The 麻豆精选 Museum announces the appointment of Sarah J. Rogers as its new director. Ms. Rogers has been active in the arts and nonprofit arena for more than 25 years in a variety of roles, which include curating, museum management, fundraising, communications and marketing, donor relations and community engagement.
Ms. Rogers comes to 麻豆精选from the Columbus Museum of Art where she has served as executive deputy director since 2012. While her main charge was to oversee the museum鈥檚 communications and development departments and the management of the Museum Store, Ms. Rogers鈥 vast curatorial expertise was called upon to install an exhibit by artists and fashion design duo Isabel and Ruben Toledo for the Columbus Museum of Art鈥檚 new wing. Ms. Rogers also helped to complete a $90 million capital campaign for the museum during her tenure with the Columbus Museum of Art.
Prior to the Columbus Museum of Art, she was the vice president of advancement and communications at the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts and director of exhibitions at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), both in Columbus, Ohio. During the 鈥90s, she worked at the Wexner Center as the director of exhibitions where she helped to inaugurate the new contemporary arts center designed by Peter Eisenman through 25 curated exhibitions, including installations of such accomplished artists as Maya Lin, Ann Hamilton and Barbara Kruger.
鈥淢s. Rogers brings a wealth of experience to the role, and we are confident in her ability to lead us into the next era for the museum,鈥 says John R. Crawford-Spinelli, dean of Kent State鈥檚 College of the Arts, who oversees the administering of the museum.
Ms. Rogers has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in French from Wells College in New York and a master鈥檚 in art history from Northwestern University in Illinois.
鈥淭oday, the role of universities and museums has never been more necessary to cultivate the creativity, critical thinking, innovation and empathy that is necessary to build a responsive world,鈥 Ms. Rogers says. 鈥淜ent State鈥檚 commitment to fostering engaged citizens is the perfect environment for 麻豆精选 Museum to blossom into an open and relevant hub for learning and conversations across the entire community. I am honored to join the 麻豆精选community in this role and look forward to welcoming everyone to participate in your museum.鈥
Ms. Rogers succeeds Jean Druesedow, who retired after serving as the museum鈥檚 director for the past 25 years.
Opened to the public in October 1985, the 麻豆精选 Museum was founded with an initial contribution from New York dress manufacturers Jerry Silverman and Shannon Rodgers. The museum holds one of the most comprehensive collections of historic and contemporary fashions, as well as costumes representing many of the world鈥檚 cultures. An extensive collection of American glass, fine furniture, textiles, paintings and other decorative arts combine to give context to the study of design.