The Wright Appoints Four New Board Members
Eric Davis, Rian English-Barnhill, Evette Griffie, and Stefen J. Welch will serve on The Wright’s Board of Trustees
From left to right: Eric Davis, Rian English-Barnhill, Evette Griffie, Stefen J. Welch
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (The Wright Museum) is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to our Board of Trustees: Eric Davis, Rian English-Barnhill, Evette Griffie, and Stefen J. Welch.
The four newly appointed regional leaders bring forth expertise from across the fields of philanthropy, real estate, energy, and sports, while sharing a deep commitment to community engagement and enriching Detroit’s vibrant social fabric.
“It is a great joy to have Eric, Rian, Evette, and Stefen join us,” said George H. Hamilton, Chair of The Wright’s Board of Trustees. “This appointment comes at a significant moment for The Wright as the Museum approaches its 60th anniversary.” Their knowledge and range of expertise will be integral to supporting The Wright Museum’s efforts to explore and celebrate the rich culture and legacy of African Americans.” With four experienced and passionate new additions to their Board of Trustees, The Wright will continue to chart new paths for both local and global Black communities, telling their stories through the Museum’s world-class exhibitions and programming.
Eric Davis serves under the Ford Fund’s global philanthropic arm as Director of Social Mobility. Davis leads partnerships and programs that connect people to essential services and care in low-access communities globally. Prior to joining Ford Fund, Davis served as United Way of Southeastern Michigan’s Vice President of Community Impact. He joined United Way in 2011 and led the organization’s community impact work with a
focus on food, social and economic mobility, and policy and community engagement.
Rian English-Barnhill serves as Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for Olympia Development, the premier real-estate development firm in Michigan. Her primary responsibilities include creating and implementing strategies, policies, and procedures to support core business objectives, including stakeholder buy-in and municipal and state-level approvals. Before this role, Rian served as Executive Director of Development for a K-12 school district. She also served as the Managing Editor of the Michigan Chronicle, a historic newspaper devoted to documenting the African American experience. Rian lives in Detroit, MI, with her husband Bryan and two children, Britton and Riley.
Evette Griffie is vice president of Customer & Community Engagement for DTE Energy. Griffie is responsible for DTE’s outreach to customers and communities the company serves, as well as initiatives to deliver energy assistance to vulnerable customers. She holds both a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. She joined DTE in 2015 and most recently served as DTE’s director of Customer Strategy & Insights, where she oversaw research to build and enhance the customer experience.
Stefen J. Welch serves as Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the NBA's Detroit Pistons. A Detroit native, Welch focuses on the team's strategy to attract and acquire diverse talent, professional development opportunities for employees and identifying strategic business initiatives. Previously, Stefen led DEI for national retailer Saks OFF 5TH and the country's largest mortgage lender, Rocket Mortgage. Welch earned a Bachelor of Arts from Oakland University (Rochester, MI), a Master of Community Development from the University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, MI) and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). He has also studied at Howard University (Washington, DC) within the Executive MBA program. Stefen is married to his wife Kaniqua and the proud father to their daughter Aria.
About The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was founded in 1965 and for over half a century, the museum has dedicated itself to exploring and celebrating the rich cultural legacy of African Americans. Located in the heart of midtown Detroit’s cultural center, The Wright Museum’s mission is to open minds and change lives through the exploration and celebration of African American history and culture. Through dozens of permanent and visiting exhibitions, over 150 learning and engagement programs, as well as education and research opportunities for adults, children, and visiting scholars, The Wright inspires visitors toward greater understanding, acceptance, and unity by reflecting on the triumphs and tragedies of African American history. And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture is the museum’s 22,000 square foot, immersive core exhibit. The Wright Museum houses over 35,000 artifacts and archival materials and offers hundreds of programs and events annually.
Press Contacts
Char Yates
Director of Media Relations
cyates@thewright.org
Jackie Anyanwu
Senior Account Executive, Cultural Counsel
jackie@culturalcounsel.com
Devon Ma
Senior Account Coordinator, Cultural Counsel
devon@culturalcounsel.com