About.

BACKGROUND
As a first-generation American and first-generation college-educated individual from a blue-collar background, my journey has been shaped by resilience, community, and a deep sense of advocacy. Growing up, I learned the value of hard work and the importance of supporting those who contribute to the fabric of our communities. My passion began in the fourth grade when I led a campaign to address spoiled milk in our school cafeteria. That experience helped me understand the power of organizing for a cause. I believe nonprofit organizations, particularly those rooted in community-engaging and arts-driven missions, can amplify voices and create lasting impact through collaboration and empowerment.

EXPERIENCE
With a career of over three decades, I have been dedicated to driving growth, fostering connections, and championing welcoming scenarios in the arts and nonprofit sectors. In 2024, I shifted to working independently to continue a scale of impact on the sector by using my experience, skills, and knowledge to help organizations achieve their goals.

During my over ten-year tenure leading the Association of Art Museum Curators (AAMC) and AAMC Foundation, I established a forward-looking international organization. This included raising its profile through building relationships and partnerships, leading two groundbreaking strategic plans, increasing funding by sixfold, and creating mission-driven and impactful programming. Additional key roles that shaped my voice and ability to help organizations succeed include Director, Affordable Art Fair U.S.; Associate Development Director, Institutional Advancement, Museum of Arts and Design; and Account Manager, Museum Services, Christie’s. I started my career in galleries in NYC and LA. My formal educational background includes an MA in art history, a Certificate in Curatorial Studies, a BA in art history, and a BA in journalism/mass media, all from Rutgers University.

SERVICE
Due to my deep understanding of the museum field, I was invited to participate in a think tank on digital engagement and museums and as 100 leaders gathered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on the future of museums. I also served as Secretary and then Vice Chair of the Council of Affiliates at the American Alliance of Museums.

With my knowledge of the for-profit and nonprofit visual arts world, I have actively contributed to the field through leadership and service, including as a board member at ArtTable, where I held two consecutive Executive Committee roles, ArtBridge Projects and New York Artists Equity Association; as a mentor in the Diversity in Arts Leadership program of the Arts & Business Council, Americans for the Arts; and as a juror for the IMLS, National Arts Education Association, and Brooklyn Arts Council.

In 2022, I was awarded a fellowship in the Cultural and Creative Industries and Local Development program, organized by the Trentino School of Management and the European Creative Business Network. The cohort consisted of leaders from 16 countries across five continents, advancing expertise in effective and integrated strategies and policy frameworks to unleash the full potential of cultural organizations as drivers for local economic growth and job creation.

As a sought-after voice in the cultural sector, I have had speaking engagements with the Aspen Institute, Association of African American Museums, Association of Art Museum Curators, Bard Graduate Center, Jamaican Arts Society, Museum Computer Network, New York Foundation of the Arts, POWArts, and Wheaton College.