Announcing New Board Members
Announcing New Board Members
In late April 2026, Vox Populi launched an open call for new members to join our Board of Directors. We were inspired by the thoughtful, enthusiastic response from our community mand grateful to everyone who took the time to apply.
We are thrilled to announce the newest members of the Vox Populi Board of Directors: Bee Knight, Emily Zimmerman, Nick Hunsicker, Ryan LaFollette and Sona Diallo.
Collectively, they bring experience across the arts, nonprofit leadership, community organizing, communications, affordable housing, design, education, and cultural work. We are excited to welcome this incredible group as we continue strengthening our mission, supporting our artist collective, and building a vibrant future for artist-run culture in Philadelphia.
About Our New Board Members
Bee Knight is a Black, nonbinary, multi-hypen creative and communicator with a love of community building. They currently serve as the Communications & Creative Director at the Leeway Foundation and hold a M.S. in Arts Administration from Drexel University. Outside of their day job, they maintain a consistent journaling and collaging practice, engaging in it both personally and within community. Bee co-organizes a bookclub, (QueerBooksPhilly), plays on many queer sports leagues, and holds a deep regard for the ever expanding queer arts community in Philadelphia which they have proudly been a part of since 2013.
Emily Zimmerman is an accomplished curator and arts leader with 20+ years of experience in museum curation and arts education. She is the Director of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs at the Arthur Ross Gallery of the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, as Director + Curator of the Jacob Lawrence Gallery at the University of Washington, she advocated for artists through expanded commission and residency programs. She has curated more than 50 exhibitions and commissions, produced over 300 events, and launched MONDAY, a journal of arts writing. Zimmerman has served on grant panels for the NEA, Creative Capital, NYSCA, and numerous others. She earned her BA from NYU and MA from Bard's Center for Curatorial Studies.
Nick Hunsicker (they/them) is a recent graduate from Temple University Beasley School of Law. Nick has lived in Philadelphia for a decade. Nick went to Penn for their undergraduate degree before moving to the Netherlands for a master’s degree. Nick is an advocate for the queer and trans community, a strong believer in animal rights, a vegan, a musician, a cyclist, and more. Nick is interested in travel, cooking, skincare, interior design, technology, and critical theory.
Ryan LaFollette has a 20+ year career in the development and preservation of affordable housing and fundraising for arts organizations. He obtained degrees from the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville. He served as Director of Development for Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists' Residency and was president of the Board of Spudnik Cooperative Press in Chicago, IL. He lives and works in Philadelphia with his husband Tony.
Sona (sau'nah) Diallo is a multidisciplinary practitioner focused on building spaces and systems centered on community wellbeing. She brings experience in culinary arts, management consulting, and social impact strategy, with a foundation in human-centered design. Her work is grounded in diaspora heritage and a commitment to equity. As a board member at Vox Populi, she is committed to amplifying community voice and fostering inclusive spaces that champion artist-led dialogue and collaborative social practice.
