The National Black Theatre has appointed Kamilah Long as its first director of development. Long joins the New York company after serving as executive director of Play On Shakespeare, a former program of Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

"I met [NBT founder] Dr. [Barbara Ann] Teer while I was a graduate student at the University of Louisville. Listening to her powerful words changed my life," shares Long. "The decision to take this very important and newly created position with NBT is my way of paying homage to Dr. Teer and her vision, which is built on LOVE, one of the principles of Black Liberation."

Long's seven-year tenure with Oregon Shakespeare Festival saw her as associate director of leadership engagements, director of leadership gifts, and senior director of individual giving and development operations before being named executive director of Play On Shakespeare in 2020. She is also on the board of directors for Southern Oregon Public Television, serves on the Oregon Arts Commission, and is founder and CEO of The Black Whole, a multimedia company focused on centering the global Black community through the arts and storytelling.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kamilah Long to the NBT family," says NBT CEO Sade Lythcott. "Kamilah brings with her both extensive experience in institutional advancement and as a former practicing artist, a deep love, understanding, and dedication to our culture and community of artists whom we serve. We are looking forward to her leadership as NBT continues to grow in its reach and impact through our programs, productions, and capital projects."

Long joins the company as it is in the midst of a capital campaign that looks to fund the construction of a 21-story project that will provide 222 units of mixed-income apartments and a performance space for NBT.

Visit NationalBlackTheatre.org.