Tamika Blaize
Founder & President
A Princess for a Day
Tamika Blaize is the founder of A Princess for a Day. She graduated from Hofstra University with a degree in Communication Arts. After working at CNBC and FOX and a stint in the buying office at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, Ms. Blaize moved to Los Angeles, CA. There she worked on various talk, game, and court shows. Recently Ms. Blaize relocated back to Brooklyn, NY and is a volunteer at GLWD and New York Cares. A lover of beautiful, timeless clothing, Ms. Blaize enjoys styling her family and friends. She also has a line of t-shirts.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Shaquana Divers, MHA has been working for youth development and academic achievement for many years. While in graduate school she served as the coordinator for the Science Technology Entry Program and Collegiate Science Technology Entry Program at Hofstra University. These rigorous academic programs prepare historically underrepresented minorities and economically disadvantaged high school students for licensed professions in scientific, technical and health-related careers. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, she was a counselor for the Liberty Partnership Program, a program whose mission is to promote learning experiences that enhance intellectual, social and cultural development and provide educational opportunities that prepare students to graduate from high school and pursue college or a career. In addition to her full-time job developing health and wellness programs for the University of Rochester, Ms. Divers currently volunteers in her community and is actively involved in organizations that improve the lives of young people such as Jack and Jill of America, the American Heart Association and the University of Rochester's Pillars of Hope Program. Joli Moniz is the Director of Admission and Financial Aid at School of the Holy Child in Rye, NY. Prior to that she worked in admission at Miss Porter’s School in CT. She also runs Joli Moniz Design, a company specializing in interior design and photography. Joli majored in African American Studies at the University of Virginia, and more recently attended the New York School of Interior Design. In addition to APFAD, Joli sits on the board of REACH Prep.Joli grew up in Connecticut but has lived here so long that she now considers herself a New Yorker.
LaWanda LB Black
Founder & President Soiree Marketing Inc.
In addition to being the personal assistant to Oscar nominated actress, Grammy Award winning rapper Queen Latifah, LaWanda Black is also the President and CEO of Soiree Marketing Inc. Ms. Black has 17 years experience in the entertainment industry. She prides herself on building partnerships and relationships with her clients. As event coordinator, Ms. Black has been responsible for exclusive A-list celebrity soiree's. She has orchestrated wrap parties for the following films: Living Out Loud, Beauty Shop, Taxi, Bringing down the House, The Cookout, and Life Support. In addition, Ms. Black is the go-to for international festivities like The Last Holiday wrap party in Prague and the Private Yacht party aboard the Azzura 11 in Italy.
Shaquana Divers
Sr. Health Project Coordinator, Well-U
University of Rochester
Joli Moniz
Director of Admission
School of the Holy Child
Octavia Taylor, Esq.
Disney ABC Television Group
Octavia T. Taylor passed the New York State Bar in 2002 with a singular focus: to be an advocate for artists working in film and television. Her time working at companies like Uptown/MCA Records and FOX-TV convinced her that artists were in need of assistance in dealing with both legal matters and business endeavors. After passing the bar, Octavia worked for entertainment boutique law firms and corporations, including a stint at VH1. In 2008, Taylor began working at Disney/ABC Domestic Television as a production attorney where she is responsible for all legal and business matters for the production of a game and reality show. In addition to reviewing, drafting and negotiating agreements for the shows, Octavia advises producers and creative executives on the legal issues of their ideas and business ventures as well as protects the confidentiality and intellectual property rights of the productions. In her spare time, Taylor reviews and drafts agreements for actors, producers and writers and volunteers her services to local film and television productions. She received her BA in Communications from the University of Virginia and her JD from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (Yeshiva University). Taylor is also the Director of the Programming Committee for New York Women In Film and TV.
Founder & Board of Directors
