PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Thom Collins, Executive Director and President of the Barnes Foundation, today announced the appointment of Nina McNeely Diefenbach as Deputy Director for Advancement. A Philadelphia native, Ms. Diefenbach joins the Barnes Foundation following 34 years at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she has held the position of Vice President for Institutional Advancement since 2004. She will begin working at the Barnes in April.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome Nina to the Barnes Foundation. With her proven track record of advancement leadership, expertise in audience and membership development, and extensive experience planning and executing capital initiatives, she is the ideal person to lead the Barnes Foundation’s new advancement division,” said Thom Collins. “Nina is a deeply respected colleague and I look forward to introducing her to the Barnes community.”

In the newly created position of Deputy Director for Advancement, which was designed to maximize and expand the Barnes Foundation’s public profile, membership, and visitorship, Diefenbach will lead a strategic, innovative and creative advancement program. Her appointment follows the recent hires of Sylvie Patry as Deputy Director for Collections and Exhibitions and Gund Family Chief Curator, and Dr. Martha Lucy as Deputy Director for Education & Public Programs and Curator.

Joseph Neubauer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Barnes Foundation said: “We are delighted with this appointment. Nina’s expertise will have an immediate impact on advancing the Barnes’ mission. With the recent additions of Sylvie Patry and Dr. Martha Lucy, together with veteran Peg Zminda, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Thom Collins has assembled a first class senior leadership team. I know I speak for my fellow trustees in saying we very much look forward to working with this talented group of individuals.”

Diefenbach managed the Metropolitan Museum’s overall fundraising effort during many important phases of the museum’s growth—increasing the endowment; generating support for capital projects, special exhibitions, publications, conservation, and general operating expenses; growing membership; and overseeing an extraordinary number of special events.

“I have spent my professional career thus far at The Metropolitan Museum of Art–an institution I care for deeply and have watched flourish over the years,” said Ms. Diefenbach. “But it is with much enthusiasm that I return home to the great city of Philadelphia, and join one of its finest cultural treasures. The Barnes has achieved many milestones since the opening of its new building in May 2012--most recently, its one millionth visitor this past fall. I look forward to the role I will play at the Barnes through its next chapter.”

After growing up in Philadelphia, where she graduated from Germantown Friends School, Diefenbach earned her B.A. from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and an M.A. in Arts Management from New York University. She now serves as a Trustee at Trinity College, where she is also a Founding Member of the Women’s Leadership Council and Co-Chair of the Annual Fund.