The Dance Data Project® Team
Limón Dance Company rehearsing Kayla Farrish’s “A Quake that Held Them All”
Photo by MJ Edwards
Advisory Council:
Research Design & Statistics
DDP is fortunate to have the following individuals as a resource in designing our research studies, to check our methodology and statistical protocols. We are grateful for their collaboration.
Raheela Gill Anwar
Raheela brings more than 25 years of experience in executive outplacement and financial services to Group 360, with expertise in M&A, executive compensation, corporate delayering, and building and leading diverse teams. She is a leader in guiding professionals and organizations through career transition, connecting them with networks and resources to help them find their next opportunity. Prior to launching Group 360, Raheela served in executive roles for BPI group and a national boutique executive outplacement firm, where she managed client relationships, developed growth strategies, and advised clients on opportunities to implement leadership coaching, succession planning, and talent development.
Learn more about Raheela’s work here.
Phil Chan
Phil Chan is a visionary advocate for diversity and representation in dance. As co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, Chan has worked tirelessly to eliminate outdated and harmful representations of Asian culture in ballet. He is also the author of Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact and President of the Gold Standard Arts Foundation, which advocates for cultural inclusion in the arts. Chan’s latest project, the 10,000 Dreams Festival at the Kennedy Center, featured the largest showcase of Asian choreographic talent on a single program.
Lauren Cramer
Lauren B. Cramer is Chair of the Firm’s Tax-Exempt Organizations department, where she provides advice concerning federal tax issues related to tax-exempt organizations including public charities, private foundations, social welfare organizations, trade associations, religious corporations and other 501(c) organizations. Her practice focuses largely on organizational structuring, governance and accountability issues, joint ventures between for-profits and tax-exempts, international grantmaking, and program-related investments. Ms. Cramer provides counsel on donor advised funds, restricted gifts and endowments, as well as executive compensation arrangements, unrelated business income issues, and issues related to private inurement, private benefit and excess benefit transactions She is also Co-Chair of the Art Department. Ms. Cramer joined McLaughlin & Stern in 1995.
Learn more about Lauren’s work here.
Patrick Crocker
Patrick is an Assistant General Counsel supporting litigation management and business operations at Texas Health Resources, a non-profit health system in Dallas-Fort Worth with 29 hospital locations providing care for over two million patients per year. Prior to his current role, Patrick was an Associate Professor of Healthcare Practice at the M.J. Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University, a Senior Corporate Counsel for U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc., a healthcare strategy consultant for PwC, and spent over a decade in the U.S. Army as a Judge Advocate serving as a prosecutor, appellate counsel, and command legal advisor throughout the United States and during two combat deployments to Afghanistan. Patrick has been involved with dance throughout his life, including working as an accompanist, composer, and performer for the dance departments at Texas Christian University and the University of Richmond. He is thrilled to be able to contribute to the amazing work DDP is doing to support equity initiatives in classical ballet.
Patrick holds a BS, magna cum laude, in Psychology from Texas Christian University, a JD, cum laude, from the University of Richmond School of Law, and an MBA, with honors, from the University of California, Berkeley. Patrick is Former Board President for the Dance Data Project®.
MELANIE DOERNER
Melanie Doerner is a proven arts leader and fundraiser with 19 years of nonprofit management experience, and has raised over $15M for the arts. Melanie began her career in arts administration in 2001 with the José Limón Dance Company. She is currently the Director of Development for North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh, previously working for Carolina Ballet and Children’s Musical Theater of San Jose. She is a founding board member of sjDANCEco. Melanie holds a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School and formerly practiced as a corporate attorney in her native Canada. Her husband Michael Doerner is a ballet dancer, having performed with the National Ballet of Canada under Reid Anderson and James Kudelka, Alberta Ballet under Mikko Nissinen, and Ballet San Jose under Dennis Nahat.
SUMRU ERKUT, PHD
Sumru Erkut, Ph.D., is senior scholar and former senior research scientist and associate director at the Wellesley Centers for Women (WCW) whose research has focused on racial/ethnic diversity and gender equity in leadership and development across the life course. She was part of a team that found that three or more women on a corporate board of directors constitute a critical mass, which improves the functioning of corporate boards, and she has analyzed data from interviews with diverse women leaders, which resulted in Inside Women’s Power: Learning from Leaders. Erkut directed the postdoctoral research training program on variations in child and adolescent development funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Development.
Preetinder Gill
Jennifer Heimlich
Jennifer Heimlich is currently the senior fitness editor at Well+Good. A graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, she was previously the editor in chief of Dance Magazine and senior editor of Pointe. She has also contributed to publications such as The Atlantic and Runner’s World. She has served on panels and been an adjudicator for American College Dance Association, Future Dance Festival, Youth America Grand Prix and New York City Dance Alliance Foundation.
YESSICA HERRERA
Yessica Herrera, born and raised in Mexico, is a network science researcher exploring the art world as a complex system. She obtained her PhD in Social Complexity with the highest distinction at the Universidad del Desarrollo, in Chile. She is currently affiliated at the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University, and as Visiting Scholar at Northwestern University. Her research interests are rooted in the use of network science and data-driven methodologies to understand the network effects on gender inequalities and career success in the arts. She is also interested on the psychological factors influencing human performance and creativity.
ANDREW HOEKSTRA
Andrew is a Senior Principal Data Scientist at Northrop Grumman in People Analytics. Through his independent firm, Pointe Vector, he brings cross-industry knowledge in data engineering and algorithm design to organizations with passion and purpose. In 2018, Andrew and his wife founded Deos Contemporary Ballet, a Michigan-based professional company, where he serves as its President and Executive Director. Through Deos Ballet, Andrew discovered his love for dance as a performance art and a passion for seeking equity in the industry. He is eager to assist the DDP team in using technology to maximize the impact of its data.
KIERSTEN MAREK
Kiersten Marek, LICSW, is the founder and publisher of Philanthropy Women. A former Senior Editor for Inside Philanthropy, Kiersten is the author of hundreds of articles on gender equity funding as well as two books. Know Thyself: A Kid’s Guide to the Archetypes and Cooking for Emotional Wellness: Recipes to Nourish Your Archetypes. Kiersten served as Board Member and Treasurer for the Rhode Island Center for Law and Public Policy from 2008 to 2016, working to support legal services for those with limited financial means. In 2004, Kiersten helped her family facilitate the creation of the Stoppleworth Conservation Area in Tolland, Connecticut, a 55-acre open space hiking park.
For over 20 years, Kiersten has been practicing clinical social work, specializing in trauma recovery and identity development for all ages. She lives with her family in Rhode Island.
JERMAINE MCGHEE
Jermaine McGhee is an accomplished and versatile scholar, practitioner, and choreographer, renowned for his profound dedication to the field of dance. He embarked on his journey by receiving comprehensive training in the Education and Arts Enrichment program at North Carolina Dance Theatre, now Charlotte Ballet. He further honed his skills under the guidance of Rebecca Massey, a former ABT company member, while being awarded a prestigious scholarship/fellowship at Piedmont Dance Conservatory in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
Jermaine’s exceptional talent and commitment to excellence earned him the distinguished title of the 2003 Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Dancer of Distinction during his tenure at the Northwest School of Visual and Performing Arts. Seeking to expand his artistic horizons, he pursued further training at the esteemed Alvin Ailey School in New York, where he successfully completed the certificate program under the esteemed direction of Denise Jefferson. Complementing his practical experience, Jermaine obtained a BA in Performing Arts from St. Mary’s College of California in 2018.
Possessing a remarkable range in both commercial and concert dance, Jermaine effortlessly transitions between various styles, from classical ballet to hip-hop and jazz funk. His unique vision revolves around bridging the gap between the entertainment industry and academia, forging a seamless connection between dance skills and essential life skills. As an innovative educator, Jermaine creates immersive and transformative learning environments, fostering the growth of students on both artistic and personal levels.
Jermaine’s relentless pursuit of knowledge led him to achieve an MFA in Dance: Creative Practice, coupled with a certification in Dance Stage Management. This advanced degree empowered him to share his expertise as a guest artist at the University of Alabama and as a co-author, collaborating with the communication department at Ohio Northern University. Moreover, Jermaine serves as a distinguished advisory council member for Dance Data Project, a prominent nonprofit organization renowned for its global resourcefulness in promoting equity through data analysis, advocacy, and impactful programming within the arts.
In the upcoming fall of 2023, Jermaine will undertake the prestigious role of a core tenured principal dancer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning composition, Omar, at the renowned San Francisco Opera. This remarkable blend of academic accomplishment and professional performance background equips Jermaine with a distinctive ability to create immersive and rigorous studio experiences that nurture and cultivate artistic growth.
Jermaine McGhee’s illustrious background, unwavering dedication to the arts, and unwavering commitment to fostering artistic growth make him an exemplary candidate for the Director position on the advisory council. His multifaceted expertise and profound impact on the dance community position him as an invaluable asset in shaping the future of the council’s endeavors.
VICTORIA MORGAN
During the 25-year tenure of Victoria Morgan as Artistic Director, Cincinnati Ballet (CB) experienced tremendous growth and critical success. In 2008, Morgan took on the additional role of executive leader, serving as both the Artistic Director and CEO. After years of growing deficits, the Company became financially stable, built an $13 million endowment, and a substantial operating reserve, which stabilized and elevated the company on a national level, providing opportunities to tour, access to exciting repertoire, instigation of unique collaborations, growth of the CB Budig Academy and CB’s Education Outreach programs.
CB became a community gem and in June of 2021 the Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance opened, a 62,000 square foot architecturally stunning building with nine studios and state-of-the art technology.
Since retiring Morgan has focused on the power of movement, the “Miracle Drug”, that generates positive high energy, improves quality of life, provides longevity, resiliency and fortifies our minds against dementia.
SANDRA PARKS
Sandra Shih Parks is currently the Executive/Artistic Director for Colorado Conservatory of Dance. She holds her B.F.A. from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and her M.F.A. from Smith College, MA. Originally from Taiwan, Sandra danced with Four Seasons Ballet and Wu-I Dance Company in Taipei; toured nationally and internationally with a Broadway production of The King And I. She also danced with Bosoma Dance Company, Dance Collective, and Impulse Dance Company in Boston, MA. Sandra has presented work in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Boston, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, in addition to Beijing, China and Taipei, Taiwan. She has created work for professional dance companies including Bosoma, Cangelosi Dance Project, and Of Moving Colors. Sandra served as a faculty member at Boston University, Bridgewater State College, Colleges of Fenway, Drexel University, Kennesaw State University, Louisiana State University, Smith College, and taught master classes in China, France, and Taipei. In 2013, Sandra founded Women in Dance to celebrate and promote female leadership in dance, and she is the director of the international Women in Dance Leadership Conference.
TIM RUSSELL
Timothy M. Russell is currently the Vice President of Community Engagement and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Chicago-based Window to the World Communications, Inc. (WWCI), parent company of public television station WTTW and classical music station WFMT. Tim is responsible for leading WWCI’s community engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts focused on shaping the organization’s vision and strategy with relevant influencers, nonprofits, foundations, and business partners ensuring that they align with the organization’s strategic plan.
Tim received his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and religion from Oberlin College, earned a Masters of Theological Studies with a concentration in Ethics and Society from Garrett Theological Seminary and completed a certificate program in Business Administration at Loyola University Chicago. Tim and his wife, Joi-Anissa, and their children – Mark and Ava – live in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, IL.
ISABELLE VAIL
Isabelle Vail joins the Advisory Council after four years of leading DDP’s research and special projects teams. Isabelle oversaw DDP’s collaboration with institutional and independent research partners, coordinating new examinations of the state of gender equity in ballet, and spearheaded strategic engagement through DDP’s social media channels and auxiliary programming. She began consulting for DDP in 2017 as a part-time research assistant and went on to play an active role in the founding of DDP as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, advising on the organization’s early research endeavors and engagement before becoming DDP’s first full-time consultant in 2019. She attended Wake Forest University as a Presidential Scholar of Dance, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a BA in Psychology and French in 2018. From 2018-2019, Isabelle resided in Rouen, France, working as a language assistant in two local collèges. Vail recently joined the team at Bliss Point Media as Manager of Client Strategy & Analytics.
SUSAN WEST
Susan West is an active supporter of the arts and an advocate of diversity in the workplace. She joined the Dance Data Project® in 2016 as Lead Researcher. Susan has spent her career working for and with higher education institutions. She is a Director in the Higher Education Strategy & Operations practice at Huron Consulting Group where she leads numerous efforts to support, promote, and recruit women in higher education consulting. Prior to joining Huron, Susan was Associate Director, Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO), at Yale University. While at Yale Susan served as Co-Chair of Yale’s LGBTQ Affinity Group from 2013-2015 and co-founded the organization Women in IT (WIT) @ Yale in 2013.
Susan holds an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University and a B.A. in Communication Studies from Furman University.
CHARLES WHITAKER
Charles Whitaker is Dean and professor at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Before joining the Medill faculty, Whitaker was a senior editor at Ebony Magazine. Whitaker has also led a prolific journalism career, working with institutions such as the Miami Herald and the Louisville (Ky.) Times, and contributing articles to the Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Magazine, Jet Magazine, Essence Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Saturday Evening Post, Chicago Parent magazine, and Folio, the magazine of the magazine industry. Among Whitaker’s many notable roles and endeavors, he authored four statistical analyses of the hiring of women and minorities in the magazine industry, co-directed Project Masthead (a program designed to encourage students of color to consider careers in the magazine industry), and has served as an adviser on diversity issues for the Magazine Publishers of America.
GREGORY YOUDAN
Gregory Youdan Jr. (he/him) is a human movement scientist specializing in dance science and dance for health. He is on faculty in the Dance Division at The Juilliard School, teaching Anatomy and Kinesiology for Dancers. He has been published in several academic journals, including Clinical Biomechanics, Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, and Human Movement Science. Greg has served on the faculty at Columbia University, New York University, Hollins University, and CUNY Lehman College. He previously held a dance research assistantship at Brown University. He has presented scientific research at various academic conferences, including the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Performing Arts Medicine Association. Greg most recently served as an assistant to Irene Dowd as the 2022-2023 Dance Anatomy Teaching Fellow at The Juilliard School.
Currently, Greg serves as the chair of the development committee for the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS), the review board for the Journal of Dance Education, and as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). He was a 2021 National Association for Latino Arts and Cultures Advocacy Fellow and 2021 Latin Impact Honoree. He is a Latinx Dance Educators Alliance member and served on the steering committee to plan the inaugural Convivencia. As a dancer, Greg performed with the NY Baroque Dance Company, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, David Parker and the Bang Group, and Heidi Latsky Dance, where he now serves as a board member. Greg is a Wertheimer Fellow through Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD® program and is a teaching artist in their Dance for PD en Español program.
MELISSA M. YOUNG
Melissa M. Young is a Honduran American from Santa Ana, California, with over 30 years of experience in dance leadership and education. She studied Business Administration at Orange Coast College and trained at The Ailey School in New York City, where she was selected for an exchange program at Amsterdam University of the Arts. Her 30-year tenure at Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT) began as a company dancer and progressed to roles including Rehearsal Director, Academy Director, and Artistic Director (2018–2024). She performed at major venues such as The Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center, and represented the U.S. at the 1996 and 2012 Olympics.
As Artistic Director, Young commissioned over 30 choreographers, led national and international collaborations, and guided DBDT through virtual programming during the pandemic. She also assisted with productions for the Dallas Opera and Dallas Theater Center. Young has taught the Lester Horton Dance Technique for over two decades at DBDT and universities including SMU and Texas Woman’s University. She’s led workshops for corporate and educational leaders across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She is a graduate of the Leadership Arts Institute (2022) and holds certifications in Leadership and Management from Michigan State University. She is active in the International Association of Blacks in Dance and has served on arts advisory panels and boards.
Her awards include the Dancer’s Award for Artistic Excellence (2000), the Natalie Skelton Award (2016), and the “We Speak Your Name” Career Achievement Award (2019). Today, she works as a dance consultant, continuing to shape the field through leadership, education, and creative partnerships.
