ArtPORT LA is a project and DBA of Unycyn Civic Arts, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, whose mission is to encourage activities and promote education in the art of being civic, and the enhancement of civic space through programs, projects, and partnerships in Los Angeles County.
The Team
Cynthia Hirschhorn
Founder, Executive Director
Cynthia is the Founder of Unycyn Civic Arts and has long held a vision for bringing civic art to urban open space in Los Angeles. She founded the Civicas Civic Action Network, served as a governing board member of AltaSea and River LA, and on the Advisory Board to the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. Cynthia belongs to LACMA’s Director’s Circle, and trained as an architect and environmental designer.
Maureen Moore
Deputy Director
Maureen Moore serves as Deputy Director. Her career spans arts non-profit strategic and curatorial roles, including the PST:LA/LA “Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in LA” exhibition, co-directing the LA Public Library’s ALOUD series, and international studio management for a public art artist. She has designed cultural programs for museums worldwide and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Governing Board
Michelle Campbell Mason
Michelle Campbell Mason is a producer, designer, and founder whose work lives at the intersection of history, philosophy, and modern culture. She excavates forgotten narratives, particularly those of female resilience and innovation, and reframes them for a contemporary audience. As founder of Paramour Films, she develops content that reveals the echoes of the past in today’s social, political, and spiritual climate. Her storytelling bridges generations, ideologies, and identities with purpose and precision.
She also launched the globally distributed jewelry brand “Michelle Campbell,” inspired by contemporary art, modern architecture, and ancient symbolism. Each piece is a wearable artifact, minimalist in form, rich in meaning, and beloved by collectors worldwide. Driven by curiosity, conscience, and craft, Michelle brings a multidimensional lens to any cultural institution, where timeless ideas meet modern relevance.
Michelle has served on The River Fund NYC board, Art Production Fund benefit committee, New York Art Academy gala committee, UCLA Film and Television Archive board, and was recognized on Forbes’ 30 under 30 list in 2015.
Laura Fox
Laura Fox founded the Fox Foundation which provides funding and other resources to innovative nonprofits so they can realize their full potential for innovation and impact. Laura has an extensive background working as a lawyer and strategic advisor in the corporate and social good sectors. In addition to launching and growing the Fox Foundation, Laura applies her expertise and contributes to the development of the social entrepreneurship field through her role as an Adjunct Professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, where she developed a unique undergraduate course engaging young people in social entrepreneurship and preparing them to be social innovators.
Laura previously worked as a business executive in the entertainment industry, including overseeing business and legal affairs for the DreamWorks SKG movie division, and serving as the VP of Legal Affairs for Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures. Over the past two decades, Laura has served on numerous nonprofit and University Boards and Advisory Councils, currently including Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, City Year Los Angeles, P.S. ARTS, Visionary Women, Civicas, the USC Marshall Board of Councilors, and the Otis College Board of Governors.
Laura received a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.
Cynthia Hirschhorn
Cynthia obtained her BA in Cultural History and Masters of Architecture from UCLA, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband who is President of Otis College of Art and Design.
Lauren Johnson
Lauren obtained her undergraduate degree from Cornell University and pursued a Master's in Architecture at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.
Lauren’s creative endeavors included time in the New Museum’s New Inc. Incubator, exhibitions at Storefront for Art and Architecture, and lectures at Leslie Lohman Museum of Art and the NYC AIA. She currently works at Jerico Development, a family business, primarily on the West Harbor development project on the San Pedro waterfront. Her contributions span across various domains, including marketing, project management, and community relations.
Lauren serves as the president of the board of the Crail-Johnson Foundation. board chair of the LA Choral Lab, past board Chair of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, and a board member of the Harbor Boys and Girls Club. She is passionate about giving back to the community and working collaboratively to problem-solve tough issues.
Sandy Medallis
Sandy graduated from Wesselley College and has a masters degree in law. Sandy has served on the boards of the LA Children’s museum, National board of the Girl Scouts and worked as a lawyer in the entertainment industry. Sandy supports “all hands on deck” efforts to promote and preserve Democracy across the country, with special attention to her home state of Michigan.
Currently In Formation
Community Advisory Committee
Arts Advisory Committee
Founders Vision Council
Sponsors
Additional Resources
Public art recommendations and related excerpts from San Pedro’s Waterfront Connectivity Plan prepared for the Port of LA and Harbor Commission in 2023