Our Team

L. Wade Rose is the Vice President of External Affairs & Government Relations at Dignity Health. A strategic partner to Dignity Health since 1993, Rose maintains leadership relations between Dignity Health, its CEO, and key external organizations and individuals. He has been crucial in positioning Dignity Health in San Francisco and the general Bay Area. Rose has also served on the board of directors for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, SPUR, and the San Francisco State Foundation. Rose has previously served on the staff of Governors Jerry Brown and George Deukmejian in communicating external relations with UC Irvine and USC schools of medicine.

Peggy Woodford Forbes is formerly Chairwoman, CEO, and CIO of Woodford Capital Management, the investment firm she founded in 1990 in New York City. Woodford Forbes was the first African American woman to establish a registered investment advisory firm in growth equity management in the United States. Nearly a 30-year veteran of Wall Street, Woodford Forbes previously worked both for Osoborne Partners and Merrill Lynch, and has participated as an active partner and trustee for eight nonprofits nationwide. Woodford Forbes has a passion for business and the arts, and has passed on that love to her daughters Maya Forbes and China Forbes.

Eric McDonnell holds over 25 years of experience as an executive leader in the nonprofit industry, including with the Recreation and Parks Department with the City of San Francisco and United Way Bay Area. McDonnell is currently a principal at Peacock Partnerships, offering strategy, development, and executive coaching. McDonnell is also currently the interim director at the San Francisco Foundation and seeks to help helping mission-driven leaders and organizations achieve peak performance.

Julius Robinson has over 25 years of experience with MUFG Union Bank, overseeing a network of more than 130 locations across Northern and Central California. Robinson also oversees the bank’s government relations activities and the MUFG Union Bank Foundation, the nonprofit entity that acts as the agent for the bank’s charitable contributions. In addition to his service with MoAD, Robinson also serves on the board of directors for Operation HOPE, Students Rising Above, and Alliant University.

Ammanuel Zegeye is an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company where he advises industrial, technology and public sector clients across strategy, corporate finance, and operations topics. From 2015 to 2017, Zegeye focused on economic development with McKinsey in Ethiopia, growing the Addis Ababa office and advising clients on investment and industrialization strategy. Zegeye started his career as a financial analyst at Goldman Sachs in New York. Zegeye holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in Economics and Economic History from Haverford College and the London School of Economics. In addition, Zegeye is a member of the Robert S. Brookings Society.

Tiffany Stevenson is the Chief People Officer at Weight Watchers. Her focus on business acumen seeks to align people strategy with business strategy while driving a fun, consistent workplace. She was previously the Vice President of Talent Management & Development at Sephora and worked on the National Advisory Council of Innovation and Leadership with the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Beryl Crumpton Potter is an attorney with experience in board governance, advocacy, fundraising, and planning. She has worked with professional, civic, political, and community boards, organizations, and committees on the local, state, and national level. While actively running her private practice from 1996-2003, she engaged in labor and employment, civil rights, and family law. She served as Senior Trial Attorney for the Department of Child Support Services from 2003-2006. Potter is Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland and is a member of the Oakland Bay Area Chapter of the Links, Incorporated and Jack & Jill of America.

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Jill Cowan is a local Bay Area philanthropist, art collector, and community activist. Cowan sits on the board of the YMCA of San Francisco and the national board of Summer Search. She is a San Francisco University High School Trustee and a member of Jack & Jill of America. Cowan is the wife of Stephen Davis, founding Managing Partner at Banneker Partners and an active investor in technology companies since 2000. Cowan is a graduate of Wellesley College. She and her husband reside in San Francisco.

As Head of Legal for Commercial Transactions, Elisa Durrette manages a group of attorneys for Cloudflare on a global scale. Durrette also serves on the board of directors for the Lab. Previously, Durrette was a technology entrepreneur and co-founded two music related start-ups as well as an early pre-cursor to Yelp. As an art collector, she began to purchase art in 2003 when living in South Africa, and went on to curate her own group show at Guerrero Gallery in 2018. Durrette holds a law degree from the Cornell Law School.

As Senior Vice President of Hospital and Health Plan Operations at Kaiser Permanente, Gaskill-Hames provides executive oversight for 7 geographic service areas and 11 hospitals in the Bay Area. In her 20-year career starting as a bedside nurse, she has delivered leadership vision, driven cultural transformation, and executed several successful outcomes in the health care system top-line revenue enhancements and expense management. Her husband, Charley, is the Senior Pastor of Beebe Memorial Cathedral CME Church in Oakland. Together, they are committed to addressing healthcare and social disparities in the communities where they live and work.

As the first African to make history by anchoring the news in China, Vimbayi has a lot to say about the power of representation. She is unapologetic, and compelling in the way she deconstructs the different unassuming ways, that lack of representation, in media has on resilient majorities (POC). This is the thesis of her Tedx talk, this is why she founded her start-up #Adtags, and this is why she is proud to serve on the board of MoAD. Vimbayi was born in Zimbabwe and raised around the world to diplomatic parents. They read her stories that left an indelible mark, prompting her to create her own and share the less often-heard experiences of others. This, combined with over 20 years in activism, diplomacy, media, and innovation, give her insights, their unique, sharp, and often humorous, potency. It has opened doors to exclusive interviews with world leaders on international stages. She is a sought-after social commentator, panelist, moderator, and speaker. She was made a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum; was key in forming her country's presidential delegation to Davos; declared one of Zimbabwe's "Most Influential Under 40", was invited to speak on the TED stage; and was made a China-Africa 'Special Friendship Envoy and Cultural Ambassador’. Vimbayi has been a trusted advisor on boards ranging from micro-finance, wildlife conservation, and tech start-ups. She currently lives in the Bay Area with her partner where she also teaches a class on global entrepreneurship at Stanford. Her creative outlets include: penning her psycho-thriller, performing immersive poetry, and dabbling in a bit of stand-up comedy.

Thomas M. Troy is president and chief executive officer of CSAA Insurance Group. Mr. Troy is part of a leadership team that cultivates innovation in a customer-driven organization focused on serving AAA members during life’s uncertainties. He joined CSAA Insurance Group in 2019, and brings 30+ years of insurance experience to his role as president and CEO.

Selam Bekele recently joined MoAD’s team to lead the Exhibitions Department through its exciting new and upcoming exhibitions. Selam is a curator and interdisciplinary artist whose expertise ranges from contemporary art, experimental media, and performance studies.

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Before joining MoAD, Selam was a Curatorial Fellow at the Wattis Institute where she collaborated on the curatorial research, exhibition development, and public programming of several projects across media. Her ongoing multimedia installation Approaching____ recently premiered at the Oakland Museum and considers the poetic relationship between emerging technologies and the natural environment. While living in New York, Selam founded TZTA, a living-archive that documents oral histories from Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East.  Selam’s work has led her to travel extensively to over 15 countries to curate exhibitions and collaborate with creative communities locally and internationally.

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Selam holds an M.A. in Curatorial Practice from the California College of the Arts and a B.A. in Film Theory from the University of California, Davis.

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Tamara Orozco is an Emmy award-winning storyteller with 11 years of experience helping nonprofit and philanthropic organizations generate brand awareness, reach new audiences, and deepen their impact in the areas of equity, opportunity, the arts, and health.

Prior to leading marketing and communications efforts at MoAD, Tamara developed and executed the marketing and communications strategy for the largest fundraising and public awareness campaigns at United Way Bay Area (UWBA). Managing multi-channel, cross-county, multilingual campaigns, Tamara drove brand awareness and increased engagement amongst donors, clients, and other key audiences.

Additionally, Tamara has contributed her leadership to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Councils and worked in partnership with DEI Directors to reimagine organizational culture and communications.

Tamara holds a Master of Arts in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts in Raza Studies from San Francisco State University. She grew up in Fresno and Berkeley, California and lives in Oakland.

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Maya Sadler joined MoAD in February 2022 as the Education Program Coordinator, previously serving as a Teaching Artist. Born in Berkeley, CA and raised throughout Northern California, Maya has spent over 10 years supporting and leading elementary classrooms.

Maya is returning to MoAD after spending 2 years in Baltimore, Maryland, where she worked as an Early Literacy Tutor and Elementary Art Teacher within Baltimore City Public Schools. At MoAD, Maya supports the development and implementation of the MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) Program, docent program, and summer teen program. She also manages the ongoing development of art and visual literacy curriculum designed to support the MIC Program and third grade classrooms locally, nationally, and internationally. Outside of her role at MoAD, Maya is a cook, gardener, and visual artist. Maya is currently completing her bachelor's degree in Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of California at Davis.

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Dayonna Tucker joined MoAD in 2021 in the Visitor Experience Department and has since grown in the institution as the Membership Manager. She enjoys converting people’s interest in Black contemporary art, education, and community building into deeper engagement with MoAD. Dayonna graduated from Stanford University in 2020 with honors in African and African American Studies with thematic emphasis in Arts and Cultural Expression. As a scholar and artist, she continues to explore and expand her work as a fashion/costume designer, garment constructor, and performance artist. Her work investigates clothing as a tool to support the versions of ourselves and the world that we are co-creating together, and how we can shift our collective realities by being more intentional about the characters we choose to play. Dayonna pulls from the deep practice of Black folks using fashion to express the freedom and authenticity they hoped to experience in society. She is the Assistant Costume Designer for Deep Waters Dance Theatre’s House/Full of Black Women.

Tinashe Wertz Chidarikire is a videographer, photographer, and web designer. He designs and produces online experiences that share the insights, personality, and stories of his subjects. Tinashe develops functional digital tools and grows online audiences for inspired projects. As the Digital Content Manager with MoAD, Tinashe creates and distributes social media, website, live-stream, and graphic design content to expand the community’s relationship to art and to cultivate art accessibility. Tinashe received a B.A. in Film and Digital Media Production from the University of California UCSC and was born in Harare, Zimbabwe.

When not behind a camera, Tinashe enjoys agritourism and spending time in nature.

Sheeka deeply believes that art and culture are functions of a progressive and evolving society. She has committed her career as a development professional to ensuring that art institutions are securely funded and have the ability to thrive. Knowing that artists are innovators of societal change on all levels, and art institutions play a key role in fostering a public space and community dialogue for innovation, she is humbled to be a part of this community process. Prior to joining the team at MoAD, she worked as the Development Director for Path with Art, an arts organization in Seattle providing access to creative engagement for adults navigating trauma. Sheeka was born, raised, and educated in the Bay Area: graduating from Mills College with a B.A. in Art History and from San Francisco Art Institute with an M.A. in Contemporary Art History. She is thrilled to be back in San Francisco with her family.

Nia McAllister is a Bay Area born poet, writer, environmental justice advocate working at the intersection of art, activism, and public engagement. She received her B.A. in Environmental Analysis: Race, Class, Gender, and the Environment from Pomona College. Nia went on to join MoAD in December 2017 where she worked in the Visitor Experience Department and managed the museum bookstore.

In her current role as the Senior Public Programs Manager, Nia creates participatory spaces for creative expression and literary dialogue. She leads the museum’s literary events under the MoAD Lit program and is the host and founder of the Open Mic series at MoAD. Since launching the series in April 2018, Nia has been integral in growing a vibrant poetry community at the Museum. At MoAD and beyond, Nia creates platforms for amplifying the work of Black artists on a global scale. Nia’s writing and poetry have been featured on Poets of Color Podcast and published in Radicle magazine, Meridians journal, and Painting the Streets: Oakland Uprising in the Time of Rebellion (Nomadic Press, 2022).

(T)sedey Gebreyes, born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and beekeeping enthusiast. Her creative work and teaching style are greatly influenced by the wonderful visual artists, theater performers, and storytellers of her childhood community. After moving to the United States, she studied Studio Arts at University of Missouri, Kansas City, and Fine Arts and Spanish at University of Veracruz, Mexico.

Following her passion, she moved to San Francisco, California in 2007 where she has held a variety of positions including Adjunct Educator at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Teaching Artist at the DeYoung Museum, Co-founder and Teaching Artist at MiCultura Art Project, After School Program Manager at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, and San Francisco Unified School District.

Paul joined the MoAD in Fall 2021 and has led extensive renovation projects at the museum.

Demetri Broxton joined MoAD in January 2016 as the Senior Director of Education. Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Broxton has over 20 years of experience working in the fields of education and the arts. At MoAD, he leads the educational programs that enhance the visitor experience at the Museum. His department connects youth, educators, and the public to contemporary art and artists of the African diaspora. This appointment marks Broxton’s second tenure with MoAD. He previously served as Education Program Manager for MoAD from 2007 through 2010.

Outside of his role at MoAD, Broxton is a practicing fine artist represented by Patricia Sweetow Gallery in San Francisco. He also serves as a board member of California Association of Museums and Bay Area Emerging Museum Professionals.  He is an advisor for the SFSU Museum Studies Department and Black [Spaces] Residency. Demetri graduated from San Francisco State University earning an M.A. in Museum Studies with a dual emphasis on Education and Curatorial Practice. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from UC Berkeley with a major in Art Practice and minor in Education.

Elizabeth leads MoAD’s Public Programs department; she is a critical thinker with excellent research, writing and communication skills. She has been developing and running public programs at MoAD since 2010. She has launched new program series on spiritual practices, folktales, sacred music, film and dance and overseen the development of two residency programs, the Chef-in-Residence and Poets-in-Residence programs at MoAD. She directed the transition to exclusively virtual programming during the novel coronavirus pandemic for MoAD. Elizabeth has a B.A. (with highest honors) and a Ph.D. in History from University of California, Berkeley.

Elizabeth participated in a Museum Studies program at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation that ignited her interest in working in museums. She loves to tell the extraordinary stories of resilience and joy, and to showcase the historical, cultural, and intellectual contributions of the global African Diaspora. She enjoys collaborating with other institutions and non-profits in the Bay Area and around the world. Elizabeth likes almost any activity she does with her family and her dog, Nova.

Linda joined MoAD in March 2013. Her financial career began as a cost accounting instructor at the University of Texas in Austin. Since then she has logged over 25 years as an accomplished financial and operational manager in the private and non-profit sector. As CFO, Linda successfully organized and grew a consumer product company to a multi-million business catering to Fortune 500 retailers.

She has also managed a cross-cultural exchange program and an international economic policy program. Linda’s expertise includes annual budgeting, financial modeling, cash flow forecasting, lending and legal negotiations, and audit management. Linda is also adept at creating order out of chaos and streamlining processes, making her an ideal member of FENG, the Financial Executives Networking Group. Before diving into the world of finance, Linda studied the German, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Japanese languages.

Monetta White, a native San Franciscan has strong ties to the city both personally and professionally. In 2007 when she and husband Chef David Lawrence opened 1300 on Fillmore, the duo were excited by the opportunity to help revive the neighborhood through good food and music. For the past ten years, White’s business savvy and passion for food and community continues on with her opening 1300 on Fillmore at SFO International Airport. White manages and oversees all business operations and marketing for the restaurant group. White has been recognized for her knowledge and leadership by the City of San Francisco, for which she served as Vice President of the Small Business Commission. She sits on the board of directors for several non-profit and business organizations including SF Travel.