Carnegie Museum of Art names 3 to senior leadership team

Three new members have joined the leadership team of the Carnegie Museum of Art, as the institution reopens after the second pandemic-related shutdown and moves into the new year.

“This is a really exciting time to build new leadership, as we move out of the pandemic reality,” said Eric Crosby, the museum’s Henry J. Heinz II Director. “We’re building a collaborative team that is committed to inclusion and building and expanding our programs for the community.

“This is a pivotal moment in our organization as we write a new strategic plan,” he said. “(The three new hires) bring exemplary leadership not just in museum experience, but in diverse experiences and points of view.”

The institution named Ronald Lee Newman as deputy director; Dana Bishop-Root as director of education and public programs; and Aryn Beitz in the newly expanded role of director of design and publishing.

New hires

• Newman will maintain the museum’s day-to-day business operations to advance its strategic goals, partnering with museum leadership on organizational initiatives, strategic planning and policy decisions, while guiding programs designed to broaden the museum’s reach, increase its audience and advance its reputation regionally, nationally and internationally, according to a release.

Newman previously spent time in Pittsburgh as managing director of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. He comes to CMOA from the August Wilson Society in Washington, D.C., where he was a board member and interim communications director. Prior to that, Newman worked at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., as director of operations and collaborative programming.

• Bishop-Root will work to expand the museum’s capacity as a public resource for the region, leading efforts to create innovative educational programs, activities and artist projects. She will also be integral to advancing CMOA’s commitment to expand diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion both internally and externally, according to the release.

Bishop-Root joins CMOA from the Braddock Carnegie Library Association, where she most recently served as associate director. Bishop-Root is a founding member of the Pittsburgh-based artist collectives Transformazium and General Sisters. Transformazium participated in the 2013 Carnegie International through the Art Lending Collection at Braddock Carnegie Library.

“She has a great depth of knowledge and experience in our region that we can build on,” Crosby said.

• Beitz will lead a re-imagining of CMOA’s visual identity and oversee the museum’s publication initiatives, as well as the design and implementation of the Carnegie International. Additionally, she will continue to develop CMOA’s in-house design and editorial department, expanding the role of graphic design in its artistic program, including design aspects, interpretive content and publications associated with the collections.

Beitz most recently was a designer for The Shed in New York City and previously worked as an in-house designer at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

“Since I began as Director in March 2020, I have been committed to building a collaborative and inclusive senior leadership team that reflects exemplary experience and diverse backgrounds and points of view,” Crosby said. “I am confident that Ronald, Dana and Aryn, along with our colleagues across the entire museum team, will discover innovative ways to realize our mission and serve our audiences through new programs, practices and partnerships.”