DETROIT, MICH.- The Detroit Institute of Arts announced the election of six new board members and the reelection of two members during its November 2025 Board of Directors meeting. The new terms will begin at the museum’s next board meeting on February 25, 2026.

The new board members are Don Brown, Evette Hollins, Lori Rush Lancaster, David Massaron, Cathy Rosenthal, and Ed Siaje. Ralph Gerson and Takashi Omitsu have been reelected to the board.

“We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional leaders to the board,” said Lane Coleman, DIA board chair. “Each brings valuable insight and a deep commitment to our mission. Together, we will continue building a board that reflects the breadth, creativity, and energy of the communities the DIA serves.”



Don Brown

Don Brown is a longtime public servant with more than three decades of leadership in Macomb County government. First elected to the Washington Township Board of Trustees in 1988, then to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in 1990, he served as chairman of the Board of Commissioners until December 2024, concluding 34 years of service. Brown currently serves as deputy public works commissioner for Candice Miller in the Macomb County Public Works Office.

Throughout his career, Brown has held senior roles at the federal and state levels, including senior outreach coordinator for Congressman Paul Mitchell; deputy district director for Congresswoman Candice Miller; Southeast Michigan liaison for the Michigan Department of State; and associate director of Governor John Engler’s Southeast Michigan office. He has also served as chairman of the Michigan Association of Counties Environmental Affairs Committee, the National Association of Counties Environmental Affairs Committee, and the State of Michigan Agriculture Preservation Fund Board.



Ralph J. Gerson

Ralph J. Gerson is a business leader, investor, and civic trustee who previously served nine years on the DIA Board in several capacities, including vice chair. He is the former board chairman of Guardian Industries Corp. and currently serves as treasurer, investment committee chair, and a director of the William Davidson Foundation.

From 1990 to 2011, Gerson served as executive vice president of Guardian Industries and president and CEO of Guardian International Corporation, a global manufacturer of float glass products and automotive plastics. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and served the State of Michigan as director of commerce and chairman of the Michigan Cabinet Council on Jobs and Economic Development. His federal service included roles with the U.S. Trade Representative, and he was the president’s personal representative to the Middle East Peace Negotiations. He holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, an M.S. from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. from Yale University. He continues to serve on nonprofit and cultural boards in Michigan and internationally.



Evette Hollins

Evette Hollins serves as vice president, Customer & Community Engagement, at DTE Energy, where she leads a diverse portfolio including Customer Service, Community Engagement, Corporate Citizenship, and the DTE Energy Foundation. Hollins is deeply engaged in Detroit’s civic, cultural, and community landscape. She serves on the board of the Belle Isle Conservancy, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Detroit Promise Zone Authority and is a member of The Links, Incorporated.

She holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.



Lori Rush Lancaster

Lori Rush Lancaster serves as vice chairwoman of the Rush Group of Companies, a diversified enterprise spanning manufacturing, logistics, and mobility.

Through the Rush Group, she provides leadership as vice chair to Dakkota Integrated Systems, one of the largest women- and Native American-led manufacturing companies in the United States, and Emotiv Mobility, where she is helping guide the company’s expansion into sustainable mobility and energy infrastructure.

For the past decade, in her prior role as president and now vice chairwoman, she has focused on advancing complex operations, diversifying the portfolio, and driving safety, quality, and accountability through operational discipline.

Guided by the Native American Seven Generations philosophy, Lori focuses on building organizations and systems that create durable value for industry, communities, and future generations. She holds degrees from both the University of Michigan and the University of Massachusetts.



David Massaron

David Massaron is a Detroit-born civic and business leader with experience spanning public service, higher education, and corporate governance. He currently serves as vice president of Infrastructure and Corporate Citizenship at General Motors. His prior roles include chief business officer, chief financial officer, and treasurer at Wayne State University, as well as budget director for the State of Michigan. Massaron also held senior leadership positions with the City of Detroit, including chief financial officer, chief operating officer, and senior counsel to Mayor Mike Duggan. Earlier in his career, he practiced law at Dickinson Wright and later became a principal at Miller Canfield.

Massaron serves on the boards of the Detroit Regional Partnership, the Hudson-Webber Foundation, the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, and the Downtown Detroit Partnership. He was recently named executive director of the Detroit Regional CEO Group and holds degrees from Michigan State University and William & Mary Law School.



Takashi “Tak” Omitsu

Takashi “Tak” Omitsu is returning to the DIA Board. He previously served nine years. Tak was born in Japan and is board chair of the Michigan Japanese Heritage Center and executive advisor to the Japan Business Society of Detroit. He spent more than four decades with Aisin, a global automotive components manufacturer. His career included leadership roles in Japan and the United States, where he served as an engineering project manager and later led the establishment of a new research center in Ann Arbor.

Tak has been recognized by the Japanese government for promoting Japanese culture in the United States, receiving commendations from the Consul General of Japan in Detroit and the Foreign Minister of Japan. Through his leadership with JBSD and MJHC, he has played a key role in expanding Japanese cultural programming at the Detroit Institute of Arts, including the long-running Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Festival) and raising funds to support the Grand Bargain and the Japanese Gallery.



Cathy Rosenthal

Cathy Rosenthal is a lifelong Detroiter whose connection to art began in childhood through hands-on creative experiences and frequent visits to the Detroit Institute of Arts. She earned a B.A. in advertising and communications from Michigan State University and spent a decade in advertising before founding her own design studio, specializing in custom garments and later expanding into interior design and fabrication.

Cathy has dedicated more than 30 years to arts and cultural philanthropy. She is a Life Governor and Chair of the Life Governors at Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum and has served on the DIA Gala Committee, as a 2024 Co-Chair of the Founders Junior Council’s Fashion Bash, and as a member of the Friends of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. She also supports Pewabic Pottery and serves as secretary of her family foundation.



Ed Siaje

Ed Siaje serves as the president of Bank of America Detroit. In addition to being president of Detroit, Ed serves as a private bank market executive for Michigan. He serves as chair of the United Way of Southeastern Michigan Board of Directors and serves on the board of Business Leaders of Michigan and the Detroit Economic Club. Ed earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in international business and finance from the University of Michigan. He lives in Dearborn with his wife and three children.

The DIA Board of Directors supports the museum’s strategic vision, financial stewardship, and commitment to expanding access to art for communities across Metro Detroit and beyond.