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our team
RYAN HEFFINGTON
Artistic Director, he/him
Ryan is an Emmy-award winning choreographer who brings deep experience cultivating cultural initiatives to our town and globally. Community has been fundamental to the connections he has built in his success. In 2023 he served on the Public Arts Advisory Council, advocating for arts programming in the City of 29 Palms. He has organized and DJ’d a recurring queer night in 29 Palms from 2022–2024, drawing over 200 attendees per event. In 2023, he helped curate Hi Desert Pride, activating more than ten local bars and restaurants with dance parties, DJ sets, screenings, performances, drag brunches, and community gatherings—filling High Desert establishments while generating funding and visibility for local causes. From 2021-2024, he also taught dance classes for children at Joshua Tree’s TRUNK-N-TREAT, reaching more than 50 youth annually. For over 20+ years Mr. Heffington has produced and directed hundreds of successful events in Los Angeles including dance nights / club venues, events at major museums such as MOCA, LACMA, The Broad, The Hammer and theaters alike. Heffington wears hats of producer, promotor, graphic artists and host. His events have been from a shy 100 in attendance to over 2000+ plus attendees for his MOCA Residency show that broke the museum attendance record. Ryan Heffington has worked with the artists Sia, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, Emma Stone, and more.
CAROLINE PARTAMIAN
Executive Director, she/her
Caroline has worked for non-profit residency spaces and institutions for over 15 years producing events, benefit dinners, and auctions. Caroline has an MA in Museum Studies from NYU. Previously, she was a curatorial administrator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, book and archival assistant to Laurie Anderson, and archivist for Fales Library dance and punk archives. She is also a curator and the Operations Director at Compound YV gallery. She is a sound and visual artist whose work has taken on the form of compositions, graphic notations, sound environments, books, and video and has presented work at High Desert Test Sites, Anthology Film Archives, ISSUE Project Room and more. She also runs a small publishing press, Weird Babes, in the form of zines and prints featuring works-in-progress; and Other Desert Radio as a means of representing the many voices and interests of the California high desert.
LIV STOFKO
Administrative Assistant, she/her
Liz is an organizer and community advocate whose work has created accessible, community-driven arts experiences that connect locals and visitors in the Mojave Desert. She has worked at Art Queen in downtown Joshua Tree as a site manager supporting public events and artist-centered initiatives. Liv also participates in Other Desert Radio as a DJ and leads workshops on how to spin vinyl records. She has DJ’d at local community events, such as the Mom Rave at Mojave Gold, Record Store Day at White Label Vinyl, and Homestead Sessions at the Joshua Tree Trading Post. Liv also teaches stained glass classes for children and adults at 29 Palms Creative Center. Previously, she worked with the 29 Palms Queer Film Festival as a producer and volunteered with Yucca Valley Material Lab.
BAILEY HAACK
Facilities Manager, they/them/she/her
Bailey has experience in event production and artistic installation. Their background encompasses a range of roles in festival operations, artistic construction, and floral design. Bailey has contributed to various festivals as a team leader, including Elements Music & Arts Festival as a Decor Team Carpenter and Fabricator, Envision Festival as part of the Installation Artist Build Crew, Joshua Tree Music Festival and Electric Forest as a Floral and Garden, and more. Bailey holds a Bachelor of Individualized Study from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. They possess knowledge of safety protocols through a 30-Hour OSHA Certificate and an understanding of bamboo construction techniques through a CourseWeek Certificate from Bamboo DNA.
ANDREW SHEETS
Web Deisgner, he/him
Andrew has spent the last decade producing and marketing theatrical and cinematic events across the country. He received his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and continued to live in work in SF until 2022. In his time there post-grad, Andrew managed art galleries, served as a museum docent, performed often, produced a quarterly party at the iconic Stud bar called Stereo Argento, and managed the Communications & Marketing at Frameline: the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Since leaving SF, Andrew has run the Marketing at several additional film festivals including the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Miami Film Festival. As a freelance graphic designer, web designer, and video editor, Andrew has produced materials for dozens of arts non-profits to introduce unique & bold ways to engage their existing audiences and invite new folks in. Andrew loves chihuahuas, milkshakes, and horror movies.
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