Main navigation
- About
- Grants & Opportunities
- Programs
- Conferences
- Resources
Contact Michael for finance, operations, and human resources.
Michael is an experienced finance and operations professional. He has exemplified years of successfully helping lead organizations in high-level accounting, budgeting and audit compliance. His keen understanding of accounting procedures and software systems is evident in his work.
Several times throughout his professional career, he assumed additional responsibilities and was promoted internally. His thought leadership is blended with his compassion for the well-being of other people, which has also helped him excel in human resource director roles throughout his career. He has also helped lead information technology strategic planning and general operational strategies and compliance.
Michael graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Alabama. While attending college, he was active and held various student leadership positions including President of the Student Programming Board, Financial Director for the Student Programming Board, Student Government Senator for the College of Business and President of the campus chapter of Circle K International, which is a collegiate service organization that is a leadership program of Kiwanis International.
Michael has over ten years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector as a member of the executive management team at South Arts and previously at Technology Association of Georgia. With both organizations, he has served as the executive officer for the finance and operations sectors of the organizations.
Taylor holds a MA in Folk Studies and BA in History and Organizational Leadership from Western Kentucky University. Taylor has served as an academic appointee with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and done contract work for Traditional Arts Indiana. She was a 2022 Archie Green Fellow at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for her project, "Occupational Lives of Religious Workers in Kentuckiana" and is the Reviews Editor for the Journal of Folklore and Education.
Taylor is a musician and songwriter. A Kentuckian at heart, Taylor lives in southern Indiana with her husband and daughter where they are preserving their 1861 Gothic Revival home.
Hillary has been working as an arts administrator for over twenty years. She has an extensive background in cultural grants administration. Formerly the Grants Manager at the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA), the local arts agency for Tallahassee/Leon County, she implemented a grants management system and policies to address equity and allow broader access to public funds. As an Arts Consultant at the Florida Division of Arts & Culture, Hillary served as the statewide local arts agency coordinator, working to assist with the development of LAAs in rural areas, and developed a professional development initiative for Florida LAA leaders. She has also worked as a curator at Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum and the Center for Craft.
Hillary believes passionately in the ability of the arts to transform individuals and build strong and healthy communities. Hillary holds a Master's Degree in Arts Administration from Florida State University. Hillary is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Tallahassee, working to support the basic needs of children and families in Leon County.
Joseph Crawford, Assistant Director, Programs, is a native of Union Springs Alabama.
After falling in love with theatre at a young age he participated in as many community theatre productions as possible before graduating high school. Joseph attended Troy University where he got his Bachelor of Science in Communications/Theatre. He is currently finishing up his Master of Science in Communications from Troy as well.
On top of Theatre and Performing Arts, Joseph is an accomplished sculpture artist and barista. For the past few years, he has worked at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival as the Head of Stage Operations and as a freelance Actor and Lighting Designer working at theatres all across the US.
Contact Nikki for Presentation grants, Express grants, Professional Development and Artistic Planning grants, Cross-Sector Impact grants, Dance Touring Initiative.
Nikki Estes, Presenting & Touring Director at South Arts, has worked in the Atlanta nonprofit arts community for over 25 years. She joined South Arts in May 2003 and manages several grant programs which awards over $600,000 annually to presenters within a nine-state region. She also manages special initiatives that support the presenting and touring dance field – Momentum (a network of five Southern dance companies) and the Dance Touring Initiative (a network of 25 Southern dance presenters). Prior to her work at South Arts, Nikki was the Grants Supervisor at the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA). While at the OCA, Nikki also assisted with the management of the youth arts program and music festivals. Nikki has participated as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Georgia Council for the Arts, Kentucky Arts Council, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Mississippi Arts Commission, South Carolina Arts Commission, Fulton County Arts Council, and Woodruff Arts Center. In July 2020, Nikki joined the Board of Trustees for Dance/USA, a national service organization for professional dance. Nikki has also served on the Board of Directors for Atlanta Celebrates Photography and Advisory Board for the Atlanta Foundation Center. Nikki holds a BA for Arts Administration and MPA for Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University.
Contact Damien for items related to accounting and human resources.
Damien Harrison is the Accounting & Human Resources Manager for South Arts. Native to Baltimore, he relocated to Atlanta fifteen years ago to pursue an accounting degree. He has a BA in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from DeVry University. He is also currently enrolled at Keller Graduate School of Management’s Master’s Degree in Accounting and CPA prep program.
Damien has worked in the non-profit sector for the past ten years as the Accounting & Human Resources Manager for Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless Inc., Financial Analyst for Omega PSI PHI Fraternity Inc. IHQ, the Director of Operations and Accounting for The Hudgens Center for Art and Learning, and as a Business Manager at DeKalb Preparatory Academy. He has extensive experience with fund accounting for various grants and government agencies.
In his spare time, he enjoys coaching basketball, visiting art museums, and spending time with his family.
Contact Cathy for information technology and infrastructure items.
A Virginia native, Cathy has worked in the Information Technology field for 36+ years. Prior to South Arts, she served as the Information Technology Director at the S.C. Arts Commission. She has been on the board and volunteered at several non-profits, including 701 Center for Contemporary Art in Columbia, S. C., the S.C. Arts Foundation, and her local volunteer fire department. Beyond her IT experience, Cathy has worked as a grant writer, panelist, and manager. She has also served in procurement, facilities management, event planning, marketing, and graphic design. In addition to her IT studies at Northern Virginia Community College and the University of S.C., Cathy studied voice, piano, and music theory. Her unique experience supporting IT in an arts environment positions her well to serve South Arts’ programs and mission.
Caroline Maddox, Ph.D. is an innovative and compassionate leader in the arts who is mission centered and devoted to supporting and promoting programs that increase access to arts and culture. She has spent most of her professional career in museums and brings a wealth of experience in management, programming, and development to South Arts. Maddox earned Bachelor's degrees in Art History and Studio Art at the University of Georgia; a Masters of Art in Art Business at Sotheby's Institute of Art in New York; and a Doctorate in the Philosophy of Art at the University of Georgia.
Prior to becoming a consultant, Caroline served as Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Assistant Vice President of Development at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Director of Development at the Georgia Museum of Art. In 2017 she was awarded a doctorate in the Philosophy of Art from the University of Georgia, investigating the ways in which museums can build a culture of philanthropy through the education and engagement of the Millennial Generation.
Caroline is also an artist and devoted practitioner and teacher of yoga.
Pronouns: he/him
Contact Charles for South Arts' strategy and partnerships.
Charles Phaneuf is an arts leader who has helped grow a variety of organizations, small and large, with a particular emphasis on community engagement, inclusion, and financial sustainability.
His career started at UNC-Chapel Hill where he was president of the student union and activities board. While living in Washington, DC, he served as Associate Managing Director of Shakespeare Theatre Company during its expansion into the Harman Center for the Arts, and also helped found the Capital Fringe Festival and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. Charles returned to Raleigh, NC to become Executive Director of Raleigh Little Theatre, where he led a revitalization of the organization culminating in a successful capital campaign. Under his leadership as President, the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County launched the first-ever Triangle-wide fundraiser for the arts (Big Night In for the Arts) with WRAL/WRAL.com, and partnered with Wake County on the $1 million Wake County Nonprofit Arts Relief Fund.
Charles has been named Tar Heel of the Week by the News and Observer (2018) and 40 Under 40 by the Triangle Business Journal (2014). He was selected as one of 19 People for 2019 by the Independent Weekly. He currently serves on the board of directors of Arts North Carolina, on the community committee of Dix Park, and is a past chair of the Friends of the Gregg Museum at NC State. He enjoys biking, golf and playing music, often with his wife Emily, who is also a musician.
Contact Dmitry for finance, accounting, accounts payable, and office management.
Dmitry Ponomarenko received a B.A. in Economics from Georgia State University and is currently on track to graduate in August of 2020 with B.B.A. in Accounting from Georgia State University. He spent ten years working as a Data Analyst for LifeLink of Georgia, a non-profit organization which specializes in Organ and Tissue transplantation. Dmitry is also in the process of earning his CPA license in the state of Georgia. He has a keen mind for numbers and wants to use his experience and knowledge to help people properly plan their financial future.
In his spare time, Dmitry runs a small wholesale distribution company which helps local tattoo artists get the supplies they need to perform their art. As his company motto says, “Leave the art to the artist and let us handle the rest."
Contact Kara for items related to South Arts' offices and administrative needs.
Biography coming soon.
Contact Eric for items related to Jazz Road.
Biography coming soon.
Contact Ivan for media relations, web/social media, and South Arts' communications as well as the South Arts Resilience Fund.
Ivan Schustak oversees the communications and fundraising activities for South Arts. Prior to joining South Arts, Ivan served as Marketing and Communications Manager with the Pasadena Symphony and POPS and held the inaugural position of Guest Service Manager at Phoenix’s new Musical Instrument Museum. Ivan has also held positions with the Georgia Institute of Technology Office of the Arts, Arizona Opera, and the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts. As a formerly active performer, Ivan specialized in the euphonium and trombone, holding first-chair positions in the Rutgers University Wind Ensemble and the Rutgers University Jazz Ensemble II. Ivan holds a BM in Music Education from Rutgers University, and an MA in Arts Management from Claremont Graduate University.
Lisa E. Smalls is a native of Atlanta, GA with a deep love and appreciation for its unique cultural imprint. She holds a BA in English/Communications from Talladega College and an MA in Arts Administration from Winthrop University. Lisa spent twenty years as an educator before transitioning to a career in arts administration. Her progression from arts patron to an emerging arts leader is fueled by a desire to foster a love for the arts and education by creating equitable access for all, particularly underserved populations impacted by a lack of DEI initiatives.
Contact Emmitt for Individual Artist Career Opportunity Grants and the Southern Prize and State Fellowships.
I’m Emmitt Stevenson. I manage artist engagement initiatives on a mission to connect artists across the region with artistic opportunities the world over.
I am an expert arts administrator, overseeing multidisciplinary grant programs, building partnerships that placed artists in nature centers, engaged Seniors in arts education classes and connected teens to media arts apprenticeships. I’ve overseen local and international artist residency programs and established the Fulton County poet laureate. I developed the Fine Art Acquisition Program ensuring access and equity for artist living and creating in Georgia.
I am a gallery+museum+studio crawler, a low-key art collector, an aspiring radio outfit principal, and an avid LP collector who has been known to spin a rare groove or two.
Aiyana Straughn, CNP (she/her) has spent the last decade working alongside multigenerational communities in the Midwest and Southeast, listening to lived experiences, and translating those stories into human-centered programs. While at The Dayton Foundation, Aiyana managed the Del Mar Social Innovation Award and supported the Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative, which laid significant groundwork for the creation of the Institute for Livable & Equitable Communities in Dayton, Ohio. Most recently, she helped spearhead the redesign of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation’s discretionary grant programs, including crafting the Solidarity program, which grants unrestricted support for movement building within Black and ALAANA communities. Borrowing from these experiences, Aiyana also serves as a Philanthropic Program Consultant, using insights from research and data analysis to translate metrics and trends into well-crafted stories, reports, and strategy recommendations.
Aiyana is an Atlanta-based artist, and writer/director of four original plays, with 20 years of experience promoting the authentic storytelling of Black lives. Aiyana has participated as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and Dayton Culture Works. She has served on the Board of Directors for New City Arts, the DEI Committee for Live Arts, and performed as a member of the Black theatrical group, the Charlottesville Players Guild. She holds a BA in Theatre and Mass Media Communications & Social Issues from The Ohio State University and an MPA & Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Wright State University.
Suzette "Susie" Surkamer began as the South Arts chief executive in 2012. Previously, she had been the Executive Director of the South Carolina Arts Commission until she retired in 2009. Her past service includes president of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), treasurer of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, member of the Coca-Cola Scholarship National Selection Committee, member of the National Arts Education Partnership Steering Committee, member of the Winthrop University Board of Visitors, member of Clemson University’s President’s Advisory Committee, and on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts and other organizations. Winthrop University awarded her its Medal of Honor in the Arts (2006), and NASAA recognized her with the Gary Young Award (2008). Susie earned a MEd in dance education from George Washington University and a BA in dance from the University of Maryland.
Contact Karina for items related to the South Arts website or social media.
Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Karina Teichert (they/them) is the Digital Content Manager at South Arts. They recently graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Literature, Media, and Communication. Outside of the office, they are a writer, art curator, musician, filmmaker, journalist, and community advocate.
Their passions lie in the intersection of journalism, art, community, and the DIY ethos. When they’re not pursuing these interests, they can be found playing the synth or violin in a few local Atlanta bands, reading anything written by bell hooks, sound engineering at local house shows, or gardening.
Contact Drew for items related to Jazz Road.
Drew Tucker is a musician, educator, and social entrepreneur—a unique combination of talents that places him at the intersection of arts and activism. Musically, his focus on Jazz has enriched his life by allowing him to travel the world and has deepened his connection to his community and heritage. As South Arts' Director of Jazz, Drew is committed to giving others access to the same opportunities.
As a performer, Drew has been at the forefront of the movement to reinvent the vibraphone—a dynamic instrument that he melds with soul, funk, jazz, and hip-hop influences. He has developed a multitude of relationships with jazz musicians of all levels, including artists such as Shaun Martin, Stefon Harris, and Jason Marsalis. Drew works closely with agents and presenters to bring world class performers to many different spaces of both a traditional and non-traditional nature.
In addition to his work with South Arts and Jazz Road, Drew serves regularly as a guest clinician and speaker, and is a consultant for Arts Integration with Cobb County Schools. Drew sits on the Mallet Percussion Committee for the Percussive Arts Society and is a Cultural Ambassador for the United States State Department. Find out more at itsnotaxylophone.com
Contact Sabrina for items related to South Arts' executive leadership and board of directors.
Sabrina Wilder began with South Arts in April 2021 as the Executive Team Administrative Manager, bringing experience in executive administration, board of directors’ management, and project management. Sabrina has over 18 years of experience managing people, projects, and processes including recent work in the education sector at Morehouse School of Medicine, The Lovett School, and The University of Alabama System.
Sabrina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations from Georgia State University and a Master of Public Administration from Walden University.
In her spare time, Sabrina enjoys reading, attending college football games (Roll Tide!), and spending time with family and friends.
Contact Jordan for Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers and media arts.
Jordan Young is a media artist and arts catalyzer based in Atlanta, Georgia. As Director of Media Arts with South Arts, Jordan directs the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, supports the regional collective Indie Media Arts South, and oversees other initiatives related to art and technology. Jordan also coordinates media design for South Arts communications in his role as Design Manager. He is the Co-founder of Fort Psych Media & Events, and holds an MA in Media Arts from University of South Carolina with a BA in Production Studies in Performing Arts from Clemson University.
Contact Joy for programmatic strategies and services for constituents.
Joy Young, Ph.D. has more than 25 years of experience in the arts as an entrepreneurial performing artist, arts administrator, and academic. Joy’s work as a performing artist included owning a successful music studio and performing as a recitalist, sanctuary soloist, studio and background vocalist. Her 14-year tenure with the South Carolina Arts Commission was highlighted by serving on the executive leadership team as the agency Director of Administration, Human Resources, and Operations. Joy also implemented a variety of programs at the South Carolina Arts Commission to include arts/artist entrepreneurship; nonprofit leadership and organizational development; cultural tourism; statewide conferences and convening; and the AIR Institute. Joy’s contribution to the arts at the national level include service as a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Arts, member of the Committee for Individual Artists with Grantmakers in the Arts, and a mentor for the NASAA DEI Mentorship Program.
Most recently, Joy served the Executive Director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. Her work saw her committed to a team who worked together implementing innovative programs, developing and executing proactive and quantifiable arts and culture initiatives, and broadening relationships with new networks and stakeholders. Joy found tremendous success capitalizing on the power of public-private partnerships as a strategy to significantly increase the Cultural Council’s earned revenue.
Joy enjoys sharing her experiences from the field in the classroom by preparing the next generation of arts administrators in the Master of Arts in Arts Administration at Winthrop University to be adaptive leaders. Joy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Arts in Voice Performance, and the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. Her research interests include arts leadership, program assessment and evaluation, and organization and leadership adaptations amid dynamic environmental paradigms.
In January of 2019, Barclay was selected to lead the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History as its president and CEO.
A former attorney, Barclay was most recently executive director and CEO of the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) in New Orleans. During his five-year tenure, the institution’s budget increased by more than 40 percent including lead gifts from the nation’s major art philanthropists.
Barclay’s experience also includes seven years of service as associate director of the Performing Arts Center for the University of Texas at Austin and service as founding president and CEO of Pittsburgh, Pa.'s August Wilson Center. Additionally, he was instrumental in capital development planning for Los Angeles' Vision Theater, originally built by Howard Hughes for the city.
Barclay has demonstrated his personal commitment to art and culture as a peer panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, the Gerbode Foundation and the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. A leading national presenter of contemporary performing and visual arts, Barclay serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the regional arts organization South Arts.
He is currently a member of the College of Communications and Fine Arts Advisory Board for Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, his undergraduate and law school alma mater.
Gretchen Wollert McLennon was named President and CEO of Ballet Memphis in August 2020. Entering executive leadership of a legacy arts non-profit during unprecedented and challenging times has bolstered Gretchen’s unwavering commitment to bold and audacious leadership reinforced by strategic, long-range planning.
In 2017, Gretchen founded DI Studio to leverage her over 15 years in the philanthropic and non-profit sectors. Gretchen helps organizations optimize their capacity and program practices in innovative ways. Using a collaborative and energetic perspective, her practice crafts a robust and collaborative process that delivers assessments and analyses that integrate tangible and measurable approaches to strengthen levers for impact and better articulate a focused narrative for long-term viability. Gretchen worked with clients in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Chicago, and Wisconsin during her three years in private practice on projects ranging from strategic planning to leadership coaching and training.
Prior to launching her consulting practice, Gretchen spent 10 years at the Hyde Family Foundation as a Program Director. Her portfolio of work focused on managing the arts & culture, entrepreneurship, and leadership portfolios of the Foundation by making strategic investments across the foundation’s portfolio averaging over $3m annually. She was named Top 40 Under 40 in 2009 by the Memphis Business Journal and Alumna of the Year in 2017 by St. Mary’s Episcopal School.
Gretchen has served on the board of directors of several local organizations and institutions over the years, including: ArtsMemphis, St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Hattiloo Theatre, Ballet Memphis, Playhouse on the Square, MIFA, Slingshot Memphis, Memphis Rock n Soul Museum, Memphis Regional Design Center, and The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis. She completed her executive coaching certification at the Teleos Leadership Institute (Philadelphia, PA) in 2018. A native Memphian, Gretchen is a graduate of Northwestern (BA) and Wake Forest (MBA) universities.
William serves as the lead office partner in Raleigh, NC, for Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Prior to rejoining the firm, William served as General Counsel to the Governor of North Carolina and Special Counsel to the Attorney General of North Carolina. He focuses his practice in the areas of state and local government, economic development, and business litigation. William serves on the boards of SouthArts, Edenton Street United Methodist Church Children’s Development Center Board, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and North Carolina – Catawba Compact Certification Commission.
Dr. Elliot A. Knight is the Executive Director of the Alabama State Council on the Arts. He grew up in Opelika, Alabama and earned three degrees from the University of Alabama including a BA in Visual Communication, an MA in American Studies, and a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies. Dr. Knight is a Blackburn Fellow, member of the Montgomery Rotary Club, and serves on the board of directors of the Alabama Humanities Foundation, University of Alabama Community Affairs Board of Advisors, and the Alabama Tourism Department Advisory Board. He co-founded and developed the Black Belt 100 Lenses Program, a participatory photography and arts program that worked with high school students in twelve Alabama Black Belt counties from 2007-2012. Knight developed and taught several courses at the University of Alabama in the Department of Art History, the Honors College, and the Department of American Studies. He also served as Director of the Arts Living Learning Community at the University of Alabama. At the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Dr. Knight previously held the positions of Deputy Director as well as Visual Arts Program Manager and Director of the Georgine Clarke Alabama Artists Gallery.
Cathy Callaway Adams is a self-described arts omnivore, with a particular love for opera, choral singing, theatre, and literature. She serves on the boards of South Arts, the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, and the Suzi Bass Awards. She chairs the board of trustees of Mercer University and is on the advisory councils of Growing Leaders and Mercer University Center for Ethics and Leadership. Cathy volunteers as a mentor with Georgia State University's Women Lead program and Pathbuilders, Inc., and moonlights as a pianist, accompanying the Georgia Festival Chorus, a 100-voice auditioned choral group. Cathy's BA in piano performance is from Tift College, and her MBA in Management is from Georgia State University. After three decades in banking, Cathy maintains a consulting practice focused on leadership coaching and nonprofit governance/management. She and her husband live and work and play on Amelia Island, Florida.
Moni Basu is the director of the low-residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction and the Charlayne Hunter-Gault writer in residence at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She aims to help students become stronger storytellers and embrace in-depth journalism as literature grounded in fact.
Previously, she was the Michael and Linda Connelly Lecturer in Narrative Nonfiction at the University of Florida, where, in 2020, she was named the Teacher of the Year.
Basu, an award-winning reporter and editor, has worked at various media outlets, among them CNN and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She has reported exhaustively from South Asia and the Middle East. Her 2012 e-book, "Chaplain Turner’s War," grew from a Pulitzer-nominated series of stories on an Army chaplain in Iraq. A platoon sergeant named her “Evil Reporter Chick” and she was featured once as a war reporter in a Marvel comics series. She still writes as a freelancer and her recent work has been published in magazines including The Bitter Southerner and Flamingo.
Born in Kolkata, India, Basu grew up straddling two cultures and often feeling “othered.” As such, her work has explored immigration, race and identity.
Basu has served as an editor for The Ground Truth Project and the Bitter Southerner and has taught at the Poynter Institute. She serves on the national advisory board of the Asian American Journalists Association.
Jeff Bell is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Arts Council. Previously, he was the Arts Innovation Coordinator for the City of Wilson, which included being the Executive Director of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. He attended UNC Wilmington and received two bachelors of arts degrees, one in Art History and one in Studio Art and received his MFA from UNC Greensboro. Previously, Bell was the Registrar at Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, The Exhibitions and Gallery Manager at Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh and the Museum Manager at 21c Museum Hotel in Durham. He has curated exhibitions at CAM Raleigh, 21c Museum Hotel and at the Ackland Art Museum at UNC Chapel Hill. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries and museums across the state and the region.
Bell lives in Wilson, NC with his wife Amanda Duncan, and their four boys.
Chris is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Arts Council. He has been with the arts council for 14 years. He serves as Advancement Chair for South Arts, a regional arts organization and on the nominating committee for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.
Formerly, as program branch manager for the arts council, Chris managed community-based initiatives, developed the Kentucky Certified Cultural District program and produced The Kentucky Crafted Market. Additionally, his duties included research, development and implementation of processes, programs and initiatives to promote community building through the arts, integrating and promoting cultural heritage tourism and marketing of the arts.
Prior to the Arts Council, Chris spent three years at Eastern Kentucky University as program manager of the Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails program, a nationally recognized cultural heritage tourism project in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. Under his direction, the program garnered numerous awards including the Kentucky Earth Day Award, Center for Information Technology Enterprise’s Best Practices in the KY120, and the University Economic Development Association’s Award of Excellence in Community Development. He also helped to develop the first-ever Geo-Tourism Map of Appalachia in partnership with the National Geographic Society. Chris holds an MBA in Business Management from Morehead State University. His background includes Internet Marketing, Sales and Retail Management experience.
Chris resides in Lexington with his wife Misty, daughter, Olivia and son, Jasper. His personal interests include photography, reading, film (especially Horror) and outdoor activities.
Natalie “Alabama” Chanin was born and raised in Florence, Alabama. She has a degree in Environmental Design with a focus on industrial and craft-based textiles from North Carolina State University. After graduation, Chanin worked in the junior sportswear industry on New York's Seventh Avenue, before moving abroad. For the next decade, she worked as a stylist, costume designer, and filmmaker. Chanin returned to Florence, Alabama in 2000 and developed an idea to create a small line unique t-shirts. This started the development of Project Alabama, which consisted of a 22-minute documentary called Stitch, the two-hundred limited hand-sewn and hand-mended t-shirts, and a hand-made catalogue. After taking the collection to New York City to showcase at the Hotel Chelsea, it was immediately recognized by buyers from department stores including Barneys New York. Chanin draws inspiration from her academic studies, including ideas about color as espoused by Josef and Anni Albers, the Bauhaus artists who fled Nazi Germany for Asheville, North Carolina, in 1933 to teach at Black Mountain College. Southern literature and stories have always been a love of hers. Growing up, her grandmother sewed every garment her children wore as well as Chanin's, while also gardening and cooking fresh food. This led to her naturally to make a community of her own through Alabama Chanin.
Gina Therése Charbonnet is a dynamic creator, producer, and advocate for diverse voices, with over two decades of experience in the arts, entertainment, and production. As the founder and principal of the GeChar Agency she is a leading force in multimedia production, specializing in branding, cerative content, and talent acquisition.
Charbonnet's expertise has been sought after by numerous esteemed companies and organizations, including ESSENCE, the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Prospect New Orleans, Watermark Conferences for Women, the City of New Orleans, Black Girls Rock! and Converse, among others. Her professional accomplishments are highlighted by a longstanding partnership with the Essence Festival of Culture, where Gina and GeChar serve as Executive Producer for the festival's daytime programming. This includes the festival's Empowerment Programming, BeautyCon, the Gospel Tribute, and Keynotes from A Listers, thought leaders and politicians. She consistently establishes and manages relationships with a diverse array of influential figures, which have included Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Monét X Change, Lenya Bloom, Ava Duvernay, Deepak Chopra, Rosario Dawson, and Halle Berry, among others.
Film Producer credits include the short narratives "Happy Birthday Leonard" and "Mosaic", as well as the award-winning "Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans". Executive Producer credits include the critically acclaimed short "Benediction" and the Sundance Audience Award-winning feature "Ma Belle My Beauty". Charbonnet boasts an impressive repertoire of credits in both feature films and documentaries, with "Eve's Bayou" being a pivotal work that kickstarted her production career.
Charbonnet has spoken on panels and been featured on podcasts for being a creative entrepreneur and demanding equity for black women working in the cultural economy and entertainment. Her experience extends to academia and philanthropy having served as a Communications Lecturer at the University of Southern Mississippi and an Instructor in Xavier University’s Art Department. She co-founded the Beautiful Foundation, a New Orleans nonprofit for teenage girls of color and is developing the GeChar Foundation, dedicated to promoting social change through arts, education, and media initiatives. Motivated to address the disparities and inequities COVID exposed, Charbonnet is an executive coach and consultant to a handful of clients, whom she works very closely with on redefining their purpose and impact branding.
Charbonnet holds an M.A. in Arts Administration from the University of New Orleans, a B.A. in Journalism from Southern University, and a Minor in Communications and Film Studies from the University of New Orleans. They have also attended the Producer's Intensive Program at New York University, completed the Goldman Sachs 10k Small Business Program, and the Urban Studies Community Development Finance Program at the University of New Orleans.
Dedicated to encouraging people to connect with art and nature, Elmore DeMott is a speaker, writer, and artist. Through this wide variety of work, Elmore shares the message, “Beauty abounds. Seek it daily.” Elmore earned her BA in Math and Fine Art from Vanderbilt University and began her career in banking. Next, she worked in arts administration before putting her own creative talents to work as an artist. An avid arts supporter, Elmore was the founding president of ClefWorks, an Alabama arts organization, created to promote the education and enjoyment of chamber music through innovative programming. In Alabama, she is on the founding leadership team of the new Photographic Nights of Selma Festival, and serves as the president of the Jasmine Hill Foundation. Elmore is also a board member of the internationally acclaimed JACK Quartet as well as the New York-based Collaborative Arts Ensemble. For collaborating, connecting, and sharing artistic experience, Elmore received the 2019 +Factor Award from the New York-based string quartet, ETHEL. Elmore is an award-winning photographer whose passion for the wonders of Mother Nature inspired her to begin her “Flowers for Mom” series, comprised of daily flower photos, to honor her mother’s Alzheimer’s journey and celebrate nature. Maria Shriver, founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, recognized her as an Architect of Change for her use of art as a means to open up deep conversations about the challenges of aging and the need to acknowledge the beauty of gifts amidst the hardships of our life journeys. In addition to exhibits and speaking engagements, her Camera Journey continues to lead to unique collaborations whereby her art serves as a backdrop for performances such as one with the San Francisco-based Del Sol String Quartet. This summer at the DAP Dance Festival in Italy, her work was part of the premiere of a ballet by Norwegian dancer and choreographer, Thomas Johansen. Elmore was the artist in residence for the Photography Festival in Pierrevert, France and will continue to travel in her home state of Alabama and beyond for upcoming speaking engagements and exhibits to share her work.
John T. Edge writes about the American South. In 2017, Penguin published The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South, named as book of the year by NPR, Publisher’s Weekly, and a host of others. Now in paperback, Nashville selected the book as a citywide read for 2018. Edge is also the host of the television show TrueSouth, which airs on the SEC Network and on ESPN. Edge is a contributing editor at Garden & Gun and a columnist for the Oxford American. For three years he wrote the monthly “United Taste” column for The New York Times. His magazine and newspaper work has been featured in eleven editions of the Best Food Writing compilation. He has won three James Beard Foundation awards. In 2012, he won Beard’s M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award. Edge holds an MA in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Goucher College. He directs the Southern Foodways Alliance, an institute of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi, where he documents, studies, and explores the diverse food cultures of the American South. Edge has written or edited more than a dozen books, including the foodways volume of the New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. He is series editor of Southern Foodways Alliance Studies in Culture, People, and Place, published by the University of Georgia Press. Edge has served as culinary curator for the weekend edition of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and has been featured on dozens of television shows, from “CBS Sunday Morning” to “Iron Chef.” Edge lives in Oxford, Mississippi, with his son, Jess, and his wife, Blair Hobbs, a teacher, writer, and painter.
Olga Garay-English, an independent arts consultant, is Senior Advisor for International Affairs to Fundación Teatro a Milin Santiago, Chile, the producer of the three-week Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil. In 2016, she became Executive Director of the historic Ford Theatres, a 1,200-seat amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills for three-years before the Los Angeles Philharmonic assumed its management. Olga was Executive Director of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. During her tenure at the City, DCA and its programs were awarded more than $23 million in funding from private and public entities 2007-2014). As founding Program Director for the Arts of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (1998-2005), she awarded $145 million to U.S.-based and international arts organizations. Ms. Garay-English became a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres in 2012. Awarded a "Bessie", the New York Dance and Performance Awards, for sustained contribution to the field – 2006. Fan Taylor Distinguished Service Award, Association of Performing Arts Presenters – 2003. Born in Santa Clara, Cuba, she became a naturalized United States citizen in 1978. She is the widow of Dr. Kerry English, a developmental pediatrician who dedicated his life to serving abused and foster children in South Los Angeles.
The Honorable Glenda E. Hood is President of Hood Partners, a strategic consulting firm focused on civic innovation serving the business, government, and independent sectors. Hood served as Florida Secretary of State from 2003-2005 and Mayor/CEO of the City of Orlando from 1992-2003. Before being elected Orlando’s first woman Mayor, she was a City Council member for 10 years and president of her own public relations business. As Mayor, Hood was a strong advocate of growth management and smart growth principles to build safe, livable neighborhoods, a revitalized downtown, and a strong local economy. As Secretary of State, Hood was responsible for the Department’s Divisions of Administrative Services, Corporations, Cultural Affairs, Elections, Historical Resources, and Library and Information Services; and was instrumental in crafting the State’s Strategic Plan for Economic Development and leading numerous international business initiatives. Hood has served as President of the National League of Cities, the Florida League of Cities, and Chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. She is a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and active participant and chair of more than 20 ULI Advisory Services and Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership panels; a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration; and long-standing board member and Past Chair of Partners for Livable Communities. Hood serves as a corporate board member of Delta Apparel (NYSE: DLA), Baskerville-Donovan, Inc., and chairs both the SantaFe HealthCare, Inc. and Axiom Bank, NA, boards. She is also a board member of the Orlando Land Trust, Alabama’s Kentuck Art Center and Festival and the Florida Chamber of Commerce where she chairs the Small Business Council. Hood received her BA degree in Spanish from Rollins College after studying in Costa Rica and Spain. She attended the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government Executive Program and participated in the Mayor’s Urban Design Institute at the University of Virginia and the Society of International Business Fellows.
Phillip March Jones is an artist, writer, and curator based in New York City. In 2009, Jones founded Institute 193, a nonprofit contemporary art space and publisher in Lexington, Kentucky. He later served as the inaugural director of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation in Atlanta, and as director of the Galerie Christian Berst (New York/Paris) and the Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York. Jones currently serves as Institute 193’s Curator-at-Large and oversees Institute 193 (1B), a project space in Manhattan’s East Village that organizes collaborative exhibitions with cultural institutions from the Southern United States. Jones’ photographs and writings have been published by the Jargon Society, Vanderbilt University Press, Dust-to-Digital and Poem 88, among others.
David Lewis became the Executive Director of the Mississippi Arts Commission in January of 2023.
As executive director of MAC, Lewis is responsible for strategic planning, public speaking, grants administration, business management, partnership development, and other duties. The executive director of MAC reports to a 15-member board of directors appointed by the Governor and manages an 11-member professional staff.
A Jackson native, Lewis is undeniably passionate about Mississippi and all it has to offer. Lewis came to MAC from the Department of Human and Cultural Services (DHCS) for the City of Jackson, where he served as Deputy Director. In his time with DHCS, Lewis showed a commitment to finding creative ways to bring life, energy, and awareness to Jackson’s incredible places, spaces, and people. Lewis plans to bring this same energy to MAC with a focus on supporting Mississippi’s rich creative economy on a state-wide scale.
As Deputy Director of DHCS, Lewis worked with the Arts Center of Mississippi, the Russell C. Davis Planetarium, the Smith Robertson Museum, and the Municipal Art Gallery. Lewis also served as Manager of Thalia Mara Hall, where he helped usher in a 35% increase in revenue during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. With allies of the Planetarium, Lewis has shepherded the launch of a campaign to fully renovate and add onto the existing structure, helping to raise over 50% of the fundraising goal to date. Lewis is also the creator and lead for the City of Jackson’s Bicentennial campaign, which ended on December 31, 2022, and the holiday Capital City Lights event, which celebrated its second year in 2022.
Lewis currently serves on the Advisory Council for Downtown Jackson Partners and has served for three years as Vice-Chairman of the Board for Team JXN. In 2018, Lewis received the AIA “Friend of Architecture” award and Visit Jackson’s SUMMIT “Friend of Tourism” award in 2020.
A graduate of Mississippi State University, Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 2015. From 2016-2018, Lewis pursued a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Jackson State University while working as a Project Specialist for the Greater Jackson Arts Council. In his role at GJAC, Lewis facilitated many creative initiatives, including the Welcome to Jackson mural, the Mississippi Light Festival, the Obama Elementary School mural, and the Community Paint Wall. Lewis rebranded and relaunched Food Truck Friday, increasing the attendee count five-fold.
Lewis and his wife, Mary Lee, live in Belhaven with their daughter, Louise.
Tina Lilly is the Executive Director of Georgia Council for the Arts. She has been with GCA for 14 years and previously served as the Grants Program Director. In that role, she managed all aspects of a $2 million grant program, including the distribution of CARES Act funds and the creation of both the Vibrant Communities, Cultural Facilities, Resiliency and Bridge Grant programs. While at GCA, she also served as a member of the Tourism Resource Team with Explore Georgia and advised communities across the state about utilizing the arts for community and economic development.
Prior to coming to Georgia Council for the Arts, Tina served as Executive Director of the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in Madison, GA; Administrative Director at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta; and Managing Director at Live Bait Theatre in Chicago. She also worked as an adjunct professor at The Theatre School in Chicago and a freelance director at various theatres in Chicago, Atlanta and New York.
Tina received a BA in theatre from Birmingham-Southern College and an MFA in directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University (formerly the Goodman School of Drama).
Yvahn Martin is an expert digital marketer, brand manager, and e-commerce technology professional with over twenty years of business management experience ranging from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies. She completed an MBA at NYU Stern Langone School of Business and undergraduate studies in Dance and Women's Studies at Newcomb College of Tulane University. Yvahn is a former singer, dancer, choreographer and filmmaker who has also proudly served for over 14 years on the governing board of Urban Bush Women dance organization.
Sejal Mehta has a strong love of the arts. She serves on the boards of North Carolina Arts Council and International Focus of North Carolina. Previously, she served on the board of the Raleigh Little Theater and Raleigh Review. Sejal also served on the fiction staff of the Raleigh Review, and she has assisted on the production of short films and various commercials in both New York and the Triangle. In addition, Sejal worked as a contract attorney for Duke Energy, an attorney at the New York Medical Examiner's Office, and a prosecutor in the Queens District Attorney's Office in New York City. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Jay Chaudhuri, their two teenage children, and their golden retriever Lincoln.
Dr. Kara Tucina Olidge is the associate director of collections & discovery and chair of the African American Art History Initiative. She guides the Getty Research Institute collections, now including the largest art history library in the nation, and archival collections of 100s of 1000s of photographs, not to mention dealer records, art prints, artist notebooks, and so much more, into the second quarter of the 21st century.
Dr. Olidge served as the Executive Director of the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University. The Amistad Research Center is the nation's oldest, largest, and most comprehensive independent archive specializing in the history of African Americans and ethnic minorities. Prior to this position, she was the deputy director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a branch of the New York Public Library. In addition to her work at the Amistad Research Center and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Dr. Olidge developed programming and directed Hetrick-Martin Institute’s site in Newark, New Jersey. Dr. Olidge has peer-edited articles and written for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ New Orleans & The World: 1718 -2018 Tricentennial Anthology, reviews for Louisiana Cultural Vistas and articles for Archival Outlook.
Dr. Olidge's scholarly work has focused on critical cosmopolitanism, identity, and cultural activism within communities of color. She earned her B.A. from Spelman College, M.A. from the University of New Orleans, and her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo (University at Buffalo). Dr. Olidge is a board member of South Arts, the Arts Council of New Orleans, and the LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana. She is the founding president of the Louisiana Charles Deslondes Chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALAH).
Nina Parikh has been with the Mississippi Film Office for 22 years, currently serving as the director. She studied filmmaking at New York University and University of Southern Mississippi, worked in the industry as a producer, and currently teaches as an adjunct professor at Millsaps College. She and the team of “Ballast”, an independent feature film made in Mississippi, were honored with two awards at the Sundance Film Festival 2009. Nina is a co-founder and board member of the Crossroads Film Festival & Society and Mississippi Film Alliance, a non-profit supporting indigenous filmmaking. She also serves on the boards of the Association of Film Commissioners International, Mississippi Book Festival, Creative Mississippi, and is the producer of TEDxJackson.
For the past 26 years, David Platts has worked in South Carolina as an educator, principal, and district level administrator. Prior to becoming the Executive Director of the South Carolina Arts Commission, David served as the arts and sciences coordinator for Lancaster County School District, a position he held for 15 years. In addition to his work as an educator, Platts has served the Lancaster County Council of the Arts as a board member and president. He has statewide experience as a member, president, and treasurer of the Palmetto State Arts Education board and as a current member of the South Carolina Arts Alliance board, where he has been active as an arts advocate. On the national level, David served as a member of the Education Advisory Committee for the John F. Kennedy Center’s Partners in Education Program. David keeps his own artistic expression fresh by serving as an accompanist and conductor for school and church choral programs.
Anne B. Pope serves as the executive director of the Tennessee Arts Commission. Previously Pope served as the executive director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, a priority of the Tennessee First to the Top Initiative, designed to promote and expand the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in k-12 public schools across Tennessee. Pope was instrumental in the partnership between the State of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute, the largest research and development nonprofit in the world, and, in a public partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, is a managing partner of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. Prior to her work with the STEM Innovation Network, Pope served as federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development partnership between the federal government and the governors of 13 states. She previously served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, and as executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission. In the private sector, Pope served as president/CEO of Proffitt’s of the Tri-Cities, Inc., formerly a division of Saks, Inc., and prior to that as president/CEO for the Parks-Belk Co., a chain of department stores located in northeast Tennessee. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, Pope is admitted to practice law in Tennessee and the District of Columbia. Growing up in Kingsport Tennessee, Pope has a life-long passion for the arts. She enjoys music, film, reading, the outdoors, and spending time with her son.
Alice Randall serves on the Faculty of Vanderbilt University where she is Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities and Professor and Writer-in-Residence in the Department of African-American and Diaspora Studies. She is a maker and scholar of Southern food, southern song, southern children's literature; and southern protest literature.
She is the New York Times bestselling author of five critically acclaimed novels, The Wind Done Gone; Pushkin and the Queen of Spades; Rebel Yell; Ada's Rules; and Black Bottom Saints all of which that seek to re-imagine the South, what it means to be southern, and the genre of the protest novel.
Randall has co-written more than twenty recorded songs including XXX’s and OOO’s which celebrates “Aretha Franklin and Patsy Cline” and was recorded by Trisha Yearwood. She has published extensively on Black artists working in country and her courses include “The Country Lyric in American Culture” and “Black Country.” She was a consultant on all episodes of Ken Burns documentary Country Music and appears in two. She also appears in the PBS documentary on Charley Pride, I’m Just Me.
With her daughter Caroline Randall Williams she co-wrote the award-winning cookbook Soul Food Love and an award winning children's book The Diary of B.B. Bright. Possible Princess. Her other courses include: Soul Food in text, as text; Southern Food; Black Literatures of Protest; and African-American Children's Literature.
Meg Reid is the Executive Director of the Hub City Writers Project in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the Publisher of Hub City Press, where she finds and champions new and overlooked voices from the American South. An editor and book designer, her essays have appeared online in outlets like DIAGRAM, the Oxford American, and The Rumpus. She holds an MFA in Nonfiction from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she served as Assistant Editor of the literary magazine, Ecotone, and worked for the literary imprint Lookout Books. She was a Publishers Weekly Star Watch 2021 Honoree. She is outspoken about the need for transparency and accountability in book publishing and advocates for a decentralized model, grounded in local communities.
Photo by Joshua Gaffney
Alan F. Rothschild, Jr., a Columbus, Georgia native, has practiced estate planning and nonprofit law in Columbus and Atlanta for over 35 years. Alan has served as President of the Board of Trustees of The Columbus Museum and as Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, where he continues his service as a lifetime trustee. He has also served on the boards of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Georgia Humanities Council.
In 2012, Alan founded The Do Good Fund, a public charity whose mission is to build a museum-quality, public collection of photographs taken in the American South since World War II, by both well-known and emerging photographers, and to make the collection widely available to regional museums, community arts centers and non-traditional venues. Do Good’s collection of visual stories now numbers 855 images by 115 photographers, and has been included in dozens of exhibitions in ten states. Alan was a recipient of a 2022 Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts & Humanities.
Sandy Shaughnessy became director of the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs in 2005 after serving in the agency as arts administrator for various programs, special events and initiatives since 1997. Prior to the Division of Cultural Affairs, Sandy served as Box Office Manager for Old School Square Cultural Arts Center in Delray Beach, and as Director/Treasurer of Box Office Operations for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa. She has over 25 years of experience working with performing arts venues, artists, producers, Broadway Road Show managers and nonprofit arts administration. Born and raised in New York City, Shaughnessy spent her off school hours working at ABC’s office of World News Tonight and 20/20 as well as at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Shaughnessy has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Dramatic Literature, Theatre History, and the Cinema with a minor in Political Science from New York University. Her graduate course work has been in arts administration and she is trained in international protocol. She enjoys writing, designing and hanging art exhibitions, international collaborations, meeting people and serving the community. In addition to the South Arts board, She has served on the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Board, currently serving on the governance committee and on the 2020 awards task force. She has also served as a grant panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and on American’s for the Arts’ Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network and task-specific working group.
Keith Summerour is a distinguished architect who graduated with a five-year degree from Auburn University in 1987. After graduation, he traveled across Europe, delving into the study of Classical Architecture and immersing himself in various cultures. Notably, his time spent in Florence, Italy left a significant impact on him. He took up residence in Florence, establishing a studio there and later serving on the Board of the Florence Academy of Art.
In 1997, Summerour founded Summerour Architects, which has since undertaken numerous projects across the United States, with a concentration in the Southeast region. The firm specializes in designing both residential and commercial properties, and it has been involved in the creation of five Relais & Chateaux properties.
In his leisure time, Summerour enjoys tending to his farm, Towerhouse Farm, located in Gay, Georgia. There he enjoys activities such as beekeeping, goat rearing, and cultivating vegetables, committed to environmental stewardship and connections with nature.
Mike Woodard is the North Carolina State Senator representing Durham County. Senator Woodard is the founding co-chair of the General Assembly’s Arts Caucus and has authored numerous bills and appropriations supporting arts, arts education, and culture programs. He has been active in community and state affairs for more than 30 years, including leadership roles with the Durham Arts Council and the American Dance Festival. A tenth-generation North Carolinian, Senator Woodard graduated from Duke University with degrees in economics, political science, and non-profit management. Before joining the General Assembly in 2013, he served on the Durham City Council for seven years.