A native of Washington, DC, Diane was performing by age four and directing choirs by age nine; she was arranging and composing by eleven. During her high school years she wrote, directed, and choreographed musical dramas at the church where her father, Rev. Leamon W. White, pastored. Her youth was filled with much recognition for her academic and musical achievements. In 1986, Diane graduated with honors from the Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with emphasis in composition, voice, and piano. Following graduation, while still in St. Louis, she was Assistant Director of African and African-American Studies at Washington University, and directed the university's Black Repertory Gospel Choir, a position she began her junior year. She was Musical Director and Vocal Arranger for the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre Company, which premiered some of her works in their 1986 season. The following year White was awarded the coveted Rotary Scholarship for a year's study as an Ambassador of Goodwill to France. As a Rotary Scholar, she studied classical piano at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, France and performed throughout Europe. Upon returning to the States, White began graduate studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara where she received a Masters and Ph.D. in music composition in June 1998. During her tenure, she instructed courses in musicianship, theory, ethnomusicology, and music history and directed the university's hundred-voice Gospel Choir. She also received awards for outstanding teaching, academic performance, and musical compositions. As she did during undergrad, she founded a Black Christian Fellowship, a campus ministry dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs of African-American students through Bible Studies and social activities. From 1993 to 1995, on a leave-of-absence, White accepted a dual position at the Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina as Artist-in-Residence with the School of Music and Assistant Director of African-American Student Development. At Appalachian she instructed the Gospel Choir and directed the Peer Mentor Program among other duties. Other positions Dr. White has held include Artist-in-Residence for the Chaplancy at Westmont College and Artist-in-Residence for the First United Methodist Church, both in Santa Barbara, California. She has occupied positions as Composer-in-Residence and Scholar-in-Residence at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Grinnell College in Iowa. As a composer and performer, she has won much acclaim with tremendous stylistic diversity ranging from atonal classical pieces to contemporary gospel. She has had works performed at numerous academic conferences as well as the National Convention for the NAACP, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and the International Nazarene Youth Conference. She has appeared as guest conductor and composer for the Washington Performing Arts Society at the Kennedy Center with the Men & Women of the Gospel Mass Choir and Children of the Gospel. She was called to the ministry in 1989 expanding her music ministry to preaching and has ministered in numerous venues both sacred and secular demonstrating God's awesome power through her eloquence and compassion. Affectionately known as "Dr. Dee", she recently recorded a debut CD on her own label, BYTHAX Records, Inc., of which she is CEO and Founder. She has two self-produced CDs, "In Stillness," and "Dr. Dee: Live in DC/My Heart Says Yes." Diane is also President of LCW Publishing under which she publishes her music. She travels extensively as a workshop clinician, performer, composer, conductor, and speaker, appearing at colleges, universities, churches and other venues throughout the United States and Canada. She is the former Minister of Music of the Israel Baptist Church of Washington, DC. Diane loves working with children and plans to develop performing arts programs for youth in disadvantaged communities. Her heart's desire is to share with others the immeasurable riches of Christ's love in every aspect of her ministry.