Welcome A-Board! Introducing our Expanded Board of Directors & a Call for 2024-25 Giving Season Support
Announcing our Expanded Board of Directors! Friends of the Tanner House is Growing! Support Us on the Journey!
We are in need of your support this Winter Giving Season to raise $20K in funds to attend to rising infrastructure stabilization costs on this National Historic Landmark set in North Philadelphia!
As we prepare for Friends of the Tanner House to take flight as an independently-managed non-profit in 2025, we are deeply excited to welcome our first cohort of Board of Directors representing strong organizational values alignment, many with deep North Philadelphia roots, wide Philadelphia arts-and-culture experience, and a grasp of key administrative skillsets needed for us to structure and operate as a world-class platform for heritage engagement.
This announcement coincides as Phase II stabilization activity is finishing up on the 1872-built rowhome at 2908 W. Diamond St., and the Friends of the Tanner House team plans dedicated grant-funded neighborhood programming highlighting Tanner family legacy pursuits of faith, family, freedom, arts, health, and education.
The rising costs of the infrastructure stabilization work responds to the need to reinforce the foundation of the home that was originally designed for 19th century family life in order to make room for the 21st century possibilities of the Tanner House's new public existence.
We still have a lot more to go for a public re-opening; 2025 will be all about professional architectural and preservation planning for the House's redesign in response to what has been offered us through recent community surveying work! We're not done hearing from you either. Join us at our next public program offering. We'd love to discuss with you how a revitalized Tanner House can serve community needs and desires.
Friends of the Tanner House Board of Director Biographies
Nathalie “Talie” Cerin
Talie (Nathalie Cerin) is a musician, educator, and digital content creator originally from Port-au-Prince. She currently works community arts in North Philadelphia, and is also the lead editor of Woy Magazine, an online platform that seeks to be a meeting place for Haitians in Haiti and abroad.
Lonnie Coleman
“Hello, my name is Lonnie Coleman and I’m a lifelong resident of Strawberry Mansion. It’s an honor to be picked to sit on the Friends of the Tanner House Board representing from being in the neighborhood for more than 50 years! It’s going to be fun working alongside some new and exciting people who at some point I look to call friends. Thank you.”
Felicia Collins
Felicia Collins is a Fine Artist, certified K-12 Art Educator of 28 years, and advocate for the Arts. Her involvement includes programming, arts and cultural management, and experienced leadership within non-profit community programs.
Gail Loney
“I’m a lifelong North Central community member who believes that the communities wealth is its' residents! Among the many things I’ve learned from my experiences here are strength, patience, passion, humility, gratitude, and resilience.”
Tyler A. Ray
Tyler A. Ray is trained as planner, community designer, and historic preservationist, and his perspective doing this work is deeply rooted in his experiences growing up in North Philadelphia. As a graduate of Temple University’s Urban Planning and Historic Preservation programs, Tyler has made it his life mission to revive, amplify, and activate historic buildings and sites in the marginalized communities of Philadelphia and beyond.
Imani Roach
Imani Roach is the Inaugural Director of the Brind Center for African and African Diasporic Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A dedicated educator and longtime Philly resident, she has designed curricula and lead courses on Black art history for many local institutions including UPenn, Moore College of Art and Design, Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, Haverford College and University of the Arts. She has also been an active member of the city’s vibrant arts community as both a visual artist and a vocalist.
Christopher R. Rogers, Ph.D.
Christopher R. Rogers, Ph.D is an educator and cultural worker from Chester, PA with more than a decade of experience in supporting justice-oriented arts, culture, and community in the Greater Philadelphia area.
Leslie K. Ashby Sorel
“As a native Philadelphian and lifelong Strawberry Mansioner, I am excited to be part of the transformative efforts to highlight the enormous contributions of the Tanner family's legacy to local and global history!”
Kirwyn Sutherland
Kirwyn Sutherland is a Clinical Data Manager and poet. He lives in North Philly and loves chilling by the water.
