Hello central Pennsylvania! It’s been quite a journey moving from Portland, Oregon to the opposite coast, and I still don’t have my furniture yet. However, it’s about time I introduced myself as the new Public Programs and Outreach Manager for the Samek Art Gallery. My job at the Samek essentially consists of all aspects of communication, from educational programing, public events, marketing, and yes, even writing those labels on the walls you see when you enter the galleries. I’m definitely excited to be here because in this role, I will be able to continue the work I am most passionate about, opening up the museum as a space of rich conversation.
As I mentioned, I come to you from Portland, but I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio. I went to Chicago for school, first at Loyola University Chicago, followed by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for my MA, teaching, and working in museums along the way. Then, I moved to Portland to serve as the Kress Interpretive Fellow at the Portland Art Museum. Through this fellowship, I worked to connect college students and faculty with the Museum, and also trained docents to give tours of the Museum’s collections. After my fellowship ended, I taught art history classes at Portland Sate University, but decided to trade the wilds of Portland for the wilds of Pennsylvania for this position. And now you know my life story.
