The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation — a national organization designed to "broaden the reach of the culture and wisdom of native peoples to the Americas and beyond" has selected Tara Lulani Arquette as its first chief executive officer.

Arquette has more than 20 years' experience as an executive managing various organizations. Arquette, who is Native Hawaiian, is resigning Monday as executive director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association to take the new job.

She has supported Native Hawaiian social progress, economic development, and self determination for many years. Arquette created the Hawai'i Leadership Center, a program for senior executives that bridged contemporary western thought with Hawaiian and Asian cultural knowledge and practices.

The mission of the foundation is to support and promote the arts and cultures of the American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native communities, emphasizing the shared history, struggles, and values that are expressed through indigenous arts and cultures.

The initial focus will involve building its endowment to a level that can support programs to promote indigenous arts and cultures today and for future generations. The Ford Foundation has provided a $10 million commitment. The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians provided another $1.3 million and challenges other native tribes to come forth with matching grants.

Arquette and the foundation will be based in Portland, Ore. She plans to travel between there and Hawai'i.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to be on the ground floor of such an exciting effort," Arquette said. "The arts provide a unique doorway to share our culture and traditions. The essence of our past, present and future is enlivened in these artistic expressions of our people."

She said the arts play a vital role and "have the ability to connect native and non-native peoples who come to realize that they do indeed share a love of beauty, truth and our common humanity."