Tamar Smithers
Chief of Staff, ARDX
Tamar Smithers is a professional actress, vocalist, arts leader, and educator. She is an avid arts advocate with over fifteen years of experience in the not-for-profit sector with a special focus on museums, higher education, and cultural institutions. Currently, she serves as Chief of Staff at ARDX, a healthcare management firm with a strong commitment to social responsibility. As Chief of staff, she works closely with the CEO to facilitate communication and coordination among departments and ensures the execution of strategic initiatives. She is a key advisor and trusted partner, helping to prioritize tasks and streamline organizational processes.
Prior to joining ARDX, Tamar served as the Executive Director for The Virginia African American Cultural Center (VAACC), where she was responsible for overseeing the administration, fundraising, programming development, and overall strategic plan of the organization. She is also the founding Senior Director of Education for the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville, TN where she was instrumental in creating culturally specific programs and curricula for students of all ages. Tamar has served as Secretary for the Eastern Great Lakes chapter of the National Guild for Community Arts Education and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of African American Museums (AAAM). She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a member of Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc., a business and professional organization.
Tamar holds a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University, a M.S. in Arts Administration, and a C.A.S. in Higher Education Leadership from Le Moyne College, as well as an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Additionally, she holds an Advanced Executive Leadership Certificate through AAAM at Howard University and was a part of the inaugural cohort. She is also a PhD candidate with a focus on community engagement at Point Park University. A community-minded person with a true passion for mentoring and being a positive role model for our youth, Tamar encourages young people to believe that no matter what their circumstances may be, if they continue to pursue their dreams, anything is possible!