Meet the 2021 WAA Awardees
Congratulations to Matt McNally, Heena Patel, and Sandy Robertson!
The recipients of the 2021 WAA Awards were announced at the WAA Annual Membership Meeting earlier today; congratulations to Matt McNally, Heena Patel, and Sandy Robertson!
The Western Arts Alliance Awards program identifies and acknowledges members and organizations whose innovation, hard work and dedication advance our field and association. Matt, Heena, and Sandy’s incredible contributions were recognized with the Leadership Award, Mentoring Award, and Emeritus Award, respectively. Watch the awards presentation and learn more about this year’s awardees below.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Matt McNally (he/him) | Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
Matt McNally serves as the Community Engagement Director on the administrative team for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. In addition to overseeing 54 staff in five administrative departments, he leads public programming and the development of nearly 300 community partnerships to support 25 library branches.
Matt oversees six performing arts centers, 21 meeting rooms, and 15 fine art galleries. Though a primary focus of his responsibility is the arts, Matt also leads initiatives such as workforce development, adult literacy services, homelessness services, early childhood education, and community outreach.
Originally from Milwaukee, WI, his career began in the entertainment industry after graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Stage Management from the University of California, Irvine. Prior to working at the Library District, Matt worked for the Disneyland Resort managing Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, and the showgirl extravaganza Jubilee! at Bally’s Las Vegas.
Matt is recognized as a leader in the Las Vegas arts community and with Nevada Arts Council. He is a graduate of the Leadership Las Vegas class of 2017.
Matt is an avid Vegas Golden Knights hockey fan, Eagle Scout, and knows precisely how to Advance to Boardwalk. He is the 2003 United States Monopoly Champion.
MENTORING AWARD
Heena Patel (she/her) | MELA Arts Connect
Heena Patel is a multi-hyphenate arts worker, coach for creatives, facilitator, and gathering designer. As a child of Indian immigrants who grew up immersed in South Asian culture within her community, but didn't see it reflected in the mainstream, her professional career has focused on amplifying South Asian arts and culture in the dominant performing arts sector.
The founder and CEO of MELA Arts Connect, her mission is to nurture the ecosystem around South Asian performing arts and community in thoughtful and context driven ways. Over the years and through MELA, Heena has done this as a producer, agent-manager, mentor, artist, consultant, curator, and diversity and equity advocate.
Recent credits as a producer and artistic director include the immersive dance experience Garba360; multidisciplinary stage show Bollywood Boulevard; and desi:NOW — a showcase of hyphenated South Asian identities. She’s facilitated the commissioning and touring of countless South Asian productions and artists from the diaspora and Indian subcontinent, and as a cultural strategist and consultant, she supports organizations in developing long-term strategies for community building with the South Asian diaspora. Her goal as a coach, mentor, and speaker is to empower creatives with the tools and understanding to build sustainable careers for themselves. She currently serves as Vice-President of NAPAMA (North American Performing Arts Agents and Manager), has been on several committees for Western Arts Alliance, Arts Midwest, and South Arts, as well as being a panelist/jury member for several granting organizations across the US.
EMERITUS AWARD
Sandy Robertson (she/her) | UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures
Sandy Robertson has been a festival director, independent programmer, performing arts consultant, marketing director, development director, and special projects wrangler.
Sandy gained her core expertise at UCSB Arts & Lectures in Santa Barbara CA, where she served as marketing director in the 1980s, and at the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, where in addition to supporting a stellar line-up of classical music performances, she was Associate Director of Eclectic Orange Festival from its inception in 1999 through the festival’s first four years.
Later she completed multi-year commitments as Associate Producer of the New World Flamenco Festival (Irvine CA), Festival Producer of FITLA International Latino Theatre Festival (Los Angeles CA), and Festival Director of Laguna Beach Music Festival (Laguna Beach CA). Sandy returned to Santa Barbara in 2013 as Senior Director of Development and Special Initiatives, and later as Program Advisor.
Sandy has been a board member of Western Arts Alliance, and also of California Presenters, a statewide consortium. She has served on adjudication panels for the National Endowment for the Arts, Western Arts Alliance, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
Sandy studied Film History and Criticism at UC Santa Barbara, where she was a Regents Scholar in the long since defunct UCSB Letters and Science Honors College.
Sandy plays tennis with a killer backhand, and spends way too much time talking about food and wine.