Leadership

Writer Anina Bennett is the co-author (with her husband, Paul Guinan) of the illustrated historical fiction books Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel, about a 19th-century robot, and Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention, the generation-spanning tale of a family of steampunk inventors. She co-created the science fiction series Heartbreakers, one of the first comic books to feature a team of female action heroes.

Anina is a former comic book editor who managed titles for First Comics and Dark Horse Comics, among other publishers, and also has a background in business writing and content strategy. She has served on the boards of several nonprofits and helped found Friends of Lulu, a 1990s organization dedicated to encouraging female comic book readers and creators. Originally from Chicago, Anina relocated to Portland, Oregon, in 1991. Her work has been featured in gallery and museum exhibits, including the Oregon Historical Society’s exhibit “Comic City, USA.”

Siren Nation’s artistic director and co-founder, December Carson, is a native Portlander who loves the city she grew up in. She designs and executes programs, events, and initiatives that bring nationally acclaimed artists, musicians, writers, and other public intellectuals to Portland, Oregon. For the past 20+ years, she has worked with arts organizations, nonprofits, promoters, and agents. December is currently the Director of Marketing and Patron Services of The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, and she has previously worked with the Northwest Film Center, Portland’5, and Mercy Corps.

Marian is the founder of Magnolia Management LLC, a small business accounting firm that offers holistic accounting services for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. She has a commitment to working with businesses and organizations that are socially and environmentally ethical and believes that business should be a driving force for good in the world. She is dedicated to helping businesses achieve their financial goals and incorporating ethical responsibility into budgets, employment practices and tax planning.  She volunteers her services with many non profit organizations, and offers mentorship to the BIPOC small business community. When not crunching numbers she can be found creating tiny paper worlds, riding her horse or cuddled up with any number of animal friends that reside with her and her husband in rural Oregon.

Tavé is a multicultural Oregon native. She is a graduate of USC’s Film and Drama schools, a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Mali, W. Africa, and a former Bay Area member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Tavé splits her time between Portland, OR and Sicily where she has family roots. Daughter of teen heartthrob Johnny Angel (Tony Fascé) and niece of Dion, she is an eclectic singer/songwriter. She is additionally the energetic lead singer of the “All Girl All Merle” Haggard tribute Gerle Haggard Band which plays events and women’s prisons.

Tavé is the art director and co-founding editor of Mirador Magazine, an accessible print and online publication for neurodivergent minds. She produces the variety show podcast Peace, Love & Soup and coordinates specialty travel experiences for Italian Culinary Tours. Tavé is also an emcee, poet, and writer who loves meeting new people and the opportunity to serve.

Shalanna Morales (she/her) is a Project Manager with over 4 years of experience working with non-profit Boards in Healthcare. She joined the Siren Nation team due to the focus on femme-presenting artists and performers. Shalanna is a siren in her own right, currently singing covers with a guitarist friend. She hopes to hit the open mic circuit in Portland when they’ve mastered a solid set. In her spare time, Shalanna enjoys dining out, photography, and outdoor activities. A Los Angeles native, she brings a bevy of life experience with her as a queer, half-Mexican woman with 12 years living in Portland.

Alexa Wiley is a local musician, artist, and activist who works as a multimedia communications specialist for a public lands management agency. Wiley has released four studio albums with Red Newt Records and performs with her band ‘Alexa Wiley & the Wilderness’ and her duo ‘Wiley Coyote’ throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Alexa loves metaphor and has purposefully sought out what is unpredictable and wild about herself. Art and poetry play a critical role in her personal life, helping her navigate change and cultivate affirming relationships.

She is a founding member of Sunset High School Equity Fund, a small nonprofit that provides positive learning experiences for students and communities.

As a board member for Siren Nation, Alexa is committed to helping build collaborative capacity for the organization’s mission: “to inspire and empower women and people of all marginalized genders to create art” and celebrate those achievements.

Alexa loves connecting with and learning from others to leverage creative ideas that support the vision of healthy, multi-faceted communities. Ask her about the Backyard Habitat Certification Program!

Missi Hasting grew up in East Tennessee in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains (near Dollywood!), and was deeply influenced by southern gospel, blues, and country western music. She and her band, Mojo Holler, play frequently all over Oregon.

Marcia Hocker has performed in the United States and overseas, including Bogota, Colombia, and Wellington, New Zealand. As an active participant in Portland’s prolific jazz community, she hosted for 12 years on KMHD Jazz Radio. During that time she was appointed as Liaison by the Station Manager to represent the 63 other volunteer hosts. Her assistance was critical when KMHD moved to Oregon Public Broadcasting. She was given OPB’s highest award, the Jan Henderson Volunteer of the Year Award for Leadership. Marcia currently hosts Jazz Lives! on KBOO 90.7 FM Community Radio alternating Wednesdays. As a Board Member of the PDX Jazz Festival (2011-2019) her positions included: Chair of Education and Coordinator for their premier education outreach program, the Incredible Journey of Jazz, which she performed in. This hour-long program was presented to over 15,000 Portland Public School elementary, middle, and high school students and faculty in the metropolitan area and at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Out-of-town performances include the Walters Cultural Arts Center (Hillsboro, OR), Chehalem Cultural Center (Newberg, OR), and Hough Elementary School (Vancouver, WA). Additional emcee assignments include The Oregon Coast Jazz Party (Newport, OR), Aurora Colony Vineyards Jazz Festival (Aurora, OR), Astoria Jazz Festival (Astoria, OR), Mt. Hood Jazz Festival (Gresham, OR), Illinois Jacquet Foundation (Phoenix, AZ) and Jazz In The Garden (Los Angeles, CA). Consultant/AD for the Astoria Jazz Festival, Marcia is the Vice President for the Montavilla Jazz Festival Board.