Swaia - Indian Market

Bernstein comes to SWAIA as former Board of Directors member (1990-1996 and 2002-2007) in addition to his volunteering as judge, evaluator, and receiver at the Santa Fe Indian Market for the past 25 years. He is a curator at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. From 1997 to 2005, Bernstein served as the Assistant Director for Cultural Resources at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. Previously he was the Director and Chief Curator at Santa Fe's Museum of Indian Arts and Culture; his directorship oversaw the building and installation of the Bloch Wing and the permanent exhibition, "Here, Now and Always." He has also held positions at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, and the University of New Mexico's Maxwell Museum of Anthropology. He has published and curated exhibitions widely on American Indian art. He and his wife, Landis Smith, have two children, Elliot and Isabel. E-mail: bbernstein@swaia.org

(Diné)
"Nez" comes to SWAIA from the world of anthropology/archaeology. As one of a small handful of Native Archaeologists, Nez has helped move the field away from mere "things" and towards a focus on the People of the past. For 15 years he worked in the cultural resource world for dozens of western tribes, but the longest was with his native tribe, the Navajo Nation. His journey brought him to Santa Fe in 2000, where as a curator at the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, he became active in the world of Native art and began volunteering at SWAIA. He brings to SWAIA a breadth of knowledge of Native history and tradition from the ancient past to the living present and remains active in both the Native and anthropological communities. He also serves on the Navajo Studies Board of Directors and is a bead worker, flintknapper, and jeweler. E-mail: jtorresnez@swaia.org

(Taos Pueblo)
I come to the Southwestern Association of Indian Arts with a strong Museum background. Working in the museum field gave me the opportunity to travel across the country and into South Africa. I have worked with many artists, writers and curators as a professional, friend and colleague. Along with all this experience and travel, I have maintained very strong ties with my family and my community of Taos Pueblo.
I began my career with the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian from an internship and became a Curatorial Assistant. I have also worked in Taos, New Mexico at the Millicent Rogers Museum, returned to Santa Fe to work at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and I was the Museum Registrar at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art, formerly the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum before coming to SWAIA. My professional experience ranges from Collections Care to Conservation and Preservation. As an independent researcher, I was able to curate exhibitions, and assist with publications about Native American artists. My knowledge of the arts and Native America has strengthened the foundation of my experience and professional career. E-mail: privera@swaia.org

Mary Erpelding joined SWAIA in May 2011. Mary has over 35 years of accounting, audit, finance, tax and non-for-profit experience. Her recent experience includes over 11 years as the Finance Director of New Mexico Community Foundation. She is currently involved in the Santa Fe Children's Museum, Santa Fe Art Institute, Santa Fe Science Initiative, New Energy Economy and Children and Nature Network. Her husband Frank Erpelding-Chacon is an award winning artist-both locally and nationally with the Spanish Colonial Art Society and the Veteran's Creative Art Festival. Her devotion to her husband's endeavors bring a balance to the administrative and artistic qualities of her career. Email: finance@swaia.org

Lopez joined SWAIA with nearly sixteen years of experience working in administrative/office manager roles in banking, accounting, civil and structural engineering, GEO testing, and with construction and development companies. An added bonus for SWAIA is her several years experience in working with the public. Lopez has lived, worked and grown up with American Indian culture and enjoys working at SWAIA to help carry on native traditions. E-mail: slopez@swaia.org

Denise Keron moved to Santa Fe in 1997 to become the Chief Executive Officer for the Santa Fe Association of Realtors, where she remained for 11 years. She changed course in 2008 and spent the last 3 years serving in several capacities in the Institutional Advancement Department at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is a native Ohioan and attended Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. Email: dkeron@swaia.org

Tailinh Agoyo joined the PR/Marketing Department at SWAIA in February `10. Tailinh came to SWAIA having 10+ years experience creating business presentations for a variety of industries, including financial, pharmaceutical, energy, and hospitality. As a freelance designer, Tailinh has assisted individual artists with the development of their social media networks, websites and marketing collateral. Tailinh is also a proud mother of four beautiful boys. Email: tailinh@swaia.org

Whitney Stewart came to SWAIA with a background in Product and Graphic Design. Studying at Parsons Paris School of Design, Glasgow School of Art and Parsons the New School for Design in New York she relocated to the Santa Fe area in 2007 as an escape from city life. She moved to an organic farm in Nambe and assisted a friend in opening a local start-up restaurant. Whitney has since worked in the gallery business and has started her own freelance graphic design firm. She has now happily settled at SWAIA after starting full time in the fall of 2009. Email: wstewart@swaia.org

Abby grew up in Albuquerque and, after completing her B.A. in political science in New York City, she knew she wanted to move back to New Mexico. She missed the wide opens spaces, the people, and of course, the green chile! She returned in 2004 and, in 2007, earned her J.D. from the University of New Mexico School of Law. She comes to SWAIA with a lifelong passion and commitment to social justice. She has worked in the non-profit field for over ten years in a broad range of areas including civil rights, environmental issues impacting Native Americans and tribal sovereignty. She loves camping, hiking, and anything that involves getting out in the forest. She lives in Santa Fe with her husband, Ben, and their four mutts; Greta, Isabella, Raisin, and Squirrel. Email: awear@swaia.org