STAFF
CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Chanon Judson joined the critically acclaimed Urban Bush Women in 2001. She has had the privilege of serving the company as rehearsal director, Director for UB2 – Urban Bush Women’s performing apprentice ensemble, and now furthers her work with UBW as Co-Artistic Director and Co-Director of BOLD (Builders Organizers and Leaders through Dance).
Chanon judson
CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Mame Diarra Speis (she/her), is a mother and movement improviser intrigued with play, risk, rigor, and experimentation. Speis has had the pleasure of working with Gesel Mason, The Dance Exchange, jumatatu poe, Deborah Hay (as part of the Sweet Day curated by Ralph Lemon at the MoMA), Baba Israel, Marjani Forte-Saunders, and Liz Lerman.
MAME DIARRA SPEIS
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.
A lifelong dancer, Michele’s sensibilities as a mover and choreographer shape how she leads, strategizes, and collaborates.
Michele Kumi Baer
PRODUCER; and EXECUTIVE CREATIVE PRODUCER, 40th ANNIVERSARY
Jonathan has worked in and around the arts for over three decades as a facilitator for creative artists and ideas and is delighted to once again be working with Urban Bush Women, having previously worked as Producing Partner. Jonathan was producer for NYC Free, a four-week festival, curated by Mikki Shepard. Prior to this, Jonathan was Director of Public Programs for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
JONATHAN D. SECOR
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
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
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.
cAMILLE LAWRENCE
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
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 TO THE CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
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
FOUNDER’S ASSISTANT
Veronica Jiao (she/her), born on the traditional land of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso, Etiwan, & Kiawah peoples (settled as Charleston, SC), is a Filipino-American dance creative and educator. As the grandchild of immigrants, she is engaged in the work of dismantling white supremacist structures as they exist in the arts.
VERONICA JIAO
BOLD ARTISTIC COORDINATOR
Jaimé Yawa Dzandu is a movement artist, choreographer, and educator with roots from Hampton, Virginia, and Wusuta Dzigbe, Ghana, West Africa. She has been committed to holding space for youth and facilitating a learning environment of self-discovery, restoration, and liberation through dance for over a decade. She facilitates year-round programs for the Mark Morris Dance Center, Lower Eastside Girls Club, and Family Arts Movement.
JAIMÉ YAWA DZANDU
CCI PRODUCING PROGRAM (CCI 2.0) PROJECT PRODUCER
Lai-Lin is a Producer, Curator, Performance Artist, and Arts Advocate who is passionate about nurturing art that challenges the way we exist. Originally from Washington, DC now living in New York City, Lai-Lin is grounded in her core values of empathy, community and anti-racist practices. For over 10 years she has collaborated with artists and organizations to transform their visions into a dream reality.
LAI-LIN ROBINSON
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.