Gabriella Huggins

The Board of Directors for Art Access is excited to announce the selection of a new Executive Director, Gabriella Huggins. She will begin leading Art Access on Monday, July 19, 2021.

Gabriella Huggins is a multi-media arts practitioner and student of social work from Salt Lake City, Utah—ancestral Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute and Ute territory. For more than a decade, she has served as a community organizer, youth mentor, and teaching artist with a number of local nonprofits and city agencies, including Spy Hop and Youth City. Her work has been recognized by Salt Lake City Zoo, Arts and Parks and in local and nationally respected publications. A skilled facilitator and forward-thinking advocate, socio-political equity and justice motivates her personal and professional aspirations. She is excited to join the Art Access team in the mission of creating a diverse and inclusive arts community through centering the experience of people living with disabilities, as well as the experiences of other marginalized folks in the state. In her free time, Gabriella can be found walking her dog and listening to podcasts, sharing meals and beers with her husband and friends, and sewing dresses with pockets.

Outgoing Executive Director Shandra Benito will be working with Huggins over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition. "I could not be more thrilled for Gabriella to replace me as the next Executive Director of Art Access. She is a powerful visionary who leads with compassion, dedication, curiosity, and openness. She is going to lead Art Access forward to be an even stronger catalyst for accessibility and change in our community."

Tara Olson and Katherine Nix,
Co-Chairs, Art Access Board of Directors