Youth Program and Community Engagement Director

Angela Chambers

Angela Chambers, a Bay Area native and deeply rooted Santa Cruz County resident, has been named “a pillar of community leadership.” As a program manager, fundraiser, artist, and fierce advocate for youth empowerment, Angela’s work is grounded in community advocacy, engagement, and connection across the arts, wellness, and youth development.

As Associate Director of the Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center, Angela is dedicated to ensuring access, equity, and excellence remain at the forefront of the organization’s vision and mission. Her leadership in building community connection and innovative youth programming has inspired countless young dancers while helping shift who and what is seen, supported, and valued in the arts. A certified Youth Protection Advocate in Dance, Angela integrates wellness and empowerment into her work, fostering personal growth and artistic expression in the next generation of performers.

Angela is also Executive Director of the award-winning Santa Cruz County Black Health Initiative’s Youth Ambassadors Program, uplifting young people through mental health advocacy, mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement. By creating spaces of connection and purpose, she provides youth with meaningful opportunities to thrive, lead, and make a difference in their communities.

As a dance artist, Angela is an educator, choreographer, producer, curator, and professional performer who has performed throughout Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. She holds a B.A. in Intensive Psychology and Dance from UC Santa Cruz and has spent over a decade teaching at TWDCC, while also curating and producing community arts events and serving as a guest choreographer, teacher, and artist at local universities and dance festivals.

Angela’s teaching philosophy centers on developing strong, versatile dancers through a solid technical foundation, strength, flexibility, and expressive movement. She is currently completing her Ailey Horton Technique certification, integrating the rigor and structure of Horton training with Pilates-based conditioning and lyrical and jazz technique to build body awareness, artistry, and skills that translate across dance styles. Above all, Angela encourages dancers to discover the depth and range of their performance through storytelling, musicality, and captivating expression.