Women Leading Through Change: DJ Spinderella

Dee Dee Roper, internationally known as DJ Spinderella, is a Grammy award winning DJ, producer, rapper, writer and world class mother. Spinderella is one of the original pioneers of hip hop music beginning her career as a member of the iconic rap group Salt-N-Pepa, selling over 15 million albums and singles worldwide. Over two decades after her groundbreaking entrance into hip hop, the Brooklyn native still sets the standard for “turntablist” all over the world and is still a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

In 2019, DJ Spinderella officially announced her future plans to continue building her brand as an independent artist — to much fanfare and excitement. She performs both international and domestic gigs while mentoring up-and- coming DJs and entrepreneurs. From BET to People Magazine, Spinderella is celebrated in media for embarking on an inspiring new chapter in her career. Spinderella’s mentorship of other young DJs was proudly honored and displayed by household name brands like Barbie (Mattel) and Good Morning America.

With countless lifetime achievement awards, including the VH1 Hip Hop Honors, Global Spin Breaking Barriers’, Black Girls Rock, and BET ICON awards, Spinderella is a notable pioneer in the industry for empowering and inspiring the entire DJing community. Now, in addition to continuing to DJ the world’s largest events, she has become a motivational speaker for aspiring artists.

When she’s not spinning, she can be found at home in Dallas, TX preparing for her 2021 nuptials and helping her daughter Christy Ray - who is also a rising star and DJ - to raise her newborn grandson.

Dana McKelvey is a Global Field Event Manager at Tableau where she brings to life impactful international events for our customers and communities. She has interviewed thought leaders including Alicia Garza, Komal Ahmad, Tameka Lester and others. Before joining Tableau, Dana worked for leading companies and institutions including VIACOM, The University of Texas - Austin, and the Museum of Pop Culture. She has also led marketing initiatives for various brands including Gucci, Nike and Valentino.

In addition to her work in technology, Dana has planned, produced, and promoted global festivals and events for a range of recording artists including Dave Matthews, Herbie Hancock, Brandi Carlile, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Erykah Badu, Tanya Tucker, Questlove of The Roots, The Indigo Girls and DJ Spinderella. Other events include the 15th Annual Costco Scholarship Breakfast that raised a record $3.6 million for at-risk student scholarships.

She also mentors and has taught music courses to high school students, and curated music for international A-listers and iconic brands. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, USA Today, The New York Times, ABC News, CNBC and many other media outlets.