Dr. Holly Scheib (Board President)
Holly is Research Associate Faculty at the Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy at Tulane University and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College. Her research involves the study of community level interventions in the lives of displaced, migrant, and disadvantaged groups, specializing in participatory methods, action research, ethnography, and monitoring and evaluation. As a consultant, Dr. Scheib has conducted monitoring and evaluation, organizational development, social work, and public health programming for universities, nongovernmental organizations, and multi-lateral agencies across 5 continents. Clients have included Child Fund International, International Medical Corps, War Trauma Foundation, Louisiana Public Health Institute, and Catholic Charities. Her work has extended into university curriculum design and teaching, including assisting in the creation of the global social work training at Tulane University School of Social Work, developing online curriculum for Tulane University School of Public Health, co-teaching a short course on health and mental health in forced migration contexts at the Refugee Studies Center at Oxford University (UK), and providing curriculum design and course content to the online Master of Public Health program at the University of Liverpool (UK). Her teaching portfolio includes courses in psychosocial health, development, nonprofit management, global health, program design, monitoring and evaluation, complex emergencies, social and behavioral theory, social change theories, and international social work. Dr. Scheib holds a PhD in International Health and Development from Tulane University School of Public Health and Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Michigan.
Rachael Jaffe Tocco (Board Vice President)
Rachael was born and raised in Bolton, Massachusetts. In 1998, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to attend Tulane University to study visual arts and business. Rachael relocated to New York City in 2005 and she began her career in restaurant management. In 2007, she was an instrumental part of the design team and launch of a new restaurant in St. Maarten, Netherland Antilles. Upon moving home to New Orleans in 2008, Rachael married her husband, Anthony Tocco, and together they own and manage Atchafalaya Restaurant. As a founding board member of Upturn Arts, Rachael has helped to grow the annual Appetite for Art fundraiser, which raises money to provide scholarships for week-long summer camp.
Jerry W. Lenaz (Board Treasurer)
Jerry is the principal at Firestarter Consulting, an independent consulting firm that assists small businesses and start-up ventures with strategic business planning, marketing and business development. Jerry has over 15 years experience in assisting businesses launch new products, services and markets in industries ranging from telecommunication, technology services, broadcast and media, Internet and software development and start-up non-profit organizations. Originally from New Jersey, Jerry has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Masters in Business Administration from Tulane University, where he currently teaches marketing classes. Jerry serves as the Treasurer for Upturn Arts and has been involved in the organization since 2015. He is passionate about the arts and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to express their creative talent while increasing their confidence. In his spare time, Jerry leads the Disco Amigos, a Mardi Gras dance troupe looking to spread the joy of Disco to the world.
Dwayne Breashears
Dwayne worked as Program Director for the New Orleans radio station, WWOZ, from 1998 – 2016 overseeing program scheduling and event coverage, coordinating multiple departments, and working with directors and production staff. He produced live event broadcasts including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, A Great Night in Harlem, Telluride Jazz Festival, Satchmo Summer Fest, Voodoo Music Experience, SoCo Music Festival, WWOZ Piano Night, and Backstreet Cultural Museum Mardi Gras Celebration. A native New Orleanian, he has a depth of knowledge of the musicians, music, and cultural history of the city. He is the CEO of Grown Folks Productions and also a Board member of the CubaNOLA Arts Collective, Save Our Cemeteries and Engulf, LLC.
Chantelle Pierre