Alisha Gambino’s entire career has been working with the non-profit sector. As a self-employed community muralist, she partnered with José Faus on several projects sponsored by non-profits in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, and Mexico. These murals echoed her personal passions of education, cultural understanding, and urban youth. The theme of cross-cultural symbolism and history also played into her personal paintings. Although, circumstances moved her more into the classroom and program administration, she continues to serve as a mural consultant.
Alisha has long standing ties to Mattie Rhodes Center through the arts. She served as part of the community committees that created the Mattie Rhodes Center Gallery in 1999. In 2008, she officially began working for the Agency, serving as the Arts Education Curator for the Gallery. Utilizing her extensive experience in program oversight, management, and curriculum development, she was placed in the position of MRC’s Director of Youth and Young Adult Services, a position that allowed her to focus primarily on the Historic Northeast Neighborhood, where she was born and raised.
Fifteen years later, she is responsible for a new role for MRC, Research and Program Evaluation Specialist. Alisha is responsible for outcome measurement and evaluation, including data collection and analysis. This data is used to identify challenges with attainment of outcomes and to determine a course of action towards improvement across the Agency. She also assists with quality assurance and insures compliance with grant stipulations.