What's Inside
Our Mission
To increase the availability and quality of African American arts and culture.
We execute our mission by:
Inspiring creativity in at-risk youth through culturally relevant arts programming
Providing MKE-based artists of color with employment, access, visibility, and development opportunities through high quality public performances
Strengthening community through engagement and quality arts partnerships
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is comprised of diverse community leaders who provide deep strategic value and strong fiduciary oversight. They all share a passion for the arts, youth development and culturally relevant programming for the entire community.
Cory L. Nettles
Board Chair
Managing Director, Generation Growth Capital, Inc
Jacqueline Herd-Barber
Chair, Program Committee
Community Volunteer
Danielle Bly
Vice President Supplier Diversity
WEC Energy Group
Eric L. Conley
Executive Vice President and President of Acute Care & Post-Acute Services, Sentara Health
Grady L. Crosby
Chair, Finance Committee
Vice President Enterprise ESG, Northwestern Mutual
Dr. Joan M. Prince
CEO
Executive Strategies Elite
Gregory M. Wesley
Chair, Governance Committee
President & CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Steven D. Zimmerman
Principal
Spectrum Nonprofit Services, LLC
Emeritus Board
Anthony E. Woods
(2020-2021)
Anthem Inc., President & Chief Executive Officer, AmeriGroup
Paul Mathews
(2014-2020)
Retired, President and CEO Marcus Performing Arts Center
Tonit M. Calaway
(2014 - 2019)
Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, BorgWarner Inc.
Mike Jones
(2014-2018)
Partner, Ret. Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
John Kordsmeier
(2017-2018)
Community Volunteer
Charles Matthews
(2014-2015)
President People's Energy
Tom Ellis
(2014-2015)
Community Volunteer
Affiliations
BAMKE By The Numbers
15,000
Youth and their families served
5,000
Hours of arts education and outreach programming impacting 11 MKE aldermanic districts and representing 14 zip codes
$709.8K
Average Operating Budget (three-year operating budget average)
1,500
Elementary students attend free performances of Black Nativity each year.
100+
Local artists of color hired by BAMKE (1099s = $240K in 2019) for public performances, arts education and outreach
Funding:
16% Government, 42% Foundations, 29% Corporations, 13% Individuals (Average Donor Impact 2014-2020)
Our Team
Ashley S. Jordan, Director Arts & Cultural Programming
Ashley values the work and ongoing tradition Black Arts MKE is building and continuing to set the tone for creative greatness, educational growth in our schools through the arts and more. She served as a Lead In-House Program Coordinator at PEARLS for Teen Girls. She had the joy of being a Lead Teaching Artist, Recruitment Coordinate, and Community Engagement Associate for Milwaukee Repertory Theater for the August Wilson Monologue Competition now known as Next Narrative Monologue Competition. She considers herself an advocate for equality and justice working with Leaders Igniting Transformation and African American Roundtable. She was Co-founder of Lights! Camera! Soul! While bridging the gap with the theater community at Alverno College and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Ashley holds an Associate Degree from Milwaukee Area Technical College in Marketing Management, B.A. in Leadership and M.B.A. from Alverno College. She is a proud alum and owes all of her gratitude to the fine women and aunts in her life. She continues to create and promote theater to bring a powerful change and impactful conversations to the MKE community.
Barbara J. Wanzo, Executive Director
Barbara Wanzo has invested over 25 years in the corporate sector employing her leadership expertise in new business start-ups, technology, sales and marketing. Barbara seized the opportunity to launch a new nonprofit arts organization when hired as Executive Director for Black Arts MKE. The organization's mission is to increase the availability and quality African American arts and culture. Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation, and growth, Barbara is an exceptional business leader, public speaker and change agent. She serves on Black Arts Fest MKE and Next Door Foundation boards. Barbara holds an Executive MBA from Marquette University.
Rebecca L. Owen - Chief Development Officer
Rebecca is currently the Chief Development Officer for BlackArts MKE in Milwaukee, WI. In previous roles, Rebecca has served as the Development Director for Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Deputy Director, Development at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Vice President of Development for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. She has experience and is responsible for major gifts, planned giving, grant writing, event planning, annual campaigns and donor stewardship.
Earlier in her career, Rebecca worked at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Visitor Operations and Membership relations. Rebecca has a Masters of Art in Museum Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in History. In addition to having experience in team management, major gift fundraising, capital campaign work, and fund development administration, Rebecca has volunteer experience as a board member of the Board of the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and Bookwork Gardens. She belongs to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, FUEL Milwaukee and REV Collective.
In her spare time, Rebecca loves to spend time with family and friends (especially her two dogs!), traveling, reading, writing, playing music, photography and volunteering.
Carlos Vergara - Digital Marketing Assistant
Carlos M Vergara Jr., a Milwaukee Native, started his journey as a fashion influencer in 2012. Not knowing much, but being a self-starter and risk-taker, he utilized the little resources he had to build a professional and innovative brand in fashion and content curation.
Carlos being a multi-faceted creative and with many other talents is best known for personal styling, the production of events/fashion shows, content curation, creative directing, project development, and costume design/stylist.
His overall talent for Visual Development has paved the way for bigger roles as Creative Cultivator, Lead Stylist, Creative Director, Project Manager, Brand Developer, and Board Member for several businesses and companies in Milwaukee and Las Vegas.
Carlos teaches the importance of appearance, individuality, and innovation; planning to enhance the lives of the world around us through the art of being a creative.