Category: Uncategorized

Renato N. Estacio

Education

BA, English literature
Oberlin College

BM, Voice
University of Nevada

MM, Voice
University of Nevada

MBA, Marketing
Keller School

PhD Candidate, Public Affairs
University of Nevada

Music Background

• Opera Singer
• Artistic Director, Southwest Arts Group

Administrative Background

• Director of Marketing, Las Vegas (Nevada) Philharmonic
• President, Southwest Arts Group
• District Director, Metropolitan Opera National Council of Auditions

City of Residence

Albuquerque

Commission term

ended May 6, 2018

Bio

Estacio is the Artistic Director and Conductor for the Southwest Arts Group (SWAG) – a group that produces and educates audiences to enrich lives. The group has a strong show choir component but encompasses all art forms and partners with other fine and performing arts. As a member of SWAG, he is an active performer, choreographer and producer for all shows. Other musical experience includes having performed, stage managed or directed in 30+ unique shows (not including multiple nights of shows) to include musicals, operas, operettas, theater, in both the U.S. and abroad over the past 25 years. Renato recently served as Interim Music Director for the Albuquerque Civic Chorus, where he selected repertoire, conducted the ensemble, and facilitated the strategic direction of the organization.

Academically, he attended Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music in Oberlin, OH, where he studied tuba performance and English literature; from Oberlin, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. His academic background includes degrees in marketing (MBA-Honors) and vocal performance (BMus – Magna Cum Laude/MMus). He is completing a PhD in Public Affairs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; his dissertation focuses on the legal social construction of Native Americans.

Outside of the arts, he works in gaming technology, overseeing the Arizona and New Mexico region for his company. His expertise in gaming includes business intelligence, corporate strategy and product marketing. He has worked in business and market intelligence for International Game Technology and Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. Before he entered gaming, he served as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Assistant Director for the UNLV Writing Center. Furthermore, Renato’s leadership experience includes having been Board Director for the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society; General Director for We Sing! (Choral Festival); member for the Technology Board at UNLV; Director and President of the Board, Village of Centennial Springs and Board Director/Vice President for a Las Vegas, Nevada-based opera company.

Estacio grew up on Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan.

Barbara Hubbard

Education

MA, Education
New Mexico State

MA, Biology
George Peabody College

Music Background

• Executive Director, American Collegiate Talent Showcase

Administrative Background

• Consultant, New Mexico State Fair
• Consultant, Southern New Mexico State Fair
• Consultant, The Whole Enchilada Fiesta

City of Residence

Las Cruces

Commission term

expired May 6, 2012 ~ continues to serve until resignation or termination by the governor

Bio

Hubbard has been Executive Director of the American Collegiate Talent Showcase (ACTWS), a non-profit organization that raises scholarships for students who seek a career in the Performing Arts. The ACTS program began as the “Bob Hope Search for the Top in Collegiate Talent” in 1978 and continues today. The program has established six endowments at New Mexico State University, and in the past 27 years, awarded many scholarships to students enrolled in different universities across the nation. Recently, ACTS placed four students (two from NMSU, one from Ohio State, and one from Texas A&M) in summer internships at Magic Springs & Crystal Falls 2005 Summer Concert Series at Timberwood Amphitheatre in Hot Springs, Arkansas. As a consultant, Barbara has assisted the New Mexico State Fair, the Southern New Mexico State Fair, The Whole Enchilada Fiesta in Las Cruces and continues to assist other arenas/venues/universities in securing entertainment for their events. Money received from consulting services goes directly into the scholarship program to continue assisting students earning degrees. Barbara has a master’s degree in Education from New Mexico State University, and a master’s degree in Biology from George Peabody College in Nashville.

Rick Huff

Education

Practical working experience through broadcasting with most music genres.

Theatre major, non-degreed
University of Albuquerque

Music Background

• Executive Vice President, Western Music Association
• Music Reviewer & Columnist, Western Music Association
• Member, Academy of Western Artists
• Past Board member, Opera Southwest
• Past Board member, Music Theatre Southwest
• Member, Academy of Western Arts

Administrative Background

• Operations Manager, KPAR-FM
• Production Director, KDEF-FM
• Editor-at-Large, OpenMic New Mexico magazine
• Founder, Some Stuff From Huff
• Lifetime Achievement award, New Mexico Advertising Federation
• Recipient of more than 200 Addy Awards, New Mexico Advertising Federation
• Professional member, Western Writers of America

City of Residence

Albuquerque

Commission term

expired May 6, 2018 ~ continues to serve until resignation or termination by the governor

Bio

GENERAL: Editor-at-Large of OpenMic New Mexico magazine. Wrote and produced the audio narration for the opening ceremony of the Albuquerque Tricentennial. Wrote the theme music and Americana sections of “Viva New Mexico!” — a multicultural music pageant for Noberta Fresquez.

WESTERN: Known as the principle western music reviewer in the United States. Life Member of the Western Music Association (WMA) and Member of the Academy of Western Artists (AWA); Director of the WMA’s 2005 International Music Festival in Albuquerque; WMA board member since 2004; writer of the broadcasting column in the WMA’s national magazine The Western Way; also columnist for Cowboy Troubador and Classic Country & Western Music and contributor to Rope Burns, the official publication of the AWA; producer/co-producer of five CDs including “The Best Of New Mexico Western: Big Surprises From Behind The Chile Curtain!” and radio shows “Song & Story With Hi Busse” and “The Best Of The West Revue.” The voice of rangeradio.com.

COUNTRY & ACOUSTIC: Helped start the original “Real Country Real Western 101.3 The Range;” hosted and judged the Colgate Country Showdown (state & district levels); judged this category in the New Mexico State Music Commission’s competition during the 2005 and 2006 New Mexico State Fair; and have been connected with the Albuquerque Folk Festival since its founding.

NATIVE AMERICAN: Worked with and announced for the Mathews family and their “Gathering Of Nations” since its beginning, 12-year member of the Miss Indian World Committee. Wrote for The Pueblo Journal on music and other subjects; also wrote for Indian Education Today.

MARIACHI: Worked with and announced for Noberta Fresquez’s “Mariachi Spectacular” and “A Mariachi Christmas” since their beginnings. Wrote for (and helped stage) touring production “Viva New Mexico.”

CLASSICAL: Board member of Opera Southwest (OSW) for three seasons, performer in two operettas and director of OSW production “Susannah” at the Kimo Theater; board member of Musical Theater Southwest; announcer/producer for KHFM radio, narrated “Peter & The Wolf” with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. Played the lead comic role in OSW’s production of “The Merry Widow” in March/April, 2006.

OTHER MUSIC & FORMATS: Created the state’s first Soul/Funk & Jazz radio station; worked in Heavy Metal, Top-40, Big Band and Adult Contemporary radio formats. Serves on the board of Musical Theatre Southwest and played the part of Franklin Roosevelt in MTS’ production of “Annie.” In 1978 founded (and still runs) Some Stuff From Huff, a Radio/TV Commercial Production service and in 1999 was awarded the New Mexico Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal for lifetime achievement.

Melissa L. Sanchez

Music Background

• Co-Owner and Producer — Emergence Productions
• Entertainment  Coordinator – Gathering of Nations

Administrative Background

• Production Coordinator – Miss Indian World Pageant
• Artist
• Social Media Community Manager

City of Residence

Acoma & Laguna Pueblos

Commission term

ended May 6, 2012

Bio

Melissa who is from the Pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, is an advocate of cultural empowerment through Native American contemporary and traditional performing arts. As an event producer, her unique industry experience includes; public relations, film and radio, national Native American music/book sales, casino entertainment manager, Americans for Indian Opportunity Ambassador Alumni and Rock Your Mocs event producer. In 2001, she, and musician/children’s book author Emmett “Shkeme” Garcia (Santa Ana Pueblo), established Emergence Productions which specializes in talent buying/booking, event production, artist management, and youth cultural empowerment. An EP objective is to create opportunities for entertainers to connect with diverse audiences, while simultaneously creating positive awareness of modern day Native America. From 2002-2004, as the Entertainment Manager at Sky City Casino Hotel, Melissa Sanchez received national media attention by developing the “Emergence Performance Series,” a year round concert event featuring extraordinary talent of Native America.

Also an artist, Melissa has created a popular line of greeting cards featuring contemporary original Native American Pueblo Pottery Art.  The line includes Christmas, Valentines, All-Occasion, Prints and Gift Items. As a keynote speaker and presenter, Melissa shares life experiences of self empowerment and the importance of a cultural foundation including language, education and community responsibility.  Melissa has traveled to New Zealand, Spain, Singapore, Canada and throughout the United States advocating & producing events.