Board of Directors

Thank you to our Board of Directors for their support.

Akhmedova Ballet Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors

Jacqueline Akhmedova is president of the Akhmedova Ballet Foundation (ABF) and lives in Silver Spring, MD. After graduating with honors from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and the Ukrainian Academy of Dance in Kiev, with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Ballet Performance, Pedagogy, and Choreography, she had a professional career of more than 20 years. She was a principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet in Tashkent, the Munich State Opera Ballet, and the Vienna State Opera Ballet, dancing every leading role in the classical and contemporary repertoire and was a guest artist with major companies worldwide. Her students have won such prestigious competitions as the Youth America Grand Prix, Prix de Lausanne, and Tanzolymp, and have gone on to successful careers in such companies as American Ballet Theater, San Francisco Ballet, and Vienna State Opera Ballet. She has also judged influential international ballet competitions and taught master classes throughout the world. Mme. Akhmedova taught advanced students at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. for seven years. She also prepared students for competitions, choreographed, and advised them on their careers, helping them pursue their dreams of dancing with professional companies. She was the Ballet Master for CityDance Ensemble and the CityDance Conservatory Ballet Program at the Strathmore Center of the Arts in Rockville, MD before opening the Akhmedova Ballet Academy in Silver Spring, MD in 2011.

Dale Tibbitts is the ABF treasurer and lives in Silver Spring, MD. He is also Special Assistant to the Montgomery County Executive.  From December 2006-December 2018 he was chief of staff to a Montgomery County council-member in Rockville, MD. He is both the school's business administrator and its handyman.  From 1983-2006, he was a senior project manager at the political consulting firm Election Data Services, Inc. in Washington, DC.

Dr. Pamela Voulalas is Secretary of the Akhmedova Ballet Foundation and lives in Ellicott City, MD.  Dr. Voulalas holds a PhD in Neuropharmacology. Her professional experience includes collaborative projects with scientists at the National Institutes of Health, the Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Maryland at Baltimore. She has worked on team projects funded by the NIH, the DOD, and other smaller foundations, with her own independent research funded by the Epilepsy Foundation. With many years of grants writing experience, she provides grant writing support to ABA. Her daughter, Arianne Depireux graduated from ABA, and was a dancer with the Columbia Classical Ballet company in Columbia, SC.

Elaine Novakovich earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Catholic University, and her Masters in leadership and nursing from Maryland University. Ms. Novakovich previously worked as a pediatric oncology nurse at NIH for many years. Currently she is the research nurse heading the protocol for NIH’s vasculitis study in Bethesda and has published articles on the subject. She was also a professor at Montgomery College's Nursing program in Takoma Park. Her daughter, Jessica Novakovich, is a graduate of Akhmedova Ballet Academy and was a dancer with Manassas Ballet Theatre, VA for 3 years.  Elaine continues to lend her support to help the school and its current students by joining the Board in 2016. 

Sam Statland is a retired business executive and political activist. He lives in Kensington, MD and in 1973 was a co-founder of Statland & Katz, Ltd., a Financial Services Company in Silver Spring, MD. His professional expertise include, small business consulting, finance, equity investment, and all areas of insurance. Sam has been active in the Maryland politics since 1963, serving in many Democratic Party position, and as an advisor to many candidates and elected officials. He is past Chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, and a former Board Member of the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce.