Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Names Gerald Veasley as New Board Chair, Welcomes Six New Board Members Including GPA President Zabeth Teelucksingh
Board bolstered by vast experience of leaders from The Carpenters’ Company, Glen Foerd, Global Philadelphia Association, Moore College of Art & Design, Sixers Youth Foundation, and The Wilma Theater.
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (“Cultural Alliance”) today announced its new chair, Jazz Philadelphia president and contemporary musician Gerald Veasley, who was elected by the organization’s full Board of Directors at its meeting on June 12, 2024. Veasley is a leader in the contemporary music world as a bassist, bandleader, composer, producer, educator, and curator, and has been a member of the Cultural Alliance’s Board of Directors since 2020. He succeeds longtime Cultural Alliance Chair and former interim president and CEO (2020-2021) Priscilla Luce, who has completed an exceptional term of service to the organization.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Priscilla Luce for her service as chair and previously as interim president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unimaginable challenges for the arts and culture sector, but Priscilla’s tenacity, quiet wisdom, and strategic thinking guided our organization through this difficult period. She has left an indelible mark on not only the Cultural Alliance, but the entire arts and culture community,” said Patricia Wilson Aden, President and CEO, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.
“Leading the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance as Chair, and as Interim President & CEO, has been deeply rewarding. I remain in awe of the arts and culture sector and the resilience of our membership through the challenging conditions of the last several years,” said Luce. “Gerald Veasley has been a dynamic member of the Cultural Alliance Board since he joined in 2020, sharing invaluable insights on the perspectives of individual artists and helping craft our new strategic plan. I look forward to seeing the Cultural Alliance continue to shine under his leadership.”
In addition to his own music career, Veasley is passionate about educating and motivating other musicians. He is the president of Jazz Philadelphia, an initiative that seeks to unify Philadelphia’s vibrant jazz community, celebrate its rich musical history and position it as an international destination for jazz. Veasley has also served on the faculty of the University of the Arts and is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp, an annual event that has informed and inspired hundreds of bass players of all levels and ages for more than 20 years.
Aden continued: “Gerald Veasley is a visionary in contemporary music, a renowned artist in his own right and a leader dedicated to guiding our industry and the next generation. He is the first working artist to become Chair of the Cultural Alliance, a meaningful milestone for our organization and our region’s creative economy. We look forward to engaging more deeply with Philadelphia’s community of cultural innovators and creative entrepreneurs under his guidance. Together, we will continue to champion the Philadelphia region’s vibrant cultural landscape and strengthen our collective impact.”
“I’ve dedicated my life and career to music because I know that cultural experiences have a unique ability to touch our souls and enrich our lives in a way that’s hard to describe. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance has always understood this nuance and I am truly honored to take on the role of chair,” said Gerald Veasley, Chair, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “I look forward to collaborating with our talented Board of Directors, staff, and the arts and culture sector at large to strengthen our impact and ensure our power is felt in the solutions to our region’s greatest challenges.”
The Cultural Alliance has also welcomed six new members to its Board of Directors, including:
Leigh Goldenberg, Managing Director, Wilma Theater
Leigh Goldenberg has served as Managing Director at the Wilma Theater since January 2017. She created Philly Theatre Week, a region-wide celebration of theatre performance supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Under Leigh’s leadership, The Wilma was honored with a coveted Regional Theatre Tony Award in 2024. She previously worked in marketing for the Arden Theatre Company and Lantern Theater Company. She received a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Production and Management from Marymount Manhattan College.
Ross Mitchell, Executive Director, Glen Foerd
Ross Mitchell has been Executive Director of Glen Foerd since June 2019. He previously served as the Director of the Barnes Foundation’s de Mazia Education and Outreach, Executive Director of the Violette de Mazia Foundation, President of the Philadelphia Sketch Club, and Executive Director of the Laurel Hill Cemetery. During his experience at the Barnes Foundation, Ross oversaw a $14 million gallery renovation of the Barnes’s Merion Station site. Ross earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from Eastern University.
Michael Norris, Executive Director, The Carpenters’ Company
Michael Norris has served as the Executive Director of The Carpenters’ Company since June 2019. He previously served as the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s Chief Strategy Officer from 2012-2019 and Interim Executive Director from 2013-2014. In addition, Michael managed Art-Reach as their Executive Director from 2004-2012. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University and a certificate in fundraising from the University of Pennsylvania and completed the executive program for nonprofit leaders at Stanford University Business School.
Zabeth Teelucksingh, President, Global Philadelphia Association
Zabeth Teelucksingh has been President of the nonprofit organization Global Philadelphia Association since 2011. Zabeth has represented Philadelphia at many international meetings with the Organization of World Heritage Cities. Her mission is to promote the global significance of Philadelphia, which inspired several signature international programs, such as Global Philly, GlobalKids, PhillyThinks, EIJP, an internship program for millennials, and the #IamaGlobalPhiladelphian awareness campaign.
Leslie Walker, Executive Director, Sixers Youth Foundation
Leslie Walker has a deep history within the cultural community, previously as The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Chief of Staff from 2017-2023 and Interim Director from 2020-2023. She became the Executive Director of the Sixers Youth Foundation in November 2021. Leslie’s past nonprofit management experience underscores her commitment to young people in the region, including several years at the Please Touch Museum and Philadelphia Safe and Sound. She earned a BA in Urban Studies from Rutgers University and a MS in Training and Organizational Development from Saint Joseph’s University.
Cathy Young, President, Moore College of Art & Design
Cathy Young was appointed the 11th President of Moore College of Art & Design in 2022. She possesses over 35 years of experience as a choreographer, arts educator, academic leader, and entrepreneurial artist. Her depth of work includes co-founding a dance program at Ursinus College and leading the dance division at Boston Conservatory from 2011-2017. Cathy earned a BA in sociology from Harvard University and an MFA in dance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“The strength of our cultural community lies in the rich diversity and unique perspectives it encompasses. This is reflected in the six new members of our Board of Directors, who each contribute valuable experience and insight from different areas of our industry,” Aden added. “We congratulate Leigh Goldenberg, Ross Mitchell, Michael Norris, Zabeth Teelucksingh, Leslie Walker, and Cathy Young, and look forward to working hand-in-hand with them to drive our mission forward with renewed vigor and insight.”
All six new Board Members were approved by a vote of the Cultural Alliance’s membership, tallied on September 5. They will serve three-year terms through 2027 and are eligible to serve a second three-year term upon the satisfactory completion of their first term.
ABOUT GREATER PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL ALLIANCE:
Established in 1972, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is the region’s leading arts and cultural advocacy, research, and marketing organization. Our mission is to “lead, strengthen and amplify the voices of a cultural community that ignites creativity, inspires people and is essential for a healthy region.” Our membership includes more than 450 organizations ranging from museums and dance companies to community art centers, historic sites, music ensembles and zoos. For more information on the Cultural Alliance, please visit philaculture.org.
ABOUT GERALD VEASLEY, CHAIR, GREATER PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL ALLIANCE:
Gerald Veasley’s musical odyssey has taken him to the top of the contemporary music world as a bassist, bandleader, composer, producer, educator, and curator. His performance as a six-string bassist has been top shelf, as his extensive body of work attests. Veasley has recorded or performed with many of the world’s top artists in Jazz, R&B and Gospel: Kirk Whalum, Will Downing, Chuck Loeb, Maysa, Nnenna Freelon, Special EFX, Pieces of a Dream, McCoy Tyner, The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Gerald Levert, Teddy Pendergrass, Philip Bailey, the Dixie Hummingbirds, John Blake, Odean Pope and Pat Martino.
Veasley’s new recording, Live at SOUTH is the latest chapter of a multi-decade career of combining jazz, funk and soul genres into a tantalizing blend of earthy sophistication. Schooled by his mentors Joe Zawinul of Weather Report fame and saxophone giant Grover Washington Jr., the six-string bassist continues to blur musical boundaries with his latest project. As the title suggests, Live at SOUTH was captured live at SOUTH Jazz Parlor, a premier jazz venue, located in Veasley’s hometown of Philadelphia. The recording documents Veasley’s outstanding band in a 10 song set of music that is fresh, in-the-moment and crackling with intensity. The songstress Carol Riddick is featured in a breathtaking version of the Sound of Philly classic, “You are Everything”.
Live at SOUTH is also the natural outgrowth of Veasley’s role as a curator of the Unscripted Jazz Series at SOUTH Jazz Parlor. Launched in October 2015 (co-curated by Roxanne Veasley), the series has presented over 140 exciting nights of music to enthusiastic audiences in an intimate setting. The “Unscripted” format is perfectly suited for artists who, like Veasley, have broad musical tastes and experiences. Allowing them to showcase their versatility, the series has attracted many celebrated guest artists: Gerald Albright, David Benoit, Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Alex Bugnon, Maysa, Raul Midón, Janis Siegel, Peter White, Kirk Whalum, and a growing roster of established and emerging artists.
Having a passion to educate and motivate other musicians, Veasley has served on the faculty of the University of the Arts (Philadelphia). Veasley is also the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp. Established in 2002, the annual event has informed and inspired hundreds of bass players of all levels and ages.
Most recently, Veasley has been selected to lead Jazz Philadelphia, a new initiative that seeks to unify Philadelphia’s vibrant jazz community, celebrate its rich musical history and position it as an international destination for jazz.
Veasley has more intriguing projects on the horizon: “I Got Life”, a studio album and tour in tribute to the life and music of Nina Simone, an all-star album celebrating the musical legacy of his hometown of Philadelphia, and a spinoff of the Unscripted Jazz Series, Pablo Batista’s Latin Jazz Series.
Musician. Educator. Curator. Veasley’s life as a creative professional is clearly multifaceted. Indeed, he wears various “hats” yet he is motivated by a singular purpose – to translate his joy of music to the world – music without boundaries.
