Marcela “Xela” Garcia, she/her/ella

Executive Director

Marcela “Xela” Garcia is a Xicana artist, innovator and cultural warrior who currently serves as the Executive Director at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts in Milwaukee, WI and was elected to the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors representing District #6. She brings broad experience in arts and culture administration, education, philanthropy and organizational sustainability. She earned her BA in English Literature with an emphasis in Creative Writing & Chicanx/Latinx Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also holds a certification in Nonprofit Leadership. Xela was awarded Board Sources’ National Emerging Non-Profit Leader Award in 2012, was recognized as one of Wisconsin’s Most Powerful Latinos in 2018, was selected to the 2020 class of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and the 2020 Arts + Culture Leaders of Color Fellowship with Americans for the Arts. She currently serves as a mayoral appointee to the City of Milwaukee Arts Board and as a gubernatorial appointee to the Wisconsin Arts Board. She is also a founding member of the art collective Raíces Revolucionarias.