Angela Carranza is an experienced nonprofit leader advancing Houston’s creative community through artist-centered programming, services, and cross-sector partnerships. She serves as Executive Director of Fresh Arts, where she has spent more than 15 years growing the organization’s impact, beginning as an intern and advancing through multiple leadership roles. In her tenure, she has led multidisciplinary arts program development, directed large-scale public initiatives and convenings, guided regional artist survey efforts, and expanded access to resources for creatives across Greater Houston. She also serves as Cultural Arts Director for Arts District Houston, a state-designated cultural district managed by Fresh Arts, where she advances district-wide strategy, programming, and cultural tourism efforts.

A native Houstonian, Angela holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Arts from the University of Houston and brings a balance of creative and business expertise, including a decade of experience managing small business operations and working in residential interior design. She is an active community volunteer, contributing to initiatives with United Way of Greater Houston, the City of Houston’s Mayor’s Millennial Advisory Board, and the Houston Alliance of Latinx Artists (HALA). She currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Barrio Dogs, an animal welfare organization supporting low-income communities in Houston’s East End.

Outside of work, she’s a proud boy mom, hot dog enthusiast, and animal lover with a home full of rescue animals, alongside her husband, a former chef who endures her love of hot dogs and pets.