NEW YORK, NY.- After an extensive nationwide search, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, the world’s first and only museum focused on LGBT art, announced today the appointment of its first Director since it became an official museum in 2011. Hunter O’Hanian will join the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art as its Director in October 2012. In addition, he will serve as the Executive Director of the Leslie/Lohman Gay Art Foundation.

Jonathan D. Katz, President of the Leslie- Lohman Museum’s Board of Trustees, commented that “Hunter brings the right mix of qualities for our first Director; a deep well of experience in arts management, a commitment to queer art, a track record in fundraising and, not least, the management skills to move the Museum, already gaining attention for its innovative exhibitions, into the first rank. We are a national, even international institution, and we’ve therefore brought on board a national leader.”

O’Hanian noted that “organizations like the Leslie-Lohman Museum are rare in our society. They are brave and tenacious, advocating for the rights of gays and lesbians to make and show meaningful art which impacts their lives and those around them. They have a long history of preserving and supporting art by and about LGBQT artists. I look forward to working with the board and staff to explore ways to strengthen the organization and offer many more thought-provoking exhibitions.”

Charles W. Leslie, Co-Founder of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art added, “After an exhaustive search, we have finally found the Director we need. Apart from his wealth of formal qualifications, I have to say that Hunter has all the add-ons which I personally find important.”

For the past three years, O’Hanian has served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation for Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Founded in 1873, MassArt is the only independent public college of visual arts in the United States. Prior to joining MassArt, O’Hanian led two renowned artists’ residencies programs, having served as the President of Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, outside of Aspen, Colorado, and Executive Director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the largest residency program for emerging artists and writers in the United States. He also has a long career of non-profit board and community involvement. He is the past board chair of the Alliance of Artists Communities, the national membership organization for artists’ residency programs.

O’Hanian holds a BA from Boston College, a JD from Suffolk University School of Law and an honorary doctorate from the Art Institute of Boston.