Rhiannon Orizaga (she/her)
Executive director

Rhiannon joined ArtWorks as the Executive Director in 2024, bringing over a decade of experience in nonprofit administration. She holds a BA in English Literature & History and an MA in Ancient Mediterranean History, and her research on self-presentation and identity in the Roman Empire has been published and cited by multiple scholars. She is also a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional and has been tech support certified by CompTIA and Apple.

Rhiannon’s background as a queer Chicana from a working class, union household, gives her perspective on the challenges faced by Milwaukee youth and the importance of representation in leadership. Originally from Central California, Rhiannon spent most of her adult life in Oregon before falling in love with Milwaukee. In her personal time, she is an avid crafter, reader, community volunteer, and gardener.

DIONNA HAYDEN (She/her)
Program and Partnerships Manager

Dionna Hayden, an award-winning artist and creative professional, joined ArtWorks for Milwaukee in September 2021. Visual arts, youth mentorship, social justice, and mental health advocacy are a few of Dionna’s passions that fuel the work she does.

A Milwaukee native, Dionna’s artistic journey began the moment she could hold a pencil. Some of her skills include realism, still life, abstract, illustration, and photography. Her extensive background in graphic arts has enabled her to serve in the creative industry for over 20 years, including operating her own business, Pink Elephant Graphic Design, and creating The Cookie-Flower Rock Kids book series under her publishing imprint, Lucky Boots.

Dionna's leadership at ArtWorks has led to her receiving the esteemed Teaching Artist of the Year award. Above all, she is committed to advocating for representation and inspiring artists and creatives to find their own unique voices to enhance and diversify the creative field. To see Dionna’s body of work, check out www.dionnalhayden.com.