Virtual Launch
January 22, 2026

A respected educator specializing in the Lester Horton Technique, Melissa has taught nationally and internationally for universities, conservatories, professional companies, and major festivals. She has also led movement-based leadership experiences for corporate and civic organizations. Her service includes advisory and panel roles for the Texas Commission on the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Dance Data Project®, and the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.

Today, Melissa serves as Co-Founder and Chief Artistic Officer of Artistic Directors International; as founder of The Presence Whisperer, a leadership brand rooted in presence, clarity, and embodied excellence; and as a leading practitioner collaborating with the Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage for the MA in Black British Dance and Performance at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Melissa’s global influence continues to position her as a trusted voice in the field—an artistic leader whose clarity, strength, and generosity elevate every creative community she touches.

Though far too modest to call himself an artist, Sam has long been a dedicated supporter and advocate for the arts. His involvement has spanned board service, committee leadership, and philanthropic patronage for numerous cultural institutions, including Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Arts Fort Worth, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Business Council for the Arts, the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, and SMU’s Master of Management in International Arts Management (MMIAM) program, among others.

As the former leader of the American Airlines Foundation and its global social impact portfolio, Sam championed countless U.S. and international organizations through corporate grants, employee volunteerism and board placements, product donations, and cause-marketing initiatives. He strengthened his leadership profile in the arts by completing the Leadership Arts Institute program and later serving as a faculty member of the Business Council for the Arts for nearly a decade.

In 2019, Sam was appointed by Mayor Eric Johnson to serve as Chair of the City of Dallas Arts and Culture Advisory Commission. Prior to this role, he spent nearly a decade as a judge for arts and cultural projects seeking city funding. In 2018, he contributed to the Dallas Cultural Plan, focusing on key pillars including community engagement, funding structures, economic impact, and equity—advancing these priorities through the work of the Advisory Commission.