Andrea Pierre is the Director of Community Engagement at MPR|APM, where she leads institutional giving and serves as a liaison connecting communities across Minnesota to MPR’s content and initiatives. She joined MPR in 2024 after years of advocacy in community media, most notably leading KRSM, a local Low Power FM Radio Station, where she amplified local voices and narratives.

Pablo Siqueiros is an artist and arts administrator currently serving as a Program Officer at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. He is originally from San Diego but has called Minnesota home since 2017. An opera singer with a Bachelor of Music from San Diego State University and a Master of Music from Roosevelt University, he performs regularly with Minnesota Opera. Before joining MRAC, Pablo ran a mentorship program for at-risk youth and spent seven years managing opera education programs.

Vie Boheme is a Motown native, blossomed in Pittsburgh and refined in Minneapolis. A multimodal artist—choreographer, dancer, actress, and poet—she brings athletic agility to vocal performance, dancing and singing in unison. Her theatrical dance experiences weave storytelling, poetry, and monologue, inviting visceral human connection through intentional, embodied expression.

Tall Paul is an innovative Native Hip Hop artist from Minneapolis, MN. His multi-lingual language revitalization single “Prayers in a Song 2” incorporates the Ojibwe language through rhyme. Carbon Sound FM named his single “Zombies Ate My Natives” Best Minnesota Music October 2024. He’s a 2025 United States Artists Fellow.

Cecilia Johnson is the music booker at Berlin in Minneapolis. She is also an award-winning music and food journalist—having written for The Current, Eater Twin Cities, Primetimer, and Racket—and longtime restaurant worker.

Grant Meachum joined the Minnesota Orchestra as Director of the Live at Orchestra Hall series in February 2015. In This role, he works with Principal Conductor Sarah Hicks to create a diverse range of concerts, including collaborations with Minnesota-based artists such as Dessa, Cloud Cult, Nur-D, PaviElle, Chastity Brown, Charles Lazarus, The Steeles, BRKFST Dance Company, The Moving Company, and The New Standards; as well as the Orchestra's Movies and Music series.

Symone Wilson is a producer, label co-owner, and recording artist under the moniker SYM1 (sim-ONE). With over 10 years of experience in entertainment, non profit, and marketing roles, she finds herself at the intersection of arts, culture, and business.

Corey Bracken is the founder of PILLLAR, a Minneapolis-based coffee shop, bar, and all-ages music venue that blends skate culture, sustainability, and community.

Nadirah McGill (Nadi), a founding member of Gully Boys, is a seasoned touring musician known for their high-energy performances. They've shared stages with Gwen Stefani, Joan Jett, and Motion City Soundtrack. Beyond music, Nadi organizes with TakeAction Minnesota and Twin Cities United Performers, building power for musicians across Minnesota.

Ben Johnson, a native Minnesotan, is the Arts & Cultural Affairs Director for Minneapolis. He previously held arts leadership roles in Los Angeles, UCLA, United States Artists Inc., University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in Arts Administration from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Kellie Larson works in our industry as a prop builder and prop assistant. She is a long time member of IATSE Local 13.

Sister Larson has been a member of IATSE Local 490 since 2020.

Bao Phi is the Arts & Culture program officer at McKnight, fostering partnerships, managing grants, and supporting Minnesota’s artists. With nearly 23 years at the Loft Literary Center, he advanced anti-racism initiatives, managed the McKnight Artist Fellowship, and co-created Mirrors and Windows to mentor underrepresented writers.

As an urban planner and designer focused on downtown Minneapolis, Ben Shardlow has developed innovative programs to address urban challenges for over a decade. He has a Master of Urban & Regional Planning degree from the University of Minnesota. More importantly, he is a music geek at heart and a past member of the VocalEssence chorus, Jazz on Toast, and The Testostertones.

Buffie Blesi is the Chief Executive Officer of Rock What You Got, and the Vice Chair of the Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance. Buffie is an entrepreneur on a continuous journey to make a real and impactful difference for women through community connections, impassioned support of equality and opportunity, widening educational avenues and encouraging women to be who they are without judgement or apology.

Jeff Lin is the Co-Founder and CEO of pennant.tv, a platform that enables creators to launch a custom-branded subscription TV channel. He’s an active Board member at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts and Theater Latté Da, and a Trustee of American Public Media and Minnesota Public Radio.

Katie Thornton is a longtime local musician and journalist. Born and raised in Minneapolis, she currently plays in punk bands Constant Insult and Miracle Debt. After years at KFAI, she transitioned to freelance journalism in 2018, where she has received awards including the Peabody for her work with outlets like Rolling Stone, WNYC, The Guardian, 99% Invisible, National Geographic, and many more.

Chadwick "Niles" Phillips, CEO/Founder of The Avant Garde, produces concerts, curated events, and the annual “On The One” music festival in Bloomington. A 2006 Michigan State University Communications graduate, he pursued music, film, and education in New York City. He represents Grammy-winning artist Ben Williams and is the son of jazz/symphony bassist Sam Gill. His youth program, "Hip-Hop, History and The Arts," is taught statewide in Minnesota. Phillips has earned a Black Music America Award, Bloomington Pioneer Award, and an Outstanding Alumni Award from MSU. He is currently an artist in residence at Walker West Music Academy.

Christopher Rochester, an African American musician, educator, and composer with 15 years of professional experience, has collaborated with leading artists like Greg Osby and George Garzone. Deeply influenced by Black American cultural traditions, he integrates this heritage into his performances and teaching.

As an educator, he has worked across multiple states, guiding students to scholarships at top institutions like Berklee College of Music and the University of North Texas. Many of his students have earned state and national recognition.

David Safar is the Managing Director of The Current at Minnesota Public Radio. The Current is a locally based, nationally recognized, independent public media outlet best known for its radio service with a portfolio of digital content channels. Most recently, The Current launched Carbon Sound, a platform dedicated to amplifying artists and local voices.