Carmen J. Neely received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with a minor in Film Production from Howard University. During her senior year, she served as President of the student production company, Howard Players. Upon arriving in New York City in 1996, she began working at Manhattan Theatre Club as a Ticket Sales Associate and was later promoted to General Management Assistant, working closely with Victoria Bailey. Via sponsorship from Manhattan Theatre Club, she also attended the Frederick B. Vogel Commercial Theatre Institute. Since her arrival in New York City, Carmen has worked as a free-lance producer with many arts organizations including New Perspectives Theatre, Gilgamesh Theatre Group, and DrumTV. She also worked with Woodie King, Jr. at New Federal Theatre, and was a presenter at the New Federal Theatre 30th Anniversary Celebration. Carmen has served as a panelist at several Alliance of Resident Theatres/NY (A.R.T./NY) 501(c)(3) Tax Exemption Seminars and has been a consultant to Inner Act Theatre and ActNow Foundation in assisting them obtain their 501(c)(3) tax exemption status. Carmen has also done free-lance documentary projects, the most recent being The Voice of Harlem: General Election 2008. Carmen met Kareem Ferguson in 1998 while working as administrative assistants in the Corporate Finance Department of Goldman, Sachs and Company. It was this pairing that lead to the founding of Crucial Arts Productions, Inc. in 1999. Currently, Carmen is a permanently certified, middle school teacher in NYC as well as Co-Founder and Executive Director of Crucial Arts Productions, Inc. Her current focus with Crucial Arts is documentary film. Documentary films have a history of exposing underlying 'truths' that are usually eye-opening, and contrary to common belief. It is our goal to present alternative perspectives to these critical issues. With this focus in mind, Crucial Arts has recently launched a monthly documentary film series at the Dwyer Cultural Center, located at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue at 123rd Street, in Harlem.
Amu Ptah (Development Director)
Amu Ptah has worked with not-for-profit organizations committed to progressive social change, empowerment and advancing community health for nearly 15 years as an educator, community organizer and advocate. In 2003 Amu launched an independent consulting firm providing program and organizational development support and guidance to organizations in the New York City metro area including the Third Wave Foundation, Schott Foundation, Drum Major Policy Institute, the Research Center for Leadership in Action at New York University, the Ms. Foundation for Women and the Opportunity Agenda. Amu is an experienced and successful trainer, facilitator, public speaker and event coordinator who brings to Crucial Arts a dynamic national network of resources, an entrepreneurial spirit and solid grounding in building and managing coalitions and fund development as a member of its Board of Directors. Amu received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Bard College in 1994 and her Masters of Arts in Political Science from the Graduate Faculty at the New School for Social Research in 2005.
Kareem Ferguson (Co-Founder and Artistic Director)
Kareem Ferguson is an intense and daring actor who is classically trained and who has worked at the top Regional Theater stages in the United States and internationally performing Shakespeare in Shanghai, China. He has also acted on top rated Television shows for NBC and CBS networks. Kareem is also an Artistic Director of Crucial Arts Productions, Inc, where he has co-produced plays and film projects. As a journalist Kareem Ferguson has been a Correspondent as well as an Anchor for TV News, he also host a radio show on 90.7 FM in Southern California for the Pacifica Radio Network and most recently Guest Hosting on the Sirius Satellite Radio program Out Q. Behind the scenes he has written stage plays and screenplays, produced, directed and edited a few documentaries. He received his Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from the Professional Theater Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During his free-time, Kareem can be found at the community airport, as he is a Licensed Private Pilot and a ‘self professed’ fanatic for all things dealing with Aviation.
Michael E. Hodge (Events Director)
Michael E. Hodge is the founder of Kai & I, Inc, a full-service catering and event-planning enterprise which dedicates itself to creating thematically appropriate events. Chef Michael focuses on American eclectic cuisine, specializing in Soulful Southern, and Caribbean dishes, with an Asian influence. Kai and I also provides a full range of hospitality and culinary services for social and business events. Notable clients include Hugh Masekela at the Margaret Troupe Gallery, OCA - Operation Crossroads Africa 50th Anniversary Celebration at the United Nations, and a private reception at the home of Dr. Holley Phillips. Michael hold a B.S in Elementary Education from Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio and a Career Culinary Arts Diploma from the Institute of Culinary Education (formerly Peter Krump's) in New York, NY.
