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The Organization

The Arts League of Michigan is a community based arts organization supported by a 26-member Board of Trustees comprised of business, civic, faith-based and community leaders; a Community Advisory Council with over 150 members and hundreds of volunteers

 

 

 

 

 

The Arts League's is committed to community ownership of the arts.  We, along with the communities we proudly serve, have a vested interest in the visual and performing arts presentations, and the mentor and training programs developed + presented by the Arts League.

The Board of Trustees, Volunteer Corps and Community Advisory Council are represented by caring individuals and organizations who are stakeholders in the organization and believe in the Arts League's mission.  The volunteers are comprised of people from the public and private sectors, civic, business and faith-based leadership, established and emerging artists and others passionate about the arts and it's direct contribution to the quality of life in our community.
Artist: Patricia W. Simpson

 

Board of Trustees

Sarah Norat-Phillips, Chair, Vice Chair, (1999),
President and General Manager, TV20 Detroit, Member-Executive Committee, Chair-Marketing Committee

Sharon Rothwell, Vice Chair, (2005),
Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Masco Corporation, Co-Chair-Resource Development Committee

John Davis, (2006),
Treasurer, Vice President of Finance & Treasurer, Wayne State University, Member-Finance Committee

Rev. Edward L. Branch, (2001),
Pastor, Third New Hope Baptist Church, President, Council of Baptists Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, Member-Executive Committee, Member-Nomination Committee

Jimmie E. Comer, Vice Chair (2003),
President and CEO, Comer Holdings, LLC, Member-Executive Committee, Co-Chair-Resource Development Committee

Thomas E. Kimble, Vice Chair (1999),
Retired Vice Chairman, General Motors Foundation, and Director of General Motors Worldwide Philanthropic Operations, Member-Executive Committee, Member-Facilities Committee

Sonya M. Pouncy, Secretary (1997),
Engineer, Member-Executive Committee, Member-Program Committee, Member-Facilities Committee

Mygene L. Carr, (2004),
Civic Volunteer, Member-Resource Development Committee

Dr. Marlene E. Davis, PhD (2002),
Superintendent, Wayne RESA, Co-Chair-Program Committee

Walter E. Douglas, Sr., (2006),
Owner/Chairman of the Board, Avis Ford, Member-Resource Development Committee

Larry E. Knox, (2001),
Retired, General Motors Labor Relations, Member-Finance Committee

William Langford, (2008),
Vice President, Field Marketing, The Pepsi Bottling Company

Helen B. Love, Chairperson, Community Advisory Council  (1997),
Director of Communications, Detroit Area Agency on Aging

Sean B. McCourt, (2002),
Vice President, Hewlett Packard, Chair -Facilities Committee

Deborah Wahl Meyer, (2008)
Former, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Chrysler, LLC

George Richards, Jr. (2005),
Sr. Vice President, Southeast Michigan Market, Comerica Bank, Member-Resource Development Committee

Mel Stephens, (2008),
Vice President Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Lear Corporation

Patricia L. Solomon, (1997),
Minerva Education & Development Foundation, Chair-Nomination Committee

Rev. Joelynn T. Stokes, Esq., (2002),
Sherbow and Associates, P.C., Member-Finance Committee

Ellen Hill Zeringue, (2006),
Director, Marketing, Detroit Tigers, Member-Marketing Committee

Oliver Ragsdale, Jr., President, The Arts League of Michigan

Rev. Edward L. Branch, Chairman (2001-2008)
Virgil H. Carr (deceased), Chairman (1997-2003)
S. Martin Taylor, Chairman (2003-2006)
Donald S. Vest, Chairman Emeritus (1991)

Alice G. Combs, Trustee Emeritus
Arthur Johnson, Trustee Emeritus
Gerald K. Smith, (deceased), Trustee Emeritus
S. Martin Taylor, Trustee Emeritus
Donald S. Vest, Trustee Emeritus
Thomas Yack, Trustee Emeritus

The Arts League Staff

The Arts League staff is comprised of dedicated people working to design and present programming of the highest quality and interest to the community, and to the development of the Virgil H. Carr Cultural Arts Center.  The staff's commitment to continuous improvement is aligned with the organization's goals to retain audiences, cultivate new and diverse audiences and develop collaborations that sustain long-term relationships with other cultural arts institutions. 

Staff

 

Oliver Ragsdale, Jr.

President

E. Dianne Bradley

Administrative Assistant to the President,
Office/Business Manager

 

 
Felicia Mills Williams

Program Manager,
Education

 

Faye Carrothers

Program Manager,
Visual Arts and Events

 

  
 

The Arts League acknowledges our many dedicated volunteers and our untiring staff for their unwavering support.