Meet Our Board
SOULNIC Music Festival was originally created by Extra Mild Sauce, an organization of visionaries who has produced quality music events nationwide. Their collective professional experience spans over 20 years in music, film and event planning.
Since 2009, they have been committed to bringing community and families together through the SOULNIC Music Festival, which is now operated by The Soulnic Foundation.
-
Co-Founder, Treasurer
MBA, BS in Business Management, Finance Management Certification
Alumni of the African American Board Leadership Institute
20+ years as territory sales manager for industrial automation manufacturing companies for the Western 13 states
14 years managing and producing fundraising galas, music festivals, trade shows, etc.
2 years at the 1984 LA Olympic Organizing Committee, designed and developed the 1st NOC Service Center.
2 years set design and production for the film industry
6 years - floral design business for weddings, special events, restaurant/hotel arrangements, landscape design.
-
Co-Founder, Executive Director
20 years: Producer (event development and production for music festivals, film screenings, private parties, live music and club events parties) 16 years: Film producer / executive producer
15 years: Legal / compliance for a private investment firm
12 years: Fundraising experience
-
Vice Chair
Kendrick “Drack” Muse brings our team decades of experience in the music industry and event marketing. Past positions include: Licensing Manager (Universal-Motown Records); On-Air Radio Personality (WEMX 94.1 FM). He’s produced ground-breaking events in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Amsterdam consistently since 1997.
-
Board Member
Cheryl Smith is an accomplished professional with a proven track record in finance, contract negotiations, and international business. She achieved her Bachelor of Science in Management at Pepperdine University, Master’s Degree in International Business and Ethics at Loyola Marymount University, and a Juris Doctorate from the prestigious Southwestern School of Law. Cheryl has dedicated much of her career to serving the global internet community through her work at ICANN, an international nonprofit. With her expertise and experience, she has held mid and upper-management positions across various industries, demonstrating her ability to drive success and growth primarily in the IT area. Cheryl has successfully negotiated multi-million and billion-dollar contracts at companies such as Yahoo, Amgen, and, most recently at Mattel. Her exceptional skills in finance and contract negotiations have allowed her to excel in her field, consistently driving value for the organizations she has worked.
In addition to her professional achievements, Cheryl is deeply committed to making a positive impact through philanthropy. Currently, her passions lie in sustainable gardening, assisting women of color in drug and alcohol addiction recovery, and supporting those in need in urban centers by addressing food insecurity. As she embarks on the next chapter of her career Cheryl has most recently joined the board of the Soulnic Foundation.
-
Board Member, Soulnic Advisor
Dawn Comer-Preston is the Executive Officer and Sr. Director of Digital Inclusion & Innovation for the City of Los Angeles, serving in the Mayor’s Office of Finance, Operations and Innovation. She was previously a FUSE Corps fellow for the City of Los Angeles, leading Smart City initiatives and a Senior Management Consultant at IBM, leading digital transformation for Fortune 500 clients. Dawn has an MBA from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and State (NCAT) University. In her spare time, Dawn enjoys the performing arts, and teaching and ministering through dance at her church.
-
Board Member
Nicole Spivey is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who currently works for Kaiser Permanente as a Regional Behavioral Health Managerial Consultant over levels of care. In this role, she is responsible for strategic planning, training and standardization of workflow implementation for the Southern California region. Although Nicole works in healthcare and has built her career as a clinician and healthcare leader over the last 19 years, Nicole has always been passionate about the arts and supporting organizations that foster access to arts activities to purposefully cultivate engagement and birth passion for youth and the young at heart. As a young Ohio native, Nicole moved out to Los Angeles in the year 2000 to explore a career in the arts. Ready to embrace any and every opportunity, she worked in various capacities in front of and behind the scenes before deciding to pursue a masters degree in clinical psychology in 2008.
Throughout her time in Los Angeles, Nicole has volunteered with various arts organizations including the Gala Committee at the California African American Museum (CAAM). During the year of volunteering with CAAM, Nicole learned the value of being able to effectively support a non-profit organization through community visibility and fundraising. Nicole recently spent a year on the newly formed The H.E.art Arts Board of Directors. During her time with the organization, Nicole brought in $15,000 through personal contributions, network outreach, and subcommittee grant submissions.
-
Producer
With 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Chris Beal has established herself as a versatile and accomplished producer. After graduating from Howard University, Beal began her career at Warner Bros. as a production management trainee, working on big-budget productions from development to release. Her credits include "Message in a Bottle," "The Green Mile," "Deep Blue Sea," "Romeo Must Die," and "Bait."
Recently, Beal has transitioned from location managing to line producing, bringing her unique skillset to projects such as "The Kings of Napa" Season 1 for Warner Bros, "Bel Air" Season 2 for Peacock, and Disney's "She Taught Love," which she recently wrapped. Additionally, Beal has completed the Netflix/Shondaland Producer Inclusion Initiative, further solidifying her position as a leading producer in the industry.
Beal's current short film, "Superman Doesn't Steal," is making waves on the Film Festival Circuit, winning 3 audience awards and Best Short Film at several film festivals. The film has also been accepted at the prestigious American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival.
Throughout her career, Beal has demonstrated her ability to excel in various aspects of production, making her a highly sought-after producer in the entertainment industry.
-
Board Member
Marlo Stroud is a seasoned financial executive who has transitioned into non-profit consulting after building significant expertise in the sector. Her most recent position as Chief Financial Officer at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce demonstrates her capability to manage complex financial operations at major organizations.
Her professional profile is particularly notable for three key strengths. First, her extensive non-profit industry experience spanning more than 15 years provides her with a deep understanding of the sector's unique challenges and opportunities. Second, her financial leadership experience of nearly 20 years indicates a strong foundation in fiscal management and strategy. Third, her specialized expertise in areas such as financial growth, grant management, and internal controls is especially relevant for non-profit organizations seeking to strengthen their financial operations.
In her current role as a consultant focusing exclusively on non-profit organizations, she appears well-positioned to advise the Soulnic Foundation. Her background suggests she can offer valuable insights on financial best practices, compliance requirements, and strategic growth opportunities specific to the non-profit sector.
-
Board Member
Daylon A. Goff is a brand marketing and media executive with over twenty (20) years of experience driving consumer engagement for both blue-chip and challenger brands.
Leveraging know-how and deep relationships across social media, sports, entertainment, and live events, Daylon designs authentic conversations and custom experiences that drive trial, affinity and loyalty. He has a keen insight for “what’s now and what’s next” that creates unique and impactful opportunities at the intersection of commerce and culture.
Most recently, Daylon served as President of JET Media Group, overseeing the assessment of the JET brand’s viability and market value for both historical and new customers. Prior to JET, he led Cultural Strategy at Initiative, managing media strategies for brands like Amazon and T-Mobile. Before that, he was Director of Marketing at Wingstop, handling social media, influencer, and partnership marketing for over 1,500 restaurants worldwide.
He also served as Director of Multicultural Marketing at The Marketing Arm, creating experiential campaigns for clients including AT&T, Frito-Lay, State Farm, and American Airlines.
Originally from Kansas City, KS, Daylon holds a BA in marketing/management from the University of Oklahoma, is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc, and he and his wife currently reside in Birmingham, AL.
