2025 Annual Convening Speakers

Dr. Durell Cooper is one the nation;s leading cultural strategists and is the Founder and CEO of Cultural Innovation Group; a boutique consulting agency specializing in systems change and collaborative thought leadership. He is also the creator and host of the PBS/WNET 13 series, Flow and the Podcast Fluency w/ Dr. Durell Cooper and a Co-Host on the WNYE 91.5 FM’s ArtMovez. He is also an adjunct instructor at New York University and The City College of New York. Durell graduated from the Impact Program for Arts Leaders (IPAL) at Stanford University in 2018. He is a member of the Diversity Scholars Network at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan and current Board Chair of the Billie Holiday Theatre. He earned a B.F.A from Southern Methodist University, and both a M.A & Doctorate of Education from New York University.