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 Jocelyn McClure, President
A student of voice under Mr. Edward Jackson and a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts class of '78, Jocelyn McClure has performed in numerous venues throughout her vocal music career.
During her time at Ellington, she
performed with Wallace Roney and the Duke Ellington
Jazz Ensemble, which played in New York City's Greenwich
Village hot spot Dr. Generosity and DC's jazz club
The Pigfoot, among others.
After attending Catholic University
on vocal music scholarship for a time, she appeared
as Josephine Baker in Ricky Payton's New Cotton Club
Review, which received critical acclaim.
Now a gospel artist, she is sought
out regularly to perform in gospel-related venues,
and has often been encouraged to turn her love of
song into a career.
Jocelyn is also President and CEO of her own real estate investment company, The F.I.N. Group, LLC, has practiced real estate as a professional for over 15 years and is licensed in DC, MD and VA.
 Jacqueline Ellison, Treasurer
Jacqueline Ellison is a native Washingtonian who has been an active member of the arts community since she was a small child. Jacqueline has performed all over the Washington metropolitan area, as well as the entire east coast region, as a background singer for the Motown artist Grenique. Her artistic roots were planted early on thanks to her mother, who encouraged her to explore her many interests.
Jacqueline has dabbled in violin, piano, vocal tech, and three different dance genres. During a window in her journey she also taught interpretive movement.
Because of these explorations in her early years, she made it into the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she now sits as treasurer of the Alumni Association.
Community service has remained a focal point in her life, and currently Jacqueline volunteers as a hotline and hospital advocate in her community. Jacqueline plans to return in the spring of 2007 to the University of the District of Columbia, where she will resume her studies in Music Education.
Shuyinthia Farley-Hembry, Vice President of Internal Communication
Shuyinthia Farley-Hembry is a Native Washingtonian with a rich history in the arts. Graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, class of 1996, she studied violin under Mrs. Ramona Matthews. She went on to attend The George Washington University to study psychology and music, where she continued violin study under the guidance of Mrs. Mary Findley. Her mother is also a Western/Ellington Alumnae.
Coming from a talented family of artists and entrepreneurs, it was natural
for Shuyinthia to love the arts and create new ways
to cultivate her gifts. She has a passion for the
arts, education, community advancement and wealth
building. She's been active in her community from
an early age. Volunteering has been an outlet to give
back and learn valuable skills to help those surrounding
her. She loves to help elders, teach (and learn from)
children and expose young people to different ways
of enhancing themselves.
Shuyinthia owns a private tutoring company where she teaches life skills and financial intelligence as an addition to her curriculum. She has been performing violin as a continuing love since age 8. She now uses her gift as a part of her church's chamber orchestra. She also enjoys research, political awareness and calligraphy.
Ronald Lee Newman, Vice President, Activities
Ronald Lee Newman is a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts (vocal music c/o 1994). In addition to serving on the board of the Alumni Association, Mr. Newman serves as a Stage Manager for the Washington National Opera, Opera Theatre of Northern Virginia and is Co-Founder/Managing Director for Nu Visions of Excellence Theatre Company (www.nuvoe.org).
Some of Mr. Newman's artistic credits include: Thunder of Horse, International
tour of David Talbert's Love on Lay-a-way starring
Deborah Cox, Martha Wash, Lenny Williams and Mel Jackson,
Magic Flute, TIMBUKTU!, Ain't Misbehavin', Enchantment
of Dreams (World Premier), Brundibar, Debbie Allen's
Dancing in the Wings, the East Coast world premier
of Dream of the Pacific, Ragtime the Musical, L'occasione
fa il ladro, Cosi Fan Tutte, Barber of Seville, Say
it Ain't So, Roll On!, A Liberating Prayer: A Love
Song For Mumia, Mike Malone's Black Nativity and Black
Broadway, The Washington Post Music and Dance Scholarship
Awards with Jasmine Guy and Jim Vance.
Ronald received his B.F.A. in Arts Administration from Howard University and
currently serves as Operations and Logistics Manager
and lecturer for arts administration and stage management
at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
 Yvette Thomas, Vice President, Activities
 Sharif Walters, Vice President, Membership
Sharif Walters (Shawn Sharif) is a proud graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts class of 1989 and has been active with the Alumni Association since its conception. His early music experience playing the drums and singing in his church choir, combined with the influence of his father and step-father (both musicians), led him to audition for the prestigious school.
While at Ellington, he participated in the percussion and wind ensembles under the direction of Leroy Barton and Davey Yarborough. He also performed with the pit orchestra each year for the school's annual theater musicals. During summer months, he worked with Ellington co-founder Mike Malone with the Everyman Street Theatre.
In his senior year, he was one of only a few students chosen from the school to participate in the MENC (Music Educators National Conference) All-Eastern Symphony Orchestra.
After high school, Sharif relocated to New York City, where he worked as a musician, producer and promoter with recording acts such as Jodeci, The Braxton's and producer Bryce Wilson of Groove Theory, to name a few. He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Technology with a minor in Finance from Strayer University and is now in the process of starting his own production company.
 Rashad Da'mond Rowe, Vice President, Production
Rashad D. Rowe, a native of Washington, DC, Class of '94, enrolled in Ellington in '91 as a Visual Arts major, later transferring to Technical Theater in his junior year. Rashad was born to draw and paint, but fell in love with the behind-the-scene action of technical theater.
Rashad has worked with many productions, including the Washington Savoyards, Arena Stage, local theater groups, and celebrities from Stevie Wonder to local talent like Tony Terry.
After graduating from Ellington and moving to Pittsburgh, PA, Rashad saw a chance to make some changes to his career and spirituality. Studying Islam and doing security protection with the Nation of Islam motivated him to eventually attend ICM School of Business for a degree in Criminal Justice and move back to the DC area.
Now with the U.S. Department of Transportation Security Force, he spends his off-time helping with the Technical Theater Deptartment with productions and mentoring Tech students, in addition to being an active member of The Ellington Alumni Association.
 Kristi Schmidt, Vice President, Media Communication
Kristi Schmidt, a Washington, DC native and member of the class of 1990 (Visual Arts), has an extension background in multimedia training. Currently attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online, where she will receive her Bachelors in Interactive Media Design in 2009, she also holds an Associates degree in Multimedia and Web Design and has been trained at the Corcoran College of Art and Maryland College of Art and Design in Visual Communications. She owes all credit to Duke Ellington for training her in her craft. "Without the love, support and belief in me from the Ellington staff and fellow alumni, there is no telling where I would be today," she states.
Ms. Schmidt studied Music Business and Artist Management at Omega Recording studios. She was hired by The Bayou nightclub, formally located in Georgetown, where she assisted with club promotions of great acts such as the Grateful Dead, N'Dea Davenport, Rahsaan Patterson, Fighting Gravity and Chuck Brown.
Currently owner and operator of her own company, KSARD (ksard.com), Ms. Schmidt states, "Music is a large portion of the multi-media industry in addition to theater, radio, and television; therefore, it is my goal to aid underground artists achieve their goals through promotions, artist development and graphic/web design."
In her spare time, she is heavily involved with organizations helping to raise awareness of disabilities such as Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus.
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