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ABHM is operated by the nonprofit Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation.
The Dr. James Cameron Legacy Foundation Board of Directors:
Dr. Ralph Hollman, President of Hollmon Consulting, Milwaukee Urban League (retired) – Board President
Dr. Russell Brooker, Professor of Political Science, Alverno College – Treasurer
Virgil Cameron, County of Milwaukee (retired) – Secretary
Michelle Ford-Hinton, Director of Population Health and Well Being, Alliance for Strong Families and Communities – Chair of Nominations Committee
Aaron Bledsoe, Communications and Event Coordinator, LISC Milwaukee
Reuben Harpole, Bader Philanthropies (retired)
Moshe Katz, Owner, Atid Properties
Ranjit Singh, Director of Special Education, Milwaukee Public Schools
Staff:
- Dr. Robert "Bert" Davis, President & CEO
- Cydney (Hargro) Key, Director of Operations
- Mia Phifer, Executive Assistant to President/CEO
See Staff members' bios and headshots below.
Consultants:
- Amanda Garry Aliperta, Fund Development
- Kim Eubanks, Volunteer Coordination/Human Resources
- Reggie Jackson, ABHM Head Griot, Nurturing Diveristy Partners
- Dr. Fran Kaplan, ABHM’s Virtual Museum Coordinator, Nurturing Diveristy Partners
- Brad Pruitt, Executive Consultant
- Dr. Robert S. Smith, Resident Historian, Marquette University
See Consultants' bios and headshots below.
Bios:
Dr. Robert “Bert” M. Davis, President & CEO
Former CEO of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, Dr. Davis became the new President/CEO of ABHM on September 3rd, 2019. Dr. Davis brings both the commitment and combination of skills and experience in leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management to help make the long-awaited reopening of the museum successful for generations to come.
Cydney Key, Director of Operations
Cydney, an experienced real-estate and non-profit management professional, was hired as Executive Assistant in September of 2018 and was promoted to Director of Operations in March of 2020. As Director of Operations, Cydney oversees all administrative and facilities management, relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and supervises the Operations Staff and Volunteer Coordinator.
Mia Phifer, Executive Assistant to the President/CEO
Mia is a Public Historian and Museum Professional who started working on behalf of ABHM as a consultant in September of 2018. In March 2020, she was promoted to Executive Assistant to the President/CEO. In addition to the duties of Executive Assistant, Mia’s roles also include assisting with developing operations and strategic plans, communications, fund development, and programming.
Brad Pruitt, Executive Consultant, former ED, began work on the museum’s reemergence in 2010, after initially being invited to work on a film exploring Dr. Cameron’s life a few years prior.
For the last decade, Brad (an award winning filmmaker, writer, producer, and director) has been working on the rebuilding of the museum. From early advocate to interim Executive Director, Brad is currently serving as Executive Consultant. He continues to work on varied projects and initiatives, from community relations and engagement to strategic planning, fundraising, and organizational and physical space development.
Amanda Garry Aliperta, Fund Development Consultant
Amanda is the Founder & Principle of Momentum Nonprofit Strategies, LLC and was hired as ABHM’s Fund Development Consultant in April of 2020. As our Fund Development Consultant, Amanda has helped with the museum’s overall development strategy, including grant writing, donor, corporate, and foundation relations, as well as with our programs.
Kim Eubanks, Human Resources + Volunteer Management Consultant
Kim has worked in the museum field for over 20 years and began volunteering her time and services with ABHM in the summer of 2019. In March of 2020, Kim was hired as the museum’s Human Resources and Volunteer Coordinator Consultant to lead ABHM’s planning, recruitment, training, management, and evaluation process for our volunteers, staff, and consultants.
Dr. Robert Smith, Resident Historian
Dr. Rob has been the resident historian for ABHM, alongside his roles as the Harry G. John Professor of History and the Director of the Center for Urban Research, Teaching & Outreach (CURTO) at Marquette University. Rob's research and teaching interests include African American history, civil rights history, and exploring the intersections of race and law. He has helped further position ABHM as an Academic Center of Excellence by bringing his scholarship to our internal infrastructure and programmatic elements.
Dr. Fran Kaplan, Virtual Museum Coordinator/Consultant
Dr. Fran Kaplan is the Co-Founder and Lead Trainer/Consultant for Nurturing Diversity Partners. Fran holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Master of Social Work. She has spent fifty-five years working against poverty and for social justice and peace locally, nationally, and internationally. She founded ABHM's Virtual Museum and was part of the group of community volunteers who worked to rebirth the physical museum. Fran has served as an adult educator, social worker, community organizer, and executive, program, and training director in farmworker rights, women’s healthcare, child protection, parenting education, and public history. Dr. Kaplan and her work were commended in the 2017 U.S. Congressional Record and the National Association of Social Workers’ 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award, among many other honors.
Reggie Jackson, Educational Programming Consultant
Reggie is the Co-Founder and Lead Trainer/Consultant for Nurturing Diversity Partners. He volunteered as ABHM's Head Griot from 2003 and was part of the group of community volunteers who worked to reestablish the physical museum. Reggie has been a much sought-after speaker, researcher, and writer for over a decade – regionally and nationally. His work helps institutions and individuals understand how our country’s racial hierarchy developed historically, its impact on our lives today, and how we can realize America’s promise for all citizens. Reggie shares seldom-told stories and facts about the experiences of African-Americans and other peoples of color past and present. His award-winning online column and other writing and speaking provide background on current racial issues to regional, national, and international media.
Comments Are Welcome
Note: We moderate submissions in order to create a space for meaningful dialogue, a space where museum visitors – adults and youth –– can exchange informed, thoughtful, and relevant comments that add value to our exhibits.
Racial slurs, personal attacks, obscenity, profanity, and SHOUTING do not meet the above standard. Such comments are posted in the exhibit Hateful Speech. Commercial promotions, impersonations, and incoherent comments likewise fail to meet our goals, so will not be posted. Submissions longer than 120 words will be shortened.
See our full Comments Policy here.
Are you located in Wisconsin state? Do you have to pay to visit the museum? Are there any discounts for seniors, if a payment is required? Are you currently open today? I saw the video clip about Dr. James Cameron on youtube and I am interested in visiting the museum.
Yes, the museum is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Due to covid restrictions, our physical galleries are not open at this time, but will be once it’s safe to gather. The best way to get information about the re-opening is to subscribe to our newsletter, The Griot. See the subscription box on our home page.