, and exhibition and event sponsorships. She also initiated the Museum’s Survivor Memory Project, grew programs and supported exhibition development. Johnson-Banks currently serves on the board of the Lakewood Arts Festival and is a founding member of the Cleveland Foundation Summer Internship Program Alumni Committee. She earned a Master’s degree in public administration from Cleveland State University and holds degrees in anthropology and art history from Miami University.
Gomez is new to Cuyahoga County. Born in Mexico and raised in South Lake Tahoe, California, he has spent the last eight years in Santa Barbara, California, where Gomez worked for the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department and the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse for Santa Barbara County. He has experience working with young people, seniors and individuals with cognitive disabilities, as well as experience overseeing community-based programs, such as food distribution and community gardens. In his spare time, Gomez volunteers with the Broadway Buddies program through Stagecrafters Youth Theater in Pepper Pike. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University of California Santa Barbara.
“We’re excited to have Heather and Luis join our team to build stronger relationships with our partners and make it easier for organizations to succeed in our programs,” said Karen Gahl-Mills, CAC’s CEO + executive director. “CAC is funded by public dollars, which we steward to benefit organizations of all sizes across of the county. Heather and Luis bring a diverse range of skills and experience which will help CAC connect with existing and potential partners in new and meaningful ways.”
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is one of the largest public funders for arts and culture in the nation, helping hundreds of organizations in Cuyahoga County connect millions of people to cultural experiences each year. Since 2007, CAC has invested $170 million in 375 organizations both large and small, making our community a more vibrant place to live, work and play. For more information, visit
cacgrants.org.
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