Anne Kraybill Leaving The Westmoreland in July to Lead Wichita Art Museum

GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (May 17, 2022) – The Board of Trustees of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art announces that Anne Kraybill will be leaving her position as Richard M. Scaife Director/CEO in July 2022 to become Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Wichita Art Museum.

“This is a bittersweet moment for me, because the past four years at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art have been some of the most fulfilling of my professional career. I am so proud of what the organization has accomplished, and it has been a privilege to work alongside such a talented team,” says Kraybill.

During her four-year tenure, she implemented a new strategic plan, which centers Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion and sets the vision for the future of the organization. Under her leadership, The Westmoreland diversified the collections and temporary exhibition program, developed strong partnerships and increased programming by 80% to reach new audiences, and eliminated the suggested donation fee to ensure equitable access for all. She established innovative initiatives, including The Just Arts Billboard Project in partnership with The Westmoreland Diversity Coalition, which used billboards as a platform for artists to create work rooted in social justice. During COVID-19, she also established an Artist-in-Residence program in partnership with BOOM Concepts, a Pittsburgh based organization that is dedicated to the development of artist and creative entrepreneurs representing marginalized voices. Anne also led the organization through a successful American Alliance for Museum reaccreditation process, and established the Audience Growth and Engagement Fund, a significant endowment supporting audience growth and diversification. 

The Westmoreland Board of Trustees and staff under the leadership of President Helene Conway-Long will continue to address and build upon the objectives laid out in the 2019-2024 strategic plan, which include seeking to provide understanding to issues facing the community, region and nation and to take actionable steps to make change as well as recognizing that the Museum’s collection and the history of American art does not reflect everyone’s experience and working to address those gaps. Additionally, the staff is currently developing processes to guide the reinterpretation of the Museum’s permanent collection; launching a new Learning Management System for educators and students; and presenting temporary exhibitions and related educational programming that introduce new artists and new perspectives to the Museum’s audiences and expand the narratives represented in American art. 

“We thank Anne for the wonderful foundation she has laid during her tenure and for positioning The Westmoreland as a true museum of the 21st Century that aims to be inclusive and relevant to all. We wish her continued success in her career. We will commence the search to find a candidate, who has a strong vision for the Museum’s future, to lead the organization,” offers Conway-Long.

During this time, the Board of Trustees has put in place a strong interim leadership plan. Suzanne Wright will serve as Interim Director/CEO and Chief Operating Officer and Rhonda Madden as Interim Deputy Director and Chief Advancement Officer while the Board of Trustees plans a national search to fill the Director/CEO position.