Advisory Board Mission

 Larry Poncho Brown, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, embarked on his artistic journey at the age of 17 as a signwriter, and he has remained a full-time artist ever since. His creative path led him to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and photography from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Poncho’s art, both fine and commercial, has graced the pages of national publications such as Upscale, Ebony, Ebony Man, Essence, and Jet magazines. His powerful works have also been featured prominently on television shows including “A Different World”, “In the House”, “The Wire”, “The Carmichael Show”, “Star”, and “Greenleaf”. Notably, his art has made appearances in movies like “Avalon”, “He Said, She Said”, and “Soulfood”.

Larry Poncho Brown’s pieces adorn the walls of influential figures such as Camille Cosby, Dick Gregory, Anita Baker, Susan Taylor, Ed Gordon, and Bernard Bronner. His original works have found homes in corporate and institutional collections, including those of Coppin State University, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the District of Columbia Superior Courts, the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, Howard University Hospital, and Yale New Haven Health Park Avenue Medical Center.

In his earlier years, Poncho’s art predominantly featured airbrush illustrations. His evolution from a graffiti artist to a classically trained sign painter and graphic artist culminated in the mid-1980s with his groundbreaking “Black is Black” Series. This series courageously addressed the subject of colorism within the African American art realm.

During what is often referred to as “The Golden Age of African American Art” (between 1985 and 2000), Larry Poncho Brown and other artists defied traditional norms. They made their art accessible to the masses by directly participating in community art and cultural festivals, bypassing the conventional artist-gallery-publisher arrangement. At the peak of this era, Poncho’s works adorned the walls of nearly 500,000+ homes across the country, available in 3,000 galleries.

Driven by philanthropic goals, Poncho founded Raising the Arts, an initiative that has created over 70+ images to assist non-profit organizations and African American groups in fundraising efforts. Additionally, he co-founded the Creative Quarantine, a collaborative project where professional artists dedicate the entire month of January to creating new experimental works.

Poncho’s accolades include being named “Artist of the Year” by the African American Visual Arts Association in 2000, receiving the “Heritage Arts Festival Palette Award” in 2003, and earning the “Save the Arts Award” as Museum’s Choice in 2010. His contributions extend to visual arts awards, including the “Jan Spivey Gilchrist Visual Arts Award” in 2013, the “Baker Artists Award” in 2021, and the Curtis R. McClinton Jr. 3rd Annual Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Notably, he was recognized as “Best Visual Artist” by The Baltimore Times in their “Best of Black Baltimore” list in 2024. Furthermore, he received the Roberta’s House Elijah Cummings Leadership Award in the same year.

Patricia W. Marshall stands out as a leader of distinction and a visionary in her field, serving as the Lead Faculty and Business Advisor for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (GS10KSB) Program in Baltimore, Maryland. Her influence extends nationally, as a Business Advisor for the GS10KSB national cohort, engaging with a diverse range of entrepreneurs across the United States and its territories, emphasizing her dedication to fostering business growth and innovation. 

Patricia's career in finance and banking spans over two decades, with significant roles at Bank of America and its predecessor companies. As the Mid-Atlantic Minority Supplier Development Manager, she not only earned prestigious accolades such as the LEND Award and as the Regional Minority Supplier Development Program of the Year but also led the company in awarding over $60 million in contracts to minority-and women-owned businesses in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Additionally, she co-designed an innovative analytical platform for the bank to enhance the reporting and utilization of services by minority-and women-owned businesses and served as speechwriter for its national executive. Her diverse expertise, encompassing Real Estate Credit Analysis, Government Relations and Public Policy, and her recognition as a top performing Senior Mortgage Banker, underscores her multifaceted capabilities.

Before her banking career, Patricia established herself in the scientific community as a Chemist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Here, she co-authored papers on pivotal research concerning pesticides and chemical additives in food and beverages, contributing valuable insights to this critical area of public health and safety. Her commitment to societal advancement is evident in her various leadership roles within the community. In 2016, she co-founded the Atonement Food Pantry at the Episcopal Church of the Atonement in Washington, D.C. and serves as its Coordinator and liaison with the Capitol Area Food Bank (“CAFB”). She was recently appointed to the Neighborhood Advisory Committee for CAFB. Under Patricia’s leadership and with dedicated volunteers, the organization has been recognized for its substantial community impact in addressing food insecurity in the District of Columbia’s Ward 7.

In 2020, Patricia was appointed to the Howard County Housing Commission and the HoCo By Design: Planning Advisory Committee. She has served on many non-profit boards of directors and two, for profit advisory boards. As a member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 1999 and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., her leadership is well-respected.

Patricia's recent appointment to the Maryland/District of Columbia District Export Council by the U.S. Department of Commerce, along with her recognition by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott for her work with Piano For Youth, demonstrate her wide-ranging skills and commitment to community enrichment.

Holding a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and an MBA in Finance from Clark Atlanta University, Patricia resides in Columbia, Maryland with her family. Her professional achievements, coupled with her personal dedication, make her an exemplary figure in her field.

Diedre Windsor, Founder and CEO Windsor Group LLC and Philanthropist

Diedre Windsor, a retired US Army Officer, and former member of the federal Senior Executive Service (SES), is the founder and CEO of Windsor Group LLC (Windsor). Windsor is an award-winning professional services company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, that provides services to public and private-sector clients. Founded in 2010 and opened for business in 2017. Within five years, Windsor Group LLC landed at No. 191 on the 5000 list of America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies touting 2,225% growth. As a result, Windsor was named No. 17 on the 2022 Vet100 for fast growing Veteran owned companies. Both accomplishments were repeated 3 years in a row, respectively. Windsor was also named to the list of Greater Washington's 50 fastest-growing companies in 2023 and to the list of the top corporate philanthropists in Greater Washington at #6 for small company honorees. 

Diedre is a strong believer in community and giving back, Diedre donates countless hours and financial resources to several nonprofit organizations including ROCKS, Inc., RMOA Business Association (RBA), Code of Support Foundation (COSF), to name a few. In addition to her charitable contributions, she is an avid supporter of the arts. “I’m a firm believer in the transformative power of art and its ability to enrich lives and foster understanding,” stated Diedre L. Windsor, founder of Windsor Group LLC.

Diedre was selected and named to the Daily Record’s 2023 list of Maryland’s Top 100 Women and “Enterprising Women of the Year” awardee. Diedre is a member of several prestigious organizations such as C200, the Women Presidents Organization (WPO), The BOW Collective, Military Officers Association (MOAA), and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She also serves on the Boards of Code of Support Foundation, Military Women's Memorial and RMOA Business Association. 

In 2015 Ms. Windsor authored her first book, Leadership begins with Hello! Practical Principles of Leadership ~ A Hip-pocket Guide which focuses on practical principles of leadership. Ms. Windsor resides in Bethesda with her family.

Dr. Sheila Wright, Owner The Wondrous Works Collection, Art Collector Coach, Advisor, and Consultant

Dr. Sheila Wright is an avid collector of African American art. She began developing her enthusiasm and passion for African and African American Art during her graduate studies. It was during this time, she began travelling to various countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe for various reasons which included mission-oriented work, learning about Greek and byzantine antiquities, and gaining more knowledge about our authentic history and culture as members of the African Diaspora. 

A Baltimore, Maryland native, Sheila received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from Morgan State University. She also received her Doctor of Education degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC in Human Resource Development (HRD)/Human and Organizational Studies. As a former Adjunct Professor at both The Catholic University of America and University of Maryland, University College, Dr. Wright had the opportunity to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses using both the traditional and virtual platform. 

In 2019, she published her first book about her passion for collecting, Wondrous Works: The Fine Art Collection of Dr. Sheila D. Wright. She formed Wondrous Works LLC for the purpose of providing consulting/ coaching services to art enthusiasts and collectors and educational and networking opportunities for individuals who have an interest in African American art.