Guidance and Counsel

Advisory Board

Collectively, these distinguished artists, administrators, educators, and cultural leaders bring expertise spanning Broadway, opera, visual arts, community development, arts education, and nonprofit leadership, providing invaluable guidance as the Onyx Center for the Performing Arts advances its mission to serve as a cultural bridge between Detroit and New York City while nurturing the next generation of artists and arts leaders.

Members of the Advisory Board serve as trusted advisors to Founder and Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Collins. The Advisory Board holds no governance or fiduciary role; its members advise on programming, partnerships, fundraising, audience development, and organizational growth.

Advisory Board

  1. Portrait of Phylicia Rashad

    Phylicia Rashad

    Award-Winning Actress, Director, and Educator

    Phylicia Rashad received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for A Raisin in the Sun, becoming the first Black actress to receive the honor, and is known worldwide as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show. She is Dean Emerita of the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.

  2. Portrait of Lillias White

    Lillias White

    Tony Award-Winning Actress and Singer

    Lillias White received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for The Life. Her Broadway credits include Dreamgirls, Fela, Chicago, and Hadestown.

  3. Portrait of Michael Stotts

    Michael Stotts

    Executive Director, Paper Mill Playhouse

    Michael Stotts is Executive Director of Paper Mill Playhouse, recipient of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. He brings deep expertise in arts management, strategic planning, and fundraising.

  4. Portrait of Elizabeth Van Dyke

    Elizabeth Van Dyke

    Producing Artistic Director, New Federal Theatre

    Elizabeth Van Dyke is Producing Artistic Director of New Federal Theatre and was a longtime collaborator of the late Woodie King Jr. Her career has centered on advancing Black artists and playwrights.

  5. Portrait of Kenneth Roberson

    Kenneth Roberson

    Award-Winning Choreographer and Director

    Kenneth Roberson is an award-winning choreographer and director whose credits include The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Ain't Misbehavin', and Avenue Q.

  6. Portrait of Priscilla Baskerville

    Priscilla Baskerville

    Opera Performer and Educator

    Priscilla Baskerville has performed with the Metropolitan Opera in productions including Porgy and Bess, Don Carlo, and X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X. She is a retired educator from LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

  7. Portrait of Jamea Richmond-Edwards

    Jamea Richmond-Edwards

    Award-Winning Visual Artist

    Jamea Richmond-Edwards is an award-winning visual artist whose paintings and mixed-media works explore identity, spirituality, history, and the experiences of Black women.

  8. Portrait of Fredi Walker-Browne

    Fredi Walker-Browne

    Broadway Actress, Author, Educator

    Fredi Walker-Browne originated the role of Joanne Jefferson in the original Broadway production of Rent. She is also an author and educator.

  9. Portrait of Normearleasa Thomas

    Normearleasa Thomas

    Cellist, Educator, and Arts Advocate

    Normearleasa Thomas is a cellist, educator, and arts advocate whose work spans music performance, arts education, and community engagement.

  10. Portrait of Marianna Houston

    Marianna Houston

    Arts Administrator and Cultural Leader

    Marianna Houston is a former Director at the Theatre Development Fund (TDF), with a career devoted to arts access and audience development.

  11. Portrait of Stanley Wayne Mathis

    Stanley Wayne Mathis

    Actor, Singer, and Arts Advocate

    Stanley Wayne Mathis is an actor and singer whose Broadway credits include You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Kiss Me Kate, Jelly's Last Jam, and The Lion King.

Advisory Board members are recognized with the Center's gratitude; this listing appears with their permission.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees provides governance and fiduciary leadership for the Onyx Center for the Performing Arts.

  1. Dr. Evelyn Collins

    Chair

    Founder and Executive Director, Onyx Center for the Performing Arts.

  2. Ramayan Saries

    Vice-Chair

    Business & Education Consultant; Founder of Ebony Iris Media.

  3. K. Zaheerah Sultan

    Secretary

    Executive Director, Mind Your Business Art.

  4. Susette Jaquette

    Treasurer

    Educational Consultant.

  5. Kim Howard

    Member

    Director of External Relations, CultureSource.