LEADERS

MATT CORTEZ is president of GLMV Architecture and is a licensed architect in 40 states. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and from Wichita State University in 2009 with a master’s in business administration. Matt moved to Wichita from St. Joseph, Missouri, 20 years ago to work with Jeff Van Sickle (past chair of WAM’s Board of Trustees) at what was formerly known as McCluggage Van Sickle & Perry, now GLMV. Matt’s hobbies include family adventures with his wife, Hilary Cortez, and children Vivian and Bohden, as well as working out and golfing. In 2020, Matt served as the point person at GLMV during the WAM’s renovation/reinstallation of the Boeing Foyer, Living Room, and the S. Jim and Darla Farha Great Hall. He also is a past presenter at Art Chatter, WAM’s Friday night event featuring local creatives.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE VISUAL ARTIST AND WHY?

Picasso. His art is visually stimulating because his work always has different meanings than what is perceived on the canvas. His intention then becomes a catalyst for conversation about what his art truly means, which usually means different things to different people—that is the value that art brings.

LAI-L DAUGHERTY is the Director of Student Engagement at WSU Tech and a Wichita native. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in leadership from Southwestern College in Winfield. In the community, she serves on board leadership for the Wichita Educational Foundation and Arts Partners. She is an active volunteer for the Kansas Children’s Service League, Miss Kansas Organization, Kansas Higher Education Professionals, and the Wichita Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Lai-L was named one of the Wichita Business Journal’ s “40 Under 40” in 2018 and is a 2022 graduate of Leadership Wichita, sponsored by the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce. Lai-L and her husband, Damon, have been married for eight years and enjoy traveling and spending time with their family and friends.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WORK OF ART AND WHY?

Melina by local artist Hannah Haas. The details of the oil painting are mesmerizing. The honeycomb weaved into the focal point’s naturally coiled hair, highlights the beauty of the artwork. I have a Melina print in my home, and I’m always noticing new elements of the painting.

SONDRA LANGEL is a familiar face at WAM and is rejoining the Board as an at-large member of the Executive Committee. She first became a museum trustee in 2012 and served as Chair in 2017 and 2018. Sondra has been a volunteer and community activist in Wichita for most of her adult life. She served the Wichita Junior League as president and, at one time, as the League’s registered lobbyist at the Kansas Legislature. She was director of Kansas Action for Children and president of the Ronald McDonald Houses, The Wichita Youth Home, and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) and served for many years on the board of Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Sondra also is a published author of two books: Wichita Artists in Their Studios, featuring interviews with 50 local artists, and Thursday Afternoon Cooking Club, highlighting the history and recipes of a 127-year-old Wichita club that still meets monthly. She is currently working on her third book, Crave, Covet, Collect: The Stories of Wichita’s Treasure Hunters.

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT THE WICHITA ART MUSEUM?

WAM is a welcoming place. We have comfy furniture in the Great Hall, and we will have a new restaurant—Elderslie Farm —serving visitors. We want to be a place where visitors feel free to spend spare hours with friends.

MEET THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD WHO WILL BE GUIDING OUR ORGANIZATION’S FUTURE. THEIR BIOS ARE FOLLOWED BY A FUN GET-TO-KNOW YOU QUESTION ABOUT ART OR THE MUSEUM.

LAUREN “L” MERCADO joins the Board having served as a member of WAM Contemporaries (now Renegades), the museum’s “young at art” membership group. She has a fashion business degree from Fashion Careers College in San Diego where she worked extensively in the fashion industry. Lauren moved back to Wichita in 2015 and opened a local boutique, Handpicked Los Angeles. She focused on being a place in Wichita where visitors could experience more than just purchasing on-trend styles—she found it essential to create a space for young people to immerse themselves in fashion, music, and the arts together through her instore events. Being a fashion boutique owner helped Lauren bring opportunities to aspiring fashion professionals through photoshoots and wardrobe stylist training while also providing mentoring and fashion internships through Kansas State University. Since closing her boutique in 2019, Lauren transitioned into helping small business owners with her new agency, Show Up on Social, which brings style and strategy to digital/social media marketing and in-store experiences.

WHICH ART MUSEUM DO YOU ADMIRE MOST AND WHY?

I love the Met because of its expansive and diverse collection. As a fashion industry professional, the Met Gala is always one of my favorite times of the year. Fashion is sometimes overlooked as a form of art, but not at the Met.