2023 Election Slate

Bio

Suzanne Davis is associate curator for conservation and head of the Conservation Department at the Kelsey Museum, where she oversees the preservation of the museum’s 100,000+ artifacts and historic building. She currently directs conservation programs for the Kelsey’s Abydos Middle Cemetery project in Egypt, the El-Kurru and Jebel Barkal projects in Sudan, and the Notion Archaeological Project in Turkey. She also serves as affiliated faculty for the University's Museum Studies Program.

She received graduate degrees in art history and conservation from the Conservation Center of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and is a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC). Prior to joining the Kelsey in 2001, she was a conservator for the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, DC. Suzanne is currently the president of the AIC and serves on the board of its philanthropic affiliate, the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation.

Her research is centered in three areas: 1) investigating problems and improving preservation outcomes for archaeological sites and collections, 2) community-engaged, collaborative practice in archaeology and conservation, and 3) ancient materials and technology. She has also studied and written about ancient graffiti, visitor experience at museums and archaeological sites, and gender equity in conservation and museums.  

In addition to her conservation work for the Kelsey, she has co-curated two exhibitions at the museum, Graffiti as Devotion along the Nile (2019–2020, with Geoff Emberling), and Conserving Antiquity, (2012–2013, with Claudia Chemello).

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC strategic plan in this volunteer role?

As you may remember from my constant messages last year, I love strategic plans. I’m excited about AIC’s new plan because it has big, aspirational goals that are achievable if we break them into small pieces. Although I’m committed to supporting all the priorities in the plan, I’m especially interested in priorities 3 and 4. Priority 3 is, “Promote and Invest in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access.” Under this goal, there are several specific action areas that I will support as board president. These include a board diversity plan, an accessibility audit of our programs and services, and a DEIA checklist that we’ll develop to help evaluate new opportunities. Improving onboarding for new volunteers is a related priority, and my special area of interest within this focuses on board level positions. Each role on the board is different, yet board members also share timelines, projects, and challenges. My goal is for new board members to feel welcome, appreciated, and productive from day one. Finally, I have a longstanding interest in gender equity, specifically wage equity, and look forward to helping AIC support this. Under priority number 4, “Strengthen Communications,” there are two action areas—both shared with FAIC—with which I’ll be especially involved: developing a coordinated media and public relations strategy to support the field, and providing communications and storytelling (read = influence!) training for members. 

Bio

Corina E. Rogge is the Andrew W. Mellon Research Scientist at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Menil Collection. She earned a B.A. in chemistry from Bryn Mawr College, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University and held postdoctoral positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center (Houston). Before joining the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, she was the Andrew W. Mellon assistant professor in Conservation Science in the Department of Art Conservation at State University of New York Buffalo State. She is currently serving as the Vice-President of the American Institute for Conservation and is a Fellow of that organization and an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC strategic plan in this volunteer role?

I find the new strategic plan incredibly exciting; it was a real privilege to participate in its development.  In terms of the Annual Meeting, which is the Vice-President’s primary responsibility, I see priorities 1, 2 and 3 being of critical importance.  We have developed a survey on the climate impact of the Annual Meeting to assess what our members want and value. The AIC board will use this information to help determine how to lower the carbon impact of the meeting while continuing to serve our community.  I want the Annual Meeting to be a welcoming and useful event to members at all career stages; one where all attendees feel valued.  We remain committed to having high quality talks and workshops to support professional development, and to providing a strong virtual component for those who cannot attend in-person.  We will continue to produce our first time attendees’ guide, and for the Jacksonville 2023 meeting we have also developed a local guide for those attending in person. We hope that these resources, plus others like the newly revamped guide to best practices for creation of accessible presentations, and our continued efforts at translating documents, will help create a more accessible meeting.  Two years ago when I first ran for the position of AIC Vice-President I referenced Peter Fischli and David Weiss’ piece How to Work Better. One of the guidelines listed in this work is ‘accept change as inevitable,’ and I am very excited about the changes our new strategic plan will generate!

Bio

Tiarna Doherty is currently the Project Manager for Collections Support Teams at the Smithsonian Institution. Previously she was Chief of Conservation for the Lunder Conservation Center at the Smithsonian American Art Museum where she ran a dynamic program of professional development programs for conservators and allied professionals. Tiarna began her professional career as a paintings conservator at the J. Paul Getty Museum.

Tiarna holds a MSc in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation; a Certificate in Executive Non-profit Management from Georgetown University; and a BA in Art History and Chemistry from Tufts University. She is currently completing her PhD in Art History at the University of Delaware. Tiarna is Chair of the AIC/CAA Jury for Award for Distinction in Scholarship and Conservation and serves as an Assistant Coordinator of the ICOM-CC Paintings Working Group.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC Strategic Plan in this volunteer role?

As Director for Professional Education, I will actively seek to advance our organization through opportunities for professional development across specialties and career levels. I will strengthen and multiply existing partnerships with allied organizations, considering in particular  sustainability issues and operational resilience. I will welcome creative ideas for program content and the means for improving accessibility. I am committed to thoughtful listening and to raising the voices of members who wish to contribute feedback and ideas. 

My experience in fundraising for programs as well as in creating digital content will inform how I work with constituents to achieve goals of increased access and inclusivity.  I have previously designed professional development for conservators and allied professionals which served to foster leadership, strengthen networks, and promote the exchange of complementary knowledge. I look forward to building upon this experience to collaborate with colleagues and expand AIC's professional development opportunities.

Bio

Beth Edelstein received her M.A. degree in Art Conservation and Art History from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts in 2003. She worked for the following 14 years as objects conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, on projects ranging from the study and analysis of medieval Spanish polychrome stone sculpture to the reinstallation of the Oceanic galleries and the treatment and study of the museum’s Damascus Room. She joined the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) as Head of the Objects Lab in 2017 and oversaw the conservation project for the museum’s Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan that was presented in the groundbreaking digitally-enhanced exhibition Revealing Krishna in 2021. Her interest in public outreach and education led her to co-create the American Institute for Conservation’s K-12 Education Outreach committee in 2005, a committee she currently chairs. Beth continues to mentor graduate interns and fellows at the CMA, participates in public programs on conservation both within and outside the CMA, and supports high school and undergraduate students interested in conservation.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC Strategic Plan in this volunteer role?

The conservation profession drew me in because it promised a lifetime of continual learning. Our field prioritizes revisiting received knowledge, reinventing techniques, and learning from and giving back to our trusted colleagues. As my career has progressed, I've seen this emphasis on learning and open sharing of expertise extend beyond the bench to encompass leadership, strategy and management skills. As AIC Director of Professional Education, I would be honored to actively promote these core strategic values by supporting the varied professional development and continuing education activities the organization encompasses. I would serve AIC’s members by fostering transparency, providing insights on decision-making and funding or internal support sources for projects. In turn, I would serve the organization by communicating the initiatives, dreamed up daily by engaged and thoughtful colleagues, that support our shared goals of equity and inclusion, diversification of the field, and professional advancement. I would aim to be an effective conduit for members to capitalize on the resourcefulness and energy of the community, enabling this remarkable group of people to grow the body of skills and knowledge that continually enliven our work.

Bio

Gregory Bailey is the Senior Objects Conservator at the Walters Art Museum. He received an M.A. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College in 2011 and went on to serve as Samuel H. Kress Fellow in Conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in Conservation at the Walters Art Museum, and Conservator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery. Greg is the recipient of the 2016-2017 Booth family Rome Prize in Historic Preservation and Conservation. He served in leadership roles for AIC Research and Technical Studies (RATS) 2018-2022 and is associate editor of the Journal of the American Institute for Conservation as well as Studies in Conservation.  

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC Strategic Plan in this volunteer role?

Having contributed to the NEH Held in Trust initiative and current efforts to revise the AIC Code of Ethics, I am lucky to have had opportunities to reflect on the future of our organization and the wider field of cultural heritage preservation. In both cases, future success relies on fostering and sustaining an inclusive culture of care that embraces not only the practical work of conserving cultural heritage, but also recognizes and uplifts the human values and impacts of conservation. A volunteer professional organization such as ours is ideally poised to model cultures of care through kindness, respect, and mutual support. As Director of Specialty groups, I will endeavor to facilitate efforts to reduce barriers to entry and participation in AIC and the broader field, promote opportunities for mentorship and learning at all career stages, and amplify the work of the Communications Committee to encourage publication and information sharing in a variety of formats.  

Bio

Fletcher Durant is the Director of Conservation and Preservation for the University of Florida Libraries. Prior to joining UF, he was the Preservation Archivist for NYU Libraries and an Assistant Conservator for Special Collection at the New York Public Library. He received his MSIS and CAS in the Conservation of Library and Archival Materials from the University of Texas. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation, and has served as Program Chair for both the Book and Paper  and Electronic Media Groups. He is also active in the American Library Association and Society of American Archivists.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC Strategic Plan in this volunteer role?

As the Director, Specialty Groups, I will work to connect our SG leadership and build shared goals to support the specialty groups’ priorities in the new Strategic Plan. My hope is that we can find shared areas that we can advance together for sustainability, inclusion, and member benefits. The specialty groups have been at the heart of AIC since before I was a member, and it has consistently been the enthusiasm and commitment of the specialty groups and their members that have found innovative and effective ways to strengthen the practice of conservation and AIC. I want to build on the strength of the specialty groups as we tackle the complex ethical issues of the 21st century in order to continue to grow the field in healthy and equitable ways and offer leadership in order to maximize the work of our volunteer efforts.

Bio

Catherine Coueignoux is the sole proprietor of Oakstreet Art Conservation, focusing on objects, and decorative arts in the Bay Area. She is deeply involved in the local conservation community and enjoys creating collaborations with her projects. Prior to moving to private practice, she was a museum conservator at the Fine Art Museums of San Francisco and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Cat is a graduate of Winterthur and Williams College and studied cabinetmaking at the Ecole Boulle, Paris. Her broad experience, both professional and personal, has provided her with a unique perspective that spans the different realities and personalities of the conservation world. One of her favorite elements of conservation, in fact, has turned out to be her colleagues, with all of their own perspectives, stories, and skills. The Nominating Committee, with the opportunity it presents to help nurture the professional community that AIC is so committed to creating and fostering, would be a wonderful fit.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC strategic plan in this volunteer role?

In the past handful of years, AIC has made clear its commitment to redefine itself, and the field of conservation as a whole, from the inside out. There is not an aspect of the profession that is not being critically thought about. This engagement in the process of transforming thought, approach, and practice is incredibly exciting to someone who cares about the big picture. I have participated in AIC since I was a student, most recently in 2021 as a General Session Committee Member and Opening Session moderator. In that opening session, some big, compelling topics that transcended the historically narrow view of conservation were explored. It felt like a real beginning. I would be thrilled to participate in the Nominating Committee and have the chance to have a meaningful impact on fulfilling the Strategic Plan by helping to bring in new leaders who can support its mission. 

Bio

Michelle Facini is the Senior Paper Conservator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where she conducts technical scholarship, performs treatments, advises on loans and art transport, makes exhibition and storage recommendations, guides policies and procedures, and co-advises the post-graduate fellows in conservation. She is an advocate for educational outreach, leadership development, innovation, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Michelle’s publications include the study of materials and techniques used for paintings on construction paper by Mark Rothko, Edgar Degas’s late pastel works on tracing paper, illuminated manuscripts, and the preservation of oversized artworks. Michelle is a Fellow of the American Institute of Conservation, Emeritus Book and Paper Group Chair (2014-2016). Most recently, she served on the collections committee for the Held in Trust initiative supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (2021). Michelle received her Master of Science in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program (2002).

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC strategic plan in this volunteer role?

Nominating Committee members can support the values of community, diversity, and sustainability throughout every stage of coordinating and presenting candidates for the annual election of Directors and Officers. During my time as Book and Paper Group Chair (2014-2016), we ensured accessibility by increasing travel funds, so any BPG member interested in serving had the financial support to do so. As an Emeritus BPG Chair, I similarly took on the coordination of a slate of future BPG candidates that emphasized the diversity of our community. Acting in this role, I prioritized outreach to a wide pool of members asking for their consideration to volunteer and bring their unique perspectives to the BPG. Our colleagues deserve ample time to weigh volunteer service against their commitments and need support during their tenure to thrive. As advocates, we listen intently, welcome new ideas, and find ways to sustain individual members and the greater community. 

Bio

Bianca Garcia is an Associate Conservator of Paintings and Programs Manager at the Balboa Art Conservation Center, a nonprofit regional center in San Diego, CA. She also serves as the Program Manager for the Andrew W. Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation, an initiative of the UCLA/Getty Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage that supports funded opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in conservation as a career path. Bianca is also a founding member of Materia: Journal of Technical History, a open-access peer-reviewed digital journal specializing in the material study of cultural heritage. She currently serves as Co-Chair of AIC’s Equity and Inclusion Committee and was a previous member of the Paintings Specialty Group’s Nominating Committee. Bianca is invested in diversifying and increasing equity and representation in the field of art conservation and the communities we serve, as well as broadening access to preservation services and exploring culturally inclusive preservation practices. Bianca earned her Master of Science in Art Conservation from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.

How will you help to support the strategic priorities outlined in the new AIC strategic plan in this volunteer role? 

An internal challenge identified by AIC’s new Strategic Plan is that “support for association memberships is declining in newer generations, as other community-building options are available online.” This personally struck me because, at times, I have also questioned the value of AIC. It is true that modern technology has allowed for new ways of connecting outside of AIC that are more direct and responsive, and that engagement between the organization and its members hasn’t always been transparent and inclusive. Yet AIC remains the most recognized conservation professional organization in this country and the one that most people turn to for official guidance in one way or another. There is great value and potential in that. My conclusion is that our collective efforts and contributions are what makes AIC, and there are many ways in which we can affect change in our organization, but it requires that we engage with it. I am enthused by the new priorities outlined, including transparency in communication and inclusive community building. Serving on the AIC Nominating Committee will allow me to support crafting AIC’s new identity through the recruitment of new like-minded volunteers looking to serve the conservation community in meaningful and productive ways.

BPG Assistant Program Chair Candidates

Morgan Adams

Bio & Statement: Morgan Adams is the Mellon Conservator for Special Collections at Columbia University Libraries, where she treats books, paper, parchment, and papyrus collections from across the University. She particularly enjoys advising scholars on technical examination of special collections, collaborating on complex imaging and exhibition projects, and supervising graduate student interns.

With gratitude for the conservators who mentored her, Morgan is committed to teaching. She was co-instructor for the History of Bookbinding intersession and Book Structures Practicum courses for graduate students in the Mellon Libraries and Archives Conservation Education programs (2016-2022). As co-director of the Columbia & Barnard Pine Tree Scholars Program, she planned a curriculum introducing students to various aspects of book arts (2017-2020).

Prior to joining Columbia, Morgan was the Pine Tree Post-Graduate Fellow in Book Conservation at The Morgan Library & Museum and worked in the library conservation departments of the New York Academy of Medicine, New York University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Texas at Austin.

Morgan graduated in 2013 with an MA in Art History and an Advanced Certificate in Conservation from the NYU Institute of Fine Arts Conservation Center, and earned her BA in 2005 from the University of Texas at Austin.

She has been a member of AIC since 2008. After years of enjoying attending the annual meetings, she would be honored to serve the BPG membership in the role of Assistant Program Chair. She would be excited to collaborate with the BPG Executive Council and support the annual meeting program planning.

Mary Broadway

Bio & Statement: Mary Broadway is currently the Associate Paper Conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago where she cares for paper-based artworks spread across eleven curatorial departments. She enjoys contributing technical observations and research to print and digital scholarly publications and working with colleagues in the conservation community and beyond to promote object-based study. Mary has taught students at the School of the Art Institute and the University of Chicago about the relevance of conservation and technical research to the fields of studio art and art history. She has presented talks to the general public that have introduced the field of conservation and focused on the physicality of artwork and best practices for its display and preservation. Mary has participated in and provided administrative support to professional development opportunities including the practical workshop Out Damn Spot: An Exploration of Chelating Agents and Alternative Methodologies for Removing or Reducing Staining in Paper taught by Chris Stavroudis and Antoinette Dwan for AIC’s 45th Annual Meeting in 2017 and Pastel Roundtable: A Study Day at the National Gallery, London in 2018. She is honored to be nominated for the position of BPG Assistant Program Chair. She views the role as an opportunity to put her organizational skills to use by supporting BPG member efforts to keep our community connected, energized, and moving toward a more equitable and sustainable future.

BPG Secretary/Treasurer Candidates

Tessa Gadomski

Bio & Statement: Tessa is currently a Conservation Librarian at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, and has expertise in the long-term care of book and paper materials. Before working at Penn Libraries, Tessa was a paper and book conservator at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) in Philadelphia. Her previous conservation experiences include a fellowship at Dartmouth College Library, and internships at the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Tessa is a graduate of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, where she specialized in library and archival materials. During her graduate studies, she also received a Certificate of Advanced Study in Preservation from the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Tessa has been a member of AIC for approximately 14 years, and welcomes the opportunity to contribute further to the conservation community. She is interested in serving as Secretary/Treasurer because she wants to support BPG in facilitating opportunities for members to make new connections and in providing high-quality programming. Tessa previously served a two-year term as Treasurer for the Philadelphia Area Conservation Association (PACA) and is currently completing a term as Co-Chair for PACA. In her service for PACA, she gained significant experience with collaborative committee work and grew her skills related to financial management. Tessa hopes to apply and expand upon her previous experience, and she looks forward to supporting BPG in a greater capacity.

Trina Parks

Bio & Statement: Trina Parks is the Conservator for Special Collections at Cornell University Library. She is responsible for coordinating and executing conservation treatment and assessment of bound materials for exhibition, digitization, rare cataloging, and research use. She periodically leads and organizes hands-on classes and workshops for Cornell students, librarians, and faculty as well as conservation graduate students. Previously, she was a project conservator at Columbia University Libraries.

Trina sees this opportunity to be Secretary/Treasurer as a meaningful way to contribute to her professional community using management and organizational skills she’s developed throughout her career. Prior to becoming a conservator, she was the assistant registrar in the corporate art group of a major financial services company. In that position, she maintained location records for over 15,000 works of contemporary art across the company’s 200+ properties. She coordinated payments for framing, art handling, and art shipping and monitored the million-dollar acquisition budget.

Trina holds an MA/MS from New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts and did her final year internship at the Library of Congress. She is a Junior Fellow in Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography through the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School. She is also the US representative for the European Research Centre for Book and Paper Conservation-Restoration.

OSG Assistant Program Chair Candidates

Karl Knauer

Bio: Karl Knauer is a conservator with the Naval History and Heritage Command in Richmond, Virginia, where he and the other conservators work with curators, collection managers, and other stakeholders across the Navy's collections and museums. He previously worked as Collections Conservator at George Washington's Mount Vernon and in the anthropology conservation laboratory at the American Museum of Natural History. Karl received his M.S. in 2005 from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation with a specialization in Objects Conservation.

Karl's statement: I love the inspiration that comes from OSG sessions at the AIC annual meetings! I remember being intimidated by my first AIC conference 20 years ago, but I quickly appreciated it as a welcoming and inclusive forum for colleagues to collaboratively exchange ideas. Ever since then I come away from these sessions feeling invigorated and excited to pursue new practical solutions for problem solving in conservation!  

I would be honored to serve as part of the team to organize and facilitate the Objects Specialty Group program at the annual meetings and other OSG duties over the coming years.

Casey Mallinckrodt

Bio & Statement: I recently became the head conservator of the Avenir Conservation Center at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Inclusion is central to the mission of the Conservation Center: engaging across disciplines, working with communities from which collection belongings originated as well as communities outside the museum, and creating opportunities for learning and professional growth to a wide range of people. The work of the OSG Program Committee aligns with these goals: to bring people together to share information and enrich individuals and the field. 

I received a MA from the UCLA/Getty Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage and an MFA in sculpture from the Yale School of Art.  Before joining DMNS I was the first objects conservator in the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art’s 180-year history and had oversight of a wide range of object types and collections issues. Prior to that I was part of the conservation-curatorial team at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts carrying out the technical analysis, study, and conservation of the museum’s collection of historic arts of Africa under the auspices of an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant. This was a formative experience: the resources allowed depth in study and analysis and the capacity to develop cross disciplinary and institutional relationships, as well as confront and begin to address ethical questions about collections displaced from their cultural sources, issues now central in collection stewardship.

While that sort of opportunity is unusual, the annual conference is an – albeit condensed – essential resource for learning, sharing information, exchanging ideas, and developing personal and professional contacts. Presentations and posters are vehicles for documenting and sharing conservators work beyond the conference.

I’ve had the benefit of presenting my work and, as an attendee, expanding my knowledge and community: taking a supporting role is overdue. I’m drawn to programs because planners see more of what conservators are working on and I like to be part of what’s going on behind the scenes!

I’ve successfully brought groups together to promote collaboration and consensus building. And although not a skill, I find it deeply rewarding to facilitate connections and to welcome wide opinions and ideas into generative exchanges.

Priorities of the membership guide programming but the growth of the field and adjacent professions, and increasing collaborations across disciplines increase the need to have conversations and more sustained exchanges beyond the presentations- something I would like to work on expanding.

As for the rest of my life, I’m fortunate to be a trustee of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine and much more fortunate to be the mother of my adult daughter, who also lives in Denver!

Thank you for considering me as an assistant program chair for OSG! 

Caroline Roberts

Bio: Caroline Roberts is an archaeological conservator and a graduate of the Winterthur / University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. Carrie’s professional background includes internships at the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, English Heritage, and the Worcester Art Museum, as well as post-graduate fellowships at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Carrie returned to the Kelsey Museum as a Conservator in 2014. Her research interests include the conservation of stone artifacts and architecture in museum and field settings, the characterization of ancient polychromy, and preventive conservation. Carrie’s conservation fieldwork experience includes seasons at Kaman-Kalehöyük in Turkey, Selinunte in Sicily, El-Kurru in Sudan, and Abydos in Egypt. She is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation.

Carrie's statement: We have so much to learn from each other in our diverse roles as objects conservators; we work with every material type in every possible setting, we are adept problem-solvers, and we routinely step outside our comfort zones. I always come away from our OSG sessions full of questions, ideas and leads, and this is largely thanks to the breadth of our shared expertise. As assistant program chair for the Objects Specialty Group, I will be committed to helping build an annual meeting program that represents our wide-ranging experiences—one in which we can share stories, workshop ideas, and support our colleagues. I will invite conservators at all career levels and from different areas of practice to present, and eventually publish, their work.

I am an archaeological conservator who works for a small university museum, where I provide conservation support for both collections and field projects. I have also served AIC over the years in volunteer roles with ECPN, the Education and Training Committee, the Imaging Working Group and OSG. In 2019 I chaired the concurrent general session “Practical Approaches to Technical Research in Low-Tech Settings” at AIC’s 47th annual meeting, where I learned how to build a session program and moderate discussions. I am currently organizing a special issue for JAIC on the same topic. I would lean on my project management, research collaboration, team building and mentorship skills as assistant program chair, and I would embrace the opportunity to serve in a more active role in AIC and OSG by taking on this position. 

Looking ahead to potential programming in the future, I am interested in how the work we do with objects overlaps with collections research, preventive care and community-engaged conservation practice. I am eager to hear what other topics OSG members would like to see represented at the annual meeting, as well. I believe strongly in cultivating an inclusive space  for idea-sharing, and in highlighting projects that make the most of limited resources in a range of settings—from institutions to private studios to historic sites. Finally, I would look forward to working with presenters in developing their presentations into articles for JAIC or other heritage publications. Our work is valuable and can be made more discoverable to allies and potential collaborators outside our field by publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

RATS Assistant Program Chair

Mina Porell  

Bio: Mina Porell is the Assistant Conservator of Paintings at the Barnes Foundation, where she participated in the international technical research project on Amedeo Modigliani and is currently carrying out the technical study of paintings by Henri Rousseau. Previously, Mina studied, analyzed, and treated eighteenth-century American paintings at the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, focusing on the works of William Williams; still involved with this collaborative project, Mina is now part of the steering committee of the upcoming symposium, “Shifting Tides: Art in the Eighteenth-Century Caribbean,” which will bring conservators, scientists, and art historians together in an effort to broaden the narratives on eighteenth-century art and the significance of the Caribbean region. Mina is a 2018 graduate of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, and she has worked in various conservation roles at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL), the Atlanta Art Conservation Center, and the National Gallery for Foreign Art in her native Sofia, Bulgaria. She also holds a Master of Arts in art history from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Art in art and art history from Oglethorpe University. Mina’s main research and technical analysis interests include material characterization as a complement to archival research; the identification of material degradation phenomena and their implications on treatment; and developing cross-disciplinary collaborations to facilitate access to instrumental analysis. 

Statement of Intent: As RATS members would agree, scientific analysis and technical studies are a crucial part of the conservation of cultural heritage. In my various appointments as a paintings conservator, I have been fortunate to have undertaken fascinating technical study projects, facilitated by supportive supervisors and colleagues and the availability of analytical tools, and this has become one of the most gratifying aspects of my work. Unfortunately, I have also come across situations where various barriers precluded access to this important source of information. Many of these would be familiar to RATS members—lack of funding and staffing are the usual culprits, but perhaps more surprisingly, sometimes other mundane and surmountable obstacles arise: individual/s reluctance to reach out and collaborate, unwillingness to share results, a sense that technical studies are too specific, esoteric, or irrelevant to practical treatment, and a misunderstanding of the breadth and accessibility of techniques, to name a few. As a result, technical research and analysis continue to remain off-limits to conservators and institutions that would greatly benefit from them in very real and practical ways; one initiative that immediately comes to mind is the Poison Book Project led by conservator Melissa Tedone and scientist Rosie Grayburn at the Winterthur Museum, which has resulted in the identification of 146 emerald green bindings in circulating library collections to date (http://wiki.winterthur.org/wiki/ARSENICAL_BOOKS_DATABASE, accessed 2/28/2023). With this in mind, and with a realistic expectation of what can be achieved within the purview of an AIC specialty group, as the assistant program chair of RATS, I would help with the continued dissemination of valuable research carried out in the US and beyond; I also hope to promote the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration across institutions in supporting meaningful scientific analysis and technical studies.

Douglas McLennan

Bio: Douglas MacLennan is an Assistant Scientist in the technical studies research group at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI). His work focuses on the technical examination of works of art in collaboration with other scientists, conservators, and curators. His research interests include the development and application of scanning X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy and reflectance imaging spectroscopy (RIS) for better understanding original construction, degradation and condition, and historical interpretation. Prior to joining the GCI, he worked as an assistant paintings conservator at the J. Paul Getty Museum. He received a postgraduate diploma in the conservation of easel paintings from the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a double BA in History and German from the University of Michigan.

Selected recent publications:

Ricciardi, P.;  Dooley, K. A.;  MacLennan, D.;  Bertolotti, G.;  Gabrieli, F.;  Patterson, C. S.; Delaney, J. K., Use of standard analytical tools to detect small amounts of smalt in the presence of ultramarine as observed in 15th-century Venetian illuminated manuscripts. Heritage Science 2022, 10 (1), 38.

Ghirardello, M.;  Gonzalez, V.;  Monico, L.;  Nevin, A.;  MacLennan, D.;  Patterson, C. S.;  Burghammer, M.;  Réfrégiers, M.;  Comelli, D.; Cotte, M., Application of Synchrotron Radiation-Based Micro-Analysis on Cadmium Yellows in Pablo Picasso's Femme. Microscopy and Microanalysis 2022, 1-10.

MacLennan, D.;  Trentelman, K.;  Szafran, Y.;  Woollett, A. T.;  Delaney, J. K.;  Janssens, K.; Dik, J., Rembrandt's An Old Man in Military Costume: Combining hyperspectral and­ MA-XRF imaging to understand how two paintings were painted on a single panel. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 2019, 58 (1-2), 54-68.

MacLennan, D.; Llewellyn, L., Gold leaf in Gentile da Fabriano's paintings. The Burlington Magazine 2019, 161 (1401), 988-995.

Comelli, D.;  MacLennan, D.;  Ghirardello, M.;  Phenix, A.;  Schmidt Patterson, C.;  Khanjian, H.;  Gross, M.;  Valentini, G.;  Trentelman, K.; Nevin, A., Degradation of Cadmium Yellow Paint: New Evidence from Photoluminescence Studies of Trap States in Picasso’s Femme (Époque des “Demoiselles d’Avignon”). Analytical Chemistry 2019, 91 (5), 3421-3428.

Statement of Intent: I have been passionate about the technical study of works of art since I first entered the field of conservation as a rising third year paintings conservator at the Courtauld Institute of Art. My final year thesis focused on the application of multiband diffuse reflectance imaging spectroscopy paired with point X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to investigate whether we could characterize a now-hidden self portrait of the French painter Georges Seurat in his famous Young Woman Powdering Herself, which was thought to be present based on an X-ray taken in the 1950s. This work was a collaboration with MoLAB as well as curators from the Courtauld Gallery. Our technical examination revealed that Seurat originally included a fully worked self-portrait in the small window in the upper corner of the painting. He painted himself out before the picture it was included in the 1890 Salon. The discovery turned out to have important art historical significance for Seurat scholars as it remains the artist’s sole self-portrait! I mention this study in so much detail because it was pivotal for me in many ways; one of which was that it highlighted the importance of technical examination. Far from just identifying pigments and collecting data sets that take up precious server space, technical studies provides evidence to understand our tangible shared cultural heritage at the macro- and micro-scales, which is not possible with our eyes.

I joined the Getty after leaving the Courtauld and have been involved with many technical studies across a range of media including modern and old master paintings, works on paper, sculpture, furniture, antiquities, and illuminated manuscripts. Before joining the science department at the GCI, I also worked as an assistant paintings conservator and carried out treatment on paintings ranging from the Italian Renaissance to the very end of the 19th century. As a conservator in a science department, I’m comfortable working with my colleagues in both fields. I have a highly collaborative working ethic and would bring my deep dedication both to the mission of AIC as well as my passion for technical studies to the forefront if nominated as assistant program chair.

Publication Chair

Kirsten Moffitt

Bio: Kirsten Travers Moffitt received her M.S. from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (WUDPAC) with a specialization in painted surfaces.  After graduating in 2011, she joined The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and now serves as Conservator & Materials Analyst. She helped establish the Foundation’s first scientific analysis laboratory, where she works with conservators, curators, and historic interpreters to conduct scientific research for all collection materials. She has a special interest in historic paint and pigments, particularly those used in architectural settings. She helped organize and co-edited the post-prints for the 6th International Architectural Paint Research Conference in 2017, Micro to Macro: Examining Architectural Finishes (Archetype, 2018). This publication includes her paper “Limewashed Island: Architectural Finishes in Early Bermuda”, co-authored with Ed Chappell. Other recent lectures and publications include “Hugh Orr’s Orpiment Hue: Paint Analysis Discoveries at the George Reid House” Traditional Paint Journal (August 2021); “Orpiment in Colonial Williamsburg: Challenges in the Analysis of Yellow Arsenic Sulfides in Historic Housepaints” (Microscopy & Microanalysis 2021 Conference); and “Polarizing Light Microscopy for Pigment Identification: Case Studies in Cultural Heritage Research” (International Academic Projects 2021). She teaches Polarizing Light Microscopy (PLM) and Cross-section Microscopy workshops to first and second-year WUDPAC students. She volunteers as a peer-reviewer for Studies in Conservation and AIC’s Objects Specialty Group post-prints, and is currently a member of the scientific review committee for the forthcoming International Architectural Finishes Research conference in the Netherlands.

Statement of Intent: I have worked in the field of conservation for more than twenty years, and as Conservator and Materials Analyst at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for more than a decade. I am running for the position of Publication Chair for the Research and Technical Studies group because RATS publications have always been an important resource for me, and I want to give back and support the group’s endeavor as Chair, working to disseminate knowledge that inspires new research within our group and the broader heritage science community. If elected, I look forward to serving the continued publication of high-quality research such as conference session post-prints, maintaining and expanding the AIC Wiki’s Research and Analysis sections, and other group resources. 

Marcie Wiggins

Bio: I am an Assistant Conservation Scientist and inaugural Diana Luv Chen Fellow at Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH). As a part of the Technical Studies Lab at IPCH, I work on material characterization for all of Yale’s collections, including natural history, art, and library objects. After earning bachelor’s degree in chemistry and art history at the University of Maryland-College Park in 2014, I received my PhD in analytical chemistry at the University of Delaware studying copper-based pigments via spectroscopic methods and collaborating with Winterthur Museum. My thesis was supervised by Dr. Karl Booksh, a spectroscopist and chemometrician, and Dr. Jocelyn Alcántara-García, a conservation scientist. I have previously held internships at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute, and the Rijksmuseum. I started at IPCH in 2019 as a Postdoctoral Associate focused on scanning x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and the associated data processing and am now working to integrate XRF scanning results with other spectroscopic analyses (both in situ and sample based). In addition to extensive work with the various collections at Yale, I have been striving to promote best practices and facilitate discussions for the XRF scanning community through shared resources and a recent Bruker M6 MA-XRF User Group Meeting that I helped organize.

Statement of Intent: I am an early career scientist looking to get more involved with the AIC community and have a strong desire to be a contribute to the RATS group.  For many years, I have been interested in the intersection of conservation and science, and I am especially invested in efforts to communicate the fascinating links between these two areas to a wide audience. This includes other scientists, conservators, museum professionals, art historians, students, and the public. I have done work with conservation science-based outreach programs for local high school students and have lead discussion sessions at international conferences. I have given both numerous poster and oral presentations at national and international conference, which has kept me active e in the conservation science community. I have also served as a peer-reviewer for several journals, such as Studies in Conservation, Heritage Science, and X-ray Spectroscopy. I recognize the important responsibility of this activity to ensure that research findings are communicated clearly and accurately to both benefit and engage future scholars. Through my recent work as a co-organizer for the first Bruker M6 Jetstream MA-XRF User Group meeting in North America, I saw the need to foster more discussion focused on scientific research in conservation among our peers in North America. I am committed to helping RATS continue to work on filling that need in the conservation community, and I hope to contribute in my capacity as the next Publication Chair.

Secretary/Treasurer

Ashley Freeman

Bio: Ashley A. Freeman is the Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Conservation Science at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), where she assists in analyzing the museum's collection that covers a wide variety of materials and historical eras. At LACMA, her main focus of research centers on the characterization of plastic fibers within LACMA's textile collection. In 2021, she completed her Ph.D. at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, where she studied the physical behavior of distemper paint from Norwegian stave churches. Prior to that, she was a member of the Managing Collection Environments Initiative at the Getty Conservation Institute, where she focused on the effect of environmental factors on the mechanical and chemical characteristics of museum objects. Ashley holds a MAC in Conservation Science from Queen's University, a study certificate for restoration and conservation from the Lorenzo de' Medici, and an MS in Chemistry from Loyola University Chicago.

Her research interests include the effects of environmental factors on the mechanical and chemical properties of artworks, the application of physical and analytical techniques for long-term monitoring and preventive conservation purposes, and the study of the ageing properties of artists' paint using physical and analytical methods. In addition to her research, Ashley is passionate about sharing her scientific knowledge with the next generation of art conservation professionals. She is dedicated to teaching science to students studying art conservation, as well as mentoring and guiding interns and junior staff to become proficient in the application of physical and analytical techniques in the field.

Statement of Intent: As a passionate cultural heritage professional, I am excited about the opportunity to serve as Secretary/Treasurer of the Research and Technical Studies group. I believe that this position would allow me to give back to the community, expand my knowledge through educational opportunities, and collaborate with other researchers in the field to advance the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage. In this role, I would be able to contribute to the group's mission and goals while also learning from other members and participating in educational activities to enhance my skills and knowledge. I am eager to work closely with the other members of the executive committee to develop and implement strategies that promote the group's objectives and ensure its continued success. Furthermore, I believe that serving in this role would provide me with valuable leadership experience that will benefit me both personally and professionally. I am committed to the field of cultural heritage and to making a positive impact on the preservation and understanding of our shared cultural heritage. I look forward to the possibility of serving as Secretary/Treasurer and working collaboratively with other members to advance the important work of the Research and Technical Studies group.

Vice Chair Candidates

Emma Schmitt is the Textile Conservator at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Emma graduated with an MPhil in Textile Conservation from the University of Glasgow, Centre for Textile Conservation and Technical Art History in 2014. She was the Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the Denver Art Museum from 2015-2017 and was the textile conservator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) from 2018-2019. Her current research focuses on synthetic fibers in use during WWII. Other interests include conservation education and training, wet cleaning, and sustainable practice.

Annabelle (Bellie) Camp is a Kress Conservation Fellow at Balboa Art Conservation Center. She holds an MS in Textile Conservation with a minor concentration in Organic Objects from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation. She received her BA in Art Conservation and Anthropology from the University of Delaware. Bellie has trained in leading textile conservation labs, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Abegg-Stiftung, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Bellie is passionate about cultural heritage advocacy. She believes in placing the power of preservation in stakeholders’ hands and has successfully led digital outreach and repatriation projects with this goal. Bellie is active within the textile and conservation communities. She has served three terms on the AIC Sustainability Committee and is the Treasurer of the Board of the Textile Society of America. She also is an abstract contributor for AATA Online and visiting lecturer in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.

Nominating Committee Candidate (uncontested)

Deborah Trupin