Staff
Meet the Staff
Vacant
Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Manager
Matthew Carter
Interim Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Manager
Public Art Collections Manager, Project Planner, and Veterans Memorial Review Committee (VMRC) Coordinator, [email protected]
Matt Carter brings over 20 years of experience in arts management, combining hands-on knowledge from the studio glass and glass manufacturing industry with a strong background in museum operations and art installation. He holds a B.A. in Fine Arts with a concentration in studio glass and ceramics.
Since joining the City of Albuquerque’s Public Art Urban Enhancement Program in 2008, Matt has played a key role in advancing public art initiatives. He began by coordinating the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund (UETF) and now serves as the Collections Manager, overseeing the care, conservation, and documentation of the city’s extensive Public Art Collection. Additionally, he manages new public art projects and acts as the coordinator for the Veterans Memorial Review Committee (VMRC).
Robyne Robinson
Public Art Project Planner, [email protected]
The former Director of Arts@MSP, Robyne developed arts and culture programming at MSP International Airport, generating more than $5 million dollars for the Minnesota arts community through commissions, exhibitions and programming at the nation’s 16th largest airport. Her work at MSP has received praise from transportation writers and national media, including The New York Times. Robyne is well-known as an Emmy-winning news broadcaster in the Twin Cities–and as the first African American primetime anchor in Minnesota. It was during that time she also produced and hosted the first nightly arts and entertainment segment in a major newscast–The Buzz–which resulted in international press, and one of the first interviews and lengthy relationship with Prince.
Robyne is the creative mind behind ROX Jewelry Designs, sold throughout the US Greece and London. Her work is on display at the Lewis Museum of African American Art in Baltimore, fine art galleries in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and has been featured in both US and UK magazines.
Robyne’s received numerous honors, including being selected as a 2010 candidate for Lt. Governor; a Hubert Humphrey fellow at the University of Minnesota, and the critically-praised curator and owner of flat land gallery (2000-2003).
She rounds out her list of awards with her recent induction into Minnesota’s Broadcasting Hall of Fame–again another mile stone as the first African American honoree.
Eric Werner
Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Management Analyst II, [email protected]
Mandolen Sanchez
Public Art Outreach Program Coordinator, [email protected]
Mandolen has a B.A. and M.A. in Art History, with an emphasis in art of the Americas, from the University of New Mexico. In 2019, she served as the Chief Editor for the 12th volume of UNM’s Department of Art and Art History’s annual publication Hemisphere: Visual Cultures of the Americas. She brings with her experience working with nonprofit arts organizations. She is the Public Art Outreach Program Coordinator for the City of Albuquerque Public Art Urban Enhancement division.
Noel Begay
Associate Public Art Project Coordinator, [email protected]
Noel is Diné, Native New Mexican and is the newest member of the Public Art Urban Enhancement Division. Noel is Dibéłizhiní, born for Táchii’nii, her maternal grandfather is Tł’ógí and her paternal grandfather is Tábaahá. She studied art and art history, where she completed her B.F.A. in Fine Arts, with emphases in Printmaking and Painting, from the University of New Mexico (2017). She was a former studio technician/curator with both UNM & CNM, which led to teaching summer art classes specializing in printmaking on the Navajo Nation. She eventually went forward with serving as a Native American Liaison among multiple Non-Profit Indigenous Organizations (including Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons with the U.S. Justice Department & local Law Enforcement). She formerly served as the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) Intern assisting with a national fundraising silent auction project. She volunteers with the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe on fundraising events for student scholarship monies to attend the institute. She previously provided administrative support for the City of Albuquerque in the Environmental Health Department during 2020-2022.