John Curran, Chair
Mayoral Appointment, term 2/22/2016 – 11/20/2019
John Curran is the Real Estate Portfolio Manager for the Downtown Project, the $350 million redevelopment effort founded by Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh. The goal and purpose is to help make downtown Vegas a place of Inspiration, Entrepreneurial Energy, Creativity, Innovation, Upward Mobility, and Discovery, through the 3 C’s of Collisions, Co-learning, and Connectedness in a long-term, sustainable way. John oversees the property management of roughly 100 properties and serves as a project manager on a variety of different developments. He also acts as a liaison with the City of Las Vegas, assisting with matters of entitlements, permitting and licensing. John received a B.A. in Urban Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to complete a Masters of City Planning at Penn Design. After eight years on the East Coast, he ultimately missed the mountains and sunshine of his hometown of Las Vegas, and returned in 2013. He also serves on the executive board for the Meadows School Alumni Association and on the Board of Trustees for the Outside Las Vegas Foundation. Outside of work, he can usually be found skiing, hiking, biking or playing softball.
Jim Briare, First Vice Chair
Ward 1 Appointment, term 8/30/2017 – 8/30/2021
Mickey Sprott, Second Vice Chair
Las Vegas Arts Commission Appointment, term 9/21/2017 – 9/17/2019
Ally R. Haynes-Hamblen, Director, Office of Cultural Affairs
Authorized City Staff Member appointed by City Manager, term does not expire
Ally Haynes-Hamblen is the Director of the City of Las Vegas’ Office of Cultural Affairs. Haynes-Hamblen was previously the Director of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, overseeing all aspects of programming, production, marketing, operations and finance, during her 13-year tenure. Previously, Haynes-Hamblen was general manager and associate producer for NY-based Entertainment Events, Inc. Originally from Boulder, Colo., Haynes-Hamblen earned her M.B.A. from Regis University and B.A. in theater from University of Denver. She completed the 2015 International Festival Encounters course with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Emerging Leadership Institute of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the California Presenters Mentorship Program, and was a member of the Expedia Corporate Travel Advisory Board. In 2013, Haynes-Hamblen received the Mentoring Award from the Western Arts Alliance.
Sandy Karpel
Ward 4 Appointment, term 7/8/2014 – 7/8/2022 (Reappointed 7/8/2018)
A resident of Sun City since 2012, Sandy Karpel is a native of the New York City/Long Island area. She has studied music and art on and off for much of her life, and currently takes classes in art. Recently Sandy joined the Nevada Watercolor Society and is President of the Sun City Art Club, where she helped lead them through a successful yearly art show. Prior to retiring to Sun City, Sandy was a purchasing director for an OEM in NY. She rose from her position as an electronics technician into management, and was responsible for many aspects of her company’s purchasing department, as well as heading up groups charged with updating the company’s practices pertaining to technology. Sandy and her husband Bernie have three children and four grandchildren, all of whom share Sandy’s love of the arts.
Paul Lowden, IV
Ward 6 Appointment, term 2/19/2018 – 2/19/2022
John Pacheco
Ward 3 Appointment, term 6/14/2018 – 6/14/2022
Jerry Schefcik
Arts Commission Appointment, term 11/4/2011 – 11/4/2019 (Reappointed 11/20/2015)
Schefcik is Director of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery a post he has held since 1991. He also curates the Metcalf Gallery in the Tam Alumni Center and other satellite spaces throughout the UNLV campus. In 2012 Jerry was given responsibility for the remodeled Marjorie Barrick Museum with its new focus on contemporary art, and now he is referred to as Director of Galleries at UNLV. Along with his gallery responsibilities, he also teaches the Gallery Practices series on gallery/museum management and over-sees the gallery internship program. Schefcik has served as Exhibitions Curator for Nevada Institute for Contemporary Art for 11 years, and curator at the McCarran International Airport Arts Advisory Sub-Committee for 5 years. He continues to work as juror for local agencies and serves with various arts organizations in Las Vegas and the Western Region. Schefcik’s Las Vegas roots go back to 1961 when his father moved the family from Nebraska. He received his B.A. in Art and Design from Brigham Young University and his M.A. in Art History and Museum Training from the University of Denver. He first served as Curator of Visual Arts for the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo, CO, and then moved to the Amarillo Art Center in Amarillo, TX where he was Curator of Art. From Amarillo he returned to Las Vegas.
John Trimble
Ward 5 Appointment, term 3/27/2014 – 3/27/2018
John Trimble is a Los Angeles/ Las Vegas-based multi-media artist. In 1996, he received his Associative of Arts from Antelope Valley College and in 2000 his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Trimble specializes in acrylic paints, pastels and colored pencil on various canvases and paper to create works representing his memories from an open perspective. Trimble has exhibited his work in Los Angeles and Las Vegas galleries including the Donna Beam Gallery, West Las Vegas Arts Center Gallery, and Scents and Inspiration African American Arts Gallery. He has also participated in annual Las Vegas community festivals such as the Taste of Sounds & Soul Festival and the Springs Preserve Black History Festival. You can view his artistry collections at www.Facebook.com/DeVineInspirationJT.
David Tupaz
Mayoral Appointment, term 3/20/2014 – 3/20/2022 (Reappointed 5/16/2018)
David Tupaz is the founder of the “Las Vegas Fashion Design Council,” a nonprofit that mentors local designers, creative youth, students, artists and others. He mentored in opening a manufacturing presence in the city to jump start the creation of a local fashion industry as well as attract other manufacturers from other states, particularly California where 85% of American-made apparel is produced. He is the only designer representing Nevada in major national fashion events and was honored by the Seattle Art Institute in a retrospective exhibition of his designs. He is the creative director and partner of VATV Inc., and “Repurpose America,” a nonprofit organization that gathers non recyclable industry waste for repurposing. David Tupaz is the President of “Vegas Fashion Project,” the first trade expo focusing on local emerging designers and their products. He is a collector of art and antiquities and an avid reader and researcher.
Polly Weinstein
Mayoral Appointment, term 7/10/2014 – 7/10/2022 (Reappointed 4/10/2018)
Mark Zachman
Ward 2 Appointment, term 10/14/2015 – 10/14/2019
Mark T. Zachman has extensive experience in executive level operations, business management, corporate consulting, budgeting, marketing and customer service. He possesses exceptional multi-disciplinary expertise in Class A office and mixed-use project planning and creative design. In addition to his service on the Las Vegas Arts Commission, Zachman has served as Board Member on the Metro Arts Council of Southern Nevada, the City of Henderson Commemorative Beautification Commission and was formerly President of the Allied Arts Council of Southern Nevada. Zachman earned an MBA in Business Administration and an MS in Architectural Urban Design from Columbia University, as well as a BArch from the University of Illinois.