The Board of Trustees of the Women’s Museum of California announced the appointment of veteran arts leader Felicia W. Shaw as interim executive director, effective Jan. 1.
“Felicia’s appointment comes at a critical time in the history of the Women’s Museum,” said WMC board president Anne Hoiberg.” We were founded nearly four decades ago, and much has changed for women here and around the world since then. Felicia brings connections to the San Diego cultural community, energy and experience to help us create a roadmap for the museum and reimagine new ways to engage today’s women and our larger community.”
Felicia returns to San Diego, her home of 35 years, after serving as executive director of the Regional Arts Commission of St Louis for nearly five years. Prior to that position, she had a long history of service as an accomplished arts administrator and nonprofit leader with the San Diego Foundation and City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture as well as state and national arts advocacy organizations.
“I’m thrilled to be back in San Diego among family and friends and to join the region’s vibrant museum community, said Felicia. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping to lead what I hope will be a transformative campaign for change for the museum.”
The museum is among a small group of cultural institutions, including the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, D.C., that provides a platform for celebrating the broad achievements of women. Located since 2012 in the Liberty Station Arts District, the museum offers exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that give voice to women’s stories, from every moment in the nation’s history through today. Plans for 2020 include a year-long centennial celebration of the Constitution’s 19th Amendment with a kick-off on Jan. 19, the National Women’s March on Jan. 18, the annual Women’s Film Festival (April) and the 18th Annual San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame on March 15.
The mission of the Women’s Museum of California is to educate and inspire current and future generations about the experiences and contributions of women by collecting, preserving and interpreting the evidence of that experience. For more information about the museum, visit womensmuseumca.org.