Driven and motivated to support others to thrive, Lorena Moreno (she/ella - hear my name) joined the Center for Cultural Innovation in October 2022 to serve as the Systems and Grants Manager. For over a decade, she has worked in advocacy and management within academic, nonprofit, and government settings. Her career has spanned from teaching in a Spanish Immersion program to case manager-emergency services for domestic violence survivors in Fresno County. Prior to joining CCI, Lorena served as the Operations Manager, Domestic Violence Liaison, and translator at the San Francisco Arts Commission. One of her major accomplishments was developing policies and procedures to streamline grant contracting processes using data-driven research and community feedback. Along with her passion for creative logistics, Lorena has consulted on a variety of grant programs with the lens to ease the applicants’ experience and streamline the administrative process. Lorena has also served as a grant review panelist for the Houston Arts Alliance (2021), as well as the Fresno Arts Council (2024).

Born and raised in Fresno, CA, Lorena is a first-generation Chicana. A proud Central Valley native, her artistic work reflects those experiences living within two cultures. She received her Bachelors in Art emphasis in Drawing & Painting, Bachelors in Art in Chicano and Latin American Studies, and earned a certificate in Grant Writing and Management from California State University, Fresno.