Governor Gavin Newsom Appoints Roque Barros to California Arts Council

State arts agency welcomes seasoned community building leader and foundation executive from San Diego

April 1, 2026

SACRAMENTO, CA - On Wednesday, April 1, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Roque Barros of San Diego to the California Arts Council.

"Roque Barros understands that strong communities are built when people are seen, heard, and invested in," said Roxanne Messina Captor, Chair of the California Arts Council. "His experience in philanthropy, regional equity, and community-rooted leadership will be a tremendous asset to the Council. We are thrilled to welcome his voice and perspective. Dedicated Council members who bring a distinct perspective to the arts across California are always deeply welcome."

Roque Barros is a distinguished leader in community development and philanthropy with over four decades of experience fostering social impact across California. Since 2021, Barros has served as the Executive Director of The Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation, where he has spearheaded initiatives to improve community health and regional equity. His career is defined by a deep commitment to "bottom-up" community building, ensuring that local voices drive sustainable change.

Barros joins the Council at a pivotal moment as the agency prepares for its 50th Anniversary Awards Ceremony on April 20 in Sacramento, celebrating five decades of cultural investment in the Golden State.

"On behalf of the staff of the California Arts Council, we are honored to welcome Roque Barros to the Council," said CAC Executive Director Danielle Brazell. "Roque brings a deep commitment to community, equity, and public service, along with a career defined by listening to local voices and helping communities build from within. His leadership will help guide the Council's work to expand access to the arts and strengthen opportunity for all Californians."

Prior to his current role, Barros served as the Director of the Ford Institute for Community Building at The Ford Family Foundation from 2015 to 2021. His career also includes significant leadership at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation and Jacobs Family Foundation, where he held various executive positions between 1997 and 2013, including Interim President and Vice President of Community Development. Earlier in his career, he served as the Executive Director of Los Niños for over a decade.

A recognized voice in the nonprofit sector, Barros currently serves as a board member of Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The California Arts Council consists of 11 members who set programmatic policies and allocations for local assistance grant funds in accordance with the agency's strategic plan and state law. This position requires Senate confirmation.

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The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.

Members of the California Arts Council include: Roxanne Messina Captor, Chair; Nicola Miner, Vice Chair; Roque Barros; Caleb Duarte; Vicki Estrada; Roy Hirabayashi; Alex Israel; Leah Goodwin; Dorka Keehn; Phil Mercado; Rick Stein. Learn more at https://www.arts.ca.gov.

The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. To read this announcement in Spanish, please use the website's Google Translate tool by clicking the "Translate" link in the upper righthand corner of this page.

El Consejo de las Artes de California se compromete a aumentar la accesibilidad de sus contenidos en línea. Para obtener ayuda con el idioma y la accesibilidad, visite https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. Para leer este anuncio en español, utilice la herramienta Google Translate del sitio web haciendo clic en el enlace "Traducir" situado en la esquina superior derecha de esta página.