First published in the July 14 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
Pasadena’s Armory Center for the Arts has welcomed five new board members to help advance the nationally recognized nonprofit’s newly adopted mission to nurture its community and its young people by creating, learning and presenting art to advance equity and social justice.
A Pasadena native who took her first art class at the Armory, Mary Gumport is the narrative lead at Theorycraft Games. She previously worked as an editor and publisher for BOOM! Studios” and Riot Games, where she also directed the narrative team for the blockbuster video game “League of Legends.” Gumport has a passion for arts advocacy and education, especially in systems-impacted communities.
Altadena resident Susan Hall-Hardwick is CPA and independent accounting consultant to small businesses and nonprofits, including the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California and Jericho Road. As a former chair of the California African American Museum’s Arts Council, Hardwick raised funds to acquire works for the museum’s permanent collection by Artis Lane and Charles White, among others. Hardwick’s board service includes the Pasadena Delta Foundation, which provides awards and scholarships for charitable, religious, educational, health, scientific and entrepreneurial endeavors. She was previously a member of the board of Project X Foundation for Art and Criticism.
Artist Nery Gabriel Lemus is the director of Azusa Pacific University’s Masters of Fine Arts program. A former Armory Teaching Artist, Lemus has extensive experience working with systems-impacted youth. Represented by Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles, Lemus works in a broad range of mediums with subjects including stereotypes, immigration, and societal problems. Lemus lives with his wife and children in Northwest Pasadena.
Longtime Pasadena resident Kathy Mangum is a recently retired Disney executive with substantial production experience in theme park design and construction projects. A past board member of Ryman Arts, Mangum is a California State University, Fullerton graduate and funds a scholarship program for Ryman alumni attending the university.
Shannon Malone is the newly appointed senior director of TK-12 Principals for the Pasadena Unified School District. Fluent in Spanish, Malone previously served as principal at PUSD’s Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy. During her tenure, Washington became California’s first, and the Nation’s fifth, STEM-certified school. In 2022, Washington was renamed in honor of acclaimed science fiction author and PUSD alumna Octavia Butler.
Board President Victoria Stratman wishes to thank Tonita Fernandez, Stephen Nowlin, Shelley Short Ogden, Debra A. Ortega, Lisa Sugimoto, Philip A. Swan and Peter Tolkin, who are all rotating off the board this fiscal year.
“My deepest thanks to all of you for what you have contributed to the Armory during your tenure, especially since the pandemic began,” said Stratman, who affirmed that their efforts are “what kept the Armory going through these difficult times.”
She has one request for her departing colleagues who made such an impact during their terms of service to the Armory: “Please, even though you have transitioned off the board, please stay engaged with the Armory. You are truly valued,” she said.
