2024 Coordinators

Dellarisha Ventress

High School Theater Coordinator 

Dellarisha Ventress is a remarkable individual with an impressive educational background, boasting a Bachelor's degree in Theatre and two Masters in Education. Her passion for acting and vocal coaching, creative and fine arts instruction, and youth development coordination shines through in all that she does. Ms. Ventress is a true master of her craft, excelling in speech communications, set design, directing, costume designing, and coordinating. Her extensive experience in the classroom setting has allowed her to engage people in writing and speaking like nobody else can. 

She is a self-disciplined, effective communicator, and quick learner who is always up for a challenge. With her strong customer service presence and exceptional interpersonal skills, Ms. Ventress is sure to make every moment exciting and unforgettable.

Dominique Gibbs 

Elementary Performing Arts Coordinator

Ms. Gibbs is the Music Specialist at Park Forest Elementary. She is a New Orleans native and mother of two boys. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Performance Degree in Vocal Music and Piano from Southern University and A&M College's Music Department. Ms. Gibbs was initiated into Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity in the Spring of 2007. She is also an active member of Mu Phi Epsilon's Alumni chapter in Baton Rouge of which she holds office as Vice President. Ms. Gibbs was Teacher of the Year for 2021-2022 at Park Forest Elementary Creative Sciences & Arts Magnet school where she teaches General Music, Entertainment Technology, and Piano. 

Ms. Gibbs is also the facilitator of the Audio and Video Production Lab, The Pirate Ship Podcast, and Director of the Famous Singing Pirates choir. She was also inducted into the Beta Class of the MUSIC GREEKS UNDER 40 SOCIETY, by the nationally recognized MUSIC GREEKΣ, a non-profit organization which serves to commemorate and raise awareness of the existence of seven national music greek letter organizations.

Ms. Gibbs made history as the 2023 Inaugural Elementary Fine Arts Teacher for the District of East Baton Rouge Parish Schools System.

She is an outstanding Singer, Songwriter, and Musician.

Shelton D. Smith

High School Performing Arts Coordinator 

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Southern University and A&M College as well as a Master of Music Education degree from Anderson Univeristy, South Carolina. Mr. Smith began his teaching career with the East Baton Rouge Parish School System (EBRPSS) in 2009. For over a decade, he has served EBRPSS music education community in roles such as team leader for his department, coordinator of middle schools for the Debose Fine Arts Festival, and guest choral conductor for EBRPSS Honors Choir. 

Currently, Mr. Smith serves as director of choruses and piano teacher at Woodlawn High School. Moreover, Mr. Smith is a member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) and the Baton Rouge Symphony Chorus (BRSC). Mr. Smith was recently appointed as the High School Coordinator for the DeBose Fine Arts Festival.

Allegri Gosserand

High School Dance Coordinator 

I have had  a successful experience in leading and mentoring students of various ages and backgrounds by using diverse instructional approaches and resources during my fifteen years at Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School (SMAMS). As a certified dance teacher, my passion for dance and many years of experience provided me the opportunity to collaborate and engage with other faculty, committees, local and national artists in creative spaces.  

My hopes are through hard work and dedication we continue to uphold a tradition of excellence in our dance spaces.  

Brandon V. Lewis

Visual Arts High School Coordinator 

A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brandon V. Lewis is the product of a single mothers love and dedication and the beneficiary of the hard work and strong convictions of his grandparents. Lewis began drawing at the age of three, when he returned from school one evening, the teacher sent an assignment home which instructed his parent to draw a bumblebee and he was to color it. Not being gifted with the talent to draw his mother handed him the pencil and told him to ‘try’, and he did more than try, when his mother looked at the paper he had in fact drawn a bumblebee that looked better than one any adult in the house could fashion.  

After the faithful bumblebee assignment Lewis’ grandmothers began to invest in his talent. He would be given drawing tablets, pencils and most importantly a wealth of motivation. It was his maternal grandmother, a devout woman of God who told him ‘ the lord has blessed you with a gift, and it will make room for you.’ As he traveled through the East Baton Rouge Parish School System he was admitted to the talented arts program and was introduced to phenomenal art teachers who introduced him to mediums he had never heard of. His high school art Mr. Bob White shed light on the style Lewis had created.  He pointed out how even though he didn’t paint faces on any of his subjects, Lewis’ paintings still told very colorful and complex stories. Mr. White encouraged him to stick to this unique way of storytelling. While studying folk artist such as Clementine Hunter, Jacob Lawrence and Bill Hemmerling, Lewis began to realize that he had in fact been telling the stories of his grandparents and great grandparents with a paintbrush. 

After High School Lewis studied history at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Studying African American history on the College level allowed him to gain an even further understanding of the rich heritage that is the African American experience. Over the course of the past ten years Lewis has dedicated his work to the celebration of his people and their stories. When asked ‘ What inspires you?’ he says “ I was raised by a unit of strong and relentless black women and a phenomenal grandfather who served as my father, those individuals along with the elders I’ve encountered in the church and on porches in small country towns such as Ethel and Clinton, Louisiana are my inspiration. Women with large ankles and ‘settled bodies’, who took pride in their appearance and always walked unapologetically in their own truth, men of little words but possessed tremendous wisdom, those people are the reason I create. I am a custodian of their stories. Every time I pick a paintbrush it is like picking up a pen. I am simply re-telling their stories with some paint and a brush. Artwork outlives its creator, one hundred years from now when I am a mere memory, my story, my mothers, my grandparents and all the those who came before us, our stories will celebrate our history to a new age.”