Leslie Ito is the Executive Director of the Armory Center for the Arts, a nonprofit visual arts organization that presents contemporary exhibitions and offers artist-led education programs for children, teens, and adults. Founded in 1989, the Armory operates as a hybrid between an art museum and an art school, centering artists and community to advance equity, social justice, and creative opportunities—particularly for youth and historically under-resourced communities. A Pasadena native and Yonsei, fourth-generation Japanese American, Leslie brings decades of leadership in the arts and philanthropy, with previous roles at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, the California Community Foundation, the LA County Arts Commission, and the Ford Foundation.
