BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Officers
Charles Coward
Chairperson
Victoria Murray Baatin
Vice Chair
Charles A. Coward is a magna cum laude Speech-Language Pathology major, Theatre Arts minor from Howard University. At his alma mater, he served as the Coordinator of Theatre Arts Administration for eight years, Interim Coordinator of Theatre Education for two years, and Artistic Director for three years. Charles has served as a stage manager, company manager, and general manager for several productions. In addition, he has served as an artist manager. Currently, Charles is a pediatric speech-language pathologist in Washington, D.C.
Camille Kashaka
Secretary
Camille (she/her/hers) currently serves as Executive Director of Motor House in Baltimore. During her time here, the Motor House team has curated its first artistic season that focuses on accessible arts and culture programming through a social justice lens.
Prior to joining Motor House, Camille served as the Interim Managing Director at Hattiloo Theatre in Memphis, TN, where she oversaw the day to day operations of the company. She also was proud to serve as the Director of the Anacostia Arts Center in Southeast Washington, DC.
Camille received her BFA from Howard University in Theatre Administration and her Masters from American University in Arts Management.
In addition to her work as an arts manager, Camille is also a lighting designer. She has been privileged to design for a number of organizations including Freshh Inc Theatre Company, Astro Pop Events, and JAMtheRevue.
Victoria is a capable and dedicated thought leader committed to excellence. She was recently appointed as the Director of Social Impact at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Prior to this, she was the Associate Artistic Director at the Helen Hayes award-winning Mosaic Theater Company
of DC, a company committed to making transformational, socially-relevant art.
Victoria has also had the distinct privilege of serving on the national team for the Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network – a partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Prior to this, Victoria served at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the official arts agency for the District of Columbia as the Deputy Director for Policy and Strategic Action and the Legislative and Community Affairs Director. Victoria has also worked with Americans for the Arts Action Fund where she managed the growth of the Arts Action Fund Political Action Committee (PAC) and served as liaison to federal candidates and campaigns. She also spearheaded the ArtsVote2012 campaign – a national initiative geared towards ensuring that the arts impact federal elections with a presence at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
Holding a Master’s in Art and Public Policy from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a BFA in Theatre Arts from Howard University, Victoria is an artist in her own right and has directed numerous productions throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Denise Saunders Thompson
Interim Treasurer
Denise Saunders Thompson has extensive experience in non-profit and for-profit, established or start-up organizations. She has advised organizations on administrative, programmatic and fundraising issues including strategic plans, policy and procedures, communications programs, budgeting and contracts. Currently, Denise is the President and CEO of The International Association of Blacks in Dance and D.d.Saunders & Associates, Inc. She recently held the position of Professorial Lecturer in the Graduate Arts Management Degree Program at American University. In 2015, Denise concluded 17 years of service at Howard University in the capacities of Professor, Theatre Manager/Producing Artistic Director for the Department of Theatre Arts and Manager of Cramton Auditorium. She holds an M.F.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in Arts Producing and Management, and a B.F.A. from Howard University in Theatre Arts Administration.
Members
Tamela Aldridge
Tamela Aldridge received her BFA from Howard University. Currently, she is the DC Regional Director for Only Make Believe, a nonprofit that creates and performs interactive theatre for children in hospitals and care facilities.
Acting credits include: TELEVISION & FILM: One Life to Live, Law and Order: SVU, Sex & the City, Friends. OFF-BROADWAY: When Last We Flew, 2010 NY Fringe Festival (Winner – Outstanding Play); Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Trojan Women, Classical Theatre of Harlem. REGIONAL THEATRE: Gee’s Bend, Hartford Stage; You Can’t Take It With You, Pioneer Theatre Company; Doubt, Portland Stage Company; Yellowman, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.
James Anthony Tyler
James Anthony Tyler is the recipient of the 3rd Annual Horton Foote Playwriting Award and an inaugural playwright to receive a commission from Audible. His plays include All We Need Is Us (Keen Company, currently streaming on all podcast platforms), hop thA A (currently streaming on Audible), Artney Jackson (World Premiere at Williamstown Theatre Festival, 2018 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award), Some Old Black Man (University Musical Society, Berkshire Playwrights Lab at St. James Place and 59E59 Theaters), and Dolphins and Sharks (LAByrinth Theater Company and Finborough Theatre in London). He has a MFA in Film from Howard University and a MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University. He is also a graduate of The Juilliard School's Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. He was the Staff Writer for the new OWN Network show Cherish the Day created by Ava DuVernay and is currently the Story Editor for a new Apple Drama Series.
Jamil Jude
Jamil Jude is a highly accomplished director, producer, playwright and dramaturg focusing on bringing socially relevant art to the community. Jamil is the Artistic Director at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta, Georgia, where he previously served as Associate Artistic Director. Additionally, he is the Co-Founder of The New Griots Festival, which is dedicated to celebrating, advocating, and advancing the careers of emerging Black artists in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area in Minnesota.
Prior to joining the staff at True Colors, Jamil served as the Artistic Programming Associate at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul, a Producer in Residence at Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre, a New Play Producing Fellow at Arena Stage in Washington, DC and co-founded the Colored People’s
Theatre. Among his many awards, Jamil has been named the recipient of the Turn The Spotlight Fellowship (18/19), Andrew W. Mellon/TCG Leadership U Fellowship (2015/17), Nautilus Music Theater Management Fellowship (2014/15), NNPN Producer Residency (2011/12; 2012/13), Jerome Foundation/The Playwrights’ Center Many Voices Mentorship (2013/14) and the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship at Arena Stage (2009/10; 2010/11). Jamil
received his Bachelors of Arts from Colgate University.
William A. Jackson
William A. Jackson is an experienced financial manager for both the private and public sectors. As a member of the National Guard, William became a decorated soldier as a Military Pay Specialist while serving in Iraq from 2004 to 2005. While studying at Howard University, William earned his B.F.A. in Theatre Arts Administration in 2011. Since then, he has spent his time working as a financial management specialist within the federal government. He has also worked as a consultant for several non-profit organizations. William also spends his time as a stage manager for several theatre companies throughout Washington, D.C.
Janet L. Johnson
Janet L. Johnson is a Washington, D.C. native, mother of four, grandmother of six; organist/pianist for her church, The Greater First Baptist Church, and private music teacher for over thirty years. Ms. Janet has worked at Howard University for thirty-seven years and holds the following degrees: BMusEd, 1976; Masters in Music Education, 2013.
Kenneth Ray
Kenneth J. Ray is an actor and educator. As an actor, he completed his undergraduate training at Howard University under Emmy winner Al Freeman Jr. and at The British American Drama Academy with John Barton and Mark Wing Davey. Upon moving to New York, Kenneth continued rigorous graduate level training with the nation’s foremost master teachers including: Evan Yionoulis, Janet Zarish, Chris Bayes, Jim Calder, Fay Simpson, Ilse Pfeifer, and Academy Award Winner Olympia Dukakis. He has enjoyed an
array of diverse performance opportunities at regional theaters all over the country including The Kennedy Center.
Kenneth has been a teaching artist with The August Wilson Monologue Competition, Young Playwrights Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Success Academy Charter Schools, Democracy Prep Public Schools, The Goodard School, Tenafly High School, the Duke Ellington School for the Arts and Howard University. He is a highly sought after audition coach whose clients have appeared on Broadway, regional theatre, television and film. His grad school coaching clients have had final callbacks for and been accepted to
The Juilliard School; Yale School of Drama; New York University; California Institute of the Arts, University of California, Brown University/Trinity Rep M.F.A and more. Kenneth is a member of VASTA: The Voice and Speech Trainers Association, The Association for Theatre in Higher Education and The August Wilson Society.
G. Edwin Robinson
Inaugural
Board Members
Christian Epps
Amber Iman
Robin McClamb
William Bryant Miles
Michael Pendleton
Nijeul Porter
Emeritus
Board Members
Greg Reid
Samuel Roberson, Jr.
Annique S. Roberts
April Wardlaw
Roz White
2016 - 2017
Robin M. McClamb (196x - 2017)
Samuel G. Roberson, Jr. (1983 - 2017)
Edwin Robinson, Actor/Singer/Theatre Arts Teacher, is a graduate of Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Drama/Theatre Education and New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, Department of Music and Performing Arts Profession with a Masters of Arts in Educational Theatre. Mr. Robinson completed additional graduate studies in theatre at The University College of London, London, England and Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mr. Robinson is a licensed and certified New York City Performing Arts Day High School Theatre Arts Teacher. He currently holds a teaching position at the Historic Boys and Girls High School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York, District 16. As a singer, Mr. Robinson began his professional career as an original member of The Dance Theatre of Harlem Chorus (Vocal) under the artistic direction of the late Arthur Mitchell. He has been a Backup singer for Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, and Diana Ross and can be seen annually on PBS during the Christmas season in Jessye Norman Sings for the Healing of Aids. Mr. Robinson has also served as an Instructional Voice/Diction/Acting/Movement Coach for Young Simba and Young Nala for the Broadway and Touring productions of The Lion King. Additional coaching was conducted on Spike Lee’s films Red Hook Summer and Jesus Children of America in which Mr. Robinson appears in the films. Other films and T.V. credits include: Spike Lee’s Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and Mo Better Blues. T.V. credits: National Acting Coach for Time Warner Cable/Spectrum’s Born to Shine an African American Talk Show, Jessye Norman Sings for the Healing of Aids, and New York Undercover.
On the radio, Mr. Robinson hosted a pilot radio program on WWRL 1600 Am, The Gospel Spotlight, produced by D-Day Media Group. The program highlighted African American Gospel singers, writers, and composers. Additionally, Mr. Robinson served on the 2018 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Television Nominating Committee. Professional Associations:
Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists-SAG*AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association - AEA.