MYSTIC —The New England Museum Association (NEMA) has elected Susan Funk, executive vice president of Mystic Seaport, as president of its board of directors. The election was held at the organization’s 2013 Annual Meeting on November 15 as part of the group’s 95th annual conference in Newport, Rhode Island.
“We’re very excited to have Susan on board,” said NEMA Executive Director Dan Yaeger. “Her leadership and commitment to the organization will help take us to the next level of success in serving the museum field.”
Funk oversees and coordinates the activities of the Museum’s Education, Exhibitions, Maritime Studies, Curatorial, Watercraft, Human Resources, and Visitor Services departments. She is responsible for operational and strategic planning, program evaluation, and participation in trustee committees, and management of all Museum functions associated with the Mystic Seaport visitor experience. Funk coordinated Mystic Seaport’s successful accreditation self-study for the Association of American Museums (AAM) in 2004-2005. She is active in the field serving on the NEMA board and regularly serving as an AAM Museum Assessment Program reviewer and accreditation site committees. In July 2005 she participated in the Getty Institute’s prestigious Museum Leadership Institute.
“Susan’s new role with NEMA validates her leadership in the field, and underscores how fortunate Mystic Seaport is to have had her on the staff all these years,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport.
Funk most recently joined the Museum in 1994. In total, she has been employed at Mystic Seaport for 25 years.
Funk was elected unanimously by more than 400 NEMA members in attendance. She is eligible to serve two one-year terms as president under the organization’s bylaws.
About the New England Museum Association
For 95 years, the New England Museum Association has been the region’s only organization serving museums of all sizes and the people who work for and with them. NEMA’s mission is to strengthen museums in the region through research, professional development, thought leadership, advocacy, and initiatives that build the social capital of museums within their communities. To achieve this mission, NEMA fosters communication and ethical conduct, promotes excellence in museum operations, and encourages support for the museum field. Programs include an annual conference which attracts more than 900 museum professionals, a series of workshops, a series of leadership events, and special projects such as the Museum Diversity Initiative, which seeks to align museums with an increasingly multicultural society.
