our staff

Director

Jackie (she/her) founded and leads the community at CFPA. She is the point of contact for neighbors, community members, and tenants looking for a way to access space to build a practice or deepen a business idea. She is a mentor, colleague, and collaborator with members of the artistic community in Minneapolis and across the country. A practicing artist of Armenian descent, her most recent work has focused on questions of site, context, commerce, and the public. Jackie has a PhD in Performance Studies from NYU. She has created or co-created dozens of workshops on art practice for Master’s students and four major conferences on performance on both West and East coasts.

Managing Director

Luis (he/him) is a transplant from the garlic capitol of the world, Gilroy, California. He has experience on stage and behind the curtain, helping artists and professionals become prepared for what they do best. He was the Director of Guest Relations for several seasonal events across California for six years. His many roles consisted of resource allocation for artists, managing venue space for thousands of visitors, event and finance planning. He is currently going to school and working part-time at one of our local hospitals. Luis enjoys creative writing and spending time with his two cats.

Education and Community Development

Abrecia Haillasellise-Mankelklote (she/her) is a strategic, community-centered leader with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a robust skill set in nonprofit governance, creative direction, and cultural strategy. She brings a strong foundation in organizational development, cross-cultural communication, and arts advocacy.

As Vice President of the Board at the Center for Performing Arts in Minneapolis and Technical Director for Afrocontigbo, Abrecia applies her expertise in inclusive leadership, board governance, and program development to cultivate equitable spaces for performance-based artists and foster meaningful community engagement.

Her previous roles—Board Member for Marketing and Community Outreach with the West Indian Dance Theater Company, Community Liaison for Jukeboxx Mas Band in Chicago, and Board Member for the South Asian Arts Theater House—demonstrate her strengths in stakeholder collaboration, event logistics, marketing strategy, and multicultural representation in the arts.

Abrecia’s creative leadership emerged early during her time as Artistic Director of the ASA Dance Troupe at Illinois State University and Cultural Ambassador through the university’s International House, where she developed key skills in choreographic storytelling, intercultural programming, and public speaking.

Now an affiliate of the United Arts Collaborative and greater Minnesota arts community, Abrecia continues to activate spaces where performance, identity, and community intersect—bringing people together through movement, shared heritage, and intentional collaboration.