Release Date: November 5, 2019

National Gallery of Art Announces Two New Executive Officers and Christiane Ellis Valone Curator of American Paintings

Washington, DC—The National Gallery of Art, Washington, has announced the appointment of two new executive officers. Elisa B. Glazer, currently chief advancement officer at the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, has been appointed external affairs and audience engagement officer. Kate Haw, the director of the Archives of American Art, will become the collections, exhibitions, and programs officer. Both will assume these duties in early 2020. Glazer and Haw will fill new executive officer positions in an organizational framework created by Gallery director Kaywin Feldman to support strategic planning and new programs and initiatives with an enhanced focus on public service. In 2020 the Gallery will launch a major visitor survey as well as work with AEA Consulting and Pentagram on strategic planning and brand evaluation, respectively.

Franklin Kelly, the Gallery's current chief curator and deputy director, will continue as chief curator and will become the Christiane Ellis Valone Curator of American Paintings. Kelly is an art historian specializing in 18th-, 19th-, and early 20th-century American and British painting. Since 2008 he has served as the deputy director and chief curator of the National Gallery of Art. In his executive officer role as chief curator and Christiane Ellis Valone Curator of American Paintings, Kelly will lead the Gallery's curatorial, conservation, and collecting activities, as well as focus on his work within the department of American and British painting.

"I am excited to fill two new executive officer leadership positions to support the work we are about to do in strategic planning for the Gallery," said Kaywin Feldman, director, National Gallery of Art, Washington. "Elisa has a stellar record of fundraising in museums and brings a variety of skills in the arena of audience engagement to the Gallery. Kate is an accomplished leader with a track record of innovative program development and a demonstrated commitment to accessibility and inclusion. I look forward to working with them both in this upcoming critical phase of the Gallery's future. Frank Kelly is an incredible scholar and curator and I am delighted that he will continue in his role as chief curator focusing on curatorial, conservation, and research and also be able to spend time in his area of expertise as the Christiane Ellis Valone Curator of American Paintings."

External Affairs and Audience Engagement Officer

Elisa Glazer
External Affairs and Audience Engagement Officer
Photo courtesy National Gallery of Art

As the Gallery's new external affairs and audience engagement officer, Elisa B. Glazer will take on the role of lead fundraiser, develop audience engagement strategies for the entire museum, and build a new department for visitor services and evaluation, in support of the Gallery's vision and strategic objectives. Glazer's areas cover development and membership, communications, special events, visitor services and evaluation, and the division of publishing, which oversees the Gallery's brand, content strategies, and design.

Glazer has a long career in arts fundraising and external affairs and brings years of experience in nonprofit cultural organizations. She is an accomplished professional in the areas of visitor experience, marketing and communications, strategy, and membership and development. Prior to her position at the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Glazer was senior director for development at the Brookings Institution, a principal at Washington Corporate & Cultural Affairs, and led her own arts and culture external affairs firm in Atlanta for nearly 15 years. Glazer is a former employee of the National Gallery of Art, serving most recently as the deputy corporate relations officer from 1990 to 1993. She holds an MA in art history (exhibition program) from Brown University and a BA in political science from Duke University.

"I am overjoyed to return to the National Gallery of Art, where I began my career and learned both how visitors engage with museums and also what a positive role museums can play in their lives. Under Kaywin's visionary leadership and with a team of creative colleagues, I am eager to bring focus to the visitor experience, help lead the Gallery's journey through a brand identity evaluation, and then promote awareness of the brand and rich offerings of the Gallery nationally and internationally," said Elisa B. Glazer.

Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs Officer

Kate Haw
Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs Officer
Photo by Tim Coburn

As the collections, exhibitions, and programs officer, Kate Haw will work in collaboration with the Gallery's team of executive officers to establish and execute the overall strategic vision of the museum and realize dynamic programming in the galleries, online, and in the Gallery's education spaces. Haw will be an advocate for the museum's programs, collections, and staff with peer institutions and donors. This new role oversees the library's extensive holdings, the Gallery's many public programs, the education division, the departments of exhibitions and installation design, as well as the office of the registrar.

As part of a reorganization of Gallery divisions and departments, Haw will supervise and align the activities of the registration, art preparation and installation, exhibitions, and exhibition design departments to further the organizational mission of the Gallery with respect to collection care, loan activity, temporary exhibitions, and ongoing presentations of the permanent collection. She will also oversee the activities of the Gallery's educational, music, and film programs.

As director of the Archives of American Art, Haw oversaw and implemented institutional strategic planning; realigned departmental priorities for more focused collecting, including initiatives to build the Archives' resources on women and historically underrepresented groups; modernized productivity; and increased worldwide accessibility of the Archives' vast collections of more than 30 million primary sources. Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Haw held leadership positions at the National Building Museum, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, and American Federation of Arts. She started her career at the National Gallery of Art as a curatorial assistant. Haw holds an MA in art history from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a BA in art history and religion from Sweet Briar College.

"It is a thrill to return to the National Gallery of Art under the inspiring leadership of Kaywin Feldman, 25 years after I started my career there. I am eager to support Kaywin's vision to build more diverse and inclusive collections, exhibitions, and programs, and I look forward to working with the exceptional team at the Gallery as we innovate our programming, launch a new strategic plan, and focus our work on public service," said Kate Haw.

Press Contact:
Anabeth Guthrie, (202) 842-6804 or [email protected]