Harris's leadership at Weeksville has brought about a number of innovative new developments and creative cultural arts programming
Announced today, Tia Powell Harris will be stepping down as president and executive director of Weeksville Heritage Center.
"It is with a heavy hear that I must inform you that I am departing my position as president and executive director," said Harris. "The time has come for me to return to Maryland to manage my husband's persistent health challenges."
In the relatively short period since her appointment, Harris's leadership at Weeksville's has brought about a mountain of innovative developments and creative cultural arts programming, including the opening of the new Cultural Arts and Education Building; the historic Hunterfly Road House tour experiences were expanded; new funders, donors and cultural partners were engaged; and a dynamic team of dedicated cultural professionals was assembled.
Stepping into Harris's role is Rob Fields, who will begin as Weeksville's Interim Executive Director on September 5, 2017. Fields will be leaving his current his position as Marketing Director at the Association of National Advertisers, Inc.
Rob Fields is a cultural curator and marketer who has been a strong advocates for highlighting progressive, global black culture. Throughout his career, he worked in various marketing capacities for brands such as IBM, Burger King, Panasonic, American Honda and General Motors, and for non-profit organizations such as the Brand Activation Association, the Caribbean Cultural Center, the Black Rock Coalition, the Urbanworld Film Festival and the African Diaspora Film Festival.
Most recently, Fields ran an online magazine, Bold As Love, as well as hosted a Sundays At. . . reading series, providing authors of color the opportunity to share their works-in-progress with a supportive audience.
Over the next year, the Board of Trustees at Weeksville wrote in a statement it "will be actively working with Rob to chart Weeksville's long term path forward to ensure the programmatic success established by Tia continues for generations to come."