Announcing: The Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color Participants 2025

The free program will provide leadership training and community support to 18 arts leaders from April to September.

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to congratulate the 18 leaders who were selected to participate in the fifth iteration of the Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color program, facilitated by Chelsea Goding-Doty, NYFA Learning’s Senior Program Officer, Leadership Initiatives. This free Incubator will provide leadership training and community support to participants from arts and cultural organizations based in the five boroughs of New York City from April–September 2025.

The Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color is an outgrowth of NYFA’s Emerging Leaders program that has served over 200 leaders since 2013. The 2025 program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

NYFA fosters the professional development of leaders of Color and aims to encourage both the sustainability and success of their organizations and the equitability and diversity of the arts industry through programs like the Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color. NYFA believes that investments in cultural infrastructure build stronger links and shared knowledge between artists and arts administrators, which benefits the entire field.

2025 Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color

Makeda Abraham

Kazembe Balagun, Executive Director, Maysles Documentary Center

Albert Beniada, Executive Director, Filmshop

Christopher Berry, Executive Director, The Playwrights Realm

Cynthia Carrion, Director of Government and Community Affairs, El Museo del Barrio

Julia del Palacio, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development, Associate Dean, Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College

Victoria Detres, RISE Program Manager, RISE Theatre

Alexander Eshelman, Associate Director, OPEN DOORS – Center for Transformative Action

Kelley Girod, Founder, Executive Producer, The Fire This Time Festival

Bianca Golden, Director of Education, Mark Morris Dance Group

Tristan Grannum, Director of Community Engagement/Outreach, Brooklyn Ballet

Enya-Kalia Jordan, Co-Executive Director, Bashi Arts

Terry Marshall, Founder & Executive Creative Director, Intelligent Mischief

Klaudia Ofwona Draber, Executive Director & Chief Curator, KODA

Achiro Olwoch, Interim Artistic Director, National Queer Theater

Charles Reynoso, Director of Education, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking

Shamilia Tocruray, Director of Education, Brooklyn Museum

Yukiko Yamagata, Deputy Director, Creative Time

This program is part of NYFA Learning, which includes professional development for artists and arts administrators. Sign up for NYFA’s free bi-weekly newsletter to receive updates on future programs.