DOCD Board

Erika Naficy (she/her) is a spirited advocate for the Olympia arts community. She is the owner of 3rd Hand Artist Support - a small business serving working artists and arts organizations throughout the area. Her work is rooted in supporting projects that help make Olympia a place where artists want to live and work. She has collaborated with organizations including Olympia Artspace Alliance (Art in Storefronts Program & Murals Program), the South Sound Studio Tour, and her position as Creatives Outreach Specialist with Enterprise for Equity.

Mikaela Shafer (she/her) (Hopi) is a mother, artist, and community builder residing in Olympia, Washington. With a passion for storytelling and marketing, she has amassed over 15 years of experience helping businesses tell their stories and build community through a strategy of authentic content that inspires, educates, and uplifts. Her artwork has been featured in galleries across the US and in London, and she was recently honored with the LIFT Award for Indigenous artists through the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and Artist Innovator Award through Artist Trust. Through her artistic endeavors, community engagement, and storytelling, Mikaela strives to make a meaningful impact on the cultural landscape, advocating for inclusivity and empowerment in her community and beyond.

Leah (they/them) has been part of Downtown Olympia’s creative and service economy for nearly two decades, working across food and beverage, hospitality, and interdisciplinary arts. A graduate of The Evergreen State College, they have attended, hosted, and organized cultural events while supporting informal community networks that sustain creative and entrepreneurial life downtown. They continue to work in Downtown Olympia’s ever-changing food and beverage scene—most notably in beverage—and have previously served as Treasurer of their neighborhood Homeowners Association, bringing hands-on experience in financial stewardship and community care to their role on the Downtown Olympia Creative District board.

Mae Kessler (she/her) is a working musician, cultural organizer and educator, mental health counselor, and family caregiver who is passionate about organizing local and regional opportunities to engage with Yiddish instrumental music and dance. She has been active in different facets of the arts during her many years in Olympia, primarily as a musician performing, touring, and recording with a variety of groups. She joined the DOCD board to collaborate with others in developing creative and practical ways to support the local arts community.

Desiree Freeland (she/her) relocated to Olympia in 2021 for work and quickly embraced the vibrant community. She has a deep passion for plants and cut flower gardening, finding joy in cultivating beauty and sustainability. An avid reader and lifelong learner, Desiree enjoys exploring new ideas and expanding her knowledge across a variety of subjects. Her curiosity and dedication to growth make her a dynamic and engaged professional.

Fern Tallos (they/them) is a lifelong, self-taught, visual artist working and living in Olympia.  They self-employ as a freelance mural painter while their studio practice explores smaller works and a seemingly infinite interest in building creative skills. Their background in the healing arts carved an interest and foundation in community building and healing through the arts. Their work mainly reflects themes involving nature with an emphasis on engaging individuals in the arts as a means of healing. They are the Spring 2026 Olympia Arts Walk cover artist, have received grant funding for special projects through The Olympia Artspace Alliance, and are a recent new member of the Thurston County Museum of Fine Art’s executive leadership team.

Sydney Blanchard (she/they) is a dancer, choreographer, and multidisciplinary artist working and residing on the ancestral homelands of the Chehalis and Squaxin Island Tribes. Sydney uses embodied arts and mythopoetics as channels for self-understanding and collective healing. With a background in food sovereignty work and a strong relationship with her more-than-human kin, she weaves land-based values into her artistic practice. Sydney is the founder and creative director of Moving Parts Dance Institute, where she facilitates, instructs, and cultivates community dance experiences rooted in inclusion and collaboration.

Mariella (they/them) is a studio potter and ceramic artist, instructor, and owner of M. Bueno pottery. A graduate of The Evergreen State College, Mariella founded the Olympia All Ages Project and worked as general manager at K Records. They served on the boards of the Washington State Arts Commission, The City of Olympia Inspire Committee, and Artist Trust. Mariella is currently staff program manager for the Olympia Artspace Alliance, program manager for the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, and is working on the Olympia Music History project to archive Olympia’s unique music history.

David Hoekje (he/him) is a photographer and community arts organizer living in Olympia, Washington. His self-directed photographic practice explores the convoluted relationship between images and their subjects, alienation, and authenticity. He works as a freelance photographer working primarily with independent businesses, artists, and musicians in the Pacific Northwest. Since 2022 he has worked as a lead organizer and curator for the Thurston County Museum of Fine Art.