Leadership & Team

We are proud to have a qualified, dedicated, diverse staff and a fully engaged Board of Directors. 

Michelle Barnes    

Executive Director / Co-Founder

Phone: 713.523.1616

Email: mbarnes@thecollective.org

Michelle Swain Barnes (she/her):  

(is) a Houston-based Artist/Educator/Pro-Activist/Administrator/Facilitator/Wife/Mother/Grandmother. Read more

Leadership Team

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.

Sarah A. Trotty

Co-Founder

Phone: 713.523.1616

Email: info@thecollective.org

Sarah A. Trotty, PhD is a Texas Southern University Retired Associate Professor of Art. Read more

Barry Barnes      

Deniz Lopez

Web Development & Marketing Consultant

Phone: 832-661-1435

Email: dlopez@thecollective.org

Terry St. John

Public Relations & Marketing Consultant

Phone: 713-201-2574

Email: terrystjohn@att.net

The Collective’s Team

Shannon R. Teasley

Development Consultant

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: info@thecollective.org

Tamirah Collins

Exhibition Coordinator

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: tamirah@thecollective.org

Leslie Abrams

Jubilee Quilt Circle Coordinator

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: quiltcollectively@gmail.com

April M. Frazier, MBA

Assistant Director/
Photographic Education Coordinator

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: april@thecollective.org

Read more

Seba R. Suber

Organization and Engagement
Consultant

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: ssuber@thecollective.org

Merian Sherrod

Entrepreneurship Coordinator

Phone: 713-523-1616

Email: merian@thecollective.org

Board of Trustees

Acting President
Barry Barnes

Immediate Past Presidents
Beverly Harmon
Mary Holt Ashley

Board of Directors

Barry Barnes, Co-founder
Mary Holt Ashley
Winell Herron
DaMonica Pierson
Dwayne Simpson
Sarah Trotty, Co-founder

Advisory Council

  • Akua Fayette

  • Annette Lawrence

  • Aundrea Matthews

  • B. Alex C. Barnes

  • Floyd Newsum

  • Jan West

  • Jasmine Quinerly

  • Joan Bristow

  • Kaneem Smith

  • Lee Ann Carrier

  • Lester Marks

  • Maggi Blocker

  • Matthew A. P. Barnes

  • Merian Sherrod

  • Michon Benson Marsh

  • Mike Swain

  • Renee Logans

  • Robert Galloway

  • Russell Jackson

  • Sheila Savannah

  • Tarsha Gary

  • Trevor Piper

  • Troy Gooden

  • Vikky Trammel

  • Dan Allison

  • Daniel Tesfai

  • Carol Dodson

  • Kristi Rangel

  • Marilu Ellis

  • Nell Cline

  • Sarah Fisher

  • Shanequa Smith

 Accountant Services

Darrell Groves | Emma Martinez | Simone Duncan | Joe Martinez