DC Jazz Festival Welcomes New Slate of Directors

WASHINGTON, DC – March 5, 2026 – The DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) today announced the confirmation of four new Board members. Now comprising 30 leaders from across the District’s civic, artistic, and corporate communities, the DCJF Board reflects a dynamic group of stakeholders committed to strengthening DC’s cultural fabric. Together, this accomplished body will help guide the organization’s growth – further enhancing DC JazzFest as one of the city’s signature cultural events and advancing its mission to celebrate, preserve, and grow jazz for future generations.

Peter M. Gillon will continue to serve as Chair of the DCJF Board of Directors.

“We are delighted to welcome these outstanding leaders to our Board,” said DCJF President and CEO Sunny Sumter. “Their perspectives, expertise, and commitment to cultural excellence arrive at an exciting time for DCJF. As we broaden our impact throughout the District and beyond, their leadership will help ensure that jazz remains a powerful platform for artistic expression and community connection.”

DCJF Board Chair Peter M. Gillon added, “Our newest Board members each bring distinct experience and a shared enthusiasm for the arts. Their guidance and support will strengthen our governance and strategic vision as we build on DCJF’s momentum and deepen our role as a champion for jazz locally and internationally.”

Newly confirmed members joining the DCJF Board include:

Marla Blow is the President and CEO of the Skoll Foundation. Previously, she was North America lead at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and was Founder and CEO of FS Card Inc., a subprime credit card venture (sold to strategic acquirer). Previously, she was part of the Implementation Team to stand up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and ultimately served as the Assistant Director for Card and Payment Markets, where she shaped the CFPB’s regulatory priorities in these markets. Prior to joining the CFPB, Marla spent seven years in a variety of functions at Capital One in the credit card business. Ms. Blow is a member of the US Capital Chapter of YPO, and previously served on the Board of Directors of Care.com (NYSE: CRCM, sold to IAC), and on the Board of Directors of Factor Trust (sold to TransUnion). Marla holds an MBA from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Carla Labat is an Associate Broker with Long & Foster Real Estate’s Chevy Chase Office, licensed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, with more than two decades of experience in residential sales across the Washington metropolitan region. Her early career began in New York City in the fashion industry, followed by work as a food and travel writer and author, with bylines in The New York Times, USA Today, and United Airlines Magazine. Shaped by a global upbringing that included living in Senegal and studying in Switzerland, Carla brings a strong commitment to service and cultural engagement. She has served in leadership roles with Global Sustainable Partnerships and National Capital Area CARES and was President of the Washington Real Estate Brokers Association (2024–2026). She is a member of The Washington Chapter of The Girl Friends, Inc. and The Potomac (VA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. Originally from New Orleans, she resides in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Andrea Mitchell is NBC News’ Chief Washington and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent. A veteran political correspondent, Mitchell has covered every presidential campaign since 1980 as well as reporting on national security issues across all NBC News platforms. Mitchell's extensive coverage of the White House, Congress and the State Department includes the Reagan/Gorbachev summits, 9/11, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Iran nuclear negotiations, conflicts in Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and assignments in China, Vietnam, Cuba, Haiti, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Israel and the Palestinian territories. She was a panelist for the 1988 Bush-Dukakis Presidential debate as well as in the NBC News Democratic Primary debate in 2015. In 2019, she co-moderated the fifth Democratic Presidential debate. From 2008 to 2025, Mitchell hosted Andrea Mitchell Reports on MSNBC. Mitchell has been honoured for her distinguished reporting, receiving awards including the 2025 Peabody Career Achievement Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 40th annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Mitchell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where she served as a Trustee for two decades, including a term as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, and is currently an Emeritus Trustee. She is the author of the 2005 memoir Talking Back.

Pete Williams is a retired American journalist and former government official. From 1993 to 2022, he was a television correspondent for NBC News. In 1986, Williams became press secretary for U.S. Representative Dick Cheney and followed Cheney to the Department of Defense, as Cheney became Secretary of Defense, to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs in 1989 during the George H. W. Bush administration. Williams became a correspondent for NBC News in late March 1993. His main areas of coverage were the Department of Justice and Supreme Court. He retired from NBC News on July 29, 2022.

The four new Directors will join:

• Peter M. Gillon, DCJF Chairman; Partner, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

• Erik A. Moses, DCJF Vice Chair; Executive Director & CEO, Arizona Sports Foundation (“Fiesta Bowl”)

• Harriet Sanford, DCJF Secretary; Former Foundation Executive, The NEA Foundation

• R. Reynolds Marshall, DCJF Treasurer

• Ronald D. Abramson, Shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

• Claude Bailey, Partner, Venable, LLP

• The Honorable Kimberly Bassett, Secretary of State – District of Columbia

• Peter Bell, CEO, Dworbell, Inc.

• Ron Carter, Grammy Award-winning Artist

• Meryl Chertoff, Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law School

• The Honorable William Lacy Clay, Senior Policy Advisor, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

• Felix Contreras, Co-creator and host of Alt.Latino, National Public Radio

• Jennifer Currie, Vice President & Senior Director of Programming, District Wharf Community Association

• Elliott Ferguson, President & CEO, Destination DC

• Pam Frazier, Multicultural Engagement Activation & Partnerships Director, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products

• Jeffrey R. Freund, Founder and Principal, Union Neutrals LLC

• Angie M. Gates, President & CEO, Events DC

• David Gorodetski, Founder & CEO, Sage Communications

• William A. Kirk, Partner, K&L Gates, LLP

• Roger Pollak, Of Counsel, Bredhoff & Kaiser

• Tanner Powell, Partner, Apollo Global Management

• Thomas Silverstein, Principal, The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Foundation

• Sunny Sumter, President and CEO, DC Jazz Festival (ex officio)

• Kim Tignor, Founder and Executive Director, TCC

• Deborah Veney, CEO, Agency Inc.

• Leslie Whipkey, CIMA®, CFP®

• Carmencita Whonder, Founder & CEO, OF WHONDER

• Charles Fishman (In Memorium), Founder and Honorary Life Chairman

  
  

  

With this new leadership, DCJF is poised to participate extensively in DC’s 250^th Anniversary Celebration, deepen its engagement with diverse audiences, and further its mission of celebrating the truly American music of jazz.

For more information, please visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org. A full list of the DC Jazz Festival Board of Directors and their bios can be found here: Organization | DCJF (dcjazzfest.org)

ABOUT THE DC JAZZ FESTIVAL: Since 2004, DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) has provided enriching and entertaining jazz performances and programs that introduce students and adults from all walks of life to jazz. DCJF presents a selection of the jazz genre’s most acclaimed artists as well as emerging artists, and provides enhanced exposure for the rich treasure trove of musicians from the Washington, DC area. Throughout the year, DCJF nourishes the community with affordably priced music education programs that extend its reach into underserved communities and enhance the quality of life for DC public and charter school students. For more information about DCJF and its programs, visit dcjazzfest.org.