SPECIAL GUESTS
JOAQUINA KALUKANGO, ACTRESS & SINGER
© Jeremy Pope
Joaquina Kalukango received the 2022 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her extraordinary performance as Nelly O’Brien in Paradise Square.
She also received a 2020 Tony Award nomination for her performance in the critically acclaimed Broadway production of Slave Play. For that production she also received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, and Broadway.com listed her as one of the top five performers (male or female) of the year.
Joaquina will next be seen in a recurring role in Taylor Sheridan’s much anticipated series “Bass Reeves” starring David Oyelowo in the titular role.
She is a 2021 SAG Award nominee for Cast in a Motion Picture for her role as Betty X opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir in Regina King’s directorial debut, “One Night in Miami.” Additionally, she recurred on the HBO series, “Lovecraft Country.”
Other TV credits include Ava DuVernay’s Netflix series, “When They See Us,” and “Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia,” directed by Kenny Leon.
Additional Broadway credits include: Into The Woods, The Color Purple, Holler If Ya Hear Me and Godspell.
AUGIE BELLO, SAXOPHONIST
New York Born and raised multi-instrumentalists, vocalist, producer, and songwriter, Augie Bello's musical style is distinctly eclectic and incorporates elements of funk, pop, r&b, jazz and electronic music. Taking influence from artists including, Allen Stone, Michael Brecker, Frank Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, and multiple others has given him an extremely unique sound.
Soon after starting college at The New School for Jazz, Bello realized that with music as a career, he needed to create his own opportunities and success. With this knowledge, Bello started to post videos of his music to Instagram in 2018. Since then, he has grown a following of over 800k people who are eager to hear his original music.
Through Instagram and TikTok, Bello has met and recorded with multiple artists including, Teddy Swims, Darren Criss, Casey Abrams, Andy Grammer and many others. Recently in August of 2021 Bello toured with Teddy Swims opening for the Zac Brown Band. In September of 2021 Bello performed at Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas and Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta with Teddy Swims. In addition, he appeared on as a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show in September.
Since the beginning of his musical journey, Bello has been bringing his comedic personality and unique style into everything he does. With each day, his goal is to make someone smile and this shines through with the music he plays and creates.
DALE HENDERSON, CELLIST
© Karin Gonzalez
Intensely inspired by classical music at a young age, Dale Henderson trained with top musicians including Yo-Yo Ma, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, and Leonard Bernstein protégé Eiji Oue. Making his professional solo debut at 13, Dale excelled as a traditional performer but felt driven to share the artform beyond its conventional constraints.
Breaking with traditional boundaries, in 2010 he began performing “Bach in the Subways” in New York City to transcend the cultural barriers that prevent people from connecting with classical music. His unconventional vision caught on, and within five years his solo project exploded into a global music movement which now brings new audiences to classical music in hundreds of cities in dozens of countries.
Dale is based in New York City and performs around the world.
DARIA HERASYMCHUK, ADVISER AND COMMISSIONER OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE
Daria has more than 10 years of experience in public activities, 7 years of which she is a constant leader and executive director of NGO "Vidchui" (Feel), which takes care of the support of children with hearing impairments and their families, implements various activities aimed at building an inclusive society, forming a tolerant attitude towards children and adults with disabilities, their socialization, protection and realization of the rights of such people and their families.
She is also the co-founder, methodologist and senior trainer of the Inclusive Friendly project. Author and teacher (trainer) of more than 10 of her own training and education courses, in particular, on effective communication, advocacy, NGO activities and management, fundraising and project management, tolerance and ethics and communication with people with disabilities, etc.
Starting from the early beginning from the full scale invasion of Russian Federation to Ukraine Daria became a Chair and now she is a Deputy chair (together with the Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine) of the National Coordinating Board for the Protection of Children's Rights in Martial Law, under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which was formed to facilitate the coordination of the activities of central and local governmental bodies, other state bodies, local self-government bodies on the protection of children's rights under martial law.
MEG ZERVOULIS, ASSOCIATE MUSIC DIRECTOR
Meg Zervoulis is currently the Associate Music Director at Funny Girl. She has worked on numerous Broadway productions as a music director and is a dedicated music educator. When not in the theatre, she is the co-chair of the Maestra Music Mentorship and is a longtime member of the Paper Mill Playhouse family.
OKSANA MARKAROVA, UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE USA
Oksana Markarova was appointed the Ukraine’s Ambassador to the USA and arrived in DC on Apr 20, 2021.
She served in Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance in 2015-2020 as First deputy Minister and Government commissioner on investments and then since 2018 as a Minister of Finance. During her time at the Ministry, she was a co-author of Ukraine’s macroeconomic revival program, has conducted unprecedented fiscal consolidation leading to deficit to GDP of 2% and debt to GDP reduction to below 50%, introduced midterm budgeting, gender-oriented budgeting as well as negotiated, structured and coordinated successfully two IMF programs and other IFI cooperation programs.
During her tenure she and her team has also created UkraineInvest government promotion agency, Ukrainian Startup fund and an eData ecosystem of government public finance portals including spending.gov.ua, openbudget.gov.ua and analytical instrument BOOST, which opened the majority of the public finance data to the public and increased Ukraine in all major international data transparency ratings.
Prior to career in public service Mrs. Markarova spent 17 years working in private equity and financial advisory having leadership roles in ITT investment group, Western NIS Enterprise Fund, Chemonics and and World bank, as well as founded Archidata startup electronic archive company in between service positions in 2020.
Oksana Markarova serves at the Boards of UkraineHouse DC foundation in Washington DC, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukrainian Development Foundation and supports Ukrainian Catholic University and Ukrainian Press Museum-Archive.
She holds BS and MS degrees in Environmental Science from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Ukraine and MPA in public finance from Indiana University with academic excellency and best international student awards.
Markarova is married with four children and grandson.
On July 5, 2023, the President of Ukraine has appointed Oksana Markarova as Ambassador of Ukraine with concurrent accreditation to Antigua and Barbuda.
BILLY DIMICHELE, CHAIR, LUMOS FOUNDATION USA
"Like Lumos, I believe in the dreams, potential, and well-being of all children. I am honored and thrilled that I can support Lumos here in the U.S."
In his 24 years at Scholastic, Billy has produced hundreds of the global children’s publishing and media company’s multi-media events and videos, and large-scale creative initiatives, including the development of the Scholastic’s brand position and reading message, the launch of the Harry Potter series, and the complete renovation of the company’s world headquarters in Soho, NY.
As a producer, his career highlights include Harry Potter Place, a live, interactive experience attended by more than 20,000 people for the launches of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007); An Evening with Harry, Carrie & Garp, a literacy event and fundraiser with J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, and John Irving at Radio City Music Hall; the Open Book Tour, J.K. Rowling’s final U.S. Harry Potter book tour; Harry Potter & the Cursed Child Muggle Mob – a live event on the streets of New York City to celebrate the launch of the book.
He also produced 23 consecutive Scholastic Art & Writing Awards National Ceremonies, celebrating the nation’s most creative teenagers, at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. and at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
In 2008, Billy launched a series of live and pre-recorded educational webcasts into schools nationwide and around the world. To date, more than 125 million students and teachers have tuned in to virtually visit iconic landmarks, explore history and science, better understand the nuances of mathematics, and listen to literary and music icons like J.K. Rowling, David Baldacci, Taylor Swift, and Usher discuss books, reading, and writing.
Billy is the recipient of multiple Webby and Telly Awards, as well as a 2002 Emmy® Award.
Prior to his role at Scholastic, Billy was a stage and television actor.
PETER MCDERMOTT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT LUMOS
Peter is a child development expert with over 25 years’ experience of leading global initiatives in international development and philanthropy. Previously the CEO of the Martin James Foundation, an organisation committed to protecting vulnerable and institutionalised children, he also led Fajara Associates, an international development and philanthropic advisory consultancy working with the UN and governments.
Prior to this, Peter served as Managing Director and Executive Director, Global Health, at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).
He joined CIFF in 2007 following over 22 years in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) where he served in senior capacities throughout the world - extensively in sub-Saharan Africa and latterly as Chief – Global HIV/AIDS in New York. Peter was also Principal Advisor for HIV/AIDS in the Africa Bureau of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
CONTACT US
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