BAM Affiliation Mikki Shepard has produced over 25 performing arts programs for Brooklyn Academy of Music that included Steps in Time, Tappin’ Uptown, Dance Black America: 300 years of Black Dance in America, and DanceAfrica where she served as the original producer in 1977. As founder and executive producer of Brooklyn’s 651Arts, she produced 100 Years of Jazz and Blues Festival, Sung and Unsung/Jazz Women, Dance Women/Living Legends, and Lost Jazz Shrines and was the architect of the Africa Exchange Program a major international initiative.

She is an independent consultant advising foundations on new program initiatives and writing on her work in the arts field. Shepard joined the Apollo Theater in 2006 as a consultant and was the Executive Producer from 2009—2016. Prior to her appointment at the Apollo, Shepard was a consultant to major foundations and performing arts institutions, such as the Ford Foundation, Heinz Endowments, Doris Duke Charitable Trust, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Meet the Composer, Jacob’s Pillow, Future of Music Coalition, Inc. Her work focused on program development/assessments, strategic planning, and organizational restructuring. Shepard also served as the Director of Arts and Humanities at the Rockefeller Foundation.

Shepard serves as chair of Mertz Gilmore Foundation board and is on the board of the Fan Fox Leslie Samuels Foundation. She was a board member of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Brooklyn Community Foundation, and Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, where she served as chair of the Cultural Industry Fund Committee.