The Fresno Arts Council, which lost $1.5 million of taxpayer money in an alleged embezzlement scandal that remains under investigation, has parted ways with its longtime executive director, Lilia Gonzales-Chavez.
“News about the alleged embezzlement at the Fresno Arts Council has understandably brought shock and disappointment. We hear you, we share those concerns, and we are taking action,” the arts council’s board of directors said in a statement Friday afternoon.
It’s not immediately clear if Gonzales-Chavez will remain with the organization in a separate capacity or the date when she may have departed the organization.
Gonzales-Chavez and board members could not be immediately reached for comment.
Gonzales-Chavez served as the nonprofit’s executive director for nearly 15 years. She assumed the position in September 2011, according to her LinkedIn profile. Gonzalez-Chavez, a co-founder of the Arte Americas art museum, has supported arts in Fresno for more than 40 years. In recent years, she was criticized by some in the arts community for her handling of the arts and culture grant program.
The board of directors announced that program manager Andrea Mele has been appointed as interim executive director while the organization searches for a permanent hire.
Mele joined the nonprofit as a program coordinator in 2021. She was promoted to a manager role in 2024, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“Andrea has been a passionate, steadfast member of our team for many years, and her deep programming experience is vital to both our mission and our shared goal of bringing stability and renewed energy to the Fresno Arts Council,” the board of directors said in a statement.
Fresno Arts Council announced Feb. 6 that it was the “victim of unauthorized financial transactions resulting in the loss of agency funds.” Since then, the City of Fresno has cancelled its contract with the nonprofit organization to manage a multi-million dollar arts and culture grants program funded by the Measure P sales tax.
The Fresno Police Department is investigating the case with the FBI. An ex-operations manager of the nonprofit is said to be the subject of the investigation.
The Board of Directors says it is cooperating with law enforcement and the City of Fresno on all investigative inquiries.
“While those investigations are ongoing, and we are not yet able to provide specific details about the financial losses, we want to sincerely thank the many community members who have shared their support, encouragement, and belief in our mission,” the statement said.
Few details are available on the status of the missing funds or the future of the program’s administration.
On Monday, city staff said in a monthly meeting with Parks, Recreation and Arts Commissioner staff that, pending approval of the Fresno City Council, the city plans to hire three grants and administrative staffers to oversee the next phase of the program.
This story was originally published March 20, 2026 at 4:23 PM.
The Fresno Bee
Melissa Montalvo is The Fresno Bee’s accountability reporter. Prior to this role, she covered Latino communities for The Fresno Bee as the part of the Central Valley News Collaborative. She also reported on labor, economy and poverty through newsroom partnerships between The Fresno Bee, Fresnoland and CalMatters as a Report for America Corps member.