NMAIC Board
Back: Martha Jane Anderson, David Liggera, Paul Beck
Front: Karen Cunningham with Dinah
Karen Cunningham
Founder and President
In 2019, Karen embarked on her journey as the founder and President of the New Mexico Arts Imaginative Collective (NMAIC). After a rewarding thirty-five-year career as a piano teacher, she retired and now focuses on composing and creating documentary and music videos that feature her music. Additionally, Karen volunteers as the coordinator for HODGEPODGE Shorts, an initiative sponsored by NMAIC that provides New Mexico filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their films on the big screen at the Guild Cinema. Karen is passionate about fostering creativity and enjoys facilitating art projects for NMAIC.
Board Bios
David Liggera
Treasurer
As one of the founding members of the 501c3 non-profit New Mexico Arts Imaginative Collective (NMAIC), I applied for and obtained our non-profit status from the IRS. As Treasurer, I must keep track of all income and expenses of the group and give an accounting at every board meeting. I am responsible for electronically filing the yearly Form 990-N (Postcard) with the IRS which satisfies the filing requirement for a small tax-exempt organization. For the state, I must register each year with the New Mexico Charitable Organization Registration Online System (NM-COROS), a part of the New Mexico Department of Justice, and provide them with a copy of our income, expenses and final amount of monies for our fiscal year. I believe my 41 years as an IT Specialist with the IRS has helped me approach these tasks with precision and confidence, making me well-equipped to handle the financial and compliance aspects of my Treasurer role.
Paul Beck
Technical Advisor
Paul Beck is a founding member of NMAIC, having helped establish the organization in 2019. As a technical assistant, he plays a pivotal role in supporting both the organization and its creative projects. Paul served as the inaugural Webmaster for NMAIC's first website and contributed significantly to the organization and technical direction of video productions such as “Sense of Wonder Moments,” “Surrealist Dreamers of New Mexico,” and others. He was instrumental in the setup and production of “Gateway to Sense of Wonder,” organizing workshops and presenting his own sessions. Additionally, Paul supports Hodgepodge Shorts movie events by downloading, documenting, coordinating, and processing videos submitted by filmmakers.
Paul Beck taught Industrial Fabrication Techniques at CNM for 25 years. Upon retiring, he worked as an Electronic Keyboard Technician for Yamaha and later as an Application Engineer for CVI Laser for 10 years. He earned his BS in Industrial Education from UNM in 1980.
Martha Jane Anderson
Advisor
I came to NMAIC through my friendship with Karen Cunningham whom I met when she offered to hold a fundraiser for the non-profit Save Lucky Paws in 2011. During many conversations over coffee since then, Karen discussed the formation of NMAIC, its goals and activities. Seeing it evolve has been inspiring, both as a visual artist and as a founder of a non-profit myself (SLP/Friends of Lucky Paws), so I was happy to join the board when Karen and the Board invited me in 2024.