Friends of African American Art & Culture introduces new board members

Columbia, S.C. – The Friends of African American Art & Culture (FAAAC), an affinity group of the Columbia Museum of Art (CMA), is pleased to welcome four new community members to its board of directors for the 2021–2022 fiscal year.

“I am personally delighted to welcome these new members to our board of directors,” says Therese Griffin, president of the FAAAC. “We are proud to have a diverse group of professionals in leadership positions to serve on our team. They represent a range of experience from a variety of fields. One of the things that they all have in common is a love for African American art and culture.”

Joining the board is Dr. Aprel Barnes, a pediatrician at Eau Claire Cooperative Health Centers. She has previously served on the board of the South Carolina African American Heritage Foundation. As an avid art collector, Barnes travels the country visiting various African American art museums. She received a Bachelor of Science from Spelman College and a Doctor of Medicine from Loyola University of Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine.

With over 30 years of experience in S.C. public education, Dr. Carla Daniels brings a wealth of experience in grant writing, research, and program implementation to the board. As a retiree, Daniels says she looks forward to working with the members of the board to help facilitate projects for the Midlands community. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Library Science, and a Master of History at the University of South Carolina as well as a Doctor of Education from the University of Sarasota.

Prior to joining the Lexington Medical Center Network of Care, Dr. C. Phillip Toussaint worked in private practice and served as an assistant professor of clinical surgery at the University of South Carolina’s Division of Neurosurgery. Toussaint graduated magna cum laude from the College of Charleston and earned his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He completed his surgical internship and neurosurgical residency at Loyola University Medical Center’s Stritch School of Medicine. He completed a peripheral nerve surgical fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Latrice F. Williams is a well-respected communications professional with extensive community and media relations experience. She brings to the board branding, content development, and public awareness campaign skills. Prior to serving as the public information manager for the South Carolina Health Gallery, Williams was the director of marketing and communications for the National Association for Campus Activities. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in professional English from South Carolina State University.

FAAAC’s newly elected officers for the 2021–2022 fiscal year are:

• Therese A. Griffin - President
  • Dominion Energy
• Vanesha Perrin - Vice President
  • South Carolina Department of Education
• Dr. Nancy Tolson - Secretary
  • University of South Carolina
• Charles Salley - Treasurer
  • Carolina Office Systems (Xerox)

FAAAC membership is available to museum members for $15–$25 depending on your membership category. For more information on the FAAAC, visit https://www.columbiamuseum.org/faaac.