Mari Riddle

Mari Riddle is the retired President/CEO of Grand Performances, a nationally recognized 30+ year performing arts organization located in California Plaza, a DTLA office building complex built with an onsite outdoor performing arts venue. Grand Performances' mission is to inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free access to global performing arts.

Mari brings more than 34 years of public and nonprofit leadership experience, with a career dedicated to advancing opportunities for low-income communities, particularly women, immigrants, and people of color. Her work spans three main areas of expertise: performing arts administration; community economic development, where she served for 15 years as Executive Director of the Coalition for Women’s Economic Development and TELACU Community Capital, as well as Los Angeles Regional Director of Pacific Community Ventures; and nonprofit development and management, most notably as President and CEO of Centro Latino for Literacy, where she championed adult education and literacy initiatives.

As a performer, Mari co-founded two music groups. The first, SABIÁ, in 1977 while at Brown University with fellow students. The second was Desborde. She toured North America and recorded four albums. As a performing arts organization professional, she was the Executive Director of the First Traditional Latin American Music Festival in Los Angeles and Executive Director of the Friends of the Levitt Pavilion, MacArthur Park.

In 2014, Mari was honored with the James Irvine Leadership Award for her innovative work in bringing thousands of non-literate Spanish speakers online, a recognition that reflects her lifelong commitment to equity, empowerment, and community transformation. In March 2024, Mari received the James Hope Award from the Brown University Alumni Association. The award is given to an alumna or alumnus who has made a significant impact in his/her community or society, and who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to public service either as a professional or a volunteer.

Mari’s past volunteer work includes serving on local and national nonprofit boards focused on social and economic justice, women’s rights, the arts, and access to capital/training for micro and small businesses. She holds an MA in Urban Planning from UCLA and a BA in Latin American Studies from Brown University.