OUR BOARD
ahava silkey-jones
Vice Provost, School of Creative Arts, Entertainment and Design, Dallas College
Ahava Silkey-Jones is an accomplished community leader with an extensive national portfolio in arts administration, school administration, and nonprofit leadership. She has a passion for civic engagement and building equitable access to high-quality arts experiences. Ahava is currently serving as Vice Provost for the School of Creative Arts, Entertainment and Design at Dallas College serving over 20,000 students annually. Ahava is a member of the 2022 Business Council for the Arts Leadership Arts Institute Cohort serving the city of Dallas and
is a Co-Founder and Board President of the Professional Theatre and Dance Youth Academy and serves as a Board Member for the ROHO Collective, supporting artists of color in Minneapolis. Ahava served as a Commissioner with the Minneapolis Arts Commission from 2020-2023 and was a 2021 Policy Fellow with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Ahava holds an Ed.M. in Arts in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education, an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University, and a B.A. from DePaul University.
Johnny Figel
Development Director — West Coast, American India Foundation
Johnny currently serves with the American India Foundation, where he advances a mission focused on improving the lives of underprivileged communities—especially women, children, and youth—through high-impact efforts in education, livelihoods, and public health. As a binational organization, AIF also builds bridges across global communities while cultivating the next generation of changemakers—an approach that strongly aligns with PTDYA’s commitment to youth development through the arts.
Jazmine Reynolds
Principal Event Manager, GCM Grosvenor
Robbie Balan
Founder, Lead Designer, OffBalans Branding
Robbie founded OffBalans Branding in 2009, designing websites from the ground up, developing product packaging, and creating visual corporate identities. With her degrees in architecture, fine arts, and product design, Robbie is adept at tackling projects across disciplines for a wide range of clients from engineering firms to personal care companies to non-profits.
Holly Fischer
Former Executive Director, DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science
Holly Fischer has worked in education for thirty years, both in the private sector and public. Holly joined the DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science in 2008 as a charter member of the teaching staff, moved into operations to oversee the 25 million dollar expansion project, and then served as the school’s Executive Director. Her work to further academic excellence, promote the arts as critical in a well rounded education, and create an equitable space for all learners helped establish DaVinci Academy as a high quality and successful charter school. Although she will always be a teacher at heart, she has a passion for growth and expansion of award winning educational models to ensure all students have access to exceptional educational opportunities. Holly believes deeply that continuous learning and caring for others are keys to a happy life and she is excited to contribute to the mission and vision of the Professional Theatre and Dance Youth Academy as a board member.
Pamela D. Williams
Out of School Time, Manager
A passionate advocate for youth empowerment, Pamela joins the Board with a focus on creating accessible pathways for student success in both the arts and academics. She is currently the Out of School Time Manager for a local nonprofit, where she specializes in building partnerships between schools and support organizations to help youth identify strengths and achieve their goals.
Pamela is known among her peers for her collaborative spirit and principled approach to leadership. She leverages her background in administration and hospitality to ensure that programs are not only effective but welcoming and inclusive. She is a proud alumna of Roosevelt University.