Meet Our New Leadership!

A strong foundation makes bold things possible. At BlackRock, our Board of Trustees helps provide the vision, leadership, and support that allow our organization to grow, evolve, and dream bigger. We’re thrilled to welcome our newest trustees and introduce our new Executive Team as we look ahead to an exciting new chapter for BlackRock.

Executive Leadership

Lawrence Paska, Board Chair

Dr. Lawrence ("Larry") Paska is the Executive Director of ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), the largest professional association in the United States for world language education, based in Alexandria, VA. He has more than 25 years of experience in association management and education. He previously served for eight years as Executive Director of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), a professional association for social studies educators. 

For BlackRock, Larry serves on the Executive and Finance Committees, and is also the host & chief curator for ReelTalk, a monthly film screening and discussion group. He previously served as President of the former Village Stage community theater group (Albany, NY region), and performed and directed in community theater in Albany, Westchester, and The Bronx (NY). 

Before moving to Maryland in 2016, Larry was an educator in New York State, serving as the Director of Professional Development at the Southern Westchester (NY) Board of Cooperative Educational Services, and in multiple roles at the New York State Education Department, primarily as the Coordinator of Technology Policy and as a state social studies curriculum and assessment specialist. Larry began his career as a middle school social studies teacher in New York State public schools. He holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (University at Albany-NY), an M.A.T. in Social Studies and B.A. in History (Union College-NY), and is an ASAE-certified association executive and New York State-certified school district administrator. Larry and his family reside in the Germantown area. His wife, Miriam Paska, is the President & Digital Strategist of Village Green Consulting, LLC.

Heather Madison, Vice Chair

Heather Madison is a dedicated community leader, arts advocate, and sustainability professional with a passion for fostering connection, creativity, and inclusive growth throughout Montgomery County.

Heather currently serves with Peterson Companies, with a career rooted in relationship-building, project execution, and community-centered problem solving, she brings a unique blend of strategic thinking and hands-on leadership to every endeavor.

A strong advocate for autism awareness, acceptance, and neurodiversity, Heather is inspired daily by her daughters, and actively champions programs and spaces that support accessibility, inclusion, and self-expression.

Deeply engaged in civic and cultural life, Heather’s work consistently reflects her commitment to strengthening community bonds — whether through environmental stewardship, local partnerships, or supporting the arts as a vital resource for education, belonging, and joy.

Heather is honored to bring her professional expertise, community lens, and wholehearted enthusiasm to the BlackRock Center for the Arts Board of Directors, where she hopes to help expand BlackRock’s reach, impact, and inclusive mission for years to come.

Steve Barber, Board Treasurer

Steven Barber brings more than three and a half decades of comprehensive experience in accounting and finance, spanning a wide range of industries including financial securities, publishing, event management, and non-profits.

For a significant portion of his career, he served as a key leader at a $100 million B2B media company, where he oversaw the Finance department. In this role, he was instrumental in leading the due diligence process for over 50 acquisitions, a testament to his expertise in corporate finance and strategic growth.

Onnie "J.R." Watson, Board Secretary

Onnie “J.R.” Watson is a strategic communicator, nonprofit administrator, and researcher dedicated to mission-driven growth. As the founder of JR Creative & Capital Solutions, LLC, he combines expertise in marketing and brand strategy, donor fundraising, and specialized mineral rights research.  

Onnie has managed multi-million-dollar revenue portfolios and public engagement strategies for premier institutions like Ford’s Theatre and Imagination Stage. A committed advocate for community impact, he serves as a Board Trustee for the BlackRock Center for the Arts. Onnie holds an M.A. in Arts Management from American University and dual B.A. degrees in History and Theatre.

New Trustees

Frederick Hawkins

Frederick is a dedicated community servant, leader and advocate with 20 years of experience in community engagement, outreach, and program development. Across each of his roles before joining the Office of Community Partnerships, Frederick has been instrumental in creating positive change in predominantly African American communities.

After attending Tuskegee University (HBCU), he moved to New York City and served as a Peacemaker Program Director at the renowned Harlem Children's Zone. He also was a co-lead of the nation's first social impact bond, creating one-of-a-kind programming for the Adolescent Behavioral Learning Experience (ABLE) program on Rikers Island mentoring and teaching hundreds of youth during and after their reentry experience.

Frederick later became a lead coordinator of youth and young adult advocacy and support services with Friends of Island Academy and the youth reentry network, leading a dynamic team that spanned into neighborhoods and communities across the city's five boroughs, serving hundreds of youth and hundreds of families.

Since moving to Montgomery County, Maryland, Mr. Hawkins has trained over numerous mentors for children and young adults in foster care. He facilitated dozens of workshops and trainings on cultural competency, community engagement, and other relevant topics. As the affordable housing director working in collaboration with FEMA, Johns Hopkins University, and DCHA, he spearheaded community initiatives. These included organizing a drive that vaccinated hundreds of vulnerable community members in Maryland and Washington, DC, during the height of the pandemic. He also led rental assistance initiatives that collected over one million dollars to support Maryland and DC residents facing eviction. In addition, he provided mentorship to dozens of interns from local reentry and job readiness programs and facilitated the donation of thousands of pounds of food per month to under-resourced community members. Mr. Hawkins also served proudly with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE Leadership Academy), supporting and mentoring young people affected by gun violence.

Mr. Hawkins not only understands the impact of structural and institutional injustice, disparities and exclusion, but also believes in the power of community and the duty to work toward a brighter future. He values the joy and rich culture of the African American community and the endless potential of love and diversity in Montgomery County.

Lazarus “Laz” Stark

Laz joined the BlackRock Center for the Arts Board of Trustees in July 2026. An international award-winning entertainer, entertainment producer, frontman, speaker and author, Laz brings more than 30 years of experience creating live experiences that connect people through music, storytelling and shared emotion.

As Chief Relationship Officer and Creative Guru at Epic Events, he has worked on events ranging from intimate celebrations to stadium openings, international conferences, concerts on the National Mall and productions at some of the country’s most iconic venues. He has also spent more than 15 years educating event professionals about entertainment, hospitality and the psychology behind meaningful human connection; he calls it The Psychology of the Guest.

Allison Silberman

Allison brings 26 years of experience in the live entertainment industry where her primary goal is to make clients' visions a reality while providing local actors, dancers, artists and skilled performers a creative way to make a living while pursuing their artistic dreams. She understands that access to the arts for everyone is vital to a community's overall well-being, happiness, and success. The arts serve as much more than a physical activity; they nurture the soul and, for some, provide a much-needed form of expression.

Allison has a BFA degree in Acting/Directing from the University of Arizona and has worked in both corporate and film/television entertainment for over 30 years. She is excited to join the BlackRock family and learn how she can contribute to BlackRock's overall success and future, as well as the contentment of the BlackRock