Harry Belafonte is an internationally renowned actor, singer, and activist who has been involved with various humanitarian causes which include the Civil Rights Movement, USA for Africa, Hands Across America, and serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. Throughout his career Mr. Belafonte has received many honors including the Dag Hammarskjold Peace Medal, the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Prize, and the Kennedy Center Honors. Mr. Belafonte was the recipient of the inaugural Marian Anderson Award in 1998.

Lorene Cary

Lorene Cary is an Award winning author of numerous works, including Black Ice, a memoir of her years as a black female student, and then as a teacher, at St. Paul’s School. Currently she is a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was a 1998 recipient of the Provost’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. In 1998 she founded Art Sanctuary, a non-profit lecture and performance series that brings black artists and thinkers to speak, perform, demonstrate and run workshops at the Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia. She has written for such publications as Essence, American Visions, Mirabella, and served as Contributing Editor for Newsweek in 1993.

Miguel-Angel Corzo

Miguel-Angel Corzo is the President and CEO of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Previously, Mr. Corzo served as the Director of the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles and as President and CEO of the Friends of the Arts of Mexico Foundation. He has been awarded many honors, including UNESCO’s Medal of Patron of the Arts and was appointed by former President Clinton twice to serve on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Cultural Property.

Pamela A. Crawley

Pamela A. Crawley is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for Citizens Bank and serves as the President of the Board of Philadelphia Festival of the Arts. She also serves on the boards of a variety of Philadelphia non-profits including the American Red Cross, Children’ s Crisis Treatment Center, and Community College of Philadelphia.

James J. Cuorato

Is an executive with Brandywine Realty Trust and was formerly Commerce Director for the City of Philadelphia. A lifelong Philadelphian, Mr. Cuorato is a member of numerous boards and commissions and is the Vice-Chairman of the Marian Anderson Award.

James De Preist

A native of Philadelphia, James De Preist is one of the most sought after conductors on the world stage today. He has served as Music Director of the Oregon Symphony since 1980, and is the Music Director of the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic, and is an elected fellow of the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences and the Swedish Academy of Music. Maestro De Preist is the nephew of the legendary contralto Marian Anderson.

Suzanne Farrell

One of the great dancers of the century, Suzanne Farrell's name is synonymous with New York City Ballet. While at City Ballet she had numerous ballets created for her by the legendary George Balanchine who often referred to her as “my muse.” Since 1989 she has traveled the world teaching Balanchine ballets to a new generation of dancers and serves as repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust.

Quincy Jones, Jr.

Quincy Jones is an Award winning composer, producer, performer, activist, and most recently, author. He has won more Grammy Awards than any other performer, and is also the recipient of numerous international awards. These include the Legion d’Honneur and the French Ministry of Culture’s Distinguished Arts and Letters Award, the Republic of Italy’s Rudolph Valentino Award, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Music’s Polar Music Prize. Mr. Jones was the recipient of the 2001 Marian Anderson Award.

Joseph H. Kluger

Mr. Kluger has served as the President of the Philadelphia Orchestra since 1991, recently playing a catalytic role in the development of the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, the new home of the Orchestra. In addition to his dedication to advancing the musical arts in Philadelphia, Mr. Kluger is also active in Philadelphia’s civic groups, having served on the board of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Arts and Business Council, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and has been a Marian Anderson Award board member since its inception.

James McBride

A resident of Pennsylvania, James McBride is an award-winning writer and composer. He is the author of the critically acclaimed, The Color of Water, which was on The New York Times Bestseller List for more than two years, as well as the recently released, Miracle of St. Ana. As a composer he has been honored by ASCAP with the Richard Rodgers Horizons Award and by the American Music Festival with the Stephen Sondheim Award.