Board of Directors
Kaitlin Powers is an attorney at Moore & Van Allen PLLC, where she works on the Financial Services Team. Kaitlin also oversees the Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB) at Moore & Van Allen, which provides free transactional legal services to entrepreneurs, with a focus on minority and women-owned small businesses. Kaitlin received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law.
Lisa Mele is the founder of Ellie Morrow, a Charlotte-based fashion company. She is also a writer and industry consultant conducting original interviews with insiders for insight into the latest styles, interior design trends and travel destinations. Before starting Ellie Morrow and working with LUX Lifestyle Magazine, she was VP of marketing for an award-winning software company serving the North American and European remodeling industry.
Julie joined First Horizon Bank in April 2017, with over 29 years banking experience at PNC Bank, NA. She focuses on providing an elite level of private banking financial advice to her clients while concentrating on organizing and simplifying their financial life in concert with their trusted accountants and attorneys. She helps clients execute their plans while facilitating family meetings so everyone understands her client’s wishes.
Julie’s 20 years spent in the commercial banking space working closely with entrepreneurs has proven to be a valuable skill set in helping business owners plan for their future. She received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in Finance with a minor in Psychology from The University of Louisville. She is an active alumnae in Delta Zeta Sorority and the University of Louisville. She is a certified Woman’s Business Advocate, supporter of diversity and inclusion and animal rights.
Julie moved to Charlotte, North Carolina from Louisville, Kentucky in April 2012 as a Culture Carrier for PNC Bank upon the acquisition of RBC Bank in the Carolinas. Julie’s prior community service includes her engagement with Dress For Success, Boys and Girls Club, and Crisis Assistance Ministry. Julie, and her husband, Steve, of 30 years, have two daughters: Leah Danielle (21) and Alina Christine (18) and a Havanese girl dog named Layla.
Katie is a director at SF Holdings, an investment and real estate firm. Katie began her career at the Securities and Exchange Commission in the Office of the Chief Accountant. She returned to Charlotte, where she was born and raised, to work At Round Table Investment Management and later joined Carolina Foods, as the CFO. Katie earned a BS in Finance and a Master of Accountancy from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Wharton. Katie developed a passion for the arts as a young dancer and performed with the Charlotte Youth Ballet when she was growing up in Charlotte.
Kyle Musgrove is a patent trial and appellate lawyer who primarily focuses on the life sciences industry. He has particular experience helping pharmaceutical companies navigate patent litigation and bring their products to market, including through Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA) and 505(b)(2) applications. He also provides general intellectual property counsel and litigates cases related to many different technology areas, including chemical processing, nutritional supplements, biosimilars, biologics, and medical devices. He represents a range of international and American companies.
Kyle has 25 years of experience in intellectual property litigation and has a strong track record of invalidating patents or clearing companies of infringement allegations, including multiple cases involving brand products with sales exceeding $1 billion per year. Additionally, Kyle has practiced before the United States International Trade Commission and litigated antitrust violations relating to allegations of “sham” litigation brought by patentees.
Beth Cameron is Vice President and Senior Relationship Manager for the Carolinas and Georgia for TD Bank. A native of Charlotte, Beth earned her undergraduate degree at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her MBA at Appalachian State University. With twenty plus years of experience, Beth advises middle market companies on senior debt capital solutions, sponsor-backed finance, cash management efficiencies, risk management strategies, and other financial alternatives. Beth is a member of the Association for Corporate Growth and serves on the Board of Directors for the Myers Park High School Speech and Debate Foundation. Additionally, Beth is the past President of the Metropolitan Business Professional Women’s Board of Directors, and has served on both the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Graduate School Advisory Board and Arts+ Board of Directors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/theportiakee/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-kimbrough-3963161/
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Peter is a Real Estate Tax Manager at EY in Charlotte. He holds a BA and MBA in Accounting from Winthrop University. Peter has been a certified CPA in North Carolina since 2015
Reginald (Reggie) Scott has done it all, producing for television, film, commercials, music videos, and special events alike. Reggie dazzled viewers as a cast member of Sesame Street and The Electric Company. Reggie attributes his love for production to his countless days on the sets of the two PBS shows.
Reggies company, The PepperShaker Company, Inc.(25yrs), is his own production and special events company. As it’s guiding force and visionary, Reggie produced first-class events and experiences for leading U.S. companies, including Time Warner, The Children’s Aid Society, UniWorld Group Inc., Fifth Third Bank, American Honda, and Ford Motor Company. The inception of his company led to Reggie landing his role as Producer (20 yrs.) of The American Black Film Festival(ABFF). The festival has become the leading film festival promoting the accomplishments of people of color both in front of and behind the camera. This project resulted in Reggie conceiving CINELAB (10 yrs.), a youth-based initiative with the goal of exposing middle and high school students to filmmaking and potential careers in film and video production. This program later evolved into helping young adults looking to address career opportunities and adult professionals who might need a refresher course or an introduction to new technology.
Reggie also served as Coordinating Producer for the Black Movie Awards Show on TNT (2 yrs.), as well as Producer of the Honda Battle of the Bands (10 yrs.). As the producer of the Honda Battle of the Bands, Reggie was responsible for driving both the creative and production of the program. Reggie also was tasked with assisting in the creation of the Fan Expo/ Experience (14 yrs.) for The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in Charlotte, NC. In this role as producer, Reggie was responsible for the overall show production, operations, and logistics of the event.
Recently, Reggie took on a new project as the Executive Director of the Randolph Arts Guild (1.5 yrs.). His primary goal was to help in conceptualizing and executing a new strategic vision for the Randolph Arts Guild, an Arts Organization that is the designated county partner (Randolph)for the North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) as it entered its 50th anniversary.
Molly Shah is the Deputy General Counsel of Amwins, a Charlotte-based leading global specialty insurance distributor. Molly provides advice and counseling on employment law compliance and other general business-legal issues, and she proudly serves on Amwins’ Diversity & Inclusion Council. Before Amwins, Molly worked in private practice at two large law firms, representing employers in employment litigation and advising them on best practices in the employment realm. Molly graduated from Wake Forest University and earned her law degree from the University of Virginia. After completing the Arts & Science Council’s cultural Leadership Training (CLT) program in 2020, Molly joined the Development and Host Committee of The Arts Empowerment Project and has helped with its fundraising efforts. She now serves as the chair of the Governance Committee.
Board of Advisors
Kobi Kennedy Brinson has been involved with The Arts Empowerment Project since its inception, and currently serves on its Advisory Board. She is on the Charlotte Ballet Board of Trustees. In addition to her arts nonprofit experience, Ms. Brinson was involved in child advocacy as an Assistant Public Defender for juveniles and as Board Chair for Youth Homes, Inc. (now Children’s Home Society), which serves abused and neglected children.
Ms. Brinson is a partner in Winston & Strawn’s Charlotte office in the White Collar, Regulatory Defense & Investigations practice group. There, she defends financial services and other clients in government regulatory enforcement inquiries and investigations, as well as class action litigation. Before joining Winston & Strawn, she was Assistant General Counsel at Bank of America. She also served for eight years as in-house counsel with Wachovia/Wells Fargo. Ms. Brinson is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard Law School.
Patrick has been a longtime supporter of Charlotte’s arts and human services. He is a past board member of the Mint Museum of Art, United Family Services, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Boy Scouts and the Charlotte Urban League. Patrick currently serves on the Board of Directors of the McColl Center for Visual Art, the Art Institute of Chicago Print & Drawing Committee, the National Advisory Committee for the Reynolda House Museum and the Board of Trustees at Charlotte Country Day School.
Patrick is currently Development Director for the Children’s Home Society of NC. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Boston University.
Steven has been a Charlotte, North Carolina resident since 1991. Currently Steven is assigned to CMPD Eastway Division. Steven holds the rank of Lieutenant – Special Operations and Community Engagement Commander. Steven is responsible for the supervision of a team of Detective, Community Coordinators, and the Crime Reduction Unit in addition to the Eastway Division’s operation. Over the course of 26 years of service, Steven has worked in many capacities, served on several committees, has been featured in a local publication, received community service awards and recognitions to include Excellence in Policing Award.
Steven is a Mason and an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Pi Phi Chapter. As a member of the Charlotte community and a member of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), Steven committed his personal time to support TAEP’s Promoting Peace Program. faciitating the involvement of CMPD officers and personnel participation to promote mutual respect, understanding, and dialogue between Law Enforcement and at-risk youth resulting in lasting and meaningful relationships.
A New York native, Steven attended Virginia State University studying Electronics, SUNY- Old Westbury studying Business and Management however earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Pfeiffer University. Steven is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte Class 37.
Robin Grey has been with The Arts Empowerment Project since its 2011 founding. She works closely with Natalie Allen to extend the reach and depth of the organization. Robin is the co-owner and CEO of Charlotte based production company, GreyHawk Films, in addition to being an attorney. Her career has taken her from Vice President – Business and Legal Affairs, Production Supervisor and Controller at Scholastic Entertainment, to Managing Director/COO of RGA Media Group and Adjunct Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
At GreyHawk, she oversees business growth and development for corporate, commercial and feature work as well as non-profit and passion projects such as Purple Dreams, which documents the inspirational story of a group of African American high school students whose lives are positively impacted through the power of performing arts.
Robin volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem with the North Carolina courts. Among her many achievements, Grey was named a Women In Business Achievement Award winner by the Charlotte Business Journal.
Tony Award winner Corey Mitchell is the inaugural recipient for Excellence in Theatre Education. He was selected as a top 50 Finalist for 2017 Global Teacher Prize and was named North Carolina Outstanding Theatre Arts Educator by the North Carolina Theatre Conference. Most recently, he was selected as the first recipient of the Stephen Schwartz Musical Theatre Teacher of the Year Award, presented by the Educational Theatre Association and the ASCAP, and also received The Cato Lifetime Achievement in Teaching Award from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte. Corey has twenty-five years’ experience in the classroom, including twenty years as Theatre Arts Educator at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC.
Corey is active as a director, actor, keynote speaker, educational consultant, and workshop presenter in Charlotte and throughout the country. He advocates for arts education through his work on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Theatre Conference and The Arts Empowerment Project. Corey’s past and present students are performing, writing, and composing for community, university, and regional theatre, as well as theme parks, independent and studio films, the West End, national tours, and Broadway musical-theatre productions.
Kimber was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising from Florida State University. Kimber previously worked in marketing and advertising for the Armed Forces Recreation Center in Garmisch, Germany before becoming a Senior Account Executive for an advertising firm in Florida. She then worked in the Development Department as an event planner and fundraiser at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kimber is an active member of the Charlotte community and assists with fundraising for the Isabella Santos Foundation, serves on the Parents Council Board of Charlotte Latin, is a member of Good Friends of Charlotte, and has served on the Host Committee for The Arts Empowerment Project’s New Day Luncheon.
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Judge Louis A. Trosch, Jr., is a Superior Court Judge in the 26th Judicial District in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He served as District Court Judge, mainly in the Juvenile and Family Courts, from 1999 until his election to the Superior Court Bench in 2018.
Judge Trosch has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Belk College of Business since 1995, teaching both Business Law I and II during the intervening years. He brings both an intimate knowledge of the law and extensive court room experience to his classroom.
Neely Verano is co-founder of Laca Projects, a contemporary art gallery that opened in 2013 and where she served as managing director for six years. Prior to this, she served in Chief Development Officer roles at the Mint Museum, Johnson & Wales University, and Queens University of Charlotte. She serves as a board member for the McColl Center for Art + Innovation and Runningworks, and as a member of the collections committee for the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. She is also co-founder of the Spheres Series, a Charlotte-based collaborative effort dedicated to bringing arts innovators from all over the world to engage in thoughtful and relevant discussions on the arts and its role in promoting necessary social change. Verano is extremely active in the Charlotte community and is a passionate advocate for the arts and the homeless.
Melissa Vrana currently serves as the Associate Dean of arts and hospitality, and leads Sensoria, a multi-campus college festival celebrating arts and literature that serves 12,000 students, faculty, staff and community annually. She also oversees the CPCC Performance Facilities rentals and manages the marketing and budgets for CPCC Theatre, CPCC Opera and Summer Theatre programs annually creating magic memories for 30,000 patrons. Ms. Vrana holds a M.A. in US History and a Ryan Single Subject Teaching Credential from University of California at Davis. In addition to her 18 years of service at CPCC in the various roles of history instructor, eLearning Director and Associate Dean, she has taught Advanced Placement US History at Davis High School, ESL to women factory and farm workers in California and worked in the Native American Collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait gallery. Melissa feels passionate about creating opportunities for educational and economic advancement with art education being access point.
Dwayne is currently an art instructor at Charlotte Country Day School in South Charlotte. He has been an advocate for the arts for over 10 years. A native of California, Dwayne acquired extensive experience working with the inner city youth of Los Angeles County schools. He assisted with programs and projects that connected k-12 students to the arts and fostered young minds to be expressive, charismatic, independent, and confident. In Charlotte, Dwayne has also worked with Freedom Schools, Communities in Schools, and Brookstone Schools, coordinating art projects for the k-8 students throughout the years.
Dwayne serves coordinator for The Arts Empowerment Project’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC). He led the fundraising coordination for TAEP’s Twirl ‘N Swirl 5K Race to raise awareness during Child Abuse Prevention Month each April and raise funds for the Judge Bill Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund benefiting at-risk students pursuing private study, specialized training and personal advancement in an arts related field. He also supervised a pinwheel mosaic tile art project involving the YAC and court-involved teens. The art project currently hangs on the 8th floor of the courthouse in Uptown Charlotte.”
Dwayne holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts and teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton; and a Masters of Art Education from East Carolina University.
Carolyn Zimmerman served on the 2018 Host Committee of The Arts Empowerment Project’s New Day Luncheon and is a new member of the board of directors. Prior to her relocation to Charlotte and retirement from her professional career, Ms. Zimmerman worked as a CPA and served on several boards. She is a graduate of Wittenberg University. She currently resides in Cornelius with her husband Tom McGinnis.
