For Immediate Release

New executive program equips museum leaders to navigate through change and shape the future of the field. Forty museum leaders selected for inaugural cohort in partnership with Michigan State University.

Arlington, VA and East Lansing, MI—The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), in partnership with Michigan State University (MSU) and with generous support from E.A. Michelson Philanthropy, is launching the Museum Leadership Academy, a new executive program designed to equip museum CEOs and senior leaders to lead with clarity, confidence, and impact. Today, AAM announced the inaugural cohort of 40 museum CEOs and senior executives.

At a moment of profound change across the cultural sector, museum leadership is both more complex and consequential than ever. As institutions navigate evolving financial models, shifting workforce dynamics, and increased political pressure, the Academy was created in response to the increasing complexity facing museum leaders today and the need for leadership development tailored specifically to the museum sector.

Recent national research underscores both the complexity of this moment and the importance of strong leadership. According to Ithaka S+R’s 2025 Art Museum Director Survey, financial resources remain the top constraint as leaders work to advance strategic priorities. At the same time, data from Museums Moving Forward highlights growing attention to leadership sustainability and well-being across the field.

Leadership continuity is also a priority. A 2024 AAM report found that only 13% of museums have a formal succession plan for their director, pointing to a clear opportunity to build stronger, more intentional pathways for future leadership.

“The expectations placed on museum leaders have significantly evolved and intensified over the past several years,” said Marilyn Jackson, AAM President and CEO. “Today’s leaders are navigating complexity across every part of their institutions while also shaping how museums serve their communities in a changing world. The Museum Leadership Academy was created to support leaders in meeting that moment.”

The Museum Leadership Academy combines academic research with practical leadership experience through nationally recognized faculty and museum practitioners.

Faculty include:

• Joseph Pine, co-author of The Experience Economy
• Brian Kennedy, former director of the National Gallery of Australia and Toledo Museum of Art
• Rachel Young, Partner and Director of Research at IDEO
• Andy Hines, futurist and Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for the University of Houston’s Graduate Program in Foresight

The Museum Leadership Academy will take place at the Michigan State University Detroit Center, bringing together a cohort of 40 museum CEOs and senior executives for seven intensive modules over 4.5 days.

The inaugural cohort was selected through a competitive application process that attracted museum leaders representing a wide range of institution types, sizes, disciplines, and geographic regions.

2027 Museum Leadership Academy Cohort

• Andrea Nalls, President & CEO, Dunedin Fine Art Center
• Anne Corso, Executive Director/CEO, Michener Art Museum
• Betsy Ferman, Chief Operating Officer, Children’s Museum of Phoenix
• Christian Greer, President and CEO, Michigan Science Center
• Christopher Bruce-Karel, Executive Deputy Director, Grand Rapids Art Museum
• Christopher Warren, Vice President of Curatorial Affairs and Chief Curator, National WWI Museum and Memorial
• Claudia Bustos, Executive Director, Public Engagement, Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California Berkeley
• Courtney McNeil, Director and Chief Curator, The Baker Museum
• Craig Hadley, Executive Director and Chief Curator, Dennos Museum Center
• Danielle Bennett, Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions, National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian
• Darcy Schuller, Deputy Director & Chief Operating Officer, Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
• Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong, Executive Director, Japanese American Museum of Oregon
• Holly Menninger, Executive Director, Bell Museum, University of Minnesota
• Jed Dodds, Executive Director, The Studios of Key West
• Jeffrey Brodie, Chief Engagement and Content Officer, South Carolina State Museum
• Jon Fiume, John S. Knight Director & CEO, Akron Art Museum
• Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director, Seymour Marine Discovery Center
• Justin Gunther, Director of Fallingwater, Vice President of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Fallingwater, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
• Kelly Harper, SVP Visitor Experience Strategy & Analytics, Royal Ontario Museum
• Lauren Lessing, Director, University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art
• Leslie Denk, Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategy, Norton Simon Museum
• Lori Finkelstein, Director, JHU Museums, Johns Hopkins University
• Lucy Hale, The Susan Flint Cooper Director, Cranbrook Institute of Science
• Mariangeles Arce H., Executive Director, Center for Systematic Biology and Evolution, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
• Marshall Price, Chief Curator and Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University
• Mary Anastasia Perez, Director of Development & Marketing, International Museum of Art & Science
• Megan van Ravenswaay, Executive Director, Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society
• Meredith Maple, Executive Director, Fairbanks Children’s Museum
• Michelle Stempien, Executive Director, Holland Museum
• Nicholas Vann, Executive Director, Washington State Historical Society
• Nikki DeJesus Sertsu, Executive Director, Planet Word, The Museum of Language Arts
• Rachel White, Director of Learning and Engagement, Birmingham Museum of Art
• Rorie Cartier, President and CEO, National Museum of the Pacific War
• Ryan Spencer, VP and Chief Program Officer, Conner Prairie Museum
• Sara DeYoung, Head of Visitor Experience, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Sara Klein, Director of Education and Visitor Experience, Vero Beach Museum of Art
• Terri White, President and CEO, Charlotte Museum of History
• Tim Glenn, Director, Museum of Utah
• Tracee Glab, Executive Director, Flint Institute of Arts
• Wendy Wolf, Chief Engagement and Cultural Resources Officer, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

The Museum Leadership Academy will convene October 5–9, 2026, in Detroit.

Learn more about the Museum Leadership Academy.

About the American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is the only organization representing the entire museum field, from art and history museums to science centers and zoos. Since 1906, we have been championing museums through advocacy and providing museum professionals with the resources, knowledge, inspiration, and connections they need to move the field forward.

###

Press Contact:

Natanya Khashan
media@aam-us.org