GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi has announced the addition of four new members to its Board of Directors. The new members are practicing attorney Mary McKay Griffith, practicing veteran entertainment attorney Kamel King, GRAMMY-winning engineer, producer, composer Boo Mitchell, and community advocate Heather Walker. King, Mitchell and Walker have been elected to three-year terms, and Walker will also serve as the Secretary of the Board. Griffith joins the Board on a two-year term and will be the Chair of the Red Carpet Guild. All terms for the new Board Members begin in January 2024.
The Board of Directors is responsible for governance, oversight, and major decision-making for GRAMMY Museum Mississippi, and establishing a strategic plan so that the Museum can fulfill its educational mission.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mary McKay Griffith, Kamel King, Boo Mitchell, and Heather Walker to our Board of Directors,” said Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. “They are incredible individuals and experts in their individual fields and will be wonderful additions to our Board. We’re looking forward to working with our Board to further enhance the music education programming and other inspiring events that we offer here at GRAMMY Museum Mississippi for the next several years and beyond.”
ABOUT mary mckay griffith
Mary McKay Griffith is currently a partner at Jacks Griffith Luciano in Cleveland, Miss., where she’s been since 2005. The child of a farming family and native to the Mississippi Delta, Griffith attended the Mississippi School for Math and Science and Millsaps College. Upon graduating from Millsaps College, she lived in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a legislative aide for United States Senator Thad Cochran. She then obtained her law degree from Mississippi College School of Law in 2002. While working her way through college and law school, Griffith worked as a paralegal in Jackson, Mississippi. She then worked as an intern with the Hinds County District Attorney. After completing law school, she served as law clerk to Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Smith. While still in Jackson, she worked as a prosecuting attorney for the Hinds County District Attorney.
Griffith returned to Cleveland in 2005 to join the firm that is now Jacks Griffith Luciano, P.A. She is a partner in the firm, maintaining a diverse practice which draws upon her education, life experience, and people skills. Her litigation practice includes general liability claims for both plaintiffs and defendants, defense of public officials, defense of public sector claims under the Mississippi Tort Claims Act, defense of public sector employment claims under Title VII and the Civil Rights Act, and liability claims arising from law enforcement. She also manages private and public entity agricultural real estate, performs guardian ad litem work protecting the interests of children, and represents creditors in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Griffith has also been appointed to serve as a Southern States Police Benevolent Association Panel attorney.
Griffith is a member of the Mississippi and Bolivar County Bar Associations and is a member of the Government Law Section of the MS Bar. She is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in the State of Mississippi as well as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. She lives with her husband (an avid Ole Miss fan) and children in downtown Cleveland (and sometimes Ocean Springs).
ABOUT KAMEL KING
Kamel L. King was born and raised in Jackson, Miss. He attended American University in Washington, D.C. and Tougaloo College in his hometown of Jackson, where he graduated with honors and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science/international relations. King subsequently studied at Mississippi College School of Law, earning his law degree with an emphasis on intellectual property and entertainment law. He spent 10 years as the attorney on the road for a nine-time GRAMMY®-nominated group, was a Director of Operations for both Blackberry Records, Inc. and Terminal Recording Studios (a GRAMMY-winning studio) and has had many years of experience in booking and event production. King has since been Assistant Producer for The Recording Academy®-endorsed “Mississippi…Celebrates Its GRAMMY Legacy” events, “Mississippi Night” at the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE, and other tourism conferences. King is also a contributing author in the American Bar Association-released book Entertainment Law: For The General Practitioner and has been an adjunct professor of Entertainment Law at the Mississippi College School of Law. Additionally, King has twice enjoyed the privilege to be on the voting committee for the Governor's Arts Awards and serve on the Board of Directors for several music and cultural nonprofits. He is a practicing veteran entertainment attorney.
King is most proud and passionate to currently work for Visit Mississippi as the Bureau Manager for the Tourism Development Bureau. His bureau manages the Mississippi Blues Trail, Country Music Trail, Freedom Trail, Writers Trail, and the state’s rich music and cultural branding at many trade shows and festivals.
ABOUT BOO MITCHELL
Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell is a GRAMMY-winning engineer, producer, composer, award-winning movie producer, and owner of Royal Studios in Memphis. The son of legendary Hi Records and Al Green producer, Willie Mitchell, Boo Mitchell began his storied musical career in 1987 at the young age of 16, honing his chops songwriting and playing keyboards. His first paid session as a keyboard player was in 1988 on Al Green’s GRAMMY-winning “As Long as We’re Together.” In 1993, Mitchell went on to work as manager and talent coordinator at his family’s club, Willie Mitchell’s Rhythm and Blues Club in Memphis. When the club closed in 2000, Mitchell moved on to be the manager of his father’s legendary Royal Studios. Among the artists Mitchell has worked with include John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Rod Stewart, Solomon Burke, and Anthony Hamilton. When Willie Mitchell passed away in 2010, Boo Mitchell continued to engineer and run the studio, working with artists such as Sir Cliff Richards, Lamont Dozier and Cody Chesnutt.
In 2011, Mitchell was approached by Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars to collaborate on the film Take Me to The River. Mitchell worked as a producer of the film as well as music producer and engineer for the film’s music.
ABOUT HEATHER WALKER
Heather Walker received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Delta State University in 2003 and her master’s degree in business administration in 2006. Her community involvement includes serving on the Kappa Delta Chapter Advisory Board at Delta State University from 2003 to 2008, and she was involved in the Junior Auxiliary of Cleveland from 2007 to 2013 and 2019 to 2020. She’s also previously served as an Active Board Member and Fundraising Chair for the Delta Arts Alliance and has been an active member of the Presbyterian Day School PTF Board, and Board of Directors for the Cleveland Library Commission. She is currently a member of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi’s Red Carpet Guild and in 2023 served as a GRAMMY Gala Auction Co-Chair.
