TAFT MUSEUM OF ART
Rebekah Beaulieu appointed Louise Taft Semple President/CEO
Raised in Milwaukee, Beaulieu holds a Ph.D. from Boston University in American Studies and wrote her dissertation on Historic House Museums and America’s Urban Midwest. She has a B.A. in American Studies from George Washington University, a M.A. in Art History and Museum Studies from the University of Wisconsin, as well as a M.A. in Arts Administration from Columbia University. In addition to her current roles, she has also held positions at Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Milwaukee County Historical Society, and Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, among others.
“We are delighted to welcome Becky as the next President/CEO of the Taft, and excited to have her and her husband Patrick become part of our vibrant community in Cincinnati,” said Jill McGruder, incoming Chair of the Taft Museum Board of Trustees. “Becky will bring her impressive skills in community engagement, staff support and financial management to the Museum at an important moment in its history, having recently celebrated our bicentennial and completed a major renovation of our landmark home.”
Beaulieu said, "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Taft Museum and look forward to collaborating with its visionary Board of Trustees and exceptional staff to steward the Taft into its exciting next chapter as a beacon of 21st century preservation and engagement. It is a true honor to be selected to lead an institution that is renowned for its commitment to excellence, and to join the vibrant arts community of Cincinnati."
This appointment marks a critical chapter for the Taft Museum, whose world-renowned collection and deep regional legacy make it an important national resource and source of great regional pride. The President/CEO will build upon the organization’s rich legacy and ambitious engagement program, and to bring the Museum to its next level of excellence. With the Bicentennial Infrastructure Project and total renovation of its 1820 landmarked home, the collections have been completely reinstalled and reinterpreted inside a newly stabilized environment for one of Cincinnati’s most important historical structures. Beaulieu will be tasked with leveraging this excitement to spark a renewed creative energy, reinvigorating staff, board, and community around this beloved treasure.
Beaulieu will officially join the Museum as President/CEO on September 19, 2022.
The Board-appointed Selection Committee conducted a nationwide search, retaining executive search consultants Museum Search & Reference, LLC.