PLAYA Staff

Ana Varas

(she/her)

Executive Director

Ana Varas is an experienced arts administrator with over ten years of work across the academic, nonprofit, and private sectors of the arts industry. She most recently served as the Arts Program Manager at Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture in Sisters, Oregon.

Ana holds a PhD in Art History and Theory from the University of Essex, UK, where her research focused on community-driven art practices addressing socio-political and ecological issues. She is also passionate about promoting the intersection of art and science, recognizing the potential for cross-disciplinary collaboration to address complex global challenges. Throughout her career, Ana has been committed to leveraging the arts as a catalyst for social change and community engagement. Her leadership is grounded in her belief in the power of the arts to connect diverse communities and drive positive cultural transformation.

Outside of her professional life, Ana enjoys spending time with her family exploring the outdoors and connecting with nature.

Ames Wesselman

(they/them)

GENERAL MANAGER

Ames brings more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience to PLAYA. Throughout their career, they have advanced the missions of organizations focused on climate action, international exchange, farmworker health care, and pathways to citizenship for undocumented farmworkers. A commitment to fostering collaboration within communities has been a common thread throughout their work.

Ames is deeply inspired by PLAYA’s mission to operate at the intersection of science and art, bringing together creative thinkers from both disciplines to explore new ways of creating positive change for the environment and the world. In their words, “the boundlessness of PLAYA’s setting inspires me to work outside my own comfort zone, where my own creativity can flourish and expand as I work toward PLAYA’s mission. It is a joy to see it have the same impact on the diverse group of artists and scientists who make their way to our very special corner of the earth.”

When not at work, Ames can often be found rock climbing, birding, backpacking, or behind the camera.

Kathryn Wilson

(she/they)

Program Manager

Kathryn looks forward to bringing her passion for community care and fostering relational exchange with the natural world to the facilitation of PLAYA’s programs. She is excited about developing programs which make space for imagination and art/science  collaboration in service of positive social and environmental impacts on Lake County communities, and beyond.

She has a varied background, having worked as a community  advocate, program manager, and nonprofit administrator, as well as a cultural producer and artist for film, theater and events. She is also a trauma-informed somatics facilitator and has worked as a native plant landscape designer. She has worked in organizations and arts spaces such as The Cosanti Foundation at Arcosanti, The Broad Stage, Directors Lab West, South Coast Repertory, BEDLAM Theater Company and more. 

Simon Lagneaux

(he/him)

Site & Facilities Manager

Lover of all things wild, Simon is most happy when exploring the natural world on two (bicycle) wheels. He can’t wait to explore all the beauty of Oregon from his new home base in Lake County. Simon has an arts background, working for many years as a graphic designer and web developer for companies and individuals that positively contribute to the public good like conservationists, artists, progressive start-ups, nonprofits and museums. Though originally from Belgium, he is no stranger to the high desert, having recently farmed and worked in planning at Arcosanti, the experimental town in Arizona. The best job he ever had was outfitting and cooking for an off-grid sci-fi movie production in the stunning Mojave Desert. He is a climate activist and has volunteered in trail maintenance with the Sierra Club in California and now with the Oregon Timber Trail. Keenly aware of how encouraging the porosity between art and science can benefit us all, he is excited to be part of the team that creates a fruitful environment for the exchange of ideas and experiences that PLAYA facilitates.

Shawna Negus

(she/her)

Cuisine and Lodging Manager

Shawna loves her job at PLAYA because she loves food and making people feel welcome. There’s so much pleasure in imagining and creating delicious entrees, salads, and desserts for the people who come here from all over the world. She also takes pride in readying PLAYA’s cabins for new residents. She grew up in this county but has lived in many beautiful places from Alaska to Arizona. Now she’s fortunate to call this area home again, as it’s her favorite place of all, where she has a wonderful garden, family, and many friends.