Staff

Jennifer de Poyen, Executive Director

Jennifer (she/ella) is a lifelong artist, writer, and yoga teacher with deep roots in San Diego's arts and culture community. A graduate of McGill and Stanford Universities, she was an award-winning arts journalist and small-business owner before joining Space 4 Art as Executive Director. Jennifer’s artwork is widely exhibited and held in private collections in the United States, Canada, and Singapore. Jennifer is a passionate servant leader who is working with a wide range of community stakeholders to build out Space 4 Art’s multidisciplinary, community-based Arts Center, advocate for affordable artist housing throughout the region, and transform the San Diego-Tijuana region into a sustainable, inclusive creative hub.

Michelle Hoyt, Development Associate

Michelle (she/her) is a lifelong music and drama enthusiast and a former elementary music teacher of 15 years. She recognizes the dire need to connect youth and adults from all walks of life with the full range of the arts. With ten years of experience as a servant leader for numerous school and community organizations, Michelle is thrilled to support Space 4 Art’s programs and help the organization build a large-scale, community-based Arts Center for San Diego.

Katie Ruiz, Gallery Programs Associate

Katie Ruiz (she/her) is an artist, activist and curator with diverse experience curating and exhibiting for various galleries and spaces in Southern California, Mexico, and New York. Her skills include curation, installation, program development, and education. She is the creator of The Pompom Project, a community program that invites participants to make pompoms to contribute to large community art installations. Her artwork and curation work have been exhibited in the United States and Mexico. She holds a masters of Fine Art from the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting, and Sculpture and a bachelor's degree from Northern Arizona University. She is a recipient of The Far South Border North Individual artist grant and the MAC Conner Scholarship.

Suchita Jariwala, Director of Finance

Suchita (she/her) is a data-driven and analytical finance professional with a diverse experience across the financial services, manufacturing, and nonprofit sectors. Skilled in project coordination, financial analysis, reporting, internal controls, business-process improvement, and communications, Suchita is an efficient, committed team player with a master’s degree focused in Accountancy — Tax and Finance. Suchita is passionate about community building, arts education as well as developing and maintaining strong reporting and finance processes. After stabilising administrative practices and re-establishing and growing Space 4 Art’s education programs post-pandemic, she now continues to drive forward the financial goals of the organization.

Rio Villa Ezell, Programs Associate

Rio (she/siya) is an arts producer dedicated to elevating art and culture as essential pillars of communal well-being. Originally from San Diego, she is deeply influenced by the contemporary art and cultural scenes in Europe and Asia, where she has lived and traveled extensively. Rio holds degrees in Theatre and Arts & Cultural Management, combining her love of art-making with her community-building nature. Having produced cultural TV docuseries, theatre in community spaces, and international film festivals, she is eager to channel her passion into Space 4 Art’s programs, community, and artists.