Meet the Knight Foundation Scholarship Recipients

Sekou Campbell
Managing Member
Law Office of Sekou Campbell
Board Observer: BlackStar Film Festival

Sekou represents intellectual creatives and teaches legal writing at Lincoln University. He graduated from LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York and Vanderbilt University. After college, Sekou taught in the South Bronx as a Teach for America corps member; then, he earned an M.F.A. in Theater from Columbia University, where he led the school as a member of the faculty senate. After ten years in arts and education, Sekou went to law school as a Public Service Scholar where he interned for a federal judge; edited the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal and won a Cardozo Service Award.

Sekou, a former The Network Journal Forty under 40 awardee, knows the power of imagination and creativity and thus enjoys representing creatives’ interests by using the law to help them achieve their business aspirations. He lives in South Philadelphia with his wife and is the father of 3 children.

Sekou is also involved with ABC’s Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers or the Arts (PVLA), and in fact, is our 2017 PVLA Volunteer of the Year.

Karthik Chadalawada
Microsoft Dynamics AX Functional Consultant
RSM US LLP
Board Observer: InterAct Theater Company

Karthik Chadalawada specializes is Technology and Management Consultant with a focus on implementing enterprise resource planning systems. He has an Interdisciplinary Business and Engineering degree from Pennsylvania State University and has 6yrs of background experience with ERP implementations. Karthik has worked across various industries, having completed projects in manufacturing, life sciences, public sector and food & beverages sectors.

Brea M. Heidelberg
Assistant Professor of Arts Administration
Rider University
Board Observer: BalletX

Brea is an arts management educator, consultant, and researcher focusing on the intersection of the arts and other fields of study. She sees arts administrators as intellectual translators and works to instill a respect for both theory and practice in her students and clients. She is a board member of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and currently serves as Co-Chair of Americans for the Arts’ Emerging Leaders Council. She is also on the editorial board of the American Journal of Arts Management. Dr. Heidelberg earned her PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy from The Ohio State University. Her research interests include professional development issues facing arts administrators, arts advocacy rhetoric, and (inter)national cultural diplomacy. She is a life-long learner currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Resource Develop to further her consulting work and research on human resources issues in the nonprofit arts. Brea has also been involved with ABC’s Business Volunteers for the Arts.

Dr. Oscar Holmes IV
Assistant Professor of Management
Rutgers University
Board Observer: The Village of Arts and Humanities

Oscar is an Assistant Professor of Management and Director of Access and Outreach in Business Education at Rutgers University School of Business where he teaches executive education, graduate, and undergraduate courses in Leadership and Managing Human Capital, Organizational Behavior, and Crisis Management.  His research examines how leaders can maximize productivity and well-being through fostering more inclusive environments and have been published in several top-tier management journals and books.  He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in Management at The University of Alabama, M.L.A. from The University of Richmond and a B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University.  He is also a 2006 alum of Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Summer Institute in General Management.  In addition to his scholarship being covered in various news outlets, he is a highly sought after speaker, organizational consultant, and has made a number of media appearances that include Huffington Post Live, television, and radio interviews.

Rikki Renz
Director, Clinical Research Contracting
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Board Observer: The Jazz Bridge Project

Rikki is currently the Director of Clinical Research Contracting at the Hospital of the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. She joined Fox Chase Cancer Center in July 2013. Prior to Fox Chase, Rikki has worked at pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions. Her previous experience within various legal departments as a Transactional Paralegal and Contract Manager creates a unique approach and insight into contracts. Rikki oversees a robust department that performs legal and business terms contract review, budget development and negotiation of clinical trials for Oncology at Fox Chase, Temple University Hospital and Jeanes Hospital (BMT unit), all under Temple University Health System. Rikki has proficient experience in providing a specialist view on contract development and delivery, terms and conditions, contract practices and fundamentals of business/local laws, including corporate policies and procedures. Rikki is actively involved in the community and is a member of various organizations.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication from La Salle University and is currently enrolled to obtain her Master of Business degree at Temple University Fox School of Business.

Vashti Dubois
Executive Director, Founder
The Colored Girls Museum

Vashti Dubois currently serves as the Executive Director and Founder of The Colored Girls Museum, a grassroots cultural institution which focuses on celebrating the history and perspectives of the Ordinary Extraordinary Colored Girl. Headquartered in Historic Germantown this living museum has been engineered to pop up in other cities and neighborhoods around the country—transforming ordinary spaces into Colored Girls Museum outpost which collect, archive, and share the stories of indigenous colored girls in that place. DuBois has over thirty years of experience working in non profits in leadership positions. Much of her work has centered on the educational and socioeconomic needs of black women and girls. She has left her impact on several organizations, including Tree House Books, The Children’s Art Carnival, Haymarket People’s Fund, the Leeway Foundation, the Historic Church of The Advocate and The Free Library of Philadelphia.

Margo Jackson
Business Manager
Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP)

– Native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
– Prior to JASGP, Site Manager at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
– Over (15) years’ experience in project management, financial management, human resources, historic preservation,real estate and residential building
– Spirited advocate of historic preservation
– MA Historic Preservation, BA Architectural History and Design

Aisha Khan
Founder
Twelve Gates Arts

I co-founded Twelve Gates Arts (12G) in 2009 and haven’t looked back since. The growth of 12G over the past 7 years is something that I am very proud of. I have invested in expanding our organization to bring both prominent and promising international and South Asian arts and cultural programming to the Greater Philadelphia community. Over the past year I have collaborated with other non-profits and organizations with similar interests and various museum to expand on the impact of the work we do. My financial background with Merril Lynch really helped me to sustain this organization financially. I realize that my background as an artist who spent her time making sculpture has taken a backseat to promoting other artists’ work but that is change I deliberately undertook. I believe in strong communities and collaborations and it can only happen when you believe in other people’s strength and vision.

Asdrey Irizarry
Education Director
Taller Puertorriqueño

Asdrey Irizarry, Taller’s Education Director, was born and raised in San Germán, Puerto Rico. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art Theory and a Certification in Art Education from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master of Arts in Art Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She is pursuing her EdD in Leadership and Instruction in Distance Education from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. Asdrey’s work promotes the importance of teaching multiculturalism to inner-city students and amplifies the awareness of the Puerto Rican culture and heritage in Philadelphia.

Asdrey is passionate about art education and youth development.  She is a Girl Scout Leader and Mentor with over 25 years of scouting experience. She served as a Program Implementer for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, developing and delivering educational programs for at-risk young girls in Philadelphia, fostering community development and developing leadership skills through the arts.

Wendy Lambour
Marketing Manager
Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus

Wendy Lambour is the Marketing Manager with the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus (PGMC). In this role, Wendy works closely with her Marketing Committee to promote and engage PGMC’s mission to the Philadelphia community.

Previously, Wendy took on the nonprofit world full-time with the American Cancer Society as a Distinguished Events Development Manager. She sharpened her background in sales, marketing, leadership and events in her role by working with a range of executive committees and community volunteers to execute successful large scale fundraising events.

Philadelphia has been her home for the past 3 years and she has since fallen in love with it’s mix of grit and unique food scene. Wendy has taken her experience in event organization to host various pop-up events throughout Philadelphia highlighting it’s artisan market. She continues to merge worlds of entertainment and civic responsibility to build solid relationships and make an impact.

LaNeshe Miller-White
Marketing Manager
Painted Bride Art Center

LaNeshe is a graduate of Temple University’s School of Communications and Theater. She is the Marketing Manager at Painted Bride Art Center, a non-profit arts venue presenting theater, jazz, dance, world music and visual arts as well as community programming. She also coordinates the Bride’s Souls of Black Folks program for the development of new work and the Monologue Mondays series for professional development of actors. She is the co-founder of Theatre in the X, an organization that provides free theater for the community outdoors in Malcolm X Park each summer. She is a former board member of the Philadelphia Dramatists Center. Her goal is to support art for social change in Philadelphia and beyond.

Khalia Robinson
Program Director
Mighty Writers

Upon watching the public school system change over the years, Khalia Robinson knew after graduating from Clarion University of Pennsylvania that she would have to get involved in keeping the arts in education. From this thought came opportunities to work with WUSL Power 99’s ‘28 Schools in 28 Days’, and co-creating the event ‘Putting The Neighbor Back In The Hood’ with WPEB 88.1 community radio.

These days, Khalia works as a Program Director for Philadelphia’s premiere literacy non-profit agency Mighty Writers, and does consultations and workshop facilitations for her start-up virtual community center, The1st Day Of Destiny.

Hazami Sayed
Executive Director
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture

Hazami Sayed is an Arab-American who grew up in the Arab region and came to the US to pursue higher education. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Stanford University and Master of Architecture from Columbia University. Before founding Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, she worked in the fields of architecture and urban development in Philadelphia and New York City. Sayed began Al-Bustan with the launch of a language and cultural day camp in July 2002, which grew out of a desire to develop a creative and supportive environment where her young boys could learn the Arabic language and be immersed in the richness of Arab arts and culture while navigating their place in American society. Sayed is a recipient of the Leeway Foundation’s 2012 Transformation Award given to Philadelphia-area women artists committed to art-making for social change. She serves on the Boards of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Kris Smith,
Program Associate
ArtWell

Kris Smith, MSW, is a visual artist and facilitator who uses art and creativity as a vehicle for building community, and exploring identity and social experiences. As Program Associate, she supports ArtWell’s curriculum design, professional development, and program administration and evaluation. Kris’s passion for youth work and social justice was previously ignited while developing curricula and teaching with the Sadie Nash Leadership Project in New York City. Kris continues to create and facilitate workshops and curricula around racial and gender equity, queer identity, violence prevention, and immigrant experiences including presenting at the Creating Change Conference in 2016 and 2017 and at the Pennsylvania Chapter – National Association for Multicultural Education’s 2016 Conference. She has a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice and a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Japanese Studies from SUNY Binghamton.