Voza Rivers
Chairman
Harlem Arts Alliance
Linda Walton
Executive Director
Harlem Arts Alliance
Tania Seburyamo
Executive Assistant
Harlem Arts Alliance
The Harlem Arts Alliance meets on the first Monday of every month from 10a.m to 12 noon.
Currently, meetings are
being held at:
The Theatre of The Riverside Church
91 Claremont Avenue, NYC
(at 120th Street and Claremont Avenue, one block west of Broadway)
NEXT MEETING:
May 7, 2007
10am until 12 noon
Natsu Ifill
Department of Cultural Affairs (retired)
Natsu Ifill served as HAA’s interim executive director unitl 2005 providing executive leadership experience as a seasoned arts administrator who retired from the Department of Cultural Affairs in 1997. At the DCA, Ms. Ifill was the Program Officer for East Harlem, Central Harlem and Washington Heights. Previously, she has worked in arts administration and fundraising for Harlem School of the Arts and Ballet Hispanico. Cultural service organizations frequently invite Ms. Ifill to participate as a conference panelist and share her years of expertise.
Voza Rivers
Chairman, Harlem Arts Alliance
As Chairman of the organization Voza Rivers brings over 40 years of experience as an arts administrator and arts producer. He is one of the nation’s leading African–American theater, music and events producers. Throughout his career Rivers has worked with the some of the world’s most talented artists such as Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone, Ruby Dee, Luther Vandross, The Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Tony Bennett, Anita Baker, Max Roach, Gloria Lynne, Yolanda Adams, Dionne Warwick, Manhattan Transfer, and Stevie Wonder.
Rivers received a Grammy nomination for Mbongeni Ngema’s Sarafina and he produced the Obie-Award winning plays The Huey P. Newton Story at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Woza Albert! at La Mama and the American Museum of Natural History. He is Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Community Works, a multi-cultural arts and education organization that serves 100,000 New York City students and adults. In addition, Rivers is the Executive Producer of Harlem Week, the Harlem Jazz and Music Festival and the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame
Garland Lee Thompson
Secretary
For the past 35 years, award-winning playwright, lecturer, and educator, Garland Lee Thompson has dedicated his life to emerging and established playwrights. Along with actor, Morgan Freeman, Mr. Thompson founded the Frank Silvera Writers’ Workshop. The Workshop creates a space for playwrights of all colors to have an opportunity to expose their new works in a positive and nurturing environment. Under Garland Lee Thompson’s artistic direction, the workshop also provides critical peer counsel and an opportunity to further enhance the playwrights’ craft and skill.
Gregorgy A. Thomson
Gregory A. Thomson is a New York-based entertainment attorney and management consultant. He specializes in advising clients on economic and strategic issues in the entertainment and media industries. His current work includes serving as an expert witness for the City of Los Angeles for Wallace vs. Los Angeles, a major lawsuit brought by the heirs of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G.
Thomson’s prior experience includes five years heading business affairs for Quincy Jones Productions in LA during the 1990s, responsible for such projects as Boyz ‘N The Hood, Q’s Jook Joint, and Sarafina!. Subsequently, Thomson served in VP of Business Development roles at Discovery Communications and Guggenheim.com, and as a media management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton. Thomson began his career as a film and television attorney at Loeb and Loeb in Los Angeles. Thomson is also the Producer and Director of Lowriders (1995) an award-winning documentary. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, a JD from Yale Law School, and a BA from Yale College.
Alfie Wade
Treasurer
Alfie Wade is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Harlem-based, Odyssey 21, an interactive multi-media company which handles management consulting, event planning, public relations and website design. Previously, he worked as site coordinator for The Alice Kornegay Computer Learning Center in East Harlem, which offers an after-school program for children, a multi-media program for teenagers, a work development program for adults and computer learning for senior citizens.