Our Team
We are a female-inspired movement.
Salonnière Founder
Julie Egan
Julie likes to foster "bold, persistent experimentation" at the intersection of art, activism and diversity. Building on over two decades of global partnerships experience, including as a diplomat and senior official in The White House, Julie launched Salonnière to perform a different kind of diplomacy—one aimed at bringing diverse cultural talent and social brain trusts to the table to inspire exchange, provoke candid conversation and build collaboration. While at the State Department, Julie created and executed innovative public-private partnerships and global strategic alliances in areas as varied as entrepreneurship diplomacy, city diplomacy, art diplomacy, fashion diplomacy and food diplomacy.
Egan served on a team of senior advisors sent by President Obama to Detroit after an historic municipal bankruptcy, where she launched global initiatives and city-wide conversations on how subnational and cultural diplomacy could be used in Detroit's renaissance. A fourth generation Detroiter, Julie is a Fulbright Scholar, and has lived and worked in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. She is the senior fellow for global partnerships at the Michigan Municipal League Foundation, a member of the Detroit Institute of Arts Board of Directors for African and African-American Art and is appointed by the Governor of Michigan to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
Chief Operating Officer
Danielle Waddell
Danielle has over two decades of experience in event planning and operations, and dedicated her career to serving disadvantaged youth and increasing awareness of workforce development opportunities through public service and the non-profit community. Danielle played an instrumental role in the development of The Suitor's Academy, an organization dedicated to moving youth in Chicago from the concept of being consumers to producers through engagement in the fashion, textile, and merchandising industry.
Artistic Director and Chief Curator
Juana Williams
Juana Williams is a Detroit-born curator and arts worker with over a decade of experience. She leads Artistic Direction for Salonniere. She previously served as Associate Curator of African American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Prior to that, she was Director of Exhibitions at Library Street Collective, Adjunct Faculty in Art History at Wayne State University, and Exhibitions Curator at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. She has also held positions at various institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Wayne State University Art Department Gallery, and the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery.
Juana is passionate about engaging communities, elevating diverse voices, and providing a platform for artists’ innovative expressions. She is also a persistent advocate for supporting artists and preserving art-centered spaces.
She has guest-curated exhibitions at galleries and museums across the country, featuring a wide range of artists at various stages of their careers. In addition, she has presented lectures at numerous venues and contributed to multiple exhibition catalogs.
Juana holds a Bachelor's degree in Art and a Master’s in Art History, both from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Director Communications Strategy
Andi Harris
Andi Harris leads Communications, Digital Strategy, and Content for Salonnière. She is a Communications Strategist specializing in digital marketing for art world players, global brands, nonprofit organizations, and beyond. She began her career as the Marketing & Social Media Lead at Robert Wilson’s Watermill Center before transitioning to the fast-paced world of professional services. At a top strategic communications firm in New York, she advised a range of global clients on digital strategy and go-to-market audience engagement. In 2020, she joined Art Basel, leading social media strategy for the fair’s four shows in Hong Kong, Basel, Paris, and Miami Beach.
Andi has served as an adjunct professor in arts communication at New York University and Wayne State University, and as a guest lecturer at Sotheby’s Institute of Art.
Andi holds a Master’s in Visual Arts Administration from NYU and a BA from Western Michigan University.
Director of Programming and Community Engagement
Erica Jackson
Erica Jackson is a dynamic leader with a diverse background spanning education, hospitality, and community engagement. A proud Black and Mexican woman from Chicago’s East Side, Erica has dedicated her career to fostering meaningful connections and creating impactful experiences.
With eight years in education, Erica served as a mentor, teacher, and school administrator in Tennessee’s Tipton County, Chicago’s Noble Network, and Washington, D.C.’s DC Prep. In 2018, she transitioned into the hospitality industry at The Wing in Georgetown, where she discovered her passion for curating spaces that bring people together.
Her career trajectory has since included influential roles such as Manager of College Programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, where she placed Latinx interns on Capitol Hill, and Membership Director at The Gathering Spot, leading the organization’s expansion in Washington, D.C. She also served as Vice President of Meridian Solutions Worldwide, a social impact communications firm committed to equity and social justice.
Post-pandemic, Erica fully embraced the hospitality industry, bringing her expertise in academia and community-building to Soho House & Co. As the Regional Membership Manager for Cities Without Houses, North America, she oversees membership recruitment, retention, and culturally relevant programming in Montreal, Philadelphia, Boston, and Detroit.
Now based in Detroit, MI, Erica is deeply engaged in the city’s arts and culture scene while enjoying Michigan’s outdoor offerings.
Director of Partnerships and Marketing
Edward Hogikyan
Edward Hogikyan, a native Detroiter, is an attorney by training who spent his early career at global ad agencies. That work took him to New York thirty-two years ago where he spent twelve years with the city of New York, most recently as the Chief Marketing Officer for NYC Economic Development Corporation after serving as the Senior Vice-President, Marketing, for the NYC’s tourism agency. It was there he co-founded the city’s design week, NYCxDESIGN, and led it for nine years. Edward also oversaw NYC’s involvement with arts and cultural programs including Armory Arts Week, Frieze New York, Fashion’s Night Out with Vogue and the CFDA, and Madison Square Park Art, together with creating marketing programs for the city’s leading museums and cultural institutions. He has spoken at global design events including Shanghai Design Week, London Design Festival, Maison&Objet (Paris), and Milan Design Week.
Edward currently has a consultancy focused on marketing and branding in art, design, architecture, and culture. He is Vice-Chair of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and Cranbrook Art Museum Board of Governors; NYC Jewelry Week Board of Advisors; and serves on the Board of Directors and Selection Committee for MvVO Art/AD Art Show. Edward recently purchased and renovated an apartment in downtown Detroit’s historic Lafayette Park neighborhood where he divides his time with NYC.
General Counsel
Kim Clayson
Kimberly Ross Clayson serves a diverse client portfolio including in business law and health law. She provides counsel to operating businesses as well as to creditors of financially distressed businesses and individuals. Kim has extensive experience restructuring business debtors and representing Chapter 7 trustees in fraud investigations and bankruptcy litigation. She was appointed and presently serves as one of only five Subchapter V Trustees in the Eastern District of Michigan under the Small business Reorganization Act of 2019. Kim resides in Detroit and serves on the Board of Directors for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation of the City of Detroit.
Director External Relations and Spokesperson
Heather Joy Thompson
A native Detroiter, Heather Joy Thompson, Esq., is a lawyer and award-winning career diplomat. She leads on external relations management, strategy, and in her role as chief of staff and spokesperson for Salonniere. Previously, Heather Joy worked in the entertainment industry and as a liaison to the Detroit City Council. Heather Joy developed a love for elevating culture, food and lifestyle experiences through traveling the globe. Heather Joy served as a representative to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and was a Fellow at the Aspen Institute. She was previously the State Department’s Diplomat-in-Residence and a Senior Fellow at UCLA. She also has served in Washington, D.C., Mexico City, and Johannesburg.