Leadership & Team
We are proud to have a qualified, dedicated, diverse staff and a fully engaged Board of Directors.
Leadership Team
Michelle Barnes, Executive Director / Co-Founder
Phone: 713.523.1616
Email: mbarnes@thecollective.org
Dr. Sarah Trotty Co-Founder
Phone: 713.523.1616
Email: cacboard@thecollective.org
Sarah A. Trotty, PhD is a Texas Southern University Retired Associate Professor of Art. Read more
Barry Barnes, Co-Founder and Acting President
Phone: 713-650-3688
Email: bbarnes@barnespllc.com
A Virginia native, Barry Barnes relocated to Houston to take a position with Exxon after graduating from Northwestern University School of Law in the class of 1975. Read more.
The Collective’s Team
Preston Gaines
Special Projects
Email: pgaines@thecollective.org
Leslie Abrams
Jubilee Quilt Circle Coordinator
Email: jqc@thecollective.org
Deniz Lopez
Social Media
Email: dlopez@thecollective.org
Terry St. John
Public Relations
Email: tstjohn@thecollective.org
Viktor Le Givens
Associate Curator & Heritage Preservation Strategist
Email: southernandroid00@gmail.com
Director of Creative Strategies
Email: vcharleston@thecollective.org
Vicky Charleston
Board of Directors
Advisory Council
Akua Fayette Annette Lawrence
Aundrea Matthews B. Alex C. Barnes
Carole Dodson Dan Allison
DaMonica Pierson Daniel Tesfai
Jan West Jasmine Quinerly
Joan Bristow Kristi Rangel
Lee Ann Carrier Lester Marks
Matthew A. P. Barnes Michon Benson Marsh
Mike Swain Renee Logans
Robert Galloway Russell Jackson
Sarah Fisher Sheila Savannah
Tarsha Gary Troy Gooden
Vikki Trammel
Immediate Past Presidents
Beverly Harmon
Russell Jackson
Mary Holt Ashley
Barry Barnes, Co-founder and President
Mary Holt Ashley
Joyce Deyon-Sallier
Winell Herron
Deric Outley
Shanequa Smith
Dwayne Simpson
Sarah Trotty, Co-founder
Accountant Services
Darrell Groves | Emma Martinez | Simone Duncan | Joe Martinez