Marcela “Xela” Garcia

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, and was elected to the Milwaukee Public Schools board of directors representing District 6. As a council member for the Wisconsin Arts Board, she brings broad experience in arts and culture administration, education, philanthropy and organizational sustainability. Garcia earned her B.A. in English literature with an emphasis in creative writing and Chicanx/Latinx studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and holds a certification in Nonprofit Leadership. She 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 received 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. (Board term FY2024-2026)