Meet DDSC’s Founder & President:

Monica O. Montgomery

Monica O. Montgomery, MA is a lauded and renowned cultural thought leader, in museums, public history, creative economy and arts administration. She is a doctoral candidate at Point Park University, pursuing her Ph.D in Community Engagement exploring the intersection of festivals, storytelling and community power. Over the last 20 years she has consulted with a dozen organizations, municipalities and civic entities, leading public engagement and partnerships towards ecologies of promise.

Listen to Monica tell her family’s story and how DiasporaDNA came to be!

Speaking Inquiry

Monica O. Montgomery, Founder & President, DiasporaDNA Story Center is available for keynote addresses, panels, workshops, and interactive presentations. With expertise in community engagement, cultural preservation, and storytelling, Monica inspires audiences to explore the power of heritage, memory, and creative expression in building resilient communities.

Her presentations cover topics including:

  • Amplifying global majority voices through media justice and cultural leadership

  • Curating public programs that celebrate community narratives

  • Harnessing storytelling for social impact and cultural preservation

  • Creative strategies for education, wellness, and community engagement

Whether addressing nonprofit leaders, cultural institutions, educators, or public audiences, Monica brings insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and practical tools for action.

Book Monica for your next event to energize your audience and foster meaningful dialogue around culture, identity, and community impact. Email monica@diasporadna.org for all speaking engagement inquiries.

Presentations

Full Bio

Monica O. Montgomery, MA is a lauded and renowned cultural thought leader, in museums, public history, higher education, creative economy and arts administration. She is a doctoral candidate at Point Park University, pursuing her Ph.D in Community Engagement exploring the intersection of festivals, storytelling and community power. Over the last 20 years she has consulted with dozens of organizations, municipalities and civic entities, leading public engagement and partnerships towards ecologies of promise.

As an independent curator, she has produced social change exhibits and participatory experiences with institutions such as the The Formerly Incarcerated Renaissance Museum, Smithsonian Institution Arts & Industries Building, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Portland Art Museum, South African Embassy, T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, Weeksville Heritage Center and the Brooklyn Museum among others.

She is a sought-after keynote speaker and having rocked stages at TedX, SXSW, American Alliance of Museums, Association of Art Museum Curators, Themed Entertainment Association, Visitor Experience Conference, Museum Next and more, sharing her bold ideas and insights on topics such as diaspora storytelling, shared authority and engagement strategies. Notably she has shared stages with FLOTUS Jill Biden and Artist Theater Gates and has been featured in media appearances on major networks: CBS, NBC, Fox, C-Span, PBS Newshour, The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Humans of New York, Watch The Yard, Hyperallergic, and Radio One.

She stewards the Montgomery Collection, an archive of global majority diasporic, history, ephemera, photos, antiquarian books, family papers and art which she is transforming into - DiasporaDNA Story Center.