Our leadership.
Yorel Lashley, Ph.D.
Yorel Lashley is an educator, percussionist, songwriter, and educational psychologist. In 2001, Lashley founded Drum Power, which has used the process of learning West African Traditional, Afro-Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban percussion to help more than 3,800 young people develop and practice social-emotional skills. In addition to Drum Power, Lashley also created the Relationships First professional development for building and maintaining healthy classroom culture and fully-integrated social-emotional learning. Lashley, who previously performed professionally in New York City for 12 years, currently performs West African, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and New Orleans Second Line with a range of groups in the Midwest as well as Kankouran West African Dance Company. He also serves as the Director of Arts at PLACE.