Meet The Team Behind the Vision
Our dedicated team of visionaries and mentors drives our mission forward, empowering the next generation of storytellers through creativity, mentorship, and opportunity.
A Pathway to Empowerment
Veronica Arts Media empowers at-risk youth by providing impactful educational opportunities in media arts, fostering creativity, leadership, and social equity.
Let's Create Impact Together! Have a question or an idea? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out today and let’s make a difference!
Let's Create Impact Together!
Have a question or an idea? We’d love to hear from you!
Meet Our Leadership Team
founder and executive director
Maurita Salkey
Maurita Salkey is the Founder and Executive Director of Veronica Arts Media.
A Temple University graduate, Salkey brings a dynamic background in media production, education, and nonprofit leadership. Her professional media experience spans more than seven years, during which she has worked with major entertainment and news organizations, including REVOLT TV, Buzzfeed, BET, VH1, The Shade Room, Lionsgate, FOX, and ABC News, serving in various capacities as an on-camera talent, producer, and writer.
In 2020, she founded Veronica John Productions, an independent production company through which she wrote, directed, and produced two short films and a documentary. Her creative work has received recognition from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Bronx Council on the Arts.
In addition to her media career, Salkey is a former educator with seven years of experience working with elementary, middle, and high school students. She also earned a master's degree in teaching/education from Relay Graduate School of Education. further strengthened her expertise in curriculum development, instructional leadership, and youth development. Her experience in both education and entertainment inspired her to bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and hands-on media arts education.
In March 2023, Salkey founded Veronica Arts Media with a vision to make high-quality media arts education accessible to young people from historically underserved communities. Under her leadership, the organization has established partnerships with prominent educational institutions and community organizations, including Teachers College at Columbia University, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, KIPP NYC Public Schools, Uncommon Schools, and the Westchester Community Foundation.
Since its inception, Salkey has transformed Veronica Arts Media from a two-person leadership team into a growing nonprofit supported by about 60 full-time/part-time staff members. As Executive Director, she oversees organizational strategy, program development, fundraising, partnerships, staffing, and operational compliance.
Co-Founder
Mr Christian Cadle
Mr. Cadle is the Co-Founder of Veronica Arts Media and serves as our Director of Programs and Multi-Site Supervisor. In this leadership role, he supervises and leads programming across all Veronica Arts Media school sites, including our three DYCD COMPASS programs.
As Director of Programs, Mr. Cadle helps oversee program implementation, staff support, site operations, enrichment programming, and the overall quality of the student experience. He works closely with site leadership and program teams to keep our programs organized, engaging, and aligned with Veronica Arts Media’s mission and expectations.
With more than 15 years of experience in education and youth development, Mr. Cadle has worked directly with young people, developed programs, supported staff, and created meaningful, engaging learning environments.
Through his leadership at Veronica Arts Media, Mr. Cadle helps ensure our school-based programs are implemented with consistency, creativity, and a strong commitment to providing high-quality opportunities for every student we serve.
Community Outreach Officer
Melissa Nyarko
Ms. Nyarko is the Senior Brand Manager at Live Nation. She epitomizes integrity, leadership, and an enterprising spirit. Deeply passionate about equitable education, she is honored to also serve her community as a youth tutor and mentor. Ms. Nyarko works to uplift the next generation of professionals by equipping students with the valuable knowledge needed to succeed in creative careers.
Treasurer
Jamila Huxtable
Jamila serves as a Producer for Marketplace's Social team, where her primary focus involves crafting compelling videos and visual graphics for Marketplace's social media platforms. In addition to her role in content creation, she spearheads organic strategy and engagement for podcasts launches and special projects, contributing her expertise across all broadcast programs.
Director of Programming & Partnerships
Diana Sainvil-Robinson
Diana is the Managing Director of Leadership Development at Teach For America. She is an accomplished Executive Institutional Leader with over 8 years of experience providing business and organizational leadership in academic institutions, including secondary education roles.
Secretary
Driadonna Roland
Driadonna is the Development Coordinator at Comedy Central, with over 10 years of experience in content creation, including: writing, copy editing, developing brand voice, creating original content for major media outlets, producing digital series, establishing editorial frameworks, and live production — all with an emphasis on thoughtful diversity and inclusion.
Meet Our Teaching Artists
Actress, Designer & Illustrator
Leica Lucien
Lecia is an actress, designer, and illustrator based in New York City. Her theatrical journey includes performances in various theater productions, commercials, and films. When she is not performing, Leica channels her creative talents into empowering small businesses through impactful web design and illustration services.
Screenwriter & Director
Chanel Dupree
Chanel Dupree is an award winning screenwriter and director based in NYC. Her second film “Next Stop” earned her “Best Female Director” and is currently streaming on NoBudge. Chanel has written in several writers’ rooms, including her web series “Black Retail” that won her “Best Comedy” & “Best Web series”. A winner of Spec that Scene, a finalist for Women Write Now, finalist of BLACK BOY/GIRL WRITES MEDIA and A fellow of BRIC’s Screenwriters Lab, Chanel’s work can be found on Shadow & Act, HuffPost and African Voices.
Multi-Hyphenate Filmmaker & Storyteller
Samantha Thompson
Samantha Thompson is a screenplay writer, director, producer, editor, cinematographer, and actress. To date Samantha has three projects currently out called, “Life Over Death” which is streaming on Prime Video, “Lick The Series” which is streaming on Tubi, and ‘The Invite’ streaming on YouTube.
Film Producer
Janelle Saint-Eloi
Janelle Saint-Eloi is an emerging film producer passionate about telling unique and vibrant stories, specifically those that highlight women and people of color.
Filmmaker
Brandon Lizardi
Brandon Lizardi is a filmmaker based in New York City. He is passionate about storytelling and inspiring the next generation of filmmakers.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Education Administrator
Janeika Fairley
Dr. Janeika Fairley, an experienced educator, school leader, and counselor, has dedicated 20 years to supporting underserved communities in NYC. She passionately advocates for STEAM career opportunities and empowers individuals through education and program management.
Global Program Associate
Ryan McBride
Ryan is a Global Programs Associate at the Obama Foundation. He is responsible for coordinating and supporting the development of international initiatives that aim to empower young leaders around the world.
Producer
Danielle Latty
As a Producer, Danielle Latty specializes in orchestrating film and television projects from inception to completion, ensuring that each production is both creatively inspired and smoothly executed.
Senior Insurance Risk Analyst
Ayana Clark
As a Senior Insurance Risk Analyst at Amazon, Ayana focuses on assessing and mitigating financial risks associated with corporate insurance policies and claims to protect the company's assets and ensure operational continuity.
Instructional Coach & Assistant Principal
Shuron Jackson
Since beginning a career in education, Shuron has navigated a variety of spaces, with experiences that include the macro perspective of policy to the practicality of the classroom providing a holistic contribution to organizations, schools, and nonprofits.
Associate Producer
Ikeem Boyd
Ikeem is a versatile media professional and Temple University graduate who excels in crafting compelling content from concept through to execution.
College Counselor
Sandra Amponsah
Sandra is a dedicated college counselor passionate about supporting students and helping them succeed. With a background in media and entertainment, she brings a unique perspective to guiding students through their academic and personal journeys.
Entrepreneur
John Mobley
John Mobley is the founder of Shinju Japanese Whisky, Armero Tequila and Fervor Mezcal. As a NYC native, the goal has always been to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers.
Associate Editor
Shelby Copeland
Shelby Copeland is an associate editor and the assistant to O's editor-at-large, Gayle King. When she's not in assistant mode or writing for Oprah Daily, she is active in her community by donating her time and resources to giving back to youth in need.