About Us

David Boothman

David Boothman, celebrated artist/musician from Trinidad and Tobago, has been contributing to the arts for over forty-five years. He has performed at International Jazz and Caribbean music festivals. In 1980, he was awarded a government scholarship through the Prime Minister’s Best Village Program, going on to later graduate with honors from Pratt Institute, New York.

As a composer, artist, musician and educator, he has received numerous awards for Arts in Education and multi-media arts’ productions in Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. Boothman has written and produced documentary soundtracks; composed jingles; and recorded and performed with leading Caribbean-performing artists. He has also written and published various articles on the cultural arts and icons of the Caribbean. His national and international exhibitions include the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum, Organization of American States (OAS), the National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago and the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas, as well as corporate buildings in Europe and Latin America. His works have been featured in several publications including the Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts and the International Review of African American Art.

In Washington DC, he has been cultural consultant managing productions and several special events for the Trinidad and Tobago Embassy, Howard University, Inter-American Development Bank Cultural Center, (IDB), World Health Organization, (WHO), GALA Hispanic Theater and Caribbean Tourism Organization, (CTO). In 2012, Boothman curated the exhibition “Giving Shape to the Sacred” celebrating in Washington, Trinidad & Tobago’s 50th Anniversary Independence. The exhibition featured the works of renowned Caribbean artists of Trinidad & Tobago in the Mid-Atlantic region.

As a critical thinker and educator with extraordinary experience in interdisciplinary arts, Boothman is equipped with not only knowledge of the music and art history of Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean, he has cultivated an integral understanding of the contemporary Caribbean artistic and cultural tapestry and language. He has actively served on the board of CreativeTT during 2014 to 2016. Then, awarded Master Artist in Residence at University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT) in 2016, he has formed the Caribbean Renaissance Jazz Ensemble/Colab (CRJazz) and continues to critically engage UTT’s Academy of Performing Arts (APA) students in their research and studies of the vastness of Caribbean culture.

Through his experience and understanding of the critical changes in the music and culture of the Caribbean from the fifties to now, Boothman identifies the dynamics of these movements as crucial towards the pioneering of new frontiers for Caribbean integration, culture and education. His critical work in the fields of the arts, education and performance qualifies him as a cultural engineer, creating and bridging tradition and contemporary cultural modalities towards the refinement of Caribbean identity - the mission of Caribbean Renaissance Foundation.

Within the CRF programs and portfolio, Boothman has created the program “Resonating Affinities” Connecting the Dots. - Critical thinking and action in Culture, Arts and Sciences. A platform channeling Caribbean creatives in their respective field.

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Vanessa Butler

As a cultural Ambassador, innovator and business development strategist, Vanessa has spend 20 years promoting the Caribbean region and identifying potential partners and resources that can contribute to the sustainable development and advancement of the people of the Caribbean Diaspora and the Caribbean region.

Through her outreach and partnership experience, understanding of the critical issues impacting the Caribbean; as well as her marketing skills and ability to cultivate relationships, she is uniquely poised to represent brand CARIBBEAN! Ms Buttler’s cultural heritage and identity comes from the strong influences from family ties to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Bahamas and Virgin Island, which presents a unique exposure to the Caribbean’s rich heritage, cuisine, music and history.

Her commitment to the Caribbean community is evident. Her involvement with numerous Caribbean organizations holding various board and other leadership roles including sub committees on Diplomacy and Funding for H.R.4939, (Institute of Caribbean Studies), Caribbean Catholic of North America, Caribbean Cargo DC, Caribbean Development Committee, Caribbean-American Political Action Committee, National Association of Multi-ethnicity in Communications and others. Most recently she was appointed as the Jamaica Diaspora representative for D.C., VA, and Maryland.

She is an avid supporter for Caribbean integration and as consultant - providing marketing, PR and promotional efforts for JA Diaspora Education and Immigration & Deportation Task forces, CaribNation and Grace Jerk Festival, as well as numerous initiatives including Pledge To Build early childhood fundraiser, Caribbean Day of Giving hurricane relief and 2018 Shaggy and Friends fundraiser. She also served as special advisor to Anton Andrew, candidate in PA state house elections.

Ms Buttler has served as a speaker and facilitator at Capitol Hill during Caribbean American Heritage month, Jamaica Diaspora Educational Summit, Jamaican Diaspora USA Summit and others.

In her professional career, Buttler work in the field of in training, events planning, marketing, business development, outreach and strategic partnerships across various sectors - legal (Morgan Lewis LLP), defense (Northrop Grumman), education (PBS, NTL Institute), financial (National Association of Federal Credit Unions) and consulting (McKinsey & Co.) and Start up (AppEngines). She has coordinated and managed training programs with the World Bank, IMF, OAS, WOCCU and IDB.

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