Sinta Penyami Storms
Secretary
Sinta is a traditional Indonesian dance artist who is also known as a strategic, visionary, and community-based leader who utilizes dance, fashion, cuisine, and other aspects of Indonesian cultural tradition to support dialogue and education about critical issues impacting the Indonesian diaspora in Philadelphia, including immigration, cross-racial solidarity, public health, intergenerational relationships, and governance. Sinta is also the Operations Manager for the Leeway Foundation. Through her work to preserve the traditional Indonesian culture, Sinta founded Modero & Company
José Ortiz-Pagán
Vice-Chair
José Ortiz-Pagán is a local artist, activist & cultural organizer who believes that art is one of the most social connectors. He deeply believes that art has the power to further grow the collective imagination as a tool of change.
Veronica Chapman-Smith
Veronica Chapman-Smith is Vice President of Community Initiatives for Opera Philadelphia’s educational and community-centric initiatives, as well as act as senior management in equity and inclusion efforts. Prior to working at Opera Philadelphia, she has worked as an artist in residence at Temple University, a soloist and chorister for 16 years including as a member of the Grammy-Award winning The Crossing. She is also an Associate Artist with The Bearded Ladies. She was selected for the Urban League’s Philadelphia African American Leadership Development Forum class of 2021 as well as artEquity’s BIPOC Leadership Circle 2021 cohort.
Amanda Newman Godfrey
Amanda Newman-Godfrey is an Associate Professor of Art Education at Moore College of Art and Design. She is an ABD Doctoral Candidate in Art and Art Education at Teachers College Columbia University. She has been an art educator in PreK-12 schools, state agencies, and in higher education for 27 years. She has presented at numerous conferences, was the recipient of the Doctoral Dissertation Grant for outstanding research, and was named a “Rising Star in Higher Education” by TC Today magazine. She is the co-author of a book chapter and several articles on art and disability, assessment and critique in higher education, and pedagogy.
Wit Lopez
Chair
Wit López is a visual artist, performer, and arts administrator. They are the Artistic Director of Till Arts Project, an arts-services organization serving LGBTQI+ artists in the Greater Philly area. Wit believes that marginalized artists should have support for their practices and equal access to resources as artists from privileged backgrounds.
Sekou Campbell
Sekou Campbell has seen the power of artists and entrepreneurs to change the world, and he seeks to continue to represent intellectual creatives’ interests while developing their business aspirations. He represents a range of clients from Fortune 1000 companies to individual artists and startups. He also serves as co-chair of BlackStar Projects that produces the internationally acclaimed BlackStar Film Festival and Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.
Dr. Iquail Shaheed
Iquail is the executive artistic director of Dance Iquail, a Philadelphia-based dance company working at the intersection of dance and social justice. Dr. Shaheed has performed in the companies of Ronald K Brown/ Evidence, Fred Benjamin Dance Company, The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and on Broadway in The Lion King among others. Dr. Shaheed serves on the faculty at Goucher College, The Ailey School, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and NAISDA Dance College in Sydney, Australia. He received a BFA from The University of the Arts, an MFA from Purchase College - SUNY, and in 2022 he became the first Black man to earn a Ph.D.in dance from Texas Woman's University.
Betsaleel (Bets) Charmelus
Bets s a facilitator, community advocate & an auditory story-teller. Whether in his work as a program director for the anti-violence, music based non-profit Beyond the Bars, facilitating as a music instructor for survivors of sexual trauma with JJPI’s B.O.S.S Program, coordinating men’s mental health support groups or aural story-telling in the nationally acclaimed, all-black rock band ill Fated Natives, Bets is passionate about finding & claiming new spaces, building strong, inter-connected communities & exploring the difference between questioning oneself and asking oneself questions.
Hannah Gillean, Hamilton Lane
Treasurer
Hannah is a finance enthusiast who is passionate about supporting Philadelphia and the arts outside of her day to day job as she believes arts and self expression is an integral part of a robust culture. Hannah hopes to bring her interest in investments and business acumen to support the Barton Foundation’s mission.
Veronica Ponce de Leon Plascencia
Veronica is a multi-disciplinary artist who teaches folk arts at FACTS Charter School. I am passionate about children’s arts education that helps them grow up in a loving and just world. I love making art with everyone out of whatever we have.
Erica Atwood
Erica Atwood, founder of First Degree Consulting and Senior Director, Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice & Public Safety at City of Philadelphia. Erica is a mentor, coach, people lover, problem solver and troublemaker who is fiercely committed to black people and believes in honesty from a place of love, being rooted in your purpose from a place of joy and naps.
Cat Ramirez
Cat Ramirez is a Philly-based director and producer who specializes in new plays, devised work, multidisciplinary performance, and event production. They work at the intersection of performance, activism, and administration to create a work where all people can tell their stories without shame or fear. They currently serve as the Creative Director for Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists and the Interim Line Producer at The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. In 2018, Cat was honored by Governor Wolf’s Advisory Committee on Asian Pacific American Affairs for their work furthering Asian American Theater in Philadelphia.
