DiasporaDNA Board of Directors
Dennis Maurice Dumpson, MBA | Treasurer
Dennis Maurice Dumpson (he/him) is the Founder and Principal Consultant of #InvestBLK, a boutique racial equity and strategic planning firm dedicated to empowering Black and Brown leaders through coaching, strategy, and trust-based funding. He is also the Chief External Affairs Officer at Let’s Get Ready, a national nonprofit serving over 25,000 students on their journey to and through college.
Dennis has led work across education, philanthropy, and public service, previously holding leadership roles at the Philadelphia International Airport, KIPP Philadelphia, and Opportunity Finance Network. Through #InvestBLK’s Black and Empty Fund and theQUITTING FUND, he has directed impactful investments toward the well-being and liberation of Black and Brown changemakers.
He is also an author and thought leader whose work on racial justice and equity has been featured in The Washington Post, CBS MoneyWatch, and Socialist Worker. He holds a BA from Lincoln University (PA), an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Justice Education at the University of San Diego.
Connie Grier (she/her) is a dedicated School Principal and the Founder of The RESPECT Alliance, a nonprofit committed to mentoring, parent engagement, and addressing social justice issues such as mass incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline.
As Principal, Connie centers equity by expanding access to culturally relevant instruction, restorative SEL supports, and real-world learning. She launched #TheTRADESAtWAGNER, a monthly Building Trades program, and is introducing Culinary Arts as a core elective for students in the 2024–2025 school year. Her work is rooted in strong community partnerships that broaden opportunities for her scholars.
Connie also leads JUSTShift®, a parent and family coaching firm focused on respectful, relationship-based parenting. As an Adjunct Professor and advocate, she teaches on the impact of incarceration on families and communities, and supports those directly affected by the justice system.
Her motto and mission are one and the same: #JusticeAlways.
Connie Grier | Member at Large
Ginger is a curator, mentor, writer, and arts advisor from Philadelphia, PA. As a curator, writer, and arts advisor, she serves as a vital bridge between artists, institutions, and the public, fostering opportunities for public art commissions, residencies, and institutional collaborations. She has built her career around curating insightful and accessible exhibitions, programming, and arts education.
Ginger leads the Mural Arts Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists, a year-long program dedicated to nurturing emerging talent by providing mentorship, professional development, and long-term industry connections—ensuring equitable access to opportunities for artists from historically marginalized communities.
She is also the founder of HAHAMAG and co-founder of HAHAxParadigm, a Philadelphia-based arts initiative that partners with artists, creatives, and brands to produce impactful public art experiences that inspire and connect communities.
Ginger Rudolph | Member at Large
George is an artist, digital archivist, and community historian based in Cleveland, Ohio. Harb’s disciplinary focus is on preserving Arab American and Palestinian American narratives. Specializing in digitizing and revitalizing historical archives, he makes these cultural stories accessible for future generations, emphasizes the importance of documenting and safeguarding Palestinian history, and ensures that these histories are protected from erasure.
Harb founded Zaman Project, an initiative rooted in his family's personal archives that preserves and shares Palestinian American identity. Additionally, Harb has curated exhibits that highlight the significance of cultural and historical heritage, while also contributing to various other Palestinian preservation initiatives. In 2023, he founded Palestinian American Heritage Society, which focuses on the development of the Palestinian Cultural Garden of Cleveland, a space dedicated to celebrating the Palestinian diasporic contributions and ancestral roots.
George Harb | Member at Large
Brea M. Heidelberg, PhD | Member at Large
Brea M. Heidelberg is a Professor in the Arts & Entertainment Enterprise Department at Drexel University. She is also founder and principal of ISO Arts Consulting, a firm focusing on equity-centered coaching, executive searches, human resources solutions, organizational assessments, and workshops for arts and cultural organizations. Dr. Heidelberg's primary research focuses on industrial psychology in arts and creative environments and organizations. Her book Human Resources in the Arts focuses on how to create and maintain cultural organizations that are humane and equitable.
Dr. Heidelberg earned her MS in Human Resource Development from Villanova University and her doctorate in Arts Administration, Education, and Policy from The Ohio State University.
Nicole McDonald is an arts and culture strategist and Deputy Director at Friends of the Rail Park, an organization revitalizing three miles of unused rail lines in Philadelphia. She specializes in building meaningful events, spaces, and projects for diverse audiences with a strong commitment to arts accessibility, equitable practices, and community engagement. As a cross-functional leader with extensive experience in nonprofit and government ecosystems, Nicole brings strategic vision and purpose-driven leadership focused on creating positive social change through the arts, with expertise in community outreach, project management, socio-creative design, and creative problem-solving.