Meet the new staff at ARTS

Join us in welcoming the newest members to the Office of Arts & Culture.

Nadia Ahmed, Communications Specialist (She/Her)

Nadia Ahmed is a Pakistani-American sculptor, performance artist, and arts administrator currently based in Seattle, WA. She moved from Los Angeles to Seattle in 2014, where she studied Art History and Three-Dimensional Forum at the University of Washington. Nadia's exhibition history includes Out of Sight, The High Wall, ACES, and The Vestibule. She was a 2023 Artist in Residence at Nii Modo and is a current resident at Actualize. With a focus on community building and racial equity, Nadia has worked as an educator, programmer, curator, and fundraiser at multiple nonprofits and arts-based organizations prior to joining ARTS.

Kelly Davidson, Deputy Director (She/Her)

Kelly has worked with the City of Seattle since 1999 and started as an intern with ARTS. She has a degree in Fine Art from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she spent a lot of her time working with the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery and as an intern working on the grand opening of the Bellagio Fine Art Gallery. She served six years on the Bainbridge Island Public Art Committee, where they launched artworks as part of the downtowns street improvement, as well as initiating community art projects. Since joining the City of Seattle, she has worked in five different departments: Office of Arts & Culture, Department of Neighborhoods, Parks and Recreation, Seattle City Light, and Finance and Administrative Services. In her free time Kelly enjoys paddling, skiing, and gardening.

Kate Fernandez, Hope Corps Project Manager (She/Her)

Kate Fernandez is a California native who has lived in Seattle longer than she hasn't. During this time, she has zig-zagged between design and administration in an attempt to transfer knowledge between those two worlds that shifts and shapes culture. As Director of Interpretation & Visitor Experience at the Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, she brought these realms together and led the design and build of the galleries and public spaces for the new museum. She is also the founder of several letterpress print shops, producer of grassroots music and arts festivals, and curator of experiences at the intersection of art and nature. Most recently, Kate has worked as a consultant to local and national nonprofits to help them find creative solutions to their strategic problems. Kate holds a BA in Comparative History of Ideas from the University of Washington and studied typography and design at the School of Visual Concepts.

Zach Frimmel, Grants Project Manager (They/Them)

Zach Frimmel is a concept-based songwriter, music journalist, and intersectional world-builder. They grew up in Florida's DIY art and punk scenes. Zach has lived on the unceded land of the Coast Salish peoples since 2012. Over the last ten years, Zach has orchestrated professional development and progressive grantmaking programs at Artist Trust, Northwest Film Forum, and the Seattle Department of Neighborhood's (DON) Food Equity Fund. They were also the music specialist for the 2023 CityArtist panel. Zach comes to ARTS after a year of working as the Civic Engagement Coordinator at DON, staffing the Seattle Renters Commission, plus co-designing the PACE program with community partners to create culturally relevant civic education for historically disenfranchised voices to leverage their advocacy power.

From 2017-2020, they were a contributing writer for KEXP and The Stranger, championing local and worldwide music communities. Zach builds sonic worlds under the solo project riife. They released their debut sound-body-of-work, topics of cancer, in June 2021 on the Seattle cassette label Den Tapes as well as self-produced it on vinyl. Zach is currently writing and conceptualizing the next riife album, is amped to start a dream job at ARTS, and can often be found at a local show or dancing the night away with friends.

Ari Lindholm, Stage Tech Lead (He/Him)

Ari came to the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture as a "3rd Chapter in life." He's done technical work in Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute since 1994, working with Pacific Northwest Theatre Associates. Ari just escaped a 15-year run as a top gun, freelance Audio Visual Wizard working deep inside the regional tech industry and events. For the last 5 years, he was first pick on any and all high profile events in the region due to his mastery of Sound, Video & Lighting.

Abu Munkar Abd-Allah Mustafa, Dedicated Security Officer (He/Him)

My name is Abu Munkar Abd-Allah Mustafa, most people just call me "Abu" or "Mustafa". I'm originally from New York state, actually Long Island, born and raised. I consider myself a humble, easy-going person - loving life, through its ups and downs. I enjoy walks and movies and am a private person. I do enjoy meaningful talks about the varieties of living. I believe that goodness lives through all times of whatever we may face as a world of people. A simple good morning, good afternoon, or good night goes a long way.

Rana San, King Street Station Activations Project Manager (She/Her)

Rana San is an intermedia artist, curator, and community builder whose creative practice centers experimental and analog approaches to storytelling through film, writing, and movement presented on screen and stage. In community, Rana crafts collective experiences that champion the work of independent artists and activists, centering those whose voices have been historically underrepresented. Her experience spans curating and producing festivals, exhibitions, and events featuring film and video poetry, dance and choreography, visual and media art installation, sound and music, and durational performance art.

Rana co-directs Cadence Video Poetry Festival, an annual showcase of literary works presented as visual media, and most recently served as the Artistic Director at Northwest Film Forum. Rana earned her BA from the University of Washington and holds a MA in Arts and Cultural Management from Universitat Internacional de Catalunya.

Ele Watts, Impact & Assessment Manager (They/Them)

Ele Watts is the temporary Impact and Assessment Manager for ARTS, on loan from Parks and Recreation where they were the data analyst for the Recreation Division. Much of their career has focused on sustainable agriculture and local food systems, before they made the switch to public program evaluation, data management, analysis, and technical support. Ele has an MPA from the University of Washington, and a BA from Vassar College.

While not much of an artist themself, Ele is an enthusiastic consumer/supporter of the arts, especially literary arts, theater, comedy, immersive experiences, and place-based art. They also spend their free time volunteering, rollerblading, undertaking large food preservation projects, admiring rabbits, gamifying otherwise mundane situations, and making spreadsheets for their friends.

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