Erie Art Museum

EAM_lobbyInterior_pic.jpg (David Joseph copyright)

Erie Art Museum Front Entrance (Image ©: David Joseph)

ERIE ART MUSEUM

Laura Domencic named Executive Director

A Pittsburgh native, Domencic most recently worked as an independent arts consultant. She has led successful fundraising efforts for a variety of institutional and individual clients. For the past three years, she has also directed an artist residency program in Ambialet, France. She has curated and organized exhibitions, many of which garnered significant critical attention, including Emigration—Immigration—Migration (Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 2018-19), In the Air: Visualizing What We Breathe (Pittsburgh Filmmakers Galleries, 2015), and Marcellus Shale Documentary Project (ten-venue traveling exhibition, 2012-16).

Previously, Domencic served for 11 years as Director of the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (PCA), part of Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. At PCA, she managed operations for the arts center campus in Mellon Park, developing, curating and shepherding a full calendar of exhibitions, and building a wide range of community arts programming and workshops. She played a key role in overseeing operational logistics for the merger of the Center for the Arts and the Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

During her tenure at PCA, she built a deep bench of artist and institutional partners and brought robust programs into the community. In addition to her curatorial, fundraising and programming skills, Laura Domencic is an accomplished visual artist. She received her MFA from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

“We are all impressed with Laura’s track record of working with artists and engaging the community in cultural and educational programming,” said Andona Zacks-Jordan, President of the Board of Directors. “She brings a commitment to community dialogue, as well as experience building institutional operations, areas where we are focused here at the museum.”

“It is an honor for me to be invited to be a part of the Erie Art Museum,” said Domencic. “I look forward to working with the staff and Board to deepen the connection of the museum within community life and grow its financial resources. The Erie region and the museum have a great synergy, and are catalysts in each other’s growth. The museum has the potential to build dynamic programs that lift up many voices and strengthen its role as a regional cultural destination.”

Domencic will take the reins from Pam Masi who has served as Interim Executive Director since March of 2020. Masi has overseen management of the museum through the difficult COVID-19 pandemic, working with staff to create online content and to temporarily shut the museum down and then re-open it on two occasions. The Board is grateful for Masi’s service and stewardship of the museum.

The search committee was chaired by Matthew Levy, Ph.D. and included three other Board members: Mary Elizabeth Meier, Ph.D., Kristen Santiago, and Andona Zacks-Jordan, Esq. For the nationwide search, the museum retained executive search consultants Museum Search & Reference of Boston, MA and Washington, D.C. Domencic’s appointment was unanimously approved by the museum’s Board of Directors.

Located in the heart of Erie’s downtown cultural district, the Erie Art Museum is known for its distinguished and eclectic programming and for its LEED-certified facility. The museum houses a collection of approximately 8,000 items and works extensively with regional artists. The Erie Art Museum is open on a limited schedule due to COVID-19, with visitation by appointment Fridays, 2 pm to 8 pm and Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm. To learn more, visit www.erieartmuseum.org.

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Art Complex Museum
Art Complex Museum

Peter A. Mello appointed Executive Director

The Board of Trustees of the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA, has named Peter A. Mello as its new Executive Director. Mello succeeds Charles Weyerhaeuser, who has held the position for over 50 years. Mello began his tenure at the ACM on September 9. The nationwide search was led by Senior Search Consultant Lora Urbanelli.  

Mello joins the museum from WaterFire Providence, where he has been the Managing Director, co-CEO, and a Board Member since 2011. WaterFire Providence is a public art experience that draws thousands of visitors to the rivers and parks in downtown Providence, RI. 

In addition to the large public art event, Mello led the project team that created the WaterFire Arts Center, a 37,000-square-foot, multi-use arts center. He led the concept development, planning, design, and construction of the center, which opened in 2017. Mello also led the team that develops the exhibitions, programming, partnerships, and revenue generation strategies for the center. 

A strong supporter of young artists, Mello created WaterFire Accelerate, a professional development program for artists under 30, and ArtLab@WaterFire, a leadership and workforce development program for underserved high school students. 

 With the next Executive Director in place, Charles Weyerhaeuser will take on the new role of Chief Historian of the Art Complex Museum. In this position, he will collaborate with the museum’s Collections staff to document the history of museum, its collection, and additional acquisition details of key objects in the collection. 

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
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The Rockwell Museum

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Museum Search & Reference
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OFFICE MANAGER

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Canterbury Shaker Village
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Erin Hammerdtedt appointed Executive Director

Canterbury Shaker Village in Canterbury, NH, has named Erin Hammerstedt as its new Executive Director. The nationwide search was led by Senior Search Consultant Dan Yaeger. Hammerstedt began her new role on September 3.  

According to David Katz, Board Chair of Canterbury Shaker Village, Hammerstedt will lead the organization into “a new phase of vision and energy.” This new phase includes a multi-million-dollar capital campaign, backed by a feasibility study that ensures the stability of the Village’s historic preservation, collections, visitor experience, and endowment. “Erin has tremendous experience in community relations and the rehabilitation and management of historic properties, which makes her the perfect hire for the Village,” said Katz. “We look forward to her leadership.” 

 Previously, Hammerstedt served as Executive Director of Historic Harrisville, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the unique historical and architectural heritage of Harrisville, New Hampshire. Among other duties in this capacity, she managed the rehabilitation, maintenance, leasing, and operation of twenty-two historic buildings that contained approximately 75,000 square feet of leasable commercial space and twelve residential rental units. 

 “Erin has the financial management and leadership experience we need to expand our educational outreach and properly protect and maintain the Village’s core physical assets,” added Katz. “The present and future look very bright at the Village.” 

Detroit Zoological Society
Detroit Zoological Society

Michael Bowers appointed Chief Operating Officer

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) appointed Michael Bowers as the nonprofit’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO). He joins the DZS after spending the past seventeen years at Corewell Health, serving most recently as its Vice President of Planning, Design and Construction. Bowers was chosen after an extensive search led by Senior Search Consultant Ida Tomlin. He began work in August. 

 As COO, Bowers will lead and oversee a number of teams, including the nonprofit’s construction, facilities, operations, security, and sustainability departments—all dedicated to the DZS’s mission of “creating meaningful connections between people, animals, and the natural world, so all can thrive.” Bowers stated, “At the core of facility operations in healthcare, our role was to provide safe, compliant and comfortable environments for patients, visitors, and staff, and those same principles apply to operations at the DZS, concentrating on the critical and unique habitats and environments for the animals under our care.”  

 Bowers has twenty years of experience in the construction and project-management fields, having previously worked at Beaumont Health (before its merger with Spectrum Health to transition to Corewell Health) and Lausman Homes. He is an expert in planning, designing, and executing complex projects and has led teams throughout his career—spearheading many projects including the development of Corewell Health’s strategic and master plans. 

 “Mike has achieved many notable accomplishments throughout his career, and we are thrilled to have him join the DZS team,” said Dr. Hayley Murphy, Executive Director and CEO. “As we continue to shape the future of the DZS through our strategic and master planning processes, Mike will be an invaluable addition, as we work toward igniting positive change for animals and nature.” 

 Bowers is a native Michigander who grew up in Troy, Michigan. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Building and Construction Management from Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens / Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens / Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Daniel Kurt Ackermann appointed Director

Daniel Kurt Ackermann has been named director of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the historic house museum for American decorative arts at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. MS&R Senior Search Consultant Connie Rosemont led the national search.

Stark Museum of Art
Stark Museum of Art

DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITIONS AND COLLECTIONS

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Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum

Leela Outcalt appointed Chief of Collections Care

We are pleased to announce that, after an international search led by Museum Search & Reference Senior Search Consultant Ida Tomlin, the Royal Ontario Museum has appointed Leela Outcalt as Chief of Collections Care. In this newly created role, Outcalt is responsible for the direct management of ROM’s extensive permanent collections, including over 13 million objects and specimens in 27 different disciplines spanning art, culture, and nature. A member of the senior management team and a key partner in long-range institutional planning, the CCC reports to the Deputy Director, Collections & Research and Chief Innovation Officer. 

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Art Complex Museum

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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Cahoon Museum of American Art
Cahoon Museum of American Art

Leeann Ream appointed Curator

The Cahoon Museum of American Art on Cape Cod has appointed Leeann Ream as Curator. She will begin in July 2024. MS&R Senior Search Consultant Dan Yaeger led the nationwide search.

Ream has enjoyed a successful career in museums across the Midwest, including stints at the Toledo Museum of Art, Chicago History Museum, and most recently in Wisconsin at the Logan Museum at Beloit College as Assistant Curator as well as Postgraduate Fellow for the Center for Collections Care. Her curatorial interests have been in art-focused issues of gender, labor, and Indigenous art. She is also experienced in collections management and interpreting art for the public. Ream holds an M.A. in Museum and Exhibition Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago and a B.F.A. from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Cahoon Museum Executive Director Sarah Johnson said, “We are so happy to have Leeann join us in this important position. Her deep knowledge and love of American art, as well as her experience in collections and visitor services, will make an important contribution to moving the Cahoon Museum into the next phase of its success.” Johnson noted that for more than ten years she has acted as both Executive Director and Curator, so Ream’s hiring represents the first time the museum has had a dedicated curator.

“I am excited to contribute to the Cahoon Museum, which is such a gem of a museum and so important to Cape Cod and beyond,” said Ream. “The story of Ralph and Martha Cahoon is significant in the history of American folk art, making the museum, which is located in their home studio, a special place.”

Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial
Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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C.M. Russell Museum
C.M. Russell Museum

Chris Warden appointed Executive Director

The C.M. Russell Museum board of directors named Chris Warden as the museum’s new executive director. He will begin July 30th. Warden is a Great Falls native with a 30-year career in business and decades of nonprofit board service. Warden will relocate to Great Falls and will begin work in July 2024. He was selected after a national search led by Senior Search Consultant, Suzanne Tan.  

Warden has served two decades as vice president of technology at the Washington Companies in Missoula, where he has led the technology, communications, and continuous improvement teams for the Dennis Washington-owned companies across North America. He and his family returned to Montana in 2004, after working in Silicon Valley, Calif.  

In addition to serving on the C.M. Russell Museum board, Warden has served on the boards of the Foundation for Montana History, Leadership Montana, Watson Children’s Shelter, and Missoula Sunrise Rotary. He also has also sat on advisory boards at the University of Montana and currently serves on the Montana steering committee for the Jeannette Rankin Foundation. Warden recently received the Tom Scott Award for Excellence in Leadership, named in honor of the founder of First Interstate Bank and a founder of Leadership Montana, for his significant contributions to Leadership Montana and the state. Warden is a graduate of C.M. Russell High School and the University of Montana. 

Warden has served two decades as vice president of technology at the Washington Companies in Missoula, where he has led the technology, communications, and continuous improvement teams for the Dennis Washington-owned companies across North America. He and his family returned to Montana in 2004, after working in Silicon Valley, Calif.  

In addition to serving on the C.M. Russell Museum board, Warden has served on the boards of the Foundation for Montana History, Leadership Montana, Watson Children’s Shelter, and Missoula Sunrise Rotary. He also has also sat on advisory boards at the University of Montana and currently serves on the Montana steering committee for the Jeannette Rankin Foundation. Warden recently received the Tom Scott Award for Excellence in Leadership, named in honor of the founder of First Interstate Bank and a founder of Leadership Montana, for his significant contributions to Leadership Montana and the state. Warden is a graduate of C.M. Russell High School and the University of Montana. 

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Melissa Edwards appointed Executive Director

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH, has appointed Melissa Edwards as Executive Director. She will begin July 7. MS&R Senior Search Consultant, Dan Yaeger, led the search.

Edwards comes to the museum from the Seattle area with a 20- year career in museum education, community engagement, and space workforce development, with leadership in both the nonprofit and private sectors. For thirteen years Edwards was in senior leadership positions with The Museum of Flight in Seattle, the largest private aerospace museum in the U.S. There, she created highly acclaimed programs in conjunction with NASA, Boeing, and other partners. Most recently she played a leadership role in recruiting personnel for aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin. Edwards holds a Master of Teaching and a B.A. in History, both from The Evergreen State College, in Olympia and Tacoma, WA.

MSDC Board President Bruce Andrews stated, “At this important moment of transition for us, we are delighted to have recruited Melissa from Seattle to join the Discovery Center.”

Edwards is taking over for long-time MSDC director Jeanne Gerulskis, who is retiring after 27 years at the helm. “Jeanne has put her heart and soul into the Discovery Center and built it into what it is today,” said Andrews. “We are deeply grateful for her contributions.”

Edwards said, “I am a big believer in inspiring folks about the universe because I think that can help us understand ourselves and take care of our Earth better. The MSDC has great potential to connect people with the cosmos, and so I am incredibly excited to serve the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.”

Lancaster Science Factory
Lancaster Science Factory

Karen Knecht appointed Executive Director

The Lancaster Science Factory in Pennsylvania has appointed Karen Knecht as their next Executive Director. Knecht will begin her new role August 7, 2024. MS&R Senior Search Consultant Dan Yaeger led the search.

Knecht built her career at the Da Vinci Science Center in Allentown, PA, where for 24 years she has served in a variety of educational roles culminating with her most recent title as Senior Director of STEAM Education. She has led numerous initiatives at Da Vinci that focused on science learning and career/workforce development, and she recently served as part of the strategic leadership team in the organization’s expansion to a new facility in downtown Allentown. Knecht holds a B.S. in Biology from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, and Secondary Education Certification. She will complete her Master’s in Educational Leadership (M.Ed.) in Spring 2025 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA.

LSF Board President Rich Young said, “For this important leadership position, Karen’s deep knowledge and love of STEM education, as well as her career in museum leadership, will secure our science center’s continued success.”

“While I have enjoyed my experience at Da Vinci, I am incredibly excited to bring the skills I developed there to the Lancaster Science Factory,” said Knecht. “LSF is an incredible asset to Lancaster and the region, and I look forward to helping the organization grow its impact.”

Peabody Essex Museum
Peabody Essex Museum

Yao Wu appointed Curator of Chinese Art and Culture 

We are pleased to announce that the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), in Salem, Massachusetts, has appointed Yao Wu as the museum’s first Huang Family Curator of Chinese Art and Culture, effective March 4, 2024. MS&R Senior Search Consultant Connie Rosemont led the international search.

Gore Place
Gore Place

Gavin Kleespies appointed Executive Director

We are pleased to announce that Gore Place, the historic house museum and farm in Waltham and Watertown, Massachusetts, has appointed Gavin Kleespies as its next Executive Director, effective January 2, 2024. The nationwide search was led by MS&R Senior Search Consultant Scott Stevens.

Museum of Nebraska Art
Museum of Nebraska Art

Andrew Dunehoo appointed Executive Director

We are pleased to announce that the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) in Kearney, NE has appointed Andrew Dunehoo as its new executive director as it prepares to reopen next year after a major renovation and facility construction expansion. Dunehoo was hired after a national search lead by MS&R senior search consultant Suzanne Tan. He replaces Nicole Herden, who left in July to become executive director of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. Dunehoo’s first day at MONA was November 6, 2023.

Diane Covell