Robin has been on faculty with the School of Music at Sacramento State University since 2003, where she leads the Voice program that inspires young singers for careers in the performing arts. Robin’s passion for singing was fostered at a California high school and at San José State, where she was mentored to apply for scholarships and grants to study in Germany and Austria. After graduate work in Vienna, she led an active career in opera and concert throughout Europe. Robin returned to California to be a teacher and mentor to aspiring young singers.

Robin’s two sons attended San Juan Unified schools, and she was an active parent-advocate for arts education. On behalf of teachers and students, she applied for grants to support music and art in their schools, and she served several years on the San Juan Education Foundation board. In 2018, Robin founded the Sac State Performing Arts Collective to link like-minded artistmentors from the university and community with Sacramento school children in performing arts activities during the summer. She has written and received grants from the California Arts, Council, University Enterprises at Sac State, and the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Her greatest passion is to connect professional artists with youth to develop their creative voice. As a product of the California public schools, Robin knows first hand the impact arts education can have to change lives.

Melanie is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and is a Manager at Gilbert CPAs in Sacramento specializing in financial statement audits of nonprofit organizations. Melanie also sits on the Board of the Washington Neighborhood Center, an arts and culture nonprofit in Midtown, Sacramento.

Melanie holds a BA in Art History from the University of California, Los Angeles; an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths College, University of London; and a Master of Professional Accountancy from the University of California, Davis.

Melanie has benefitted from arts and music education her whole life and feels its value even when working in the accounting and finance industry. She enjoys travel, reading, painting, and supporting the arts community in Sacramento whether by sitting on a board, or simply being an attendee at events.

Andrew Kehoe is a Sacramento native and lifelong lover of the arts.

His mother instilled an appreciation for the arts at an early age, taking him to art museums, filling the house with prints of famous Expressionists, and ensuring there was always paper and colored pencils to let the imagination run wild.

While he did not find his calling in the arts, his career spans more than 20 years working in both the public and private sectors. He is currently the Government and Community Relations Manager for UC Davis Health, and before that, worked in the California State Legislature and for Mayor Darrell Steinberg, including helping Mayor Steinberg spearhead major COVID response initiatives for the arts in Sacramento. Andrew’s early career includes marketing and branding work for Stanley-Black&Decker and even a short stint teaching English in Japan.

These days, Andrew and his wife, Shenandoah, spend most of their spare time chasing after their 4-year-old boy, Ronan. Still, when they have a babysitter, you can find them attending shows at CapStage or B Street, near the front at local rock concerts, or catching up on the latest Oscar-nominated films.

Andrew holds a B.A. from Sacramento State in Political Science.

Brian is the Program Manager for the Youth and Family Collective, an initiative by PRO Youth and Families, Inc in which he oversees the implementation of various programs focused on workforce development (#SacYouthWorks), mental wellness (MindOneSix), and youth marijuana use awareness and prevention (#SacYouthWorks Futures).
Brian holds a deep passion for music since he can remember.

He became passionate about writing songs and poetry after an elementary school assignment. Many classmates and peers at school began purchasing his poems, which encouraged him to continue writing. Throughout his schooling years, Brian signed up for every play, dance group, and choir opportunity he was able to. He learned to play Ukulele and Guitar so he could teach his two children (currently 6 and 4 years of age.) Brian has a creative room in his home where his kids are exposed to various musical instruments, and different mediums to create visual arts (Crafting materials, paint, canvases, photography/video cameras, etc.)

Brian’s decision to join the board came from his desire to increase access to arts programs for youth in Sacramento. Aside from the arts, Brian loves to travel and learn different languages and about different cultures.

Managing Director, California PTA

Tara Sissom-Pittaro is a theatre artist, educator, and arts advocate based in Sacramento, CA. With a passion for storytelling and a deep commitment to arts access, she has spent over fifteen years working in theatre education, performance, and outreach. Tara currently serves as the Theater for Young Audiences Director at B Street Theatre, where she develops TYA productions, arts education programs, and community engagement initiatives that reach thousands of students across the region.

A longtime member of the B Street acting company, Tara brings her skills as a performer, improviser and playwright into the classroom, using theatre to inspire curiosity, empathy, and creative expression in young people. She is especially drawn to stories that blend history, imagination, and social change, and she has developed original theatrical works that spotlight figures like Marie Curie and Sally Ride and explore themes of science, identity, and empowerment for young audiences. Tara received a BFA in Music Theatre and Graphic Design from Elon University in North Carolina, a Joseph Jefferson Award for Original Music Composition and is a founding member of the new works theatre company in Chicago, The New Colony.

Sharyn Worrall is an Area Vice President at Komodo Health, where she is passionate about advancing technology in healthcare, leveraging data to solve real-world problems, and fostering collaboration to drive meaningful impact. She holds a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Health from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from San Diego State University.

Sharyn is deeply committed to ensuring that all children have access to arts education. Having benefited from music lessons as a young child and growing up alongside siblings who pursued careers in the arts, she has seen firsthand the transformative power of creative expression. As a parent, she continues to expose her three young children to a wide range of artistic experiences, believing the arts are essential to learning, connection, and personal growth. Sharyn is excited to join the Friends of Sacramento Arts Board!

Shelly James brings a strategic, community-centered perspective to her work, grounded in a lifelong belief in the power of arts and culture to strengthen local identity and civic life.

A Sacramento area native, Shelly attended San Juan Unified schools, where the arts played a formative role in her education. She played violin and viola in a string quartet, sang in choir for many years, and performed in school productions, experiences that shaped her belief that the arts build community, discipline, and new ways of thinking.

Shelly is a seasoned marketing and communications leader with more than three decades of experience across the public, nonprofit, and destination marketing sectors. She is the CEO of PorterCo, a full-service advertising agency where she leads strategy and brand for integrated campaigns that help organizations deepen connection, strengthen impact, and grow inclusive audiences.

Her commitment to community extends beyond her professional work. Shelly has served on several boards and advisory committees, including Social Venture Partners Sacramento and CalTravel, bringing collaborative leadership and strategic insight to governance, fundraising, and mission-driven growth.

She holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from California State University, Sacramento. She knows first-hand the value of arts in public schools and believes early exposure to the arts helps students thrive both in and beyond the classroom.