Rocky Mountain Arts Association Staff

Dr. Chipper Dean
Executive Director

Dr. Chipper Dean joined the Rocky Mountain Arts Association (RMAA) as Executive Director in summer 2025. He previously served as a Program Director at the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, coordinating research in behavioral health, LGBTQ+ health, health equity, and cancer control. Dr. Dean has been deeply involved in the choral arts, serving seven years as Director of Production for the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, and two terms on the board of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA). He continues to support GALA as Production Manager for its Festival and Leadership Symposium.

Trained as a developmental-health psychologist, Dr. Dean holds degrees from Stetson University and Columbia University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington. Outside of work, he enjoys running, exploring Colorado, and spending time with his rescue dog, Asher.

 Email: chipperdean (at) rmarts.org

Sarah Gumina
Marketing Manager

Sarah is a veteran public relations, marketing, and project management pro with experience in the nonprofit and performing arts sectors, as well as consumer, lifestyle and entertainment arenas. She has worked with agencies, companies, and organizations, managing and coordinating national and regional campaigns. She has worked on communication efforts with household names like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thomas The Tank Engine, KIDZ BOP, and Wheel of Fortune, as well as TV and film launches from both independents, studios and networks alike.   She has worked with RMArts since 2020.

Alex Romberg
Office Manager

Alex has dedicated her career to the arts and nonprofit world since 2005, focusing most often in theatre directing. Her work has taken her throughout Colorado and beyond to Barcelona, Chicago, London, and Edinburgh. She has served the community through equity-focused nonprofits that center on empowering marginalized people. Experiences include serving as Office Manager and then Lead Care Navigator at one of the US’s first food pantries Denver Inner City Parish, as teaching artist & outreach coordinator with Roshni, and as guest teaching artist & documentarian for  International Rescue Committee. She holds a BA in Theatre and a BS in Psychology from Colorado State University, and an MFA in Theatre Directing from East 15 Acting School in London. Alex started at RMArts in the spring of 2025 and couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of an organization that uplifts and unites people in the LGBTQIA+ community and allies through the inspiring act of singing together.

Nancy Crist
Staff Accountant

Shortly after earning her MBA, Nancy founded her own company and has spent over 25 years providing accounting and payroll services to small and mid-sized organizations. Since joining RMAA as Staff Accountant in 2016, she has managed the full accounting cycle and overseen annual independent audits while also managing employee onboarding, benefits and payroll. She prepares monthly financial statements and provides financial analysis that guides the staff and board’s strategic decisions. A firm believer in the transformative power of music, Nancy is a dedicated ally committed to RMAA’s mission of “building community through music,” using performance to reach others and encourage a deeper understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community. Outside of the office, she enjoys mountain getaways, music events, and hiking with her husband and two sons.

Rocky Mountain Arts Board of Directors

If you have an interest in serving on our Board of Directors, please contact info@rmarts.org for more information.

Marcus E. Turner

Board Chair (2022-Current)
Lone Tree Arts Center

Marcus E. Turner’s career in the arts has spanned several organizations and areas. After receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music, Marcus moved into administration, marketing, fundraising and higher education at such institutions as the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, the University of Denver, Northwestern University, and SCFD. Currently, Marcus leads marketing, communications, and audience services at Lone Tree Arts Center. When not working, Marcus can be seen on local stages as an actor or as a musician.

mturner@rmarts.org Save

Natalya  Cruz-Teixeira

Board Member (2022-Current) – Vice Chair

Natalya (she/her) currently works for the Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus as an HR Manager. She has a degree from Smith College and also has a background in higher education and nonprofit sectors. Originally from the Boston area, Natalya has lived in Denver for over five years. She has been involved in the performing arts since elementary school and has been singing with the Denver Women’s Chorus since 2019. In addition to her HR experience, Natalya has a passion for DEI work, which she brings to DWC and RMAA.

Matthew R. Nilsen

Board Secretary (2024-Current)
Associate,  Real Estate Department of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

An experienced urban planner and municipal government consultant, Matthew focuses his legal practice on land use, real estate development, and government relations. Originally from the East Coast, Matthew has lived in Denver for over eight years. He is a “theatre kid” at heart and has been involved in the performing arts since childhood, with a focus on vocal performance and musical theatre. He also previously served as Marketing Director for the Denver Brass, a Colorado-based ensemble.

Austin Roberts

Board Member (2025-Current) – Treasurer
Client Relationship Consultant, U.S. Bank

A Michigan native, Austin moved to Colorado in 2019 and started his career in banking in 2021 with U.S. Bank.  He is passionate about arts, DEI and giving back to the community. He is a founding member of the Denver chapter of the Spectrum LGBTQ+ Employee resource group within U.S. Bank, helping to support bank employees and the communities they serve. Austin grew up loving arts and acts of expression and was a member of the band in high school.  He is excited to bring his knowledge and skills to RMAA.

 

Ryan Montoya

Board Member (2022 – Current)
Prologis

A native of New Mexico, Ryan has lived in the Denver community for the last 15 years. Ryan grew up in the arts and played in band through high school. He is also passionate about giving back to the community. Currently, Ryan works as a senior manager at Prologis, focusing on Technical and Functional training.

Paul Halstead

Board Member (2025-Current)

An Iowa native, Paul (he/him) spent his adult life in Texas working in fields including government, private equity, and legal services. He gained his undergrad in psychology from the University of Iowa and graduate degree from Southwestern Seminary. He fled the Texas heat in 2022 with his husband, Tony, to live in the Denver area. Paul joined his first GALA chorus in 2007, soon after finally coming out in his early 40s. That chorus was instrumental in his journey, solidifying a deep commitment to the mission of GALA choruses. Having created and ran several businesses, Paul is experienced in organizational design, strategic planning, and governance..

Sean Montoya


DGMC President (2025-Current)

 

A Colorado native, Sean Montoya (he/him) manages ADA-Title 1 compliance for the CO Dept. of Labor and Employment on their HR Employee Relations team. He joined DGMC for their 40th season in 2021 and was elected president of the chorus in February 2025. He has a BA in English from CU Boulder and a MS in HR Administration from the University of Denver. He also serves on the Denver Public Library Commission, a mayoral appointment to an 8-member governance board for the 27-branch metro library system. He is also an active volunteer and fundraiser for AIDS/LifeCycle in California and ICRME in Denver.

Elisabeth Doherty

Board Member (2024-Current)

 

Elisabeth (she/they) grew up in California but has called Denver home for the past 18 years. She has been singing since joining her first choir at age nine and has sang in professional and community choruses since, with a brief hiatus after her twins her born. One of the best decisions of her life was joining the Denver Feminist Chorus in 2019. Elisabeth brings nine years of nonprofit management and marketing experience and currently is the Associate Vice President of Brand for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She has also been actively involved in the Society’s DEI work, including leading the LGBTQIA+ employee resource group. 

Victoria “Tori” Short

Board Member (2024-current)

Dr. Short (she/her) is originally from a small town in Eastern Kentucky. She has a doctoral degree in Leadership from the University of Cumberlands with an extensive background in nonprofits, research, grants administration, and local and state governments. She currently works for the City of Westminster as a Senior Management Analyst. She has been involved in the performing arts since she was five years old, and had been singing with the Denver Feminist Chorus since her move to Colorado in 2023. She is passionate about social justice, advocacy for DEI, and queer joy through resistance.