semc directors

Glenna Barlow gbarlow@columbiamuseum.org

Curator of Education,  Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC

Alexander Benitez beniteza@portsmouthva.gov

Director of Museums and Tourism,  City of Portsmouth,  Portsmouth, VA

Tafeni English tafeni.english@splcenter.org

Director, Alabama State Office,  Southern Poverty Law Center/Civil  Rights Memorial, Montgomery, AL

Katie Ericson kericso@emory.edu

Director of Education,  Michael C. Carlos Museum,  Atlanta, GA

Nancy Fields Nancy.fields@uncp.edu

Director and Curator, The Museum of  the Southeast American Indian,  Pembroke, NC

Brigette Janea Jones brigettejones60@yahoo.com

Director of Equitable Partnerships,  Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery,  Nashville, TN

Pamela D. C. Junior pjunior@mdah.ms.gov

Director, Two Mississippi Museums,  Mississippi Department of  Archives & History, Jackson, MS

Rosalind Martin rmartin@knoxart.org

Director of Education,  Knoxville Museum of Art,  Knoxville, TN

Michelle Schulte mschulte@lsu.edu

Chief Curator, LSU Museum of Art,  Baton Rouge, LA

Michael Scott mscott@solidlight-inc.com

Project Manager,  Solid Light,  Louisville, KY

Ahmad Ward award@exploremitchelville.org

Executive Director, Historic Mitchelville  Freedom Park, Hilton Head Island, SC

Lance Wheeler lwheeler@civilandhumanrights.org

Director of Exhibitions, National Center  for Civil and Human Rights,  Atlanta, GA

semc executive director’s notes

Dear SEMC:

The SEMC Program Committee and Council gathered in Louisville in early March to design the 2023 Annual Meeting program and attend to the “business” of SEMC including the first steps in the strategic planning process, which the Council will begin in earnest later this year. We had a terrific turnout for both meetings and it felt so good to be together for the work, and learn more about Louisville’s rich history, culture, and local scene. It was wonderful to see so many colleagues in person and engage in productive, animated discussions about the session proposals and SEMC’s future. The time and thoughtful consideration all individuals put into this work resulted in efficient meetings and a balanced slate of sessions for SEMC2023 that we look forward to sharing with the membership very soon! Special thanks to Heather Nowak and Timia Thompson for organizing our time and creating an environment for discussion that was inclusive and provided opportunities for all voices to be heard. I returned from mid-year planning fully committed to the work ahead and energized by the guidance of SEMC’s leadership as we move this organization into its next phase. In the coming year, SEMC will continue monthly virtual programs and partnerships with other professional organizations including an ongoing collaboration with the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries geared toward student populations and emerging museum professionals. Now that we have successfully relaunched the Jekyll Island Management Institute, SEMC will next turn its attention toward opening applications for the Handumy Jean Tahan Internship Fund and the 2024 Leadership Institute. We are also focused on SEMC2023 in Louisville, Kentucky, which will provide opportunities for attendees to engage in direct dialogue, networking, and professional development with their southeast museum peers.

As we move away from the pandemic, the coming years will bring new challenges to SEMC. Through purposeful strategic planning and member engagement, SEMC will navigate the challenges and remain nimble and ready to meet the moment and assist the southeast

museum community in finding opportunities for positive change and forward movement .

It is essential for museums to continue to adapt to the current realities and think ahead to building a fundamentally different future. As recent years have taught us, change can come quickly and powerfully. SEMC will be a resource as members continue to evolve, build a different, more equitable future for the field, and recognize this unique period in our shared history as a time that calls us to bring our best.

SEMC has gained considerable experience in planning for and navigating the adjustments needed to manage events, professional networking, learning and engagement during times of disruption. We are looking forward to a productive, strategic, engaged year. SEMC staff and leadership will work hard to support museums and museum professionals in the southeast in building a more equitable future through creative collaborations that connect organizations to diverse communities and spark positive change.

Respectfully,

— Zinnia Willits , SEMC Executive Director