Executive Director
Lakeisha Edwards
Lakeisha Edwards is a dynamic leader in the arts and nonprofit sectors, dedicated to fostering inclusivity, empowering artists, and transforming communities through public art. A native of Covington, Tennessee, she serves as Executive Director of the UrbanArt Commission (UAC) in Memphis.
She holds degrees in Social Work and Psychology from the University of Memphis and has led initiatives in child support services, food security, and arts advocacy. Before joining UAC, she served as Executive Director of Art Ventures in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where she championed artist development, arts education, and community engagement. She also has extensive experience in public service, having worked as Operations Manager for Maximus Child Support Services, overseeing policy implementation and program operations.
Lakeisha is a graduate of the BLDG Memphis City Builders Cohort, a Small Business Council Member with the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Memphis Cultural Coalition, the Medical District Park Advisory Committee, and the Junior League of Memphis. She also lends her expertise as a grant reviewer for the National Endowment for the Arts and the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Her leadership at UAC has been recognized by the Memphis Business Journal for advancing diversity in business, and she was featured in Memphis Magazine’s “Who’s Who” for 2024. She was recently interviewed by Forbes magazine for her role in bringing Monuments to Motherhood to Memphis—an initiative by artist Molly Gochman that honors caregivers through powerful, interactive public art.
In October 2024, she served as one of four judges for The Beauty of Change: The Frances Dancy Hooks Art Award & Exhibition at the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change, reviewing submissions that explored transformation, resilience, and inspiration through visual storytelling. She was also a featured speaker at Dixon Gallery & Gardens’ “Women in the Arts” event, where she participated in the panel discussion “Don’t Go Baroque: Supporting Yourself as a Visual Artist.”
A respected voice in leadership and community engagement, Lakeisha has facilitated leadership and team-building sessions, including presenting “Harmony and Hustle: Balancing Team Building with Peak Performance” at the New Memphis Leadership Summit. She has also shared insights on the intersection of arts, culture, and business as a panelist for New Memphis’ “Celebrate What’s Right: Creative Economics!”
e :: lakeisha@uacmem.org
p :: 901.552.3934
Operations & Development manager
Kelly Seagraves
Kelly Seagraves, a Memphis native, joined the UAC team in July 2024. As an experienced nonprofit professional, interdisciplinary artist, freelance designer, and small business owner, Kelly brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic insight to our organization. With expertise in nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, communications, and digital content creation, her passion is in creating opportunities for underrepresented individuals and groups to express themselves and build community through art.
Kelly’s passion for community development, paired with her artistic flair, aligns well with the impactful work we do at UAC.
e :: kelly@uacmem.org
p :: 901.209.4108
Sr. Program manager
Kayla J. Smith-Hardy
Kayla J. Smith-Hardy joined the UAC team in March 2023. Proudly born and raised in Memphis, she cherishes the unique history and culture of the city. She is a relational community organizer, facilitator, and social impact leader. Kayla J. is the Founder of Lilac Impact Services, LLC- a consultancy where social impact meets strategic goals. Kayla J. is a 2021 M.Div graduate from Harvard University. Her senior master thesis, “Something is Happening in Memphis”: Black Spirituality and Culture of Resilience in Memphis, Tennessee guides her love for exploring and connecting with Memphians and our experiences. She is also a 2018 graduate of Birmingham-Southern College, majoring in Human Rights and Justice. Kayla J. is a graduate of the National Civil Rights Museum: Unpacking Racism for Action- Cohort 7. She grounds her work in womanism, transformative justice, and community engagement.
e :: kayla@uacmem.org
p :: 901.343.6983
Program manager
Richard J. Echols
Richard Echols, a proud native of Memphis, TN, joined the UAC team in June of 2022. Growing up in Memphis exposed Richard to various forms of art such as poetry, music, and visual art. This early exposure sparked his interest in drawing people, a passion that has remained central to his practice. Richard attended Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where he earned a B.S. in Art Practices, focusing on painting and art education. His collegiate experience deepened his commitment to mentorship, which continues to shape his teaching philosophy.
In May 2021, Richard earned his MFA in Painting from the University of Memphis. Throughout his time in Memphis, he has exhibited at The Art Museum of the University of Memphis, Crosstown Arts, Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and The Brooks Museum. In addition to his work as a painter and educator, Richard is also a freelance photographer and videographer, extending his artistic practice into digital media.
e :: richard@uacmem.org
p :: 901.881.8205
Program manager
Travis C. Washington
Travis Washington joined the UAC team in the Summer of 2022. He is an interdisciplinary mix-media artist from somewhere in the heart of Memphis, TN. His early love of the creative arts came from watching his grandmothers sewing practice and his other family members creative illustrations and graffiti murals in Memphis. Travis would go on to attend Middle Tennessee State University where he would receive his Bachelors in Fine Arts and minor in Graphic Design. From there he would attend the University of Memphis and receive his Masters of Fine Arts. Currently his is a published medical illustrator and continues his personal art practice in the great city of Memphis.
e :: travis@uacmem.org
p :: 901.221.4077
