NEW LEBANON, NY.- On March 19 the trustees of Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon elected Joanne Dunne Murphy as the newest member of its board of directors. She brings with her longtime interests in art, collections management, and exhibitions.

“The opportunity to join the board of Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon attracts me because the museum is at such an interesting point in its development,” said Ms. Dunne Murphy. “Preserving the collection, educating visitors, and enriching the region with a new site that explores our local Shaker heritage is an exciting challenge.”

Ms. Dunne Murphy, who moved to Old Chatham, New York permanently in May 2015 after living in Vienna, Austria for eighteen months and London for fourteen years, worked at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1985 to 1989 in the department of medieval art. She also volunteered at The Metropolitan Museum from 1998 through 1999 as a research assistant to Dr. Barbara Boehm, who now serves as Senior Curator for The Met Cloisters. Ms. Dunne Murphy is a graduate of Smith College.

The Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon’s executive director Lacy Schutz said, “We’re entering a period of growth at the Shaker Museum and part of that involves expanding the board. Joanne’s enthusiasm, intellect, and commitment to the region will be valuable factors in the sound governance and evolution of this organization.”

“My introduction to the Shakers was an appreciation for their furniture, but further exploration revealed an ethos that continues to speak to today’s society,” said Ms. Dunne Murphy. “The recent temporary exhibition at the New York State Museum showcased highlights from the Mount Lebanon collection worthy of a permanent public home. I feel that Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon is poised to become once again a vibrant part of our community.”

"I am very pleased to welcome Joanne as our newest trustee with her passion for art history, love of the Shakers, and her long family history in Columbia County," said board chairman Jeff Daly. Ms. Dunne Murphy’s parents are John and Denise Dunne, who are longtime residents of Columbia County and have been good friends to the Museum over many years.