STAFF
FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar earned her B.A. in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her M.F.A. in dance from Florida State University. In 1980 Jawole moved to New York City to study with Dianne McIntyre at Sounds in Motion. In 1984 Jawole founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change.
jAWOLE wILLA jO zOLLAR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Michele Kumi (久美) Baer (she/they) is an arts leader and social justice practitioner with expertise in process design, facilitation, curation, education, organizational change, coaching, and dance. Her career has been focused on igniting, kindling, and sustaining people’s knowledge and capacity to practice equity and liberation in their lives.
Michele Kumi Baer
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Lesley Hunter is an experienced musician, dancer, arts educator, arts manager, program creator, and project management with over twenty years of experience working in the area of performing arts, arts education, and management in both the profit and nonprofit industries. Her work with such organizations as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Arts Administrators of Color Network, Black Curators Dance Performance, and Arts and Education Roundtable demonstrate her service to the arts community. She has served as an arts program curator, developer, manager, and administrator for programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
LESLEY HUNTER
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION, BOOKING & TOURING
Michelle has worked in the worlds of performing arts and independent film for more than two decades. Prior to joining UBW in 2017, she was Director of Booking at MAPP International Productions for 6+ years, overseeing booking and touring of all of MAPP’s multi-disciplinary projects. Artists included: Nora Chipaumire; Marc Bamuthi Joseph; Okwui Okpokwasili; Ralph Lemon; Samita Sinha; Dan Hurlin; Lars Jan; Gregory Maqoma/Vuyani Dance Theater; Emio Greco & Pieter C. Scholten (ICK Amsterdam).
MICHELLE COE
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/COMPANY MEMBER
Courtney is a Virginia Native now residing in Brooklyn, NY. She began her formal dance training at the Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. She later attended and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, receiving her B.F.A in Dance and Choreography. In addition to being a company member with Urban Bush Women, she also performs in projects, working with astounding choreographers and artists of the community such as Christian Von Howard, Jennifer Archibald, Brotherhood Dance, and The Indigo Artists Collective.
COURTNEY J. COOK
OPERATIONS ASSISTANT
Ameeya Singh is a multifaceted movement artist currently based in New York City. Her work spans choreography, performance, photography, and writing. She has presented solo and collaborative works at various venues.
Ameeya Singh
MARKETING MANAGER
Makeda Smith, born in Los Angeles, CA, is a versatile marketing professional with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Temple University (2013). Her journey from performer to digital marketing specialist began with a deep-rooted passion for the arts, which has evolved into a thriving career in marketing for the performance arts and nonprofit sectors. She has been honored to be part of the Urban Bush Women organization since 2018.
MAKEDA SMITH
MARKETING ASSISTANT
Yasmine Johnson (she/her) is a recent cum laude graduate from CUNY Hunter College, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in African Studies and Business. She was first introduced to Urban Bush Women in September of 2023 when she joined the Bush as a Communications and Social Media Marketing intern through CUNY Cultural Corps.
YASMINE JOHNSON
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
Brooke Ashley Rucker (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based artist with a BFA in Dance from Florida State University. She has danced for choreographers Camille A. Brown, Annie-B. Parson, Donna Uchizono, Nia Love, Tendayi Kuumba, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, Charles Anderson, and Louis Gaspard. Accomplishments include 2023 Gallim Dance Moving Artist Residency; 2022 SMUSH Gallery Curatorial Fellow in Dance, and more.
BROOKE ASHLEY RUCKER
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Elsie Neilson is a Philadelphia based dancer, choreographer and instructor. In Philly, she worked as the assistant to Dr. Gaynell Sherrod who served as the Interim Executive Director of PHILADANCO from 2019-2020, as well as an administrative intern for Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers. She became a company member with the Philadelphia based company, Opus 1 Contemporary, in 2019 and continues to perform with them.
ELSIE NEILSON
BOLD ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
Jaimé Yawa Dzandu is a choreographer, movement artist, community organizer, and facilitator with roots in Hampton, Virginia, and Wusuta-Anyigbe, Ghana. She creates movement-based art experiences that nurture restoration, social connection, and transformation. Currently, Jaimé is the Artistic Coordinator and facilitator for Urban Bush Women's BOLD Network (Builders, Organizers, and Leaders through Dance), supporting the growth of dancers and community leaders.
JAIMÉ YAWA DZANDU
PROJECT ARCHIVIST
Camille Lawrence's work as an archivist focuses on the art history, innovations, and diversity of artistic expression across the African Diaspora. She is most interested in exploring and archiving identity formation throughout the African diaspora and culture through three foundational principles: Oral, Physical, and Ritual. Lawrence's background as an art historian, artist, and beauty practitioner informs her approach to archival work.