CHAPEL HILL, NC.- The Ackland Art Museum at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced today that, following a national search, Katie Ziglar has been appointed as the Director of the Museum. Ziglar is currently the Director of External Affairs at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, a position she has held since 2003.

Ziglar, who will begin as Director of the Ackland on July 6, brings to the position nearly 30 years’ experience as a museum professional. While at the Freer|Sackler, she substantially increased annual fund-raising, from $3M in FY07 to $12M in FY12, and participated in the leadership of the $1.5B Smithsonian campaign.

She has also contributed substantially to the successful management of other major cultural organizations including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, and the National Gallery of Art.

“We are delighted that Katie Ziglar will join the Ackland Art Museum as the new director,” said Chancellor Carol L. Folt. “Katie brings significant experience from her work at the Smithsonian Institution, where she contributed to increasing visibility and financial stability. We look forward to her leadership and vision for the Ackland Art Museum."

“Katie's experience with the Smithsonian Institution, most recently at the Freer|Sackler Galleries, brings a great depth and knowledge of building community affinity groups in working with collections, especially their Asian collection,” said James Keith Brown, chair of the Ackland Art Museum’s National Advisory Board. “Her background is key for the Ackland, given our various constituents, and our focus on Asian and contemporary works of art.”

Katie Ziglar received a B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a John Motley Morehead scholar, and an M.A. in Islamic art and architecture from American University in Cairo. She currently serves as a board member of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Morehead-Cain Scholarship Fund.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve as Director of the Ackland Art Museum, and I look forward to returning to UNC-Chapel Hill in this position,” said Ziglar. “The Ackland is a vibrant, inspiring resource for this important global public research university as well as the entire Triangle community, the state of North Carolina, and our nation. I am eager to build on the incredible work of the Museum’s staff to further and deepen the Ackland’s role in scholarship and especially public engagement.”