Debbie Linn is the Interim Head of Conservation in the Susan and David Goode Center for Advanced Study in Art Conservation at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. She is responsible for oversight and management of the conservation program which is dedicated to the preservation, treatment, research, and scientific analysis of the museum’s collection of over 55,000 works of art. Linn provides leadership and guidance in the establishment and refinement of policies and procedures for conservation activities associated with exhibitions, loans, and new acquisitions. She also oversees the budget, spearheads an active internship program, and facilitates communication and relationships between conservation, other museum departments, and the museum’s statewide partners. In addition, Linn writes and manages federal and private grants including a three-year National Endowment of the Humanities Preservation Access and Education Training grant that supports interns and fellows. Linn teaches workshops and classes on myriad conservation and collections care topics for a range of audiences from high school and college students to museum professionals.
Linn began her conservation career in the early 1990’s with internships and conservation technician positions at the National Museum of American History, the Freer Gallery, Harvard University, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. After receiving her Master of Fine Arts and Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation from the Garman Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State in 2000, she worked at a variety of institutions including the Field Museum, the Chicago History Museum, the Newberry Library, and the Library of Congress. While her graduate studies focused on works of art on paper, over her career she has engaged in an uncommon combination of experiences, broadening her perspectives and allowing her to effectively lead a diverse conservation team.