Meet our Board of Directors

Meet our Team

We are a dedicated group of individuals committed to supporting accessible arts education in our community. Our shared passion for the arts—and the community we serve—guides everything we do, from advocacy to fundraising.

  • I believe in the power of art to enrich our lives. Arts education connects us to our communities, while creative expression helps us deepen our understanding of ourselves.

    A Southern California native, Lindsey first moved to the Bay Area to attend UC Berkeley, where she earned her B.A. She later completed a Ph.D. in Social Science at Caltech before returning to Northern California.

    Art has always been a source of peace and joy for her. As an undergraduate, she interned at a local art gallery, and during graduate school she began taking weekend ceramics classes—an experience that offered both creative renewal and a sense of belonging by helping her build connections within the Walnut Creek community. Those experiences continue to inspire her commitment to supporting access to the arts in Walnut Creek and beyond. 

    Lindsey lives in Walnut Creek with her husband, children, and dog. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, practicing yoga, and cheering on the Golden Bears.


  • Vice President

  • Secretary

  • Treasure

  • Meghan is a writer, singer, and music historian born and raised outside Boston. After graduating from Harvard in 2008, she earned a M.M. in voice performance and a Ph.D. in musicology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is the soprano section leader of Pacific Edge Voices, a proud member of Authors Against Book Bans, and the steward of a Little Free Library on the Iron Horse Trail. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Night, Forgotten, is available wherever books are sold. Meghan lives with her husband, their two young children, their dog, and four chickens in Walnut Creek, a community she's called home for seven years. She joined the board of CAF to ensure that all members of this community have access to the world-expanding possibilities of music and arts education.

  • Elizabeth Romanoff Silva is a nonprofit leader with 15 years of management experience addressing global issues, including women’s and girls’ empowerment, economic growth, governance, education, and health. Her work has spanned multiple continents: Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Currently, Elizabeth serves as the Director of the Women’s Empowerment Program at The Asia Foundation, where she provides strategic leadership on programs, research, and partnerships to advance women’s and girls' economic opportunities, safeguard their rights and security, and elevate their voices and leadership across Asia and the Pacific.

    Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a bachelor’s degree in World Cultures and Languages with a focus on Spanish from California State University, Monterey Bay. She holds certificates in Development Project Management and Mandarin Chinese. Additionally, Elizabeth is a Fulbright Scholar, having conducted postgraduate research at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia through the Fulbright Program. Elizabeth resides in Walnut Creek with her husband and two children.

    “My maternal grandmother was an art teacher and first sparked my connection to and love for the arts. I was fortunate to engage in creative projects with her throughout my childhood. Now, as a mother, I am grateful for the Center for Community Arts, which has enabled my children to further explore and develop their creativity, and I have been able to see firsthand the impact of the summer camp and the pottery, drawing, painting, and hands-on preschool art classes. The outstanding classes led by talented instructors have sparked curiosity in my children and helped build their confidence. I joined the Board of the Community Arts Foundation because I want all children in our community to have that same opportunity.”

  • "Whether driving innovation in the corporate world or nurturing creativity in the community, I believe meaningful change begins with imagination."

    Originally from Germany, Nadine moved with her husband, two children, and their dog to the US in 2017, and to Walnut Creek in 2021. She brings a global perspective to her passion for community-building, environmental stewardship, and the arts. She is involved in several non-for-profit organizations such as Sustainable Walnut Creek, German-American Business Association, and Toastmasters.

    As a Change Manager working across diverse industries and cultures, Nadine helps organizations embrace transformation with resilience and purpose. She sees strong parallels between her professional work and her personal passion: both require vision, creativity, and a commitment to building a better future. Throughout her life, she has explored artistic expression through music, writing, and painting, believing that the arts inspire sustainable thinking and foster deeper connections to the world around us. In her free time, Nadine and her family enjoy hiking and rock climbing, finding energy and inspiration in the challenges of nature. She is dedicated to supporting programs that unite art, sustainability, and community, making creative experiences accessible to all and empowering the next generation to imagine and create lasting change.

  • Donna Laverdiere grew up in Maine, and spent her days outdoors or creating arts and crafts and playing the piano. Art was always her favorite subject in school. At Tufts University in Massachusetts, she majored in English and took several fine arts courses, including at the Slade School of Fine Arts in London during her year abroad. Her interests in current events led her to study Public Policy at Duke University, and then to a career in health policy. She spent five years in Washington, DC implementing health reform, and then moved to the Bay Area with her husband in 2013 where she now works to increase access to affordable health care for all. Now a mom to two boys, her kids brought her back to the arts through painting, crafting, and being creative at home and spending their summers at Camp Community Arts in Walnut Creek. She believes that all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, should have access to fine arts classes and the opportunity to explore creativity in their lives.

  • Yanyan is a passionate art lover who joyfully engages in school and community art events as a volunteer. A mother of two, she enjoys sharing her love of music with kids - often singing and practicing instruments together. Professionally, she is a seasoned IT engineer, and in her personal life, she brings warmth, creativity, and a deep commitment to nurture children through arts. Yanyan hopes to share her passion for art with CAF while leveraging her diverse background to foster meaningful connections. To her, art offers a unique lens to understand others and inspires creativity. She believes that art is a powerful way to relieve stress and embrace the richness of being human in a rapidly changing world.