WASHINGTON, DC.- The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art announces the appointment of seven new members to the museum’s national board. Based in the United States and Africa, these new members are global leaders in sectors such as entrepreneurship, philanthropy, financial services and higher education:

• Olugbenga (GB) Agboola, founder and CEO of Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company

• Emmanuel Akyeampong, the Ellen Gurney Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and minister for worship and formation at Harvard University Memorial Church

• Dr. Anita Blanchard, associate dean for graduate medical education at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine

• Pulane Tshabalala Kingston, founder and chairman of Mirai Rail Corporation, a leading manufacturing and maintenance services solutions provider for rail infrastructure and rolling stock across the African continent

• Sengal Selassie, CEO and founder of private investment firm Brightwood Capital Partners LLC

• Victor E. Williams, managing partner of investment company Lions Range Capital Management

• Donna Sims Wilson, chief operating officer of investment management firm Kah Capital

“It is a privilege to work with each of these new board members and I thank them, as well as our current returning members, for their dedication to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art,” said museum director John K. Lapiana. “Our museum will benefit immeasurably from their perspectives and insight, especially now during our 60th anniversary year when the museum is celebrating its history and looking ahead to its future.”

Teresa H. Clarke, chairman and executive editor of Africa.com LLC, remains as board chair.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome this class of leaders from across Africa and its diaspora to the advisory board,” said Clarke. “They bring deep knowledge and expertise to the museum, along with a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm."

Continuing board members include:

• Teresa H. Clarke (board chair), chairman and executive editor of Africa.com LLC
• Tarneem Saeed (vice chair), CEO of alsoug.com
• Myma Belo-Osagie, co-founder and partner emerita (of counsel) at the corporate law firm Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
• Jake Brody, senior managing director at Accenture consulting firm
• Jylinda Johnson, vice president and general manager at General Dynamics Information Technology
• Gay McDougall, distinguished scholar-in-residence at the Leitner Center on International Law and Justice of Fordham University Law School
• Gbenga Oyebode, co-founder and counsel, Aluko & Oyebode
• Dr. Amelia T. Quist-Ogunlesi, retired doctor of optometry
• Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran, senior fellow for the Association of Governing Boards and president emerita of Kalamazoo College
• Ashraf Zaki, founder and managing partner of Lorax Capital Partners