Ferne Caulker

Caulker is the founder and Artistic/Executive Director of the Ko-Thi Dance Company, Wisconsin’s oldest African American arts organization. Ko-Thi, founded in 1969, is dedicated to the preservation and expression of the performing arts from the African Continent, Caribbean and United States. She taught at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee since 1971, where she was a Full Professor in the Peck School of the Arts – Dance Department until she retired as Professor Emerita in 2016.

She is particularly interested in the relationship between arts training and exposure, increased self- esteem and social behavior. She is a Fulbright Scholar. Her Fulbright award allowed her to study and travel in Tanzania, East Africa for 3 months. Caulker has served on many panels including the NEA and WAB. She served on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Arts Board for one 3-year term.