Mrs. Bonda Cunningham, Co-Chairperson; originally from Baltimore, has lived in NYC for 55 years and in Brooklyn for 36 years.  She has worked in a number of fields, including chemistry at DuPont, systems analysis at Equitable Life Assurance, film at WNET, law at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and in nonprofit and government administration.  In New York she has been a management analyst in the NYC Mayor’s Office, an Assistant and Deputy Commissioner in two agencies and Director of Member Services at the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA).  Bonda was married to bassist Bob Cunningham for 28 years and has a grown daughter.  She has been active with or a board member of the Hamilton Heights Homeowners Association, Brownstone Parlor Concerts, the Children’s Art Carnival, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Lawyers Alliance for New York, the Center for Employment Opportunities, the YWCA of Brooklyn and the Jazz Vespers Ministry of Emmanuel Baptist Church.  She is a graduate of Morgan State University and Columbia Law School.

Mr. Robert Myers, Treasurer; is a graduate of Syracuse University. Employed for two decades in the pharmaceutical industry managing company’s sales at institutional and retail pharmacies; for 15 years as the sole proprietor of an entertainment venue, he developed bookkeeping and financial analytical skills. Myers draws on the above experiences to manage Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium’s financial records and provide expenditure recommendations to its board of directors.

Mr. Ulysses S. Kilgore, III, Member; is a former President and CEO of the Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center (BSFHC). Mr. Kilgore was appointed as the chief executive of BSFHC in 1982. Over the years, with strong and compassionate management and clinical teams, the Center became a major provider of disease prevention and treatment services in central Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant community.   According to Mr. Kilgore, it was the Center’s ultimate aims to have each patient assume responsibility for their own mental, spiritual and physical well-being.   The Center viewed itself as a participant in that quest. He regards the dancers, poets, musicians and other artists as conduits for the ultimate expression of the Creator’s love and feels their energies are vital to the healing process. Mr. Kilgore possesses an MBA degree from Long Island University and a B.S. degree in business from Lincoln University (MO). Mr. Kilgore’s professional experience includes appointments as fiscal officer at the former Sydenham Hospital and financial management positions at Pfizer and Brooklyn Union Gas Company (now National Grid).  He served as President of the Community Health Care Association of New York State from 1995 to 1996.

Drake A. Colley, Esq., Member; is a retired attorney with over twenty-five years of experience in government and on Wall Street. A graduate of Harvard Law School and a summa cum laude graduate of Fordham University, Mr. Colley’s government experience included employment litigation matters, supervision of an affirmative real estate litigation unit, and over fourteen years of appellate advocacy including brief writing and oral argument in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the New York Court of Appeals and the Appellate Division, First and Second Departments. Mr. Colley’s private sector experience includes commercial litigation, products liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation and arbitration, real estate litigation, and unit investment trust transactions. As a musician, Mr. Colley has been a mainstay on the New York City jazz scene for many years. Mr Colley has recorded as a solo artist, and with Malachi Thompson, Forecast, and Wind Chill Factor. Mr Colley has performed at Columbia University, Gettysburg College, the Jazz Gallery, Smalls Paradise, Sweet Basil, Seventh Avenue South, Up Over Jazz Cafe, The Jazz Spot, and many other venues. Mr Colley has been the featured musical artist for the One Breath Rising Festival, the African American Women In Cinema Festival, the International African Arts Festival, the Jazzy Jazz Festival and numerous other art and music festivals earning him acclaim and radio airplay internationally. Mr. Colley has long been a member of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium.

Mr. William Durrah, Member; fondly known as “Big Will,” emerged as a scholar and graduate from Packer Collegiate Institute and Duke University. His musical odyssey began in the heart of Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn, where he not only showcased his trombone skills but also displayed a profound passion for education. As an African American male navigating the challenges of the 1980s, he fearlessly carried his massive instrument, braving the unsolicited attention it attracted. Undeterred by the spotlight, Will’s musical talents graced countless dance recitals, theater productions, and musical programs. This fervor steered him into the vibrant realm of television production, where he discovered his true calling. Since 2010, he delved into various production roles, initially starting in art departments and eventually mastering the complexities of the camera and electrical department. What began as freelance work to meet ends transformed into a distinguished career in the demanding world of television and film.

In this competitive landscape, Will defied the odds, earning a reputation as the go-to person both on set and off. His expertise lies in seamlessly weaving together projects that foster cultural exchanges and meaningful dialogues. Venturing into the realm of podcasting, he created “Four Drinks In (FDI),” a platform offering engaging conversations and diverse insights. Additionally, he made a significant impact as the Executive Producer of the groundbreaking documentary “I Love Bed-Stuy,” a heartfelt tribute to Brooklyn’s most iconic neighborhood.

Ms. Akosua Cobb, Member; a licensed, certified Social Worker, received a Master of Science Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and postgraduate education from the metropolitan schools of social work.  She has a private practice in New York City, specializing in mental health. Ms. Cobb designed, developed, implemented, and administered day-to-day operations of outpatient programs that provided prevention, education, and treatment services to individuals and families plagued by alcohol and chemical abuse.   Ms. Cobb has been the Assistant Director of Social Work Field Education at York College (CUNY), an Adjunct Professor at Medgar Evers College, York College (CUNY), Charles and Stella Guttmann College (CUNY), Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY). The College of New Rochelle, Adelphi University, and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania; Ms. Cobb is a consultant to community-based programs and conducts staff development trainings and workshops focusing on treating people of color. Ms. Cobb’s commitment to community service is evident in her roles as Vice-Chair of the Fort Greene Council, Inc., Brooklyn, New York, and as a Brooklyn Community Board 2 member. She is also a Founding Board member of Neighborhood Women Collective, Inc., demonstrating her dedication to social causes.

Ms. Cobb is an active Emmanuel Baptist Church Counselling Ministry member; she finds joy in serving her community. Her love for jazz is evident in her role as a host for political fundraisers and afternoons of jazz in her home. Her commitment to keeping the legacy of jazz alive is demonstrated by her volunteer work as the former public relations coordinator and host at ‘Friday Night of JAZZ 966’.

Ms. Cobb has received numerous public service awards. However, the awards most dear to her heart are those presented to her by the students at Medgar Evers College for excellence in teaching and student support.

Ms. Tamara Clements, Member; born and raised in south Philadelphia, PA, Tamara grew up as the youngest of two Marine brothers and an educator sister. Her working-class parents surrounded them with Black music, imbuing her with a joy that still strengthens her love for her community. She also credits the great timing and great advantages of great schooling: early cultural connections, played instruments & sports, etc.

A foreign language scholarship brought her to Brooklyn where she taught French for a year, then moved west to secure her master’s degree in African Area Studies at UCLA. Later, despite marvelous years employed by chapters of the American Red Cross as a youth consultant (L.A.) and volunteer services director (Pasadena), she returned to teaching, including high school, junior college, and adult education. She moved back to Brooklyn and retired from Brooklyn Adult Learning Center, the landmark edifice on Nostrand Avenue near Fulton Street [aka Harriet Tubman Ave].

Tamara fondly remembers congregating with fellow jazz lovers at UCLA-based jazz entertainment, driving out to the Lighthouse “concerts by the sea”, and of course in Brooklyn marking papers at work on Friday then heading to 966 Fulton Street to start the weekend. Then and now, her favorite music has been the medicine to soothe the soul with its wonderful side effects.  She believes we must support our words with the actions so necessary to sustain ourselves and the community at large.