Leadership — Brooklyn Steppers

Leadership & stewardship.

A 37-year cultural institution is built and sustained by the people who believe in it — the executive director who steers the mission, the board that safeguards it, the staff who deliver it every day, and the partners who help it grow.

Meet the people stewarding the tradition forward.

Executive Director

Antonio Thompson

[Placeholder bio — to be written by Antonio or communications team.]

Antonio Thompson serves as Executive Director of Brooklyn Steppers, leading the organization's strategy, institutional partnerships, and long-term growth. Under his leadership, BK Steppers has deepened its formal relationship with the NYCPS Arts Office, launched the two-branch model connecting NYC Cultural Education with Community Safety & Healing in Mount Vernon, and is actively acquiring the organization's first permanent facility after 37 years.

[Additional bio details to be added: background, years with the organization, personal connection to the mission, prior experience, education, community involvement.]

Direct contact

Governance
that matches the mission.

The BK Steppers Board of Directors brings expertise in law, finance, education, and the arts to the stewardship of a cultural institution. The board meets quarterly and maintains active Executive, Governance, and Fundraising committees.

Board Chair
Jeremy King
Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Vice Chair
Kenneth Graves, Ph.D.
Director of Upper School, Trevor Day School
Treasurer
Andrew Taffurelli
Owner, Freedom First Tax and Accounting Co.
Secretary
Becca Meyer
Associate Attorney, McDermott Will & Emery
Board Member
Mary Taylor
Senior Director of Development, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy
Board Member
Dana Stockman
Project Manager, PMO at TikTok
Board Member
Shahid Ajmeri
Principal Product Manager, Cisco Systems
Member Emeritus
Michael Huttenlocher
Former Board Chair
Partner, Massumi + Consoli
Member Emeritus
William F. Shea
Former Treasurer
Partner, Floyd Advisory

Antonio Thompson, Executive Director, serves on the Board in a non-voting capacity.

The people behind
the pathway.

BK Steppers operates with a lean, senior team supported by a strong roster of teaching artists. Every staff member is responsible for a specific piece of the cultural institution's mission.

Program Coordinator
Mike Hodges
Owns all program delivery across 8 NYCPS school sites, the Saturday Program, and the BK Steppers Drumline. Ensures consistency of the HBCU show-style and drum corps tradition across every site.
PCM Manager
[To be named]
Owns Next Wave Drumline Festival logistics, school outreach, and community partnerships. Funded through the Project RISE grant and operating budget.
Pro Line Director
[To be named]
Leads the BK Steppers Pro Line — the professional performing ensemble of alumni and HBCU graduates. Oversees weekly rehearsals and paid bookings at venues including Carnegie Hall, Barclays Center, and MetLife Stadium.
Teaching Artists
The TA Corps
Approximately eight teaching artists deliver instruction across NYCPS residencies, the Saturday Program, and X-Factor. Many are BK Steppers alumni returning to teach the next generation.
Virtual Assistant
[To be named]
Remote contractor supporting email, social media, Pro Line bookings, and event coordination. Keeps the organization's communications running.
Program Partners
Mount Vernon Team
The X-Factor Drumline team in Mount Vernon works in partnership with the Guidance Center of Westchester to deliver Branch 2 — Community Safety & Healing through marching arts.

Built to last.
Built to account.

BK Steppers operates with strong governance practices appropriate to a 37-year cultural institution. The board maintains active committee structures, reviews financials on a quarterly cadence, and publishes audited financial statements and Form 990 annually.

7
Voting board members plus two members emeritus
4x
Quarterly board meetings per year
3
Active committees: Executive, Governance, Fundraising
501(c)(3)
Incorporated 2009 · EIN available on request

Help steward a cultural institution.

BK Steppers is actively recruiting board members with expertise in real estate and facilities, major gifts fundraising, and marketing and brand strategy. The board give/get expectation is $3,000 annually.

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