I am a museum curator, writer, and art historian dedicated to bringing art to life through exhibitions, research, and storytelling. My latest project, Susan Watkins and Women Artists of the Progressive Era, explores the work of often-overlooked women artists who shaped American art at the turn of the twentieth century. Opening in 2025, this exhibition and accompanying catalogue, published in association with Yale University Press, highlight their contributions and bring new scholarship to light.

As the Brock Curator of American Art at the Chrysler Museum of Art, I oversee a collection of more than 4,500 objects, shaping acquisitions, exhibitions, and research initiatives. My work balances deep curatorial expertise with a commitment to making art accessible and engaging for a broad public. Over the years, I have organized exhibitions ranging from focused studies of individual artists to large-scale projects that connect art to cultural and historical movements. One of my most rewarding projects was Americans in Spain: Painting and Travel, 1820–1920, a groundbreaking international exhibition that brought together works from major collections across the U.S. and Europe to tell a new history of American art and its relationship to travel.

Research is at the heart of my curatorial practice. I have written and edited multiple exhibition catalogues and contributed essays to journals such as The Burlington Magazine and Panorama. I love uncovering forgotten stories and bringing fresh perspectives to familiar artworks—whether through new scholarship, acquisitions that expand the historical narrative, or innovative exhibition design.

A significant part of my work also involves building collections and relationships. I’ve helped secure major acquisitions and have successfully written grants from the NEH, NEA, and major foundations to support exhibitions and publications. I believe that museums thrive when they connect deeply with their communities, and I’m always looking for ways to bridge scholarship and public engagement in meaningful ways.

I hold a Ph.D. in the History of Art and Architecture from the University of Virginia and have held fellowships and curatorial positions at institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. My passion for art and museums—their complexities, contradictions, and enduring relevance—continues to inspire my work every day.