GREENWICH, CONN.- The Bruce Museum board of trustees announces Mary-Kate O’Hare as the new Susan E. Lynch Executive Director and CEO following a national search. O’Hare brings 25 years of curatorial and leadership experience to the role and will begin on April 7. She comes to the Bruce from Citi Private Bank Art Advisory, where she currently serves as head of art advisory and director.

“Mary-Kate O’Hare will be a catalyst to propel the Bruce Museum forward after the successful opening of its greatly expanded and renovated facilities in April 2023. She has a track record of excellence, from her expertise as an art curator to her skills for acquiring collections, leading fundraising initiatives and providing effective financial oversight,” said Karen Keegan, Bruce Museum co-board chair and co-leader of the search committee.

O’Hare, the first woman to serve as a permanent executive director of the Museum since its inception in 1912, will oversee the institution’s 66-person staff and $10 million budget. She will lead and support all aspects of the Museum, including an ambitious exhibition schedule and innovative youth and adult programming that pairs art and science to spark conversation, connection and an outstanding visitor experience. O’Hare will work closely with the organization’s staff and board of trustees to shape the Bruce’s vision for the future and lead the Museum in its next stage of extraordinary growth.

“The search committee and the Bruce Museum board of trustees were unanimous in selecting Mary-Kate O’Hare from an excellent field of candidates,” said John Hart, co-leader of the search committee and Bruce Museum co-board chair. “She brings a high-energy approach that is both analytical and collaborative, which will elevate the Bruce Museum’s stature generally and its role as a center for inspiration and learning.”

“The Bruce Museum has been a cornerstone of the Greenwich community for more than a century,” said Barbara Ormerod-Glynn, search committee member and former director of the Greenwich Library. “Mary-Kate O’Hare has demonstrated that she is a thoughtful and engaging leader who will guide the Bruce Museum as it continues to meet the expanding demographics and needs of its visitor base. We know she will be an effective advocate for the arts and sciences in our region, and we look forward to welcoming her to the Bruce Museum family.”

Throughout her 12-year tenure with Citi Private Bank Art Advisory, O’Hare oversaw business growth, strategic development and fiduciary governance as she led a team of art specialists within a major financial institution. She leveraged her art expertise to advise clients on art acquisitions and sales, museum loans and gifts and art financing, helping collectors optimize the value of their art collections and build legacy for future generations.

Prior to her time at Citi Private Bank Art Advisory, O’Hare spent 13 years at the Newark Museum, where she worked her way up from assistant curator to curator of American art and department head. She was responsible for all aspects of exhibition planning, acquisitions and care and management of the collection. She led community engagement programs, negotiated gifts and purchases, promoted public awareness of the Museum and organized major exhibitions, including “Constructive Spirit: Abstract Art in South and North America, 1920s-50s.” Previously, O’Hare held curatorial roles at the Morris Museum and served as an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and William Paterson University.

“The Bruce Museum’s mission to inspire learning and discovery perfectly matches my vision for bringing people and ideas together in new ways,” said O’Hare. “I look forward to working alongside the Museum’s talented staff, board and community to build on its strong foundation and advance the next era of extraordinary growth and impact in Greenwich and beyond.”

O’Hare serves as a trustee and executive committee member for the Association of Art Museum Curators. She is currently the vice president of finance and audit, contributing to the strategic plan, budget oversight and planning of the annual conference. As vice president of fundraising from 2019-2023, she led initiatives that doubled individual giving.

O’Hare earned a doctorate and a master’s degree in art history from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Allegheny College.