About Us
Supporting Community Vision with Intuitive Grant Management
Our Story
GO Smart is made up of a close-knit team who collaborate daily to bring you the best customer support and creative solutions for your grants. We understand the importance of your work and the impact it has on the communities you serve, which is why we focus on making GO Smart accessible, equitable, and engaging for you and your grantees.
Our strength as one of Creative West’s (formerly WESTAF) web-based technology products is that we share a unique bond with the art and grantmaking world, giving us insight into the changing needs of arts funders. Our collaborative and customized approach to customer service means you will have direct access to GO Smart’s leadership team, ensuring your voice is heard and that GO Smart continues to serve the needs of arts and community funders.
We all have our own unique story of how the arts have impacted us, and we showcase that passion in our work. Read on to meet the team and learn about why or when each of us fell in love with the arts.
Meet the Team
Jessica Gronich, GO Smart Manager
My love of the arts was solidified early on by my father, who appreciates music in all forms. He introduced me to his favorite folk records, took me to the symphony often, and even escorted me and my...
6th-grade friends to our first rock arena concert, U2 Zooropa! To this day, our shared love of music is one of the most important elements of our relationship and a huge part of my life.
Kelsey Foster, GO Smart Support Coordinator
Art has been integral to me since childhood, and I’m lucky to have grown up surrounded by music, films, visual arts and literature! After finding solace in books as a teenager, I decided to pursue a Creative Writing degree where...
I also studied painting, graphic design and film studies. I continue to write stories, direct short films, draw, and craft as time allows.
Natalie Villa, Project Management Specialist
My love for the arts has been ongoing throughout my life. I was lucky to be immersed in music theater, and film, but the moment that stands out in my mind is when I watched the behind-the-scenes clips for Jurassic Park.
It showed me that there are so many brilliant minds that can make up an artistic piece; art is everywhere and is a great way to share your experiences.
Samantha Ortega, Marketing Manager
The arts have always played a huge part in my life. Growing up with a mom who was a former ballerina and a dad who enjoyed DJing and break dancing in his younger years, I was constantly surrounded by different art forms.
This exposure fueled my passion for dance, which I pursued throughout middle school, high school, and college. Taking on dance broadened my perception of the arts and made me appreciate how they bring people together, tell stories, and make us feel alive.
Aliah Chavez, Business Project Coordinator
My love for the arts began in my childhood, inspired by my mother, who had a passion for creating art. She especially enjoyed drawing with pencil and paper, and I was captivated by the incredible artwork she could create with such simple tools.
As I grew older, she taught me these skills, and I developed an appreciation for how art inspires. Each piece is unique, reflecting the diverse minds and perspectives we all have.
Christina Villa, Director of Business
When I was 11 or 12, my uncle took me to the theater for the first time to see The Phantom of the Opera, and I absolutely fell in love with the show. The costumes, the performances, the songs, the storytelling, and the people were all amazing!
It was then I started to understand that art is not just beautiful visual imagery — the arts are all-encompassing experiences that connect people and enrich our lives.
GO Smart is Powered by Creative West (formerly WESTAF)
Creative West is a regional nonprofit arts service organization that weaves technology, diverse thought leadership, and innovation to energize, network, and fund public sector arts agencies and communities in the West.
Creative West provides equity-centered learning experiences and grant funding opportunities that connect and inspire artists, leaders and communities to build a more inclusive arts and culture sector, strengthen the arts field, and catalyze change.
Learn about all of Creative West’s other technology solutions below!
