Description: Lydia Puccinelli-Robbins was the Curator of Collections at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, 1979-99. But she had also been working as a registrar, educator, and curator with the Museum of African Art, 1966-79, before the collection was transferred to the Smithsonian. #Groundbreaker
Description: Magda J. Schremp, Docent Program Coordinator, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1971–2007, led a team of volunteers, who were responsible for assisting with school programs, leading hands-on activities and programs, and guiding the visitors’ experiences as tour guides. #Groundbreaker
Description: Nancy J. Bechtol has supervised all facilities engineering and management needs across the Smithsonian as director of Smithsonian Facilities since 2012. Previously, Bechtol was the director of Smithsonian Gardens, 1995–2002, and director of the Office of Facilities Management and Reliability, 2002–2012. #Groundbreaker
Description: Paula Richardson Fleming, Photo Archivist, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1970–2003, organized exhibitions, authored numerous publications on Native American photography, and lectured around the world. #Groundbreaker
Description: Catherine “Kitty” Scott, Chief Librarian and Director, National Air and Space Museum Library, 1972–94, began organizing, planning, and maintaining the new library well before the museum had opened. For her efforts, Scott earned the Superior Service Award In 1976. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Katherine Ralls, Senior Research Zoologist Emerita, Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, was one of the first scientists hired at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and is a founder of the Society for Conservation Biology. She has conducted research in mammalogy and conservation biology at the Smithsonian since 1973. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Melanie A. Adams, Director, Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, 2019–present, previously served as the deputy director of learning initiatives at the Minnesota Historical Society and the managing director of the Missouri Historical Society. She brings twenty-five years of community engagement experience to the Smithsonian. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Melanie McField is the founding director of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, a collaborative, international conservation program of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, focused on improving the health of the Mesoamerian Reef, since 2006. She leads a team that aims to create reports that measure the health of the region. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Melissa Chiu, Director, Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 2014–present, oversees a staff of 50 and a collection of 12,000 objects. Within the first year of her tenure, Chiu doubled the number of museum board members, and, in 2017, the Hirshhorn Museum met a milestone of one million visitors. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Valerie Fletcher joined the research staff at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in 1978 and was promoted to a curatorial role in 1984. Fletcher worked as an Assistant and Associate Curator, 1984–92, Curator of Sculpture, 1992–2005, and Senior Curator, 2005–16. In retirement, Fletcher continues her research at the Museum as Senior Curator Emerita. #Groundbreaker
Description: Elaine R.S. Hodges, scientific illustrator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1965–1996, made drawings of insects and other organisms that were frequently used by Smithsonian scientists. She was a founder of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and edited the Guild Handbook of Scientific Illustration (1989). #Groundbreaker
Description: Mary Grace Potter, founding director of the Visitor Information and Associates’ Reception Center, 1971–2000, established and led the unit responsible for providing information to Smithsonian members and the public by mail, telephone, and in person. In 1978, Potter won the first annual Robert A. Brooks Award for Excellence in Administration. #Groundbreaker