Executive Director

A veteran in the fields of education, arts and youth development, Joseph has spent most of his career creating opportunities for communities to express themselves and improve their lives by building safe and nurturing arts rich environments in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Most recently as the President and CEO of Inner-City Arts where he was responsible for laying the foundation for the organization’s next chapter; developing its strategic vision, refreshing the social media presence, designing and implementing new and innovative program delivery models, creating a staff development and training program and introducing the organization to a new audience of partners, funders and supporters. A native New Yorker, Joseph relocated to LA with his family to lead the Kanye West Foundation after the untimely death of his mother and it’s founder, Dr. Donda West. As CEO he led the implementation of Loop Dreams™, a year-round music and education program that exposed youth from the inner city to the arts.  Alongside Mr. West, he executive produced the nationally televised stay in school concert series S.H.O.W (Students Helping Our World) bringing national awareness to the staggering drop out rate among High School students in the United States.

Joseph spent his early career working for two of the premiere non-profit agencies in New York City, The Door – A Center of Alternatives and University Settlement House. Serving over 12,000 youth annually, The Door, grew under Joseph’s leadership – he built the visual and performing arts programs, launched a national career awareness model for out of school youth, and let the partnerships of several NYC school initiatives. He also created and produced Roots! An intergenerational hip hop culture celebration, a yearlong arts and education initiative; he formed a rigorous college prep program and managed a multi-year summer residential community service project. Joseph holds a BS and an MA from New York University and a Non-Profit Executive Management certificate from Columbia School of Business. He is a young benefactor with VH1 Save the Music, on the nominating committee for the NAACP Image awards, a board member with My Future Matters, an advisor to MusicianCorps, H2ED the Hip Hop Education Summit and B-Healthy (Building Healthy Eating and Lifestyles to Help Youth).