Seth Pringle was born and raised in rural Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in ceramics from Ohio University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Claremont Graduate University. He currently serves as Director at the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, where he has been on staff since 2022. Pringle brings to this role a wide range of experience in the non-profit arts sector with expertise in art education, curating, collection management, marketing, and development. He has served a variety of organizations in the Inland Empire and Southern California, including the Sam & Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts & Crafts, the Ontario Museum of History & Art, Pitzer College, Scripps College, Chaffey College, the dA Center for the Arts, and spent 11 years representing artists with developmental disabilities as Gallery Manager at First Street Gallery Art Center in Claremont.

Ingrid was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a bilingual/bicultural household. She earned a B.S. in Interior Architecture from Woodbury University and worked in the design field in both New York and California. While living in Los Angeles during the civil unrest of 1992, Ingrid became involved in the city's Summer of Service program, where she collaborated on projects in the rebuilding and healing of south Los Angeles communities. She led programs in community art, gardens, tree plantings, and after school programs for youth. The impact of this meaningful experience led to a career change to the nonprofit sector. Ingrid's previous experience includes the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, California Botanic Garden, Claremont Heritage, Sam & Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts & Crafts, and the San Bernardino County Museum Foundation. At CLMA, Ingrid manages the administrative and financial operations of the Museum.

An artist and art administrator, Kikesa Kimbwala developed an interest in art at a young age and participated in CLMA’s ARToon program at El Roble Intermediate School. She earned her BFA in Fine Arts and Art History at Howard University in 2021 and completed internships with the Brooklyn Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Huntington Institute. While continuing to develop her art practice, she worked as a Studio Manager for a conceptual artist and a Sales Associate at Pace Gallery in New York.

Kikesa serves as the Director of the artist collective Here Lay A Home, originally performed as a conceptual installation and oral history initiative in response to the Eaton Fires. She returned to California last summer to mount the collective's eponymous exhibition at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena.

Currently, Kikesa is a student at Claremont Graduate University where she hopes to develop an administrative framework for supporting artists in site specific programs. She continues to offer project consulting to working artists and is expanding her practice in object making and ephemeral installation.

Paula Lee has joined the CLMA staff as our development associate. A Southern California native, she holds an undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Paula began her career in corporate retail planning and strategy in New York City before returning to Los Angeles to transition into the nonprofit arts sector.
She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Arts Management at Claremont Graduate University, where she focuses on the strategic and operational aspects that support mission-driven cultural institutions.

Paula actively engages with the Los Angeles cultural scene by visiting museums and attending performances. She leads inquiry-based tours at the California African American Museum and volunteers as an usher at various community-based arts organizations, including East West Players and REDCAT Theater. Her connection to Claremont, through her studies, has enhanced her interest in the region’s arts ecosystem. In her role at CLMA, Paula supports development initiatives and is particularly interested in how fundraising sustains access to the arts and strengthens communities.

Erica Soto has joined our team as a marketing associate.  A New Yorker who loves California, she earned her undergraduate degree in Communication from Boston University, concentrating on Film & Television.  After a long career in entertainment and a decade of painting, she was admitted to Claremont Graduate University and is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts, focusing on acrylic and oil painting on canvas.

With over a decade in Los Angeles, Erica has found a new home in Claremont, where she creates art, builds community with other artists, and finds ways to impact children through the arts.  As a marketing associate, Erica brings her social media strategy, writing, and visual content skills to expand the CMLA community and help foster creative relationships that positively impact those around it.

Thea became a part of the museum as a graduate student at Claremont Graduate University in 2022. After completing her degree, she joined the team as the Collection Database Archivist. She also took on the responsibility of managing Art Night Out, a monthly event. Thea transitioned to the non-profit sector after working for a few years as a photographer and digital retoucher. She is enthusiastic about fostering community engagement with the museum. When she's not working with art, Thea enjoys spending time watching movies and reading with her dog, Gidget.

Syndri Alvarez is a museum associate at Claremont Lewis and a passionate studio art graduate from the University of La Verne. She is deeply inspired by the intersection of art and community, with dreams of one day opening her own coffee shop and art gallery where people can connect over creativity. In her free time, Syndri enjoys reading, painting, and exploring music, all of which fuel her artistic pursuits and enrich her connection to the art world.

Enid Bilau is a museum associate at Claremont Lewis Museum of Art. She is currently attending Cal Poly Pomona as a Mathematics major, hoping to one day become a math teacher. Art has always played a role in her life through self-expression and fashion. She loves having conversations with visitors about the artwork on display and viewing the pieces through their perspectives. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, gaming, drawing, watching horror movies, and tending to her chickens.

Oliver is a Museum Associate at CLMA and a student at Chaffey College, pursuing an Associates for transfer. He has always enjoyed conversing about and creating art, and was a former member of the ArtStart program–where he served for two years on the Student Advisory Group. ArtStart was a transformative program for Oliver throughout High School, creating a safe space of productive growth and beautiful conversation. Oliver primarily enjoys painting portraiture and nature. Outside of art, you will find Oliver at the movie theater, discovering new music, or getting froyo with friends.

Born and raised in Southern California, Emily Moyocoyotzin Navarro Patiño is a Pomona-based photographer, artist, and researcher. Her passion for the arts began in childhood and continued through her studies at the Art Institute of San Diego, where she built a foundation in photography, fashion marketing, and merchandising. While living in Los Angeles, Emily interned at Bollare Styling Firm in Beverly Hills and worked professionally as a signed model for five years, contributing to a range of brands, campaigns, and creative projects internationally. She also gained experience working as a modeling agent. In 2020, Emily returned to school to expand her academic and professional path, earning two associate degrees in Behavioral Sciences and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She spent five years working in the mental health field, where she found purpose in supporting and advocating for others. Today, Emily has returned to the art world as a professional photographer, museum associate with the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art, and multidisciplinary creative. Her work is rooted in community, culture, storytelling, activism, and human connection.

Damien attends Citrus College majoring in Photography. He has always had a love for the arts, especially music. Damien hopes to be a professional photographer someday.

Doug is a versatile artist who specializes in various forms of art such as collage, mixed media, sculpture, printmaking, photography, assemblage, drums/percussion and cooking. He aspires to continue playing an active role in the vibrant art communities of Southern California. He loves to travel and has explored several countries, including Gambia, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Taiwan, France, Mexico and Canada. With a BA in Studio Art from UCSB and additional training from LACMA, FAWC, and Otis College, Doug has spent 19 years working in the Promotional Products Industry, primarily in sales and customer service. Prior to that, he has worked for manufacturing companies, including Pioneer Electronics. Doug is a people person and enjoys interacting with clients and the public.

An independent museum consultant with over twenty years’ work in the museum field, Rich Deely has worked as an educator in art, history, and science museums in New York, North Carolina, and California. Originally from New York City, Rich has BA degrees in both history and communications from the University of Notre Dame, and a Masters degree in Museum Education from Bank Street College of Education in Manhattan.

An alumna of both Claremont High School and ARTstART, Madison Garcia is the Project Associate for the 2025-2026 school year. She is thrilled to work alongside Rich Deely, and today's ARTstARTers delivering AfterARTs sessions at school-sites after-school, especially after having a wonderful experience in the program during her last two years at CHS. Madison has recently completed her degree at Cal Poly Pomona, where she majored in Early Childhood Studies, and plans to obtain a master's degree in Speech Language Pathology at Cal State San Marcos.

She has always been passionate about the arts and media, as well as working with children and students of all ages. In the past, she has served as a manager at the Lakeshore Learning store. In her free time, you can find her on Letterboxd, at any local movie theatre, walking her two dogs Bentley and Bo, or reading the latest thriller novel.