Staff

Phyllis Dickerson

Chief Executive Officer
Aama@ourmayors.org

Phyllis Dickerson has served as an authority on government administration for nearly two decades, lending her expertise to mayors, U.S. presidents, and those they represent.

As the CEO of the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), the only organization exclusively representing African American mayors in the United States, Dickerson works to empower local leaders for the benefit of their citizens. Under her leadership, AAMA advocates for public policies that improve the vitality of cities, while offering mayors the leadership and management tools required to turn those policies into action. The organization also functions as a forum for member mayors to share best practices related to municipal management and operational excellence. Dickerson provides crucial leadership to AAMA staff, acts as its most prominent spokesperson, and oversees a multi-million budget and fundraising strategy—all in service of meeting the diverse needs of the association’s members.

Before leading AAMA, Dickerson worked as the lead advance staffer for the Clinton and Obama administration, as well as the Regional Mayoral Director for Mike Bloomberg’s 2020 Presidential Campaign. In 2015, she became the first woman to ever be appointed as chief of staff to the mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas. In this role, she coordinated daily operations within Mayor Mark Stodola’s office, conducted research and analyses on constituent issues, and provided support for the implementation of special programs and initiatives. Additionally, she served as the Special Events & Program Coordinator for the City of Little Rock. In that capacity, she was responsible for planning the historic Central High Integration 50th Anniversary.

Dickerson is also the CEO & President of Red Ink, LLC, which assists organizations with business development and government relations. Throughout her career, Dickerson has proudly served on the boards of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), the Delta Research & Education Foundation, and the Cross World Africa Foundation. She is a member of the Little Rock Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and is a staunch advocate for children with Sickle Cell Anemia Disease.

Dickerson holds a Master of Arts degree in Human Resource Development from Webster University, as well as a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Management from the University of Central Arkansas. She currently resides in Washington D.C. and Little Rock, AR, where she enjoys traveling, reading, and watching Western films.

Antonio Scott

Managing Director and Chief Of Staff
Antonio@ourmayors.org

Antonio D. Scott is an organizational strategist and local/state government affairs professional striving to build community and promote mission-driven impact. As the Managing Director and Chief of Staff for the African American Mayors Association (AAMA), Antonio works to amplify the policy initiatives of Black mayors, who impact more than 25 million Americans everyday. As an experienced program director with a political instinct, Antonio merges high-impact programs with strategic partnerships to connect people to public policy. Whether through policy advocacy, garnering public sentiment, or raising awareness through social action, Antonio is deeply passionate about enacting positive social change.

Prior to joining AAMA, Antonio was the Chief of Staff and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the National Bankers Association (NBA) and its non-profit affiliate, the National Bankers Community Alliance (NBCA) in Washington, DC. While at NBA/NBCA, Antonio assisted in the roll-out of a first-of-its-kind equity-focused framework tool specifically created for minority depository institutions (MDIs) to assess their impact on closing the racial wealth gap. Also while at NBA/NBCA, Antonio spearheaded the planning of the 95th Anniversary Annual Conference, which was NBA’s largest convening to date. Antonio began his career in the Strategic Partnerships division of ALSAC/St. Jude, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. 

Antonio earned his undergraduate degree in Organizational Leadership, graduating cum laude from the University of Memphis. While at Memphis, Antonio served as Student Body President. He also holds a master’s degree in Higher Education from the University of Maryland’s College of Education. A higher education administrator by training, Antonio believes when communities are connected to public policy, citizens are empowered to invest in the future of their own neighborhoods. Antonio first fell in love with public policy as a high school student, coordinating his school’s “STAT” (Students Taking Action Today) club, aimed at fighting hunger, homelessness, and poverty in the Memphis metropolitan area. These efforts lead his school in being selected as a national Students In Action Jefferson Awards recipient representing the mid-south region. A native of West Tennessee, Antonio is the proud son of Dr. Acacia J. Ford, a 25-year veteran of Tennessee public schools.

Ashley Roberts

Director of External Affairs & Special Events
Ashley@ourmayors.org

Ashley Roberts serves as the Director of External Affairs & Special Events. Prior to joining AAMA, she worked at American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) as the Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) Manager. DELP aims to support individuals from under-represented identity groups to advance into the ranks of leadership in the association management profession. Ashley fully supported the day to day operations and management of the renowned DELP scholarship and partnerships. She also served as a Senior Manager of Volunteer Relations, where she focused on member engagement through short-term volunteer projects to committee, council, and board service. Other contributions for her time at ASAE include managing several award programs centered around leadership honors and organizational marketing, membership, and communication campaigns. 

Ashley is an alumna of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and Bachelors of Arts in Management & Society. Ashley is an experienced non-profit management professional that prides herself on creating exceptional experiences for the members and organizations she serves.

Darian Vayson

Director of Policy & Programs
Darian@ourmayors.org

Darian Vayson currently serves as the Director of Policy and Programs for the African American Mayors Association (AAMA). Before joining AAMA, Darian worked as an Operations Associate with Atlanta Unbound Academy while earning her Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Georgia State University (GSU). During her time at GSU, Darian served as the Graduate Student Coordinator for Georgia State University’s Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, where she planned and promoted member meetings, increased membership, managed a crowdfunding campaign, and managed the organization’s social media presence. Darian has always had a passion for politics and public service. Darian has interned as a legislative aide for Georgia State Representative Dar’Shun Kendrick. In addition, Darian earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Spelman College, where she graduated with honors.

Stacie Walters Fuji

Environmental Defense Fund Fellow

stacie@swfconsultingdc.com

Ms. Fujii has extensive knowledge of the legislative and executive branches, and a keen background in coalition building, crisis management, civil liberties issues, and international relations.

On Capitol Hill, Ms. Fujii learned the legislative process and served as a staffer for Representative Vic Snyder (D-AR). She further honed her advocacy skills as a lead Democratic advisor at the Livingston Group, led by the Honorable Bob Livingston. Her vast portfolio includes issues relating to appropriations, defense, democracy building, education, energy, homeland security, human rights, marginalized people groups, voter protections, and the Middle East.

She has championed viable energy policies since 2002 and has cultivated expertise in nuclear, solar and electric vehicle innovations.

She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas, School of Law, and holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Kevyanna Rawls

Grant Coordinator

Kevyanna@ourmayors.org

Kevyanna is a Master of Public Policy candidate at Georgetown University and an alumna of the University of Memphis where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in African American literature and a Bachelor of Arts in African/African American Studies. Kevyanna is a service-oriented leader committed to creating a more equitable and inclusive world through creating community centered social policies and increased opportunities in historically underrepresented communities.