The Harvard Art Museums has selected Micha Winkler Thomas as Deputy Director, following an executive search process led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). She began her tenure on September 18, 2023.
Winkler Thomas will assume a senior leadership role, collaborating closely with the director, and will be responsible for supervising multiple administrative divisions within the museums. A seasoned leader in the museum, government, and nonprofit sectors, Winkler Thomas is distinguished for her expertise in strategic planning, project management, program and data analysis, and cultivating new business partnerships. She was most recently the Deputy Director for Strategy and Chief Operating Officer at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC. As a pivotal member of the senior leadership team, she directed the museum’s strategic planning and played a central role in leading innovative business initiatives.
Winkler Thomas received a master of art in American art history at American University in Washington D.C. and an arts administration certificate from New York University. She holds a bachelor of arts in art history from Pennsylvania State University.
In making the announcement, Martha Tedeschi, the Elizabeth and John Moors Cabot Director of the Harvard Art Museums said, “Micha brings a wealth of museum experience and a deep commitment to the successful implementation and execution of strategic planning. At a time when we have just finished writing our own five-year strategic plan and received re-accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), Micha is uniquely qualified to help us take the next steps toward the realization of our institutional goals. At the same time, I am thrilled to welcome such a seasoned museum veteran to our team at an exciting time in our audience expansion and development, following the implementation of our new policy of free admission for all visitors, which began on June 23. I look forward to her fresh ideas and perspectives as we navigate this new chapter in our museums’ long history.”
“I am delighted and gratified to join the staff of the Harvard Art Museums as deputy director, because it combines my passion for art history with my skills in directing and leading an operation that focuses on a visitor’s educational and cultural experience,” said Winkler Thomas. “I am inspired by the museums’ mission and the Harvard Art Museums’ unique role in the Greater Boston area, serving as an invaluable resource for both the campus and the community. The museums’ collections are astounding, and the power of those collections to promote critical looking and thinking is what drew me to this position. I am looking forward to embracing the challenges and opportunities presented in this exciting new role in such a vibrant cultural area.”
“ACG was honored to guide this comprehensive executive search, which led to Micha’s appointment to this very important role at Harvard Art Museums,” said ACG President Dr. Bruce D. Thibodeau. “We look forward to Micha’s success and the ongoing positive impacts of Harvard Art Museums.”