Romona is a native of New York. She began her musical journey listening to her mother’s collection of some of the leading jazz recording artists of the time – Carmen McCrae, Dakota Staton w/ George Shearing, Nancy Wilson, Candido, Billie Holiday. Her early development began with string instruments. She fell in love with the tones of the acoustic bass and studied this instrument for seven years. She also competed in classical voice in high school. As a University of Pittsburgh freshman, she began singing in the Pitt Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Nathan Davis. She became the featured vocalist for this incredible music unit. 

Romona’s participation as a member of the Jazz Studies department allowed her to work on Pitt’s annual Jazz Seminar productions, as well – meeting some of the most prolific artists of the time – Donald Byrd, Grover Washington, Jr, Dexter Gordon, Ron Carter, Woody Shaw, John Lewis, Mike Longo, Toots Thielemans - and more. Probably the most sustaining introduction was withKenny Clarke. Clarke was the original drummer for the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet. His first wife was Carmen McCrae, his second wife, Annie Ross (of Lambert Hendriks and Ross). And so, the idea that he took an interest in her singing abilities (and potential) became an opportunity for her to learn and grow. During a four-month residency at Pitt, Kenny was much sought after in the Pittsburgh area. He asked Romona to be his vocalist on those gigs.  She continued to work in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania over the course of eight years. This included featuredvocalist with the Nathan Davis Quartet. The roster of other musicians she worked with included pianist Geri Allen, Dwayne Dolphin, Nelson Harrison, Dickie Lillie, Greg and Roger Humphries, James Johnson, Carl Arter and Pete Henderson. 

Once she relocated to Philadelphia, her music experiences included working with Denis Fortune, Lee Smith, Eddie Green, Warren Oree and a long-time collaboration with noted guitarist/arranger, Gerald “Twig” Smith. In recent years she has collaborated with Aaron Graves, performing in major venues such as South Jazz Cafe. Her live performances were held in such top venues as Zanzibar Blue and Meiji-En, and concert appearances with the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival, and Wiggins Park Jazz Series.  While she was involved in productions in Pittsburgh, Romona expanded her music interest in doing so, applying her business expertise to produce the PECO Jazz Festival, African American Museum’s Jazz to Sunrise, Camden County Jazz Series, among others. Her shows featured some of the top jazz talent over this period of her career: Tito Puente, Jackie McLean, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Jon Lucien, Roy Hargrove, Count Basie’s Orchestra, Eddie Palmieri, Shirley Horn, Clark Terry, Gerald Veasley and legendary vocalists Betty Carter and Nancy Wilson. 

Romona’s solo sessions are memorialized on her recording “Transformations Through Time” produced by Aaron Graves. A project that includes some of her Pittsburgh and Philadelphia friends in music, along with jazz legends saxophonist, Houston Person, and drummer Roger Humphries and featuring such greats as Gerald Veasley, Lee Smith, Dwayne Dolphin and the late master percussionist Doc Gibbs.   

She is also a member of the vocal collective, Project Songbird (Mellanie Lassiter and Sharon Powel), directed by UGO’s Henri McMillian. 

Romona values her passion for singing as an interpretive vehicle to tell stories, for her audiences.