Rafi Maldonado-Lopez has been working for over thirty years in myriad areas of the arts, education, community development, and human services either as a performer, teacher, director, administrator, or producer. He has a diverse and extensive background as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer with both national and international companies. He holds a BA in Arts Management and Applied Arts Education.

​

After many successful years in development, arts administration, education, and community outreach with organizations such as Minnesota Dance Theatre, New World School of the Arts, and Miami City Ballet he founded the Inter-American Choreographic Institute (ICI) in 2014. In 2018 he became the Founding Artistic Director of Compañía Ballet Metropolitano de Medellin (Colombia). In 2021, he assumed the role of Principal Managing Director for Sanctuary of the Arts.

​

In 2022, Rafi was named a Knight Arts Champion by the Knight Foundation.