San Diego EMP Board Members

Abril holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from San Diego State University. She has been employed by the San Diego Museum of Art as a Visitor Relations Associate for over a year now. Before her role at SDMA, Abril interned with a local art gallery, The Front Arte y Cultura, where she worked with South Bay and Tijuana artists to promote arts and culture and improve the lives of San Ysidro residents. Abril is passionate about art and making art accessible to everyone. Her main goals are to work in a museum under the community engagement sector or curatorial department.

Andrea Luna (she/her/ella) is an emerging museum professional recently graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a B.A. in Art History, Theory and Criticism and a minor in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts. She is incredibly passionate about the creation, support and accessibility of immersive and interactive spaces, environments where cultural diversity is valued and there are little to no limitations on creative expression and advocacy.

As a Senior Experience Associate at the New Children’s Museum, she continues to serve the museum’s mission in breaking the boundaries that exist with fine art institutions and incorporating play into art spaces. Moving forward, she hopes to continue her interest in fabrication, using her efforts to uplift the stories of the people in her community and teach/inspire others to do the same.

Ben Wu is an Art History/Archaeology graduate from Bowdoin College. He has served multiple internships and worked at The Smithsonian Institute, Christie’s, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, and the Peary MacMillan Arctic Museum. Although currently working in digital transformation/technology consulting in the insurance industry, Ben remains closely tied to his arts and museum roots.

Ben serves on the board of Bowdoin’s Asian Alumni Association (RepresentAsian) and remains a steadfast alumni supporter of the Bowdoin College Museum of Arts alumni collectors collaborative. In his free time, Ben enjoys scuba diving, traveling, and exploring new restaurants.

Briana studied Marketing at UC San Diego, she also holds certifications in LEED Green Building and Project Management. She currently leads Marketing and Communications at Forever Balboa Park, where she's at the center of public engagement and creative strategy for major civic initiatives, including serving as the lead marketer for the historic Botanical Building and Gardens Revitalization project.

Her work spans bilingual media campaigns, donor engagement, youth programming, and cross-sector partnerships. Previously, she worked in Strategic Communications at SANDAG, where she supported public outreach for regional environmental and transportation initiatives. Briana is passionate about connecting people to place through culturally rooted storytelling, environmental stewardship, and inclusive community-building.

Kendyl Woodruff (she/her) is a Development Associate at the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park, where she manages comprehensive membership programs and cultivates relationships with donors and members. She brings a distinctive background combining fine arts and business, holding a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship for the Fashion and Design Industries and an Associate's in Business Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Before transitioning to museums, Kendyl gained valuable experience in luxury fashion and brand management, including roles at Christian Dior and Macy's, where she developed expertise in data analysis, relationship building, and strategic planning. Her analytical skills and passion for arts accessibility make her well-suited for museum work.

As a board member, Kendyl will contribute to both the Outreach & Advocacy and Events & Stewardship committees, where she hopes to leverage her business acumen and passion for the arts to help expand the organization's community impact and support fellow emerging professionals in building meaningful museum careers.

Sophia Fuller is an emerging museum professional pursuing a B.A. in Art History, Theory, and Criticism at UC San Diego. Born and raised in San Diego, she brings a strong local perspective and a commitment to inclusive, community-rooted museum work. Her focus includes curation and conservation, and exhibition design– exploring how institutions can better serve diverse audiences. Sophia volunteers as a docent at the Mingei International Museum and works as a gallery attendant at Mandeville Gallery, engaging the public through accessible, connecting experiences.

With a background in early childhood education and experience supporting neurodiverse populations, she centers creative problem-solving and care in their practice. An advocate for diversity, accessibility, and the arts and humanities, Sophia sees museums as dynamic third spaces. She strives to reimagine what cultural institutions can be for the communities they serve and the professionals who shape them, making museum spaces more responsive, inclusive, and future-thinking.

Tori has worked as an educator at the MFA Boston, Mingei, Oceanside Museum of Art and San Diego History Center as well as Historic New England and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. She is passionate about welcoming visitors to cultural institutions and fostering an inclusive environment of creativity learning and connection through art.

Ainsley Holt is in her third year of undergraduate at San Diego State University studying both her passions of art history and communications. At school, she is highly involved in various organizations. In addition to serving as publicity lead last year, Ainsley is excited to take on the role of president of the Art History club this year. Additionally, Ainsley is entering her third year in SDSU’s Look Magazine, serving on the board as workshop event lead.

Being born and raised in Orange County, Ainsley has volunteered in several OC based programs such as being a cast member of the Pageant of the Masters, a docent at the Laguna Beach Historical Society as well as a social media lead for the Moulton Museum. Ainsley’s professional goals include gaining more experience in museums as well as learning more about how publicity and events can encourage and enhance the museum experience.

Briana studied Marketing at UC San Diego, she also holds certifications in LEED Green Building and Project Management. She currently leads Marketing and Communications at Forever Balboa Park, where she's at the center of public engagement and creative strategy for major civic initiatives, including serving as the lead marketer for the historic Botanical Building and Gardens Revitalization project.

Her work spans bilingual media campaigns, donor engagement, youth programming, and cross-sector partnerships. Previously, she worked in Strategic Communications at SANDAG, where she supported public outreach for regional environmental and transportation initiatives. Briana is passionate about connecting people to place through culturally rooted storytelling, environmental stewardship, and inclusive community-building.

Denise Ramirez holds a BA in Art History from San Diego State University and an AA in Arts and Sciences from San Diego Miramar College. She previously worked as an Art Handler and Exhibit Assistant for the Prison Arts Collection at SDSU, where she helped showcase underrepresented voices through powerful exhibitions. Currently, she works as an ASL Instructor and Illusion Expert at the Museum of Illusions, where she combines communication, creativity, and public engagement.

Denise believes art is one of the most powerful forms of expression, and she hopes to inspire people of all generations to discover their voice through creative experiences. Her goal is to help build museum spaces that are not only accessible and inclusive but also emotionally meaningful and deeply connected to the community. Through the San Diego EMP, she looks forward to supporting other emerging professionals, expanding her network, and championing fresh ideas in the arts field. In her free time, you’ll find her with friends and family at the beach, exploring new restaurants, or traveling.

Frances Naty Go is the founder of Goldlilys Media, a boutique web development company that transforms websites into digital masterpieces for museums, nonprofits, and community-centered organizations.

With over 15 years of experience, she combines creative design with technical expertise to build websites that educate, inspire, and connect people to diverse cultures. Deeply passionate about making learning accessible and engaging, Frances believes museums are vital spaces for storytelling, inclusion, and cultural celebration.

Abril holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from San Diego State University. She has been employed by the San Diego Museum of Art as a Visitor Relations Associate for over a year now. Before her role at SDMA, Abril interned with a local art gallery, The Front Arte y Cultura, where she worked with South Bay and Tijuana artists to promote arts and culture and improve the lives of San Ysidro residents. Abril is passionate about art and making art accessible to everyone. Her main goals are to work in a museum under the community engagement sector or curatorial department.

Kendyl Woodruff (she/her) is a Development Associate at the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park, where she manages comprehensive membership programs and cultivates relationships with donors and members. She brings a distinctive background combining fine arts and business, holding a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship for the Fashion and Design Industries and an Associate's in Business Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Before transitioning to museums, Kendyl gained valuable experience in luxury fashion and brand management, including roles at Christian Dior and Macy's, where she developed expertise in data analysis, relationship building, and strategic planning. Her analytical skills and passion for arts accessibility make her well-suited for museum work.

As a board member, Kendyl will contribute to both the Outreach & Advocacy and Events & Stewardship committees, where she hopes to leverage her business acumen and passion for the arts to help expand the organization's community impact and support fellow emerging professionals in building meaningful museum careers.

Sophia Fuller is an emerging museum professional pursuing a B.A. in Art History, Theory, and Criticism at UC San Diego. Born and raised in San Diego, she brings a strong local perspective and a commitment to inclusive, community-rooted museum work. Her focus includes curation and conservation, and exhibition design– exploring how institutions can better serve diverse audiences. Sophia volunteers as a docent at the Mingei International Museum and works as a gallery attendant at Mandeville Gallery, engaging the public through accessible, connecting experiences.

With a background in early childhood education and experience supporting neurodiverse populations, she centers creative problem-solving and care in their practice. An advocate for diversity, accessibility, and the arts and humanities, Sophia sees museums as dynamic third spaces. She strives to reimagine what cultural institutions can be for the communities they serve and the professionals who shape them, making museum spaces more responsive, inclusive, and future-thinking.

Tori has worked as an educator at the MFA Boston, Mingei, Oceanside Museum of Art and San Diego History Center as well as Historic New England and the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. She is passionate about welcoming visitors to cultural institutions and fostering an inclusive environment of creativity learning and connection through art.