TOLEDO, OH.- The Toledo Museum of Art has promoted two long-serving staff members to new positions in the collections and curatorial departments. In December 2017 Andrea Gardner was named director of collections, and Halona Norton Westbrook was appointed director of curatorial affairs in January 2018.
"Andrea Gardner and Halona Norton-Westbrook have proven themselves to be essential members of our collections and curatorial teams over the last many years," said Brian Kennedy, the Museum's Edward Drummond and Florence Scott Libbey director. "We are so pleased to see them step up to an enhanced portfolio of responsibilities and look forward to their many scholarly and administrative contributions in the future."
Norton-Westbrook received her Ph.D. in museology and art history from the University of Manchester in the U.K., master’s degree in art history from the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London and B.A. in American history and studio art from Mills College in Oakland, California. She joined the TMA staff as Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in August 2013. The fellowship aims to mentor the next generation of museum leaders by engaging them in curatorial work and special projects in the Museum director's office. During her fellowship, Norton-Westbrook curated numerous exhibitions and led several cross-departmental projects focused on engagement, access and inclusivity. She was appointed head of visitor engagement in January 2015, and following the completion of her fellowship, was named director of collections the following year, with oversight of the curatorial, exhibitions, conservation and publications teams.
As director of curatorial affairs, Norton-Westbrook is charged with developing and framing the Museum's curatorial initiatives and shepherding the 2020 gallery plan in concert with the Museum's recently unveiled master plan. In addition, Norton-Westbrook continues to provide strategic direction to the curatorial, exhibitions, conservation and publication teams, and has primary curatorial responsibility for the Museum’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
Gardner holds a B.A. in classics and Latin from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in ancient art history from the University of Texas at Austin. In her role as director of collections at TMA she leads the logistical support operations of the care and display of the Museum’s collections. Her primary responsibilities include management of the exhibitions, conservation and registration departments; oversight of the risk management initiatives for the Museum’s collections; and increasing efficiency and implementing improved processes in the collections areas. Prior to her new position, Gardner was the registrar and assistant systems officer at TMA, where she has worked, beginning as an intern in the curatorial and registration departments, since 2006.
