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. 

Magdalena Moskalewicz appointed to the position of Chief Curator and Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Magdalena Moskalewicz to the position of Chief Curator and Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Sheldon Museum of Art.  Moskalewicz was selected for the Sheldon position after a national search led by Suzanne Tan, senior search consultant at Museum Search & Reference.

Moskalewicz is an art historian, professor, and an internationally recognized curator, as well as a widely published researcher of modern and contemporary art. Most recently, she was Chief Curator of FRONT International, a contemporary art triennial based in Cleveland. Before that she served as a full-time visiting professor and adjunct associate professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University School of Art, and as an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In her native Poland, Moskalewicz was a visiting curator at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw and served as curator of the Polish Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, among other appointments. Moskalewicz was awarded both a Doctorate and a Master’s degree in Art History from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. 

“Magdalena brings to the Museum deep expertise and a compelling, progressive vision,” said Susan Longhenry, director of Sheldon Museum of Art. “Her commitment to simultaneously honoring and reframing Sheldon's collection, and to interrogating the art history canon, will take the Museum to the next level of scholarship, engagement, and impact.”

Moskalewicz has stated her interest in developing exhibitions and programs at Sheldon that “reflect the complexity of America today: globally connected and relevant,” aiming to “use art as a trigger that speaks to the moment,” and “delivering socially responsive curating that is stimulating and thought-provoking.”

She began her appointment in January 2025, joining a senior leadership team composed of the Museum’s Director and the newly hired Chief Curator and Associate Director for Learning, Engagement, and Public Practice.

Robb Woulfe Appointed Director

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Robb Woulfe as Executive Director of the Racine Art Museum Association, Inc. (RAMA) in Racine, Wisconsin, which holds the largest craft collection in America . He will direct both the Racine Art Museum (RAM) in downtown Racine, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) two miles from RAM.

Robb began his new role on January 13, 2025. A veteran arts leader, Woulfe was appointed by the RAMA Board following a rigorous national search led by Senior Search Consultant Ida Tomlin. 

Woulfe follows longtime Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce W. Pepich, who is retiring after five decades of service. Pepich will continue as a Consultant for Permanent Collection Projects throughout the spring before fully retiring. John Crimmings, RAMA Board President said, “Robb understands the legacy that Bruce built, and he brings a high level of enthusiasm, experience, and vision for RAMA’s continued excellence. The institution will continue to flourish under Robb’s leadership.”

“I am thrilled to have been selected as the next director of RAMA and cannot wait to work with its talented team and vibrant community as we embark on this new chapter together,” said Woulfe, a native of Saint Paul, Minnesota. “It is particularly meaningful to me to return to the Midwest where I grew up and first began my career in the arts, starting in Milwaukee more than 30 years ago. I have such admiration for all that Bruce W. Pepich, the staff, Board, and donors have accomplished, and I look forward to honoring and building on that legacy.”

Woulfe brings the extensive arts-management background needed to enhance programming and the Museums’ reach, accessibility, and impact in the community and beyond. He comes to Racine having served since 2020 as Executive Director of the Santa Cruz (CA) Museum of Art & History. During his tenure, he successfully navigated the Museum through the pandemic and into recovery. Previously, he served as Arts and Culture Development Advisor with Park City Municipal in Utah; Founding President and CEO of Breckenridge Creative Arts in Colorado; Executive and Artistic Director of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Michigan; and he held senior management and programming positions with other institutions in the Midwest. With a three-decade history of working with diverse artists from across genres and disciplines, Woulfe has organized and produced a wide range of projects in galleries, on stages, and in digital and site-specific contexts. He has also served as a panelist and juror for various agencies and organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Arts Midwest, Colorado Creative Industries, and Minnesota State Arts Board.

Randy Guthmiller Associate Director for Learning, Engagement, and Public Practice

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Randy Guthmiller to the position of Associate Director for Learning, Engagement, and Public Practice at Sheldon Museum of Art. Guthmiller was selected after a national search led by Suzanne Tan, senior search consultant at Museum Search & Reference.   

A dedicated and passionate art museum professional, Randy has had significant work experience in both museum learning and the visitor experience at three major institutions in Texas. Most recently, he served as the Manager of Experiences and Programs at Ruby City in San Antonio, a contemporary community art center that opened to the public in 2019. Prior to that, Randy worked at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas, first as an educator and then as the Manager of Visitor Experiences, while also working for eight years as an artist educator at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. Guthmiller holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Education from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Randy to Sheldon’s team,” said Susan Longhenry, Director of the Museum. “His uniquely integrated expertise in community engagement, academic engagement, and the visitor experience aligns perfectly with our commitment to centering and deeply engaging visitors and members of both academic and non-academic communities.”

Randy began his appointment in January 2025, joining a senior leadership team composed of the Museum’s Director and the newly hired Chief Curator and Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs.

OFFICE MANAGER

Application Deadline: CLOSED

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.” 

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.

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.