Accreditation Commission Changes

At its November 2014 meeting, the Alliance Board of Directors ratified the appointment of five new accreditation commissioners:

  • Amy Bartow-Melia, associate director for programs and strategic initiatives, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
  • Ann Fortescue, executive director, Springfield Museum of Art, OH
  • Lourdes Ramos, executive director, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan
  • Kenneth Schutz, Dr. William Huizingh Executive Director, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ
  • William Tramposch, Gosnell Executive Director, Nantucket Historical Association, MA

These are the first appointments made through a new selection process based on self-nominations from the field and managed by a cross-disciplinary nominating committee. This process is one element to emerge from the reinvention of accreditation initiative.

“The Nominating Committee was extremely pleased at the enormous response to the call for self-nominations, the range of museum types represented, and the high caliber of the nominees and their enthusiasm for the new accreditation program. With 40 outstanding nominees to consider for only five seats, our work was considerable,” said AAM Board Member and Nominating Committee Chair Douglas Jones.

Concurrent with the new arrivals, three accreditation commissioners are rotating off the commission at the conclusion of a five-year term:

  • William Eiland, director, Georgia Museum of Art, Athens
  • Terrie Rouse, founder and former CEO, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, and president, Rouse Consulting, Washington, DC
  • Patricia Murphy, executive director, Oberlin Heritage Center, OH

 “The Alliance can’t thank Bill, Terrie and Pat enough for the enormous amount of time—all volunteer, no less—and dedication they brought to their work as commissioners,” says Alliance President Ford W. Bell. “They were in the trenches of the reinvention of accreditation effort for the past five years, and the successful new process just launched owes much to their guidance, insight and leadership. The field, not just AAM, owes them a debt of gratitude.”

Learn more about the Accreditation Commissioners.