(Taubman release) The Taubman Museum of Art Board of Trustees announced today the appointment of Cindy Petersen as the Museum’s new executive director. Petersen is an experienced leader in nonprofit management, having worked over the past two decades with organizations in Virginia and in business consulting in Europe. She has been with the Taubman since 2011 as deputy director of education and visitor engagement before serving as interim executive director following the departure of former executive director Della Watkins in September 2017, who left to join the Columbia Museum of Art in South Carolina.
During her time as a senior staff member, Petersen was integral to the development and enhancement of visitor-based programming. Among her accomplishments, Petersen created a Learning Lab for Leaders training series that has received accolades from the likes of MuseumNext, based in England; designed Art Venture, the Museum’s interactive children’s discovery center; led the redevelopment of the Museum’s education programs to mirror K-12 curriculum plans; started a Museum School, offering classes for children, teens and adults; and provided strategic guidance that helped the Museum earn accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums.
