Founders

Maia Shanklin Roberts is a real estate professional focused on the reinvestment and development of Black and Brown communities. Maia is currently on the board of the Social Justice Public Charter, Inc, and consults with a range of local businesses and organizations. She has a JD from American University, a Masters in Community Planning from the University of Maryland, and a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from Stanford University. She is a native of Washington, D.C., and loves her city.

Nicholas Hall is a marketing professional, entrepreneur, and committed supporter of Black arts & culture. A native Washingtonian, Nick is a creative at heart who finds himself most energized through collaboration and support of like-minded innovators. This dedication was cultivated during his years in Atlanta, GA, at Morehouse College. Since then, Nick has continued to hone his craft in areas such as digital marketing, design, social media marketing, event planning and community engagement; with a portfolio inclusive of diverse clientele such as Nike, Verizon, Subway, Delta Airlines, Allstate, AT&T, and many more. Nick has also been rewarded with the opportunity to support clients in the education space, crediting this work with sparking his interest in community advocacy & social justice. This dedication is enriched through his support of fundraising efforts, mentoring programs, and volunteer organizations such as DC Mutual Aid, UNCF, No Kid Hungry, and more.

Imani Shanklin Roberts is a Washington, DC native who recently returned to DC after ten years of residing in Brooklyn, NY. Roberts is currently earning a MPS in Creative Arts Therapy and holds a BFA/MS in Art Education from Pratt Institute. As an artist and enthused educator who peels apart topics on race, gender, and identity, she seeks to create and facilitate socially responsive work and spaces that encourage ideas of self-realized liberation. Roberts is the designer of the Lena Horne Prize, the first major award to be named after an African American woman and lead artist in several other trailblazing endeavors. Roberts has a desire to continue to celebrate and share black perspectives and visuals as a key member of the Shanklin Hall creative team.

Tau Shanklin Roberts aims to be a visionary and prides himself on his expertise to find opportunities through connection and collaboration. He began the journey to bring Shanklin Hall to fruition after serving 10 years as a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State, where he first began understanding the value and potential that people-to-people connection unlocks. His experiences in foreign lands helped inspire an insatiable curiosity for new ideas, designs, and culture, which he hopes to provide a platform through Shanklin Hall. He holds an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and a BA in Economics from Morehouse College. As a native Washingtonian, he’s also a proud graduate of D.C. Public Schools, receiving a diploma from Benjamin Banneker Academic Senior High School.

Camille Hall has led a career in the beauty and entertainment industry for the past 10 years. After moving to NYC in 2009 she explored many creative outlets by modeling for beauty and clothing brands and DJing in nightclubs. A chance meeting with an old family friend led her to a career behind the scenes in the beauty industry and ultimately to her current role as an Ecommerce Manager at Milk Makeup. After arriving back to her hometown of Silver Spring, MD she’s excited to bring inclusivity and self-expression to the forefront of all that Shanklin Hall will offer. Camille also runs the music services company BLCKSMMR which provides DJ services, sound design, and music supervision.