LEADERSHIP
NATIONAL CHAIRS
India Arie
National Chair
India.Arie is a singer-songwriter, actress, musician, and record producer who went from “singing under a tree in the park” to the Grammy Awards stage in five years, earning seven nominations for her 2001 double-platinum debut Acoustic Soul featuring her first hit single “Video.” That was followed in 2002 by the platinum-selling…
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Keb' Mo
National Chair
It all took off for Keb’ Mo’ in 1994 with the self-titled release under his newly coined “Keb’ Mo’” moniker, and he proved once and for all that he was a musical force to be reckoned with. Album after album, 11 in total, garnered him 3 Grammy awards and a producer/engineer/artist Grammy Certificate for his track…
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Darius Rucker
National Chair
Darius Rucker first attained multi-platinum status as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Hootie & the Blowfish. The band has released five studio albums with him as a member, and charted six top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Rucker co-wrote the majority of the band’s songs with the other three members…
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CeCe Winans
National Chair
CeCe Winans is a multi-talented singer, who has won numerous awards, including ten GRAMMY® Awards and seven Stellar Awards. She has sold twelve million records worldwide. CeCe is also the best-selling female gospel artist of all time. Her collection of Top Ten R&B radio hits include “Count On Me,” her duet with…
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MUSEUM STAFF
H. Beecher Hicks, III
President & CEO
H. Beecher Hicks III’s professional experiences have included work in both the private, public and non-profit sectors where he has focused on building enterprises as a consultant, banker, investor and operating executive. Henry is now the president and CEO of the National Museum of African American Music…
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Dionne Lucas
Director of Retail Marketing and Sales
A graduate of Clark Atlanta University’s Mass Media Arts department, Dionne Lucas started her professional career with The Coca Cola Company, working in marketing at the company’s headquarters in Atlanta, GA…
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Dr. Trea McMillian
CFO
Reynard Trea McMillian is an accounting professional with 30 years of experience. He has worked in manufacturing, healthcare, government, and in higher education over his career…
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Dr. Dina Bennett
Curatorial Director
Dr. Dina M. Bennett is the Senior Curator for the National Museum of African American Music, and an ethnomusicologist who specializes in African American music and culture…
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Tamar Smithers
Director of Education and Public Programs
Tamar Smithers is a professional actress, singer, arts administrator and educator. She has over 10 years of experience in the arts administration and higher education field. As Director of Education and Public Programs for NMAAM she is instrumental in creating culturally specific programs and curriculum for all ages. In this role…
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Vince PremDas
Director of Development
Vince PremDas joined NMAAM in early 2019 as the Director of Development. He is responsible for the museum’s capital campaign, annual fundraising and membership efforts. Prior to NMAAM, Vince served as the associate vice president for Institutional advancement at Fisk University…
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Dr. John Fleming
Museum Director-In-Residence
John Fleming was born in Morganton, North Carolina. He graduated from Berea College, Berea, Kentucky, in 1966. He attended the University of Kentucky and the University of Malawi before graduating from Howard University with a Ph.D. in American History in 1974. He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi…
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Kara Duke
Development Manager
Kara Duke is a native of Nashville, TN and serves as Assistant Director of Development at NMAAM. Kara is responsible for managing the annual fund, membership program and a portfolio of donors. She has an expansive career in higher education, sales and marketing.
Kara joins us from Fisk University where she successfully…
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Lauranette S. Ford
Database Manager
Lauranette S. Ford is the Database Manager at the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM). Her expertise includes internal auditing, project management, process improvement, and donor database management. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), a Certified Project Manager Professional (PMP), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and a Certified Risk Management Assurance Professional (CRMA)…
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Dr. Steven Lewis
Curator
Dr. Steven Lewis is a curator at the National Museum of African American Music. He has presented his research at national and international conferences and has worked with historical organizations including the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution. He holds a B.A. in jazz studies from Florida State…
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Cara Lippman
Executive Assistant to the CEO
Cara Lippman began her administrative career working in her home state of Massachusetts for her father, a real estate attorney, while she completed her degree in English Education at Boston University. After an initial start as an English teacher and theatre director, Cara returned to the administrative field working in diverse…
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Brandon Reid
Education & Development Operations Manager
Brandon Reid is the Administrative Analyst at NMAAM, supporting both the curatorial and development departments as the direct line of communication between the two…
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Dr. Marquita Reed
Collections Manager
Dr. Marquita Reed holds a Ph.D in public history at Middle Tennessee State University. Additionally, Marquita received her B.A. in History from Florida State University and an M.A. in Public History from Florida International University.
Working with numerous historical, organizing such as MTSU Center for Historic Preservation…
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Ellie Smith
Administrative Assistant
Ellie Smith holds a B.A in history and religious studies from Albright College. She is currently finishing her Masters’ of Theological Studies with a Jewish Studies Certificate at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Her area of study is 19th and 20th century religious history. Ellie is an alumna of Phi Mu Fraternity. She has spent many years participating in theatre and music.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LaDonna Boyd
Board of Directors
LaDonna Boyd is a native of Nashville, TN. Her family has had deep roots in the city for the past five generations, leaving a significant impact on the economic development and cultural history of Nashville. …
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The Honorable Karl Dean
Board of Directors
The Honorable Karl Dean was the sixth mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. He was elected on Sept. 11, 2007 and was re-elected on Aug. 4, 2011 with nearly 80 percent of the vote. During his time in office, Mayor Dean has invested in schools, public safety and economic development…
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Dr. Robert Fisher
Board of Directors
Dr. Robert (Bob) Fisher serves as President of Belmont University, a position he has held since April 2000. During his tenure the University’s enrollment has more than doubled to 7,400+ students while the campus itself has expanded significantly with the addition of more than $500 million in renovations and campus…
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Jeff Harelston
Board of Directors
Jeff Harleston is General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Music Group worldwide. Harleston is a key member of the senior executive team and responsible for overseeing all business transactions, contracts, and litigation related to UMG’s operations…
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Harvey E. Hoskins
Treasurer
Harvey E. Hoskins, CPA worked a decade for the IRS, where he advanced to Assistant Audit Division Chief, before he co-founded Hoskins & Company, the oldest minority owned and operated accounting firm in Nashville. Harvey has over 36 years of experience in governmental and public accounting…
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Connie Kinnard
Board of Directors
Connie Kinnard serves as the Vice President of Multicultural Tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to joining the GMCVB, Connie Kinnard held the position of Senior Vice President of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation. She has been with the Nashville organization since 1996, when she started in…
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Stacey Garrett Koju
Vice-Chairman
Stacey Garrett Koju is a founding member of Bone McAllester Norton PLLC and chair of the firm’s Board of Directors. She concentrates her law practice in the areas of higher education, corporate transactions, healthcare and government affairs.
Stacey represents several institutions of higher education…
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Kevin Lavender
Board Chair
Kevin Lavender has served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director – Large Corporate and Specialized Industries of Fifth Third Bank since December 2009 and served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Healthcare Lending of Fifth Third Bank from December 2005…
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Jerry Maynard
Board of Directors
Jerry Maynard has more than a decade of experience in public policy and government relations. He shown a proven ability to strategically and creatively reach diverse communities and build broad support for policies, initiatives, and development. An experienced strategist, he offers the clients of the…
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Sherri Neal
Board of Directors
Sherri Neal is Vice President, Cultural Development and Inclusion for Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), where she is responsible for leading the company’s diversity, inclusion and cultural competence initiative which bolsters HCA’s award winning employee and patient culture…
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Dene Oliver
National Advisory Board Chair
Dene Oliver recently joined forces with Brookfield Properties as their Chief Vision Officer, following a 40-year career as the leader and founder of OliverMcMillan a successful, AIA award-winning national mixed-use development firm. At Brookfield Properties, Dene will work with teams to create one-of-a kind, award winning…
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Ben R. Rechter
Board of Directors
Ben R. Rechter has been part of NMAAM project since before its inception and currently serves on the board of directors. His vision, experience and drive have been invaluable to the development of this project.
Born in Bloomington, Indiana, he and his family moved to…
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Dasha Smith
Board of Directors
Dasha Smith is the Executive Vice President, Global Chief Human Resources Officer for Sony Music Entertainment. In this role, Ms. Smith is responsible for the global human resources function including talent acquisition, talent management, total rewards, employee relations and organizational development…
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Butch Spyridon
Board of Directors
Butch Spyridon has served as president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (CVC) since 1991. Under his leadership, Nashville has evolved into a year-round destination for meetings and leisure visitors and has grown to become the city’s second largest industry with annual visitor spending exceeding $5.5 billion…
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Marie Sueing
Board of Directors
Marie Sueing is the Vice President of Multicultural Community Relations for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation (NCVC). In this role, her efforts include increasing convention and tourism sales for the city and enhancing community relations and perception by promoting Nashville’s diverse offerings through product development and events.
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Phil Thornton
Board of Directors
Whether it’s music or television, Phil Thornton is definitely one of the most influential individuals working in our industry. As Vice President/General Manager, Urban Inspirational at Entertainment One (eOne) out of Nashville, Thornton oversees one of the more coveted rosters currently in…
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Anasa Troutman
Board of Directors
An artist manger, writer, producer, and entrepreneur, Anasa Troutman has dedicated her life to the importance of culture and the power of love. As CEO of her company, Eloveate, Anasa works to build and execute strategies for artists and organizations that are aligned with her vision of a loving world and her belief in creativity as a…
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Dyana Williams
Board of Directors
Dyana Williams (born November 9, 1953), a native New Yorker, is a radio and music industry professional, journalist, community activist, documentarian as well as the co-founder of the Pennsylvania-based, non-profit advocacy organization, the International Association of African American Music Foundation (IAAAM Foundation) …
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NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
Chair
Dene Oliver
