IRVINE, CA.- After a national search, Kathryn Kanjo has been appointed museum director of the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art. Currently the David C. Copley Director and CEO of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, she will assume her new role in February 2026, where she will also oversee the UC Irvine Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute of California Art.

“This is a watershed moment for the visual arts in Orange County and beyond. The UC Irvine Langson Museum unites three celebrated California art collections – Irvine, Buck, OCMA – into a singular museum supported by UC Irvine’s commitment to critical inquiry and excellence,” Kanjo said. “I am honored to lead this newly formed organization, working alongside the talented museum team, world-class faculty, and brilliant UC Irvine students to provide all visitors exceptional museum experiences while also creating distinctive learning opportunities for students.”

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art was formed in September 2025 when the University of California, Irvine acquired the Orange County Museum of Art and merged it with the campus’s Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art. The unified entity reflects UC Irvine’s dedication to curatorial excellence, community service, and the long-term vitality of the region’s visual arts ecosystem.

The integrated museum honors OCMA’s legacy, recognizes the philanthropy of Jack and Shanaz Langson, brings together more than 9,000 artworks, expands academic integration and serves as a model of creative collaboration. UC Irvine now stewards the 53,000-square-foot Costa Mesa facility located at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, which continues showcasing contemporary art alongside UC Irvine’s Gerald Buck and Irvine Museum collections. The Jack & Shanaz Langson Institute of California Art will remain central to research and student training.

“Kathryn brings a tremendous combination of deep curatorial expertise and demonstrated visionary leadership at premier institutions throughout the country,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. “She is the ideal person to lead the museum during this transitional period and into an exciting new future.”

Kanjo will oversee the alignment of operations and programming for the collective institution and develop and implement a long-term vision across both sites.

This marks a return to the University of California for Kanjo, who was previously director of the University Art Museum at the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her more than three decades of experience, she also served as the executive director of Artpace San Antonio and held curatorial roles at the Portland Art Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art.