News
Archive: Board Member
Suzanne Ruggles
Suzanne is a communication, campaign, and event marketing specialist. Suzanne’s career in media and production has spanned more than 35 years. From news video production to reality-based docu-series, like Jon & Kate Plus 8, Suzanne has served in various capacities… Read More
Waltye Rasulala
Waltye is a lyric soprano who has entertained audiences in both concert halls and theaters. A graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University with a Bachelor of Music in Voice and Master of Music in Choral Conducting, Waltye was… Read More
Safiyah Jackson
Safiyah is a non-profit leader and child advocate with experience as an early learning educator, school psychologist, parent educator, and learning/development facilitator. She currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer at North Carolina Partnership for Children. In this role, Safiyah is… Read More
Rudra Dutta
Rudra Dutta was born in Kolkata, India, in 1968, where he completed elementary schooling, followed by a B.Engg. in Electrical Engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, an M.Engg.. in Systems Science and Automation from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and a… Read More
Kyma Lassiter
Born and raised in rural South Hill, Virginia, Kyma has now called Raleigh her permanent home for the past 5 years. Before joining the NC African American Heritage Commission in 2018, she served her community as an arts administrator and… Read More
Harryson Turner
Harryson Turner is a Vice President and Commercial Banker at North State Bank. In this role he has the opportunity to partner with local business owners in achieving their financial goals. He has over 10 years of experience in the… Read More
Brooke Cummings
With more than two decades of human resources leadership across varied industries (technology, hospitality, life science, and insurance/financial services), Brooke is no stranger to dynamic environments. Her passion lies in understanding employee needs and leading organizations to respond in the… Read More
Kimberly Wood
Kimberly Wood is a Senior Consultant at Yardi Systems, a property management software company based out of Santa Barbara, CA. She has won Yardi’s Customer Service Week award, which acknowledges yearly client kudos, on three different occasions since starting with… Read More
Phillip Bernard Smith
Phillip Bernard Smith, a native of Winston-Salem North Carolina, joined the North Carolina Black Repertory Company in 1992 when the late founder Larry Leon Hamlin cast and directed him in Jeff Stetson’s play, The Meeting. As a member of the… Read More
Steven B. Epstein
Steven B. Epstein is a litigation partner at Poyner Spruill LLP in Raleigh. He has been practicing law for more than 30 years following his graduation from UNC-Chapel Hill and the UNC School of Law. Since 2015, he has focused his… Read More
Clif Cates
Clif Cates works in a leadership role at Duke Energy and is a native of Wilson, NC. He graduated from NC State with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and also received an MBA from Wake Forest University. He resides… Read More
Aliana Ramos
Aliana Ramos started volunteering at Raleigh Little Theatre in 2012 as a costume dresser for The 39 Steps and got hooked on the magic of theater. Since then, she’s worked on more than a dozen productions as a dresser and… Read More