Peter A. Mello appointed Executive Director

The Board of Trustees of the Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA, has named Peter A. Mello as its new Executive Director. Mello succeeds Charles Weyerhaeuser, who has held the position for over 50 years. Mello began his tenure at the ACM on September 9. The nationwide search was led by Senior Search Consultant Lora Urbanelli.  

Mello joins the museum from WaterFire Providence, where he has been the Managing Director, co-CEO, and a Board Member since 2011. WaterFire Providence is a public art experience that draws thousands of visitors to the rivers and parks in downtown Providence, RI. 

In addition to the large public art event, Mello led the project team that created the WaterFire Arts Center, a 37,000-square-foot, multi-use arts center. He led the concept development, planning, design, and construction of the center, which opened in 2017. Mello also led the team that develops the exhibitions, programming, partnerships, and revenue generation strategies for the center. 

A strong supporter of young artists, Mello created WaterFire Accelerate, a professional development program for artists under 30, and ArtLab@WaterFire, a leadership and workforce development program for underserved high school students. 

 With the next Executive Director in place, Charles Weyerhaeuser will take on the new role of Chief Historian of the Art Complex Museum. In this position, he will collaborate with the museum’s Collections staff to document the history of museum, its collection, and additional acquisition details of key objects in the collection. 

Magdalena Moskalewicz appointed to the position of Chief Curator and Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Magdalena Moskalewicz to the position of Chief Curator and Associate Director for Curatorial Affairs at the Sheldon Museum of Art.  Moskalewicz was selected for the Sheldon position after a national search led by Suzanne Tan, senior search consultant at Museum Search & Reference.

Moskalewicz is an art historian, professor, and an internationally recognized curator, as well as a widely published researcher of modern and contemporary art. Most recently, she was Chief Curator of FRONT International, a contemporary art triennial based in Cleveland. Before that she served as a full-time visiting professor and adjunct associate professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, as a visiting professor at Carnegie Mellon University School of Art, and as an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In her native Poland, Moskalewicz was a visiting curator at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw and served as curator of the Polish Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, among other appointments. Moskalewicz was awarded both a Doctorate and a Master’s degree in Art History from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. 

“Magdalena brings to the Museum deep expertise and a compelling, progressive vision,” said Susan Longhenry, director of Sheldon Museum of Art. “Her commitment to simultaneously honoring and reframing Sheldon's collection, and to interrogating the art history canon, will take the Museum to the next level of scholarship, engagement, and impact.”

Moskalewicz has stated her interest in developing exhibitions and programs at Sheldon that “reflect the complexity of America today: globally connected and relevant,” aiming to “use art as a trigger that speaks to the moment,” and “delivering socially responsive curating that is stimulating and thought-provoking.”

She began her appointment in January 2025, joining a senior leadership team composed of the Museum’s Director and the newly hired Chief Curator and Associate Director for Learning, Engagement, and Public Practice.

Devon Kurtz appointed Executive Director

The New Hampshire Boat Museum in Moultonborough, NH has appointed Devon Kurtz as Executive Director. The national search was led by MS&R senior search consultant Dan Yaeger. Kurtz will begin work in April 2025.

Kurtz brings more than twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, museum administration, and community engagement. He joins NHBM after serving as Executive Director of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in Northbridge, MA, where he spearheaded transformative projects, including the development of the Worcester Heritage Center and innovative interpretive programs that engaged inclusive audiences across 25 communities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Before his tenure in the Blackstone Valley, Kurtz held positions at several prominent cultural institutions, including the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA, where he oversaw education and public programming, and the Concord Museum in Concord, MA, where he directed education and interpretation initiatives. His career also includes experience at Old Sturbridge Village, where he designed and implemented interpretive programs for more than 300,000 annual visitors.

As Executive Director, Kurtz will lead NHBM’s efforts to complete its $4-million capital campaign and oversee the buildout and phased opening of its new 24,000-square-foot facility, which was constructed in 2024 in Moultonborough, relocating the main museum site from Wolfeboro, NH.

"Devon’s proven track record in museum leadership and his ability to build meaningful connections with stakeholders make him an ideal fit for the New Hampshire Boat Museum," said Jaime Laurent, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees. "We are excited for the fresh perspectives he brings to our community and the institution." Kurtz said he is “honored to join NHBM at such a pivotal moment in its history. The museum’s mission to preserve and celebrate the state’s boating heritage is inspiring, and I look forward to working with the dedicated staff, board, and community to ensure its continued success and sustainability."

Robb Woulfe Appointed Director

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Robb Woulfe as Executive Director of the Racine Art Museum Association, Inc. (RAMA) in Racine, Wisconsin, which holds the largest craft collection in America . He will direct both the Racine Art Museum (RAM) in downtown Racine, and the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) two miles from RAM.

Robb began his new role on January 13, 2025. A veteran arts leader, Woulfe was appointed by the RAMA Board following a rigorous national search led by Senior Search Consultant Ida Tomlin. 

Woulfe follows longtime Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce W. Pepich, who is retiring after five decades of service. Pepich will continue as a Consultant for Permanent Collection Projects throughout the spring before fully retiring. John Crimmings, RAMA Board President said, “Robb understands the legacy that Bruce built, and he brings a high level of enthusiasm, experience, and vision for RAMA’s continued excellence. The institution will continue to flourish under Robb’s leadership.”

“I am thrilled to have been selected as the next director of RAMA and cannot wait to work with its talented team and vibrant community as we embark on this new chapter together,” said Woulfe, a native of Saint Paul, Minnesota. “It is particularly meaningful to me to return to the Midwest where I grew up and first began my career in the arts, starting in Milwaukee more than 30 years ago. I have such admiration for all that Bruce W. Pepich, the staff, Board, and donors have accomplished, and I look forward to honoring and building on that legacy.”

Woulfe brings the extensive arts-management background needed to enhance programming and the Museums’ reach, accessibility, and impact in the community and beyond. He comes to Racine having served since 2020 as Executive Director of the Santa Cruz (CA) Museum of Art & History. During his tenure, he successfully navigated the Museum through the pandemic and into recovery. Previously, he served as Arts and Culture Development Advisor with Park City Municipal in Utah; Founding President and CEO of Breckenridge Creative Arts in Colorado; Executive and Artistic Director of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival in Michigan; and he held senior management and programming positions with other institutions in the Midwest. With a three-decade history of working with diverse artists from across genres and disciplines, Woulfe has organized and produced a wide range of projects in galleries, on stages, and in digital and site-specific contexts. He has also served as a panelist and juror for various agencies and organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Arts Midwest, Colorado Creative Industries, and Minnesota State Arts Board.